3070 – ERIVAN X

Horn Lake, Mississippi, 1861, 3c red postal stationery cover, handstamped PAID in black with “10” in manuscript above, adjacent Horn Lake, Mississippi c.d.s. (Oct), affixed overtop indicia with small black boxed “10” adhesive on very thin bluish pelure paper, to Montgomery, Texas, docketed on flap “Rec’d Oct 30th /61”, tear at upper right into indicia with small sealed tear extending into label, some light toning at right edge, a most unusual item, to date the only recorded example. Very little is known of the origins of this purported Postmaster Provisional. Hugo Dietz in his 1929 “the Postal Service of the Confederate States of America” shows a partial illustration, referring to it as the “Horn Lake, Miss. Curio”, and identifying it as being from the collection of Mr. Fred Green of Fort Sam Houston. Dietz does not comment on its legitimacy, and instead asks the question “Who will define its status?”  Despite first being documented nearly 100 years ago, it remains the only known example, and continues to be unlisted in Scott.