1895 So Ashburnham Mass Envelope RPO Clerk WJ Tilley Handstamp Mail Train Lot For Sale

Dimensions: 3x5.5This is an authentic, original 1895 Victorian postal history lot featuring a postmarked envelope from Southern Ashburnham, Massachusetts, complete with its original handwritten message insert carrying a rare Railway Post Office (RPO) clerk handstamp.The outer envelope features a crisp circular "So. Ashburnham, Mass. Feb 4 1895" cancellation over a red 2-cent George Washington stamp, addressed to E. L. Evans. Tucked inside is the original brown paper message slip featuring an exceptionally clear purple oval ink strike explicitly naming historic transit mail clerk W. J. Tilley of the Boston, Providence & New York R.P.O. line. Clerk Tilley is celebrated in U.S. postal lore as one of the Gilded Age mail handlers who decorated the national mascot, Owney the Postal Dog. Both pieces feature extensive contemporary pencil correspondence notes on their reverse sides, offering an untouched, historically complete look into 19th-century New England mail transit.Condition Note: The set is in very good antique condition. The So. Ashburnham postmark, 2-cent stamp, and purple oval clerk handstamp are entirely crisp, clear, and highly legible. Both pieces demonstrate honest indicators of age and handling, including natural paper toning, standard envelope edge wear, soft folding lines on the insert, and light surface smudging. Please inspect the high-resolution photographs to evaluate the exact cosmetic state before purchasing.