(1c) Dull Blue, Franklin
Carrier (LO1). Three full to large margins, touched at top, couple ink
marks, used with 3c Orange Brown (10), two large margins, other
sides mostly clear, both stamps tied by black grids, red "New Orleans La.
Jan. 21" (1852) circular datestamp, green "N.O.U.S. City Post, Jan. 1"
snow-shovel datestamp on brown cover to New York City, top backflap
removed, a second Franklin Carrier stamp (evidently forming a pair) has
been cut out of the coverTHE ONLY FRANKLIN CARRIER COVER KNOWN FROM NEW ORLEANS, WHERE 50,000 STAMPS WERE SENT IN 1851, AND THE ONLY FRANKLIN CARRIER GENUINELY USED WITH A REGULAR POSTAGE STAMP.
New Orleans carrier service to the post office was free. However, the original franking on this cover to New York City included a pair of Franklin Carrier stamps, one of which remains, and the 3c 1851 stamp. It is possible that the sender, who used a street address, intended to prepay the 2c "from the mails" carrier fee in New York City.
Despite the removal of one stamp, this cover remains an important and unique artifact of carrier service in New Orleans. The few other existing Franklin Carrier stamps from New Orleans are off cover or on piece. This is also the only genuine combination of the Franklin Carrier and 1851 Issue, since both of other two combination covers have been certified as not genuine.
Ex Waterhouse, Middendorf and Golden. (Image)