Cornwell's Madison Square Post Office, New York N.Y., (1c) Red (52L2). Large top margin, clear at bottom and sides just touched or in, slight crease, cork cancel, tied by oval "Madison Square Post Office" handstamp with "Cornwall's" deleted, "Paid/Swarts" framed handstamp on blue cover with Macy's embossed return card on flap, vertical folds in cover clear of stamp

FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS WITH THE SCARCE CORNWELL'S STAMP TIED. ONLY THIS COVER SHOWS THE OVAL MARKING WITH "CORNWALL'S" (SPELLING ERROR) DELETED, USED UNDER BENTLEY'S OWNERSHIP.

Daniel H. Cornwell established his Madison Square Post Office at 945 Broadway as early as May 1856 (May 28 use of Cornwell's oval is recorded), but sold out to Henry H. Bentley in August of the same year (as advertised). Covers showing Cornwell's markings or stamps are extremely rare, and the presence of Swarts markings on several of them indicates an arrangement between the two posts. The stamps come on white (52L2) or bluish paper (52L1), and it appears that this paper is bluish, but to be consistent with the Scott Catalogue, we list it as the white 52L2. This example is unusual not only for the tied stamp (two such tied examples are recorded), but the oval handstamp shows removal of Cornwell's name (mis-spelled "Cornwall's" in the device). The other tied usage, ex Caspary and Boker, has the name in the oval.

Ex Abt and Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 991, realized $9,000 hammer)

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