1867 Cover with Painterly Cancellation: To Selectmen of Littleton, from Templeton MA J.S. Schaff Much aged over at least

Much aged over at least a couple hundred years I'd think

and a little unevenness along the left edge

including the range of brands of cigars they were able to attain ribbons from

John Kellogg

I'd never seen a checkerboard patterned piece of mocha ware before

1867 Cover with Painterly Cancellation: To Selectmen of Littleton, from Templeton MA J.S. Schaff Much aged over at leastI was recently reminded, coming upon this and a couple of other covers envelopes listed today, of the beauty of fancy old cancellation marks and this one to my eye is about as beautiful as it gets. Beyond the star like mark itself, for me it's also about how that black ink stamp interacts with the rest of the elements in this case simultaneously blotting out and illuminating the pinkish red of the 3 cent stamp, perfectly centered over it, with the