1873, 3¢ War Dept., light horizontal pre-use crease, cancelled by split cork duplexed with "Fort Union N. Mex. 23 Sep" cds on yellow cover front to Washington D.C., manuscript "O.B." corner card, Very Fine, a rare Fort Union usage, ex-Lobdell. Scott No. O85  Estimate $400 - 600. $0 (Image)

1873, 3¢ War Dept., tied by segmented cork duplexed with "Washington D.C." cds on 3c War (UO20) entire addressed to Hon. J.H. Seely, M.C. at Amherst Mass., Very Fine, a scarce combination franking, ex-Lobdell. Scott No. O85  Estimate $300 - 400. Julius Hawley Seely was a member of the House of Congress from Massachusetts for one terms, 1875-77. He left to become President of Amherst College. $0 (Image)

1873, 3¢ War Dept., strong color, tied by quartered cork duplexed with "Washington D.C. Dec 6" cds on Moore correspondence cover to Clarksburg W.V., fancy "Office of Chief Signal Officer" corner card; reduced at left and cover tears, Fine, ex-Lobdell. Scott No. O85  Estimate $300 - 400. This is the earliest known use of the 3c War. Time dated Washington D.C. postmarks were introduced in the Winter of 1874, dating this cover to 1873. $0 (Image)

1873, 3¢ War Dept., horizontal pair, tied by "New York 'A' Jun 28 '79" station A duplex on Army Medical Board cover to Columbus Barracks, Ohio, Fine and rare use with an unusual penalty imprint, ex-Lobdell. Scott No. O85  Estimate $200 - 300. In 1879, the penalty frank use was extended to mail between all government offices. This was a very early use from a field office. $0 (Image)