Lot
1815 
Official Seal, 1877, brown, used to seal top edge of officially-opened unpaid cover bearing illegal 3¢ green stationery cut-out to Littleby Mo., cut-out has been partially pealed off, framed "Held for Postage" handstamp, "Alton, Ill. Apr 30" origin cds, blue crayon "3c" and matching "3883" file number, accompanied by Postal Service blue D.L.O. (UO16) penalty entire canceled by indigo "Washington D.C. May 21" 1879 cds sending letter to addressee, toned and opened roughly at right, F.-V.F. and unique pair demonstrating the Dead Letter Office use. Scott Nos. OX1 $1,000.
Additional postage was apparently not supplied and the letter was sent onward to the addressee. This lot proves the Kotanchik theory of DLO office handling characteristics. This cover can be dated to 1879 by indication of the Washington D.C. cds struck in indigo ink, which was introduced in 1879, and the lack of a year slug, which was added to the device by July 1879.