Swarts' City Dispatch Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Gray Blue Wove, Bouton's, "Swarts" at Top (136L13). Two large margins, touched at top and right, uncancelled, tied by filing crease thru stamp, red "New-York 5 cts. 22 Mar." integral-rate circular datestamp on greenish 1849 folded letter to New Haven, Fine, this is the first Swarts issue (the manuscript overprint was applied to the stock of Bouton's stamp), covers are rare, ex Golden

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Swarts' City Dispatch Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Gray Blue Wove, Bouton's, "Swarts" at Top (136L13). Large margins to just touching at top left, bold "Swarts" overprint, tied by red "Paid", second strike and matching "Post Office, Swarts, Chatham Square" oval handstamp on embossed Valentine cover addressed in blue to local street address, some faint stains

VERY FINE. THE BOUTON'S STAMP WITH MANUSCRIPT OVERPRINT IS THE FIRST SWARTS ISSUE AND IS EXTREMELY RARE. THERE ARE PERHAPS TEN COVERS EXTANT, DATED IN LATE JANUARY AND EARLY FEBRUARY 1849, SOON AFTER SWARTS' ACQUISITION OF BOUTON'S CITY DISPATCH POST.

In our cursory survey of auction sales and other sources, we counted eight 136L13 covers. Allowing for covers not known to us, it is unlikely that more than ten covers exist.

Ex Hollowbush.

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Swarts' City Dispatch Post, New York N.Y., 2c Black on Gray Blue Wove, Bouton's, "Swarts" at Top (136L13). Two large margins, touched at top and right, uncancelled, tied by filing crease thru stamp, red "New-York 5 cts. 22 Mar." integral-rate circular datestamp on greenish 1849 folded letter to New Haven, Fine, extremely rare -- eight covers located by us and possibly ten covers exist in total

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