10¢ Black (2), large to gigantic margins showing parts of four adjoining stamps, manuscript "X" as always for this post office, clear "Doakes Ville Ark. May 30" (1850) circular datestamp on envelope to Mrs. Clinton W. Lear, care of Martin G. Kennedy at "'Box No. 7'" in the New Orleans post office

Very Fine. This is the finest of only seven recorded 10¢ 1847 covers from Indian Territory (there are also 5¢ 1847 covers from Indian Territory).

Doaksville (spelled with an "e" in the postmark) was located in the Choctaw Nation, but for administrative purposes the post office was attached to the Arkansas postal department. Supplies of the 1847 Issue, consisting of 100 5¢ and 100 10¢ stamps arrived on March 27, 1850. A second shipment of 200 5¢ and another 100 10¢ arrived May 15, 1850, and it is believed that all of the known 10¢ 1847 covers are from the second shipment.

All of the 10¢ covers are from the Lear correspondence. Lt. Clinton W. Lear was stationed at nearby Fort Towson, and he was writing to his wife in New Orleans. The six covers for which we have images are dated May 30, June 13, 20, 24, 30 and July 1. The seventh is an October 4 cover listed in the USPCS census but without description or image. The only one with the original contents, June 24, establishes the year of mailing as 1850. Each has a single 10¢ cancelled with a manuscript "X," and though none is tied in the traditional sense, the somewhat corrosive cancelling ink has bled through and is clearly visible on the inside of the envelope. This cover is unquestionably the best preserved of this group, which usually show paper wear and ink deterioration to varying degrees, including a couple quite severe. The Lear group was the subject of an article by Creighton C. Hart in Chronicle 72. At that time (1971), only four Lear covers were known, in addition to a 5¢ from Doaksville and one from Eagletown (both Pitchlynn correspondence).

Ex Harvey Mirsky.

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