15¢ Brown & Blue, Type II (119), dramatic misalignment of vignette and frame, used with 1¢ Buff (112), 6¢ Ultramarine (115) and 10¢ Yellow (116) on folded cover to Calcutta, India, Wattenbach, Heilgers & Co. correspondence (see also lot 532), 10¢ and 15¢ tied by segmented cork cancels, 1¢ tied by red "26" credit handstamp, 6¢ uncancelled, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Mar. 19" (1870) backstamp, red "London Paid" transit datestamp (March 30) and "1d" British Colonial credit handstamp, sender's blue oval datestamp at lower left, "Sea Post Office" oval and red Calcutta receiving backstamps

One or two stamps originally cancelled at upper right have fallen off and some rejoined splits along interior folds, but overall impressive and Fine--a colorful and extraordinary 1869 Pictorial combination cover to India, and one of only three uses of the 15¢ to India.

This cover is illustrated in the 1869 PRA census book (p. 162) with a 3¢ 1869 affixed at upper right which has an entirely different cancel and obviously never belonged (the stamp has since been removed). However, there was at one time a stamp or stamps in the same position. We surmise that the missing stamps were likely a pair of 2¢ or 3¢ 1869s, cancelled by the same segmented grid that extends onto the top right of the 10¢ and cover. The original franking could have been intended for the 30¢ rate for British Mail via Marseilles (with corresponding 26¢ credit) or 32¢ rate by North German Union Closed Mail. The 6¢ at lower right is uncancelled and, if part of the sender's original franking, was superfluous. We are convinced that it belongs to the cover, because affixing an original-gum, well-centered 6¢ 1869 to a cover is not characteristic of the usual "enhancements." A plausible explanation is that two stamps fell off in handling, after cancellation, but before the exchange office clerk rated the letter. Observing that the stamps had fallen off, a postal employee (possibly the foreign exchange clerk) applied the replacement stamp (6¢ being convenient) and from that point it was marked with the "26" credit for British Mail via Marseilles. We recognize that this involves speculation that the post office was unusually accommodating, but a reevaluation of the cover in its present form is a significant step towards understanding this remarkable item.

Ex Edgar Kuphal ("European's Large Gold" collection).

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