Mearis' City Despatch Post, Baltimore Md., 2c Black on Gray (103L3). Kelly Type G, Position 1 in our plating analysis (small "Post", sans-serif "City Despatch", similar to Type F except slightly different letter spacing), large margins except just clear at bottom right ornament, light wrinkles and puckering caused by red wax wafer used to affix stamp to folded cover, handsomely addressed to Miss Elizabeth Garrett and marked "Paid" by sender, with two enclosures: a beautiful embossed Valentine envelope with addressee's name in same distinctive handwriting, along with original Valentine enclosure, a handwritten love poem on lace-bordered stationery

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS BEARING INTACT EXAMPLES OF THE MEARIS' CITY DESPATCH POST STAMPS. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED 2-CENT COVER AND THE ONLY MEARIS VALENTINE USAGE. AN ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING COMBINATION OF QUALITY AND RARITY.

A letter given to Mearis for delivery within the city was charged 2c. This is the only recorded example of the city-delivery rate, in this case paid by a single 2c stamp, Type G, which we have assigned to Position 1 in our plating analysis (see Golden sale catalogue Siegel Sale 817, p. 301, or go to http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/carriers/mearis.htm). It is identical to Type F (Position 3), with the same type fonts used for each of the four lines, and the diamond ornaments in each corner. The differences between Types F and G are more apparent when one is overlayed on the other.

This beautiful Valentine cover was donated by the Garrett family to the Princeton University Library and was deaccessioned through our firm in 1981. We wish to make one observation, which may be pure coincidence, but the stamp on this Valentine was left uncancelled, just as the Davis's Penny Post stamp on the Valentine offered in the Golden sale (lot 1020) was left uncancelled, in contrast with other known examples. In both cases, it is possible that a cancellation was considered an impolite and aesthetic detraction from the beauty of the Valentine.

Illustrated in Kelly's CCP series (Vol. 50, No. 3, p. 150). Ex Princeton University Library and Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1333, realized $15,000 hammer). Scott Retail $16,500.00

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