St. Louis Mo., 10c Black on Gray Lilac (11X5). Type II, Position 4, three full margins, clear to slightly in at right, without pen cancellation and tied by the red "St. Louis Mo. Feb. 27" (1846) circular datestamp with matching "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "10" rate on light greenish folded letter datelined "Saint Louis Feb. 26, 1846" from Loker Renick & Co. to Charnley & Whelen in Philadelphia, light file fold at bottom

VERY FINE. THIS FEBRUARY 27, 1846, POSTMARK DATE IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED ON A FULL COVER BEARING ANY OF THE ST. LOUIS "BEARS" STAMPS PRINTED FROM THE ALTERED PLATE ON GRAY LILAC PAPER. AN IMPORTANT POSTMASTERS' PROVISIONAL COVER IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.

The original plate of six subjects used to print the St. Louis "Bears" provisional stamps comprised three 5c and three 10c stamps. The first printing from this plate was made exclusively on Greenish paper and issued in early November 1845. Shortly after, two of the 5c subjects (Positions 1 and 3) were altered by burnishing out the "5" numeral on each and engraving a "20" in its place. Impressions from the altered plate containing two 20c subjects was made almost exclusively on Gray Lilac paper. The cover offered here is the earliest cover bearing a St. Louis "Bears" stamp on Gray Lilac paper (and from the altered plate), clearly postmarked February 27 (1846). There are a few stamps off cover with slightly earlier February dates, which could be 1846 or 1847.

Signed Ashbrook. Illustrated and described in Opinions IV, "An Important Change in Philatelic Foundation Policy: Certification of Earliest Known Date of Use", Jerome S. Wagshal (pages 42-60). Ex "Charnley & Whelen Find" (H. R. Harmer sale, Dec. 13, 1948, lot 28) and John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 56). With 1985 P.F. certificate stating "It is genuine. The earliest recorded use of the Gray Lilac paper known to date."

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