The C.A. Stillions Collection of Washington D.C. Postal History

Postage Due, 2¢ & 10¢ deep claret, bisects, 2¢ bottom half of horizontal bisect, 10¢ bottom left half of diagonal bisect, tied by "Brooklyn, N.Y., Rec'd, Dec 17, 95" cds on short paid cover to Swansea, England originally bearing 2¢ red (279Bc) tied by "Brooklyn N.Y., Nov 2, 95" duplex, New York "T" "15 Centimes, N.Y." duplex handstamp, Swansea (11.13) arrival backstamp, Swansea (11.15) and "R.L.B., Bristol" (11.16) transits, "Returned Lr. Office, London" (11.18) backstamp, large "3d, F.B. A." handstamp for 6¢ due, large purple hand "Dead Letter Office, Washington D.C., Returned To Writer, Collect '6' Cts" handstamp; small edge tears and wear, contemporary return address abrasion, a Very Fine and exceptional use.

Scott No. J32 var., J35 var.   ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

THE ONLY RECORDED TWO-VALUE POSTAGE DUE BISECT COVER.

The Foreign Division of the DLO returned this refused short paid foreign addressed letter to the addressee. Underpaid 3¢ of 5¢ rate (due) 15 centimes (3¢) applied at New York City. Per UPU practice letter due "3 pence" (6¢) per the "3" due handstamp in England. Refused and returned to the US, OLD applied "Return to Sender, Collect 6 cts." for short paid letter to be collected when delivered. Bisected due stamps applied in Brooklyn indicating amount of postage due.