Lot 405
1827 (Jan. 7) Eastbourn, England to New York, N.Y., folded letter with "Eastborne" backstamp and red manuscript "2/3" 2s3d rating for prepaid packet fee, London (1.9) d.s., carried by Falmouth Packet Redpole from Falmouth Jan. 11 to Bermuda arriving Mar. 3, then Cunard Sailing Packet Susan to Annapolis arriving Mar. 18, red "Annaps. Md. Mar 19" cds with matching "Ship" h.s. and "20¾" due rating, Very Fine, the first of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover. One of four covers recorded from this voyage of the 10 covers known from all voyages.Estimate $500 - 750.
Since the British Falmouth packet service to New York was suspended in late 1826, letters for America in 1827 were put off at Bermuda, where a Cunard sailing packet was contracted to carry them to Annapolis, Maryland, where they entered the U.S. mail system. This letter was carried on the first of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis before the British Government ended the service. About 1,200 letters were landed on each voyage.
Realized: $4,500
Lot 406
1827 (Jan. 26) Green Bank, England to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with "Green Bank" circular postmark and manuscript "2/3" 2s3d rating for prepaid packet fee, carried by Falmouth Packet Princess Elizabeth from Falmouth Feb. 14 to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Apr. 15, red "Annaps. Md. Apr 16" cds with matching "Ship" h.s. and "14½" due rating, Very Fine, the second of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover. The only recorded letter from this voyage of the 10 covers known from all voyages.Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $1,000
Lot 407
1827 (Mar. 3) Glasgow, Scotland to Saco, Me., folded letter with "Glasgow 3 Mar 1827" backstamp and "Paid/Glasgow" h.s., carried by Falmouth Packet Nocton from Falmouth Mar. 12 to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Susan to Annapolis arriving Apr. 24, red "Annaps. Md. Apr. 25" cds with two partial strikes of matching "Ship" h.s. and "27" due rating, F.-V.F., the third of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover. The only recorded letter from this voyage of the 10 covers known from all voyages.Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $1,000
Lot 408
1827 (Jun. 27) Monmouth, Wales to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with red "Cardiff JY 13 1827" rimless backstamp and red "P 2/1" 2s1d prepaid packet rating, carried by Falmouth Packet Eclipse from Falmouth Aug. 4 to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Sep. 18, black "Annaps. Md. Sep. 18" cds with matching "Ship" h.s. and "14½" due rating, fresh and Very Fine, the eighth of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover. The only recorded letter from this voyage of the 10 covers known from all voyages.Estimate $300 - 400.
Annapolis changed the color of ink used for datestamp from red to black sometime in mid-1827.
Realized: $1,000
Lot 409
1827 (Sep. 8) Coupar Fife, Scotland to New York, N.Y., folded letter with "Coupar Fife" backstamp with manuscript "Paid 2/6½" prepaid 2s6½d packet rating, red "Paid/Sep 9/1827" transit, carried by Falmouth Packet Swallow from Falmouth Sep. 12 to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Susan to Annapolis arriving Oct. 20, black "Annaps. Md." cds with matching "Ship" h.s. and "39½" due rating, slight edge toning, F.-V.F., the final ninth monthly voyage to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover. The only recorded letter from this voyage of the 10 covers known from all voyages.Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $750
Lot 410
1840 (Sep. 18) Manchester, England to Boston, Mass., folded letter with red "Manchester SP 18 1840" origin d.s. with red manuscript "1/-" shilling prepaid packet rating, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Sep. 19 to Boston arriving Oct. 3, Boston fancy red "Ship 6" scroll due h.s., Very Fine and choice, Letter carried on maiden voyage "Caledonia" and fourth round trip voyage of the Cunard Line.Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $250
Lot 411
1841 (Jan. 2) Leith, Scotland to Richmond, Va., folded letter with red "Leith Jan 2, 1841" cds with red manuscript "1/-" shilling prepaid packet rating, red London (1.2) transit, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Columbia from Liverpool Jan. 5 to Boston arriving Jan. 21, red "Boston 'Ship' Jan 21" cds and manuscript "27" due rating for 25¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, Letter carried on maiden voyage of the Cunard Line Columbia.Estimate $500 - 750.
"Columbia" was the last of the original four wooden, side-wheel paddle steamers with which Samuel Cunard start the operations of his line in July 1840. She was 1,175 tons and built at Greenock in 1840. She ran aground and was wrecked at Cape Sable, Nova Scotia on July 2nd 1843 without loss of life.
Realized: $625
Lot 412
1841 (Nov. 2) Londonderry, Ireland to New York, N.Y., folded letter with red "Paid at Derry" framed h.s. and Derry (11.2) backstamp, reverse with Liverpool "D, Nov 4, 1841" four segment circular transit datestamp (one of about a half dozen recorded examples), red manuscript "1/-" shilling packet fee rating, carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Nov. 4 to Boston Nov. 18, red "Boston Ms. Ship Nov 1" cds and blue "20¾" rating for 18¾¢ postage to New York plus the 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine.Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $140
Lot 413
1842 (Jan. 3) Manchester, England to Boston, Mass., folded cover with red "Manchester JA 3 1842" origin d.s. and red manuscript "1/-" shilling prepaid packet rating, Liverpool "D, Jan 4, 1842" octagon backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Jan. 4 to Boston arriving Jan. 21, Boston red "Ship/6" fancy ribbon due h.s.; some docketing on front, Fine.Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter marked one penny in red ink for British inland fee in error and then marked 1 shilling for the packet rate. Liverpool transit octagonal datestamp on reverse has the code letter "D" at the top, a scarce version of the uncommon octagonal marking. Less than a half dozen examples have been recorded and they were used for a three week period from December 1841-January 1842.
Lot 414
1842 (Feb. 15) Manchester, England to Boston, Mass., folded letter endorsed "By 'West India Steamer packet", red "Manchester FE 15 1842" origin d.s. and red manuscript "1/-" shilling packet rating, carried by RMS Teviot from Falmouth Feb. 16 to St. Thomas arriving Mar. 12, then RMS Dee to New York arriving Apr. 11, red "New-York 'Ship' Apr 11"cds with blue manuscript "20¾" due rating for 18¾¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, This is the only letter recorded to date that arrived in the United States by the RMSP branch line from Havana to New York, which carried mail on only 4½ round voyages.Estimate $300 - 400.
Starting in January 1842, the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company steamers started carrying British mail to the Caribbean with a branch line from Havana to Halifax via Savannah, Charleston, and New York. Letter had to be endorsed for the West India Steam Packet to be carried on this route instead of the normal Halifax/Boston route (a 15-day trip). This letter was in transit 55 days. This route may have been used because the Cunard Halifax/Boston route was having schedule problems in February 1842.
Realized: $3,250