Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia Pa., 3c Black (15L2). Cut to shape clear of circle all around, every letter of "Phila. Despatch Post" unusually well-defined, black "Paid" handstamp struck twice and "R & Co." manuscript control, affixed with wax seal, cancelled by red "3" handstamp, matching partly struck "Phila. Despatch Post" circular timestamp on folded cover dated "1842" on back (must be December) to the Treaurer of the American Sunday School Union at 146 Chesnut Street

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE TWO FINEST OF THE SIX RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE PHILADELPHIA DESPATCH POST CIRCULAR BLACK STAMP. BASED ON THE 1842 DOCKETING, THIS IS THE EARLIEST EXAMPLE OF A UNITED STATES ADHESIVE STAMP USED OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY.

The Philadelphia Despatch Post is documented in an advertisement in the Philadelphia Public Ledger (Dec. 8, 1842) and in an expanded version with some differences. In the later ad, the stamps are priced at 3c individually, 31c per dozen and $2 per hundred. Valuable-letter registration for 6-1/4c and a 6c rate on letters beyond two miles are quoted (no examples of either special service are known). The firm's address is 93 Chestnut Street, not 83 South Second Street as in the earlier advertisement.

Dr. Vernon R. Morris Jr. has recently published his own comprehensive census, which updates and expands the census previously published by our firm.

Ex Caspary, Hollowbush, Schwartz and "Gordon N. John"

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