5¢ Red Brown (1), horizontal pair, ample margins to just touched at top left, tied by three bold strikes of red grid cancel, matching "New Orleans La. Jan. 28" circular datestamp and clear strike of "STEAMER HECLA" name-of-boat oval handstamp, "STEAM" straightline struck at top on buff cover to Stratford, Connecticut, some slight oily stains as usual for these covers, Very Fine strike of this rare handstamp, which is usually found weakly struck, very few 1847 Issue covers exist with name-of-boat packetboat markings, the Hecla was built in 1847 and ran from New Orleans on the Mississippi and Red Rivers, ex West, Klein and Boker, with 1985 P.F. certificate

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