Lot
1816 
Official Seal, 1877, brown, used to seal left edge of cover tied on reverse by cork cancel duplexed with "Providence, R.I. Apr 30" cds, bearing 3¢ green (184) tied by "7" barred oval duplexed with "Philadelphia Pa. Apr 17" cds to Providence R.I., "Carrier, Apr 18" backstamp and pencil "Try 45 Westminster", underneath label "Opened by C.F. Wilcox, 45 Westminster" at left, "Advertised, May 10" cds, blue crayon "10", Very Fine, One of Only Three Recorded Covers with the Seal tied by a postal marking.. Scott Nos. OX1 $1,000.
Another principal use for the seals was to document that a letter had been opened by mistake, either by someone not the intended recipient or, less likely, by a postal employee. After Mr. C.f. Wilcox opened the letter and determined he was not the intended Chas Wilcox Esq., the Providence post office then applied the seal to indicate the letter had been officially resealed, although not before someone noted the sender was D.C. Haldeman.