Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins, tied by pencil stroke and used with 3c Rose (65), corner crease at top left, similarly cancelled and tied by quartered cork, red "Boston Mass. Apr. 7" double-circle datestamp and used locally, the Prince's stamp with some toning most likely from gum, cover with opening tears at top, otherwise Very Fine and very scarce on cover, with 1973 P.F. certificate, accompanied by unused single and block of four

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins to full, used with 3c Rose (65) and tied together by "Boston Mass. Jan. 6" duplex circular datestamp on cover to Roxbury Mass., slightly reduced at right, some slight waterstaining

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland, Maine, and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare. Larry Lyons records eleven Prince 122L1 covers, including fronts only (The Penny Post, October 2002).

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (no value) Black (122L1). Large margins, couple small toned spots at top, tied by cork and by blue "Prince's Express 9 Milk St." in serrated oval on 3c Pink entire (U58) to Hinsdale N.H., "Boston Mass. Jun. 23 5 A.M." circular datestamp, original June 21, 1869 datelined letter from Portland Me., overall soiling

FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS AND THE ONLY STAMPED PRINCE'S COVER WITH THE 9 MILK SREET ADDRESS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland, Maine, and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare. Larry Lyons records 11 Prince 122L1 covers, including fronts only (The Penny Post, October 2002).

The Scott Catalogue has two separate listings for this stamp tied on cover with No. 65 or No. 94. The former is priced at $8,000.00, and the latter at $4,750.00. It is unlisted on the 3c entire

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins, tied by pencil stroke and used with 3c Rose (65), corner crease at top left, similarly cancelled and tied by quartered cork, red "Boston Mass. Apr. 7" double-circle datestamp and used locally, the Prince's stamp with some toning most likely from gum, cover with opening tears at top, otherwise Very Fine, with 1973 P.F. certificate

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (no value) Black (122L1). Margins all around, used with 3c Red, F. Grill (94), both stamps tied by "Boston Mass. Oct. 6" circular datestamp and segmented cork, also tied by blue "Prince's Express State St." in serrated oval on cover to Barre Mass., small missing piece of 3c stamp at right has been repaired

ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USAGES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland, Maine, and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare. Larry Lyons records eleven Prince 122L1 covers, including fronts only (The Penny Post, October 2002).

The Scott Catalogue has two separate listings for this stamp tied on cover with No. 65 or No. 94. The former is priced at $8,000.00, and the latter at $4,750.00.

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins to clear, "tied" by gum soaks on blue folded cover to Portland, wrinkles also affect cover and stamp, stamp with tear at bottom, otherwise Fine, scarce used on cover, with 1998 P.F. certificate

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins all around, ms. cancel, used with 3c Rose (65), both stamps tied by "Boston Mass. Sep. 11" circular datestamp and quartered cork on cover to Albany N.Y., 1865 receipt docketing, sealed tear in 3c stamp, backflap removed

ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USAGES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland Me. and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare, and only eleven covers are recorded by Larry Lyons (Penny Post, October 2002; one or two of the listings are questionable covers). This is one of the earliest of the recorded covers (an Aug. 1864 cancel on an off-cover stamp is known). Some of the later usages are known with a blue oval company handstamp.

Ex Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1451, realized $7,500 hammer). With 1982 P.F. certificate

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large to clear margins all around, tied by ms. cancel, used with 3c Rose (65), both stamps tied by "Boston Mass. Nov. 2?" circular datestamp and quartered cork on grocer's corner card cover to Taunton Mass., Nov. 28, 1865 receiving backstamp, with original contents, slightly reduced at right affecting 3c stamp

ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USAGES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland Me. and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare, and only nine or ten complete covers are known according the the Lyons census in the Oct. 2002 Penny Post

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Ample to large margins, tied by one of two strikes of "Boston & Portland/Express./11 State Street, Boston/34 Exchange Street/Portland" framed ribbon-marker handstamp on cover to Boston, sender's notation "Order"

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USAGES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland Me. and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare, and only four or five complete covers are known. This is the only example known to us with the stamp tied by this type of framed handstamp.

Scott value for a tied example with Scott No. 65

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Prince's Letter Dispatch, Portland Me., (unstated value) Black (122L1). Large margins all around, ms. cancel, used with 3c Rose (65), both stamps tied by "Boston Mass. Sep. 11" circular datestamp and quartered cork on cover to Albany N.Y., 1865 receipt docketing, sealed tear in 3c stamp, backflap removed

ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL INDEPENDENT MAIL USAGES FROM THE ONLY STEAMBOAT CARRIER TO ISSUE STAMPS.

Prince's Letter Dispatch was established by J. H. Prince of Portland Me. and carried mail by steamboat to Boston, which is probably why it continued to function without government interference as late as 1869. The pictorial stamps used by Prince were engraved and printed by Lowell & Brett of Boston (Lowell's imprint appears below the steamboat vignette). Although an abundant supply of unused stamps reached philatelic hands, genuinely used stamps are extremely rare, and only four or five complete covers are known. This is one of the earliest of the recorded covers (an Aug. 1864 cancel on an off-cover stamp is known). Some of the later usages are known with a blue oval company handstamp.

With 1982 P.F. certificate

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