Clark & Hall's Penny Post, St. Louis Mo., 1c Black on Pink (49L1). Ample to clear margins, uncancelled, used on cover to Miss Emily W. Smith, Setauket, Long Island N.Y., red "St. Louis Mo. 10 Feb. 27" integral-rate circular datestamp, docketed "Feb. 25, 1851, T. H. Sanford", small tear at upper left corner clear of stamp, which is sound, some waterstains around edges -- typical of this small correspondence

A VERY FINE CLARK & HALL PENNY POST STAMP GENUINELY USED ON COVER. ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES OF THIS STAMP ARE RECORDED, EACH USED ON COVER. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF AMERICAN LOCAL POSTS.

William J. Clark and Charles F. Hall advertised the opening of their "City Express and Penny Post" in the Feb. 13, 1851, edition of The Missouri Republican. Clark and Hall timed their opening to capture a share of the lucrative Valentine market. The first announcement noted that stamps were available for one cent each.

The five covers with 49L1 are recorded as follows (all 1851 dates): 1) uncancelled, red Feb. 27 datestamp, to Emily Smith, Long Island N.Y., the cover offered here, ex Ferrary, Lilly, Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 592, realized $17,500 hammer); 2) uncancelled, red Apr. 23 datestamp, to Emily Smith (as above), ex Boker; 3) uncancelled, red May 29 datestamp, to Emily Smith (as above), ex Boker, Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 980, realized $15,000 hammer); 4) uncancelled, red Jul. 20 datestamp, to Emily Smith (as above), ex Boker; and 5) cancelled by three ms. X's on Valentine cover to Eliza Pettus, local street address, Feb. 14, 1851 enclosure, discovered in 1924 by Morris Pettus (last sold Siegel Sale 878, lot 564, realized $10,000 hammer). No stamps off cover are known.

This cover was discovered by the family of T. H. Sanford and sold to C. H. Mekeel in September 1904. A copy of the original affidavit (in our files) accompanies the lot. In 1966 at a presentation before the Royal Philatelic Society of London, John R. Boker Jr. referred to this cover (ex Ferrary), stating that it had been "institutionalized" and "lost to collectors." He was evidently unaware that Lilly owned the cover. The Halls acquired it in the 1967 Lilly sale held by this firm.

Ex Ferrary, Lilly and Hall.

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