California City Letter Express Co., San Francisco, 10c Red, Type I (33L1). Margins touching to slightly in at top and bottom, projections cut into at sides, rich color, small ms. cancel (not tied as usual), used with 10c Green (68), well-centered, trivial corner crease, tied by cogwheel with "San Francisco Oct. 10, 1862" double-circle datestamp on cover to Brooklyn N.Y.

FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP ON AN ATTRACTIVE TRANSCONTINENTAL COVER. ONLY THREE COVERS KNOWN, OF WHICH THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION WITH A REGULAR UNITED STATES STAMP.

Our records contain five examples of the Red 33L1 stamp. Two additional Type I stamps in black-and-white photos cannot be identified by color. One 33L1 (cut to shape) is contained in the British Library's Tapling collection. Of the four confirmed 33L1's available to collectors, two are used alone on separate covers addressed to Lieut. Col. J. H. Stearns in San Francisco (one ex Middendorf, other ex Wiltsee). The third is an uncancelled stamp off cover (ex Lilly, small faults). This fourth example is the only 33L1 cover with a U.S. stamp of any kind; there is only one other California City Letter Express Co. combination cover recorded, with 33L8 and a 10c 1861 used together (also ex Caspary).

Ex Lichtenstein and Caspary.

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