24c Steel Blue (70b). Rich color and choice centering, used with 1c Blue (63) and 12c Black (69), all three cancelled by neat strikes of "PAID" handstamp, matching "Gorham Me. Jun. 25" circular datestamp on mourning cover to St. Petersburg, Russia, bold red "Portland Me. Am. Pkt. Paid 14 Jun. 27" (ca. 1862) 14c credit datestamp, magenta "f3" (sgr) Prussian Mail credit

VERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND RARE FRANKING FOR THE 37-CENT RATE TO RUSSIA VIA PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL. A PHENOMENAL COVER FROM THE JOSIAH PIERCE CORRESPONDENCE.

This cover must have been sent prior to May 1863 when the rate via Prussian Closed Mail was lowered from 37c to 35c. The June date and use of the 1861 Issue point to 1862.

In 1855 the addressee, Josiah Pierce, was appointed by President Franklin Pierce to be secretary of the legation of the United States at St. Petersburg, Russia. He resigned his position in 1858 to become part of a syndicate of businessmen (under the name Winans, Harrison & Winans) who were building and equipping railroads in Russia, particularly between Moscow and St. Petersburg. Sometime after 1866 Pierce re-established his residence in London, where he was the legal representative of this firm. In recognition of his services to Russia, Pierce was made a knight of the order of St. Anne by Alexander II in October 1865 (source: Google Books, Bowdoin College obituaries).

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