Sale 50: United States Postal History

Lot 449    

1851 (Jul. 28) Liverpool, England to Andover, Mass., folded letter bearing Great Britain 1841, 2d blue, four singles, large margins to touched, tied by "466" barred ovals prepaying the 8d outgoing ship letter rate, Liverpool "Ship Letter JY 30 1851" crown backstamp, carried by Collins Line Arctic from Liverpool Jul. 30 to New York arriving Aug. 11, black "New-York 'Ship 7cts' Aug 11" cds for the 5¢ domestic rate to Andover plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, This Is the Only American Contract Steamship Voyage Known To Have Been Designated For Ship Letters Only, Only Three Covers Recorded From This Voyage.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

The British elected not to send a regular mail on this voyage of "Arctic", an American contract mail steamship of the Collins Line, because the NY & Havre Line "Humboldt" was departing the next day from Southampton for New York. Arctic's voyage was considered an extra voyage and carried ship letter only.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 450    

1851 (Jul. 29) Glasgow, Scotland to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with red "Glasgow, Paid, Jul 29 1851" datestamp and red manuscript "8" rating for prepaid 8d outgoing ship letter rate, carried by Collins Line Arctic from Liverpool Jul. 30 to New York arriving Aug. 11, black "New-York 'Ship 7cts' Aug 11" cds for the 5¢ domestic rate to Philadelphia plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, This Is the Only American Contract Steamship Voyage Known To Have Been Designated For Ship Letters Only, Only Three Covers Recorded From This Voyage.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

The British elected not to send a regular mail on this voyage of "Arctic", an American contract mail steamship of the Collins Line, because the NY & Havre Line "Humboldt" was departing the next day from Southampton for New York. Arctic's voyage was considered an extra voyage and carried ship letter only.

Realized: $1,150

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Lot 451    

1851 (Sep. 17) Liverpool, England to Buffalo, N.Y., folded letter bearing Great Britain 1841, 2d blue, horizontal strip of four, large margins to shaving framelines, tied by "466" barred ovals prepaying the 8d outgoing ship letter rate, Liverpool "Ship Letter SP 17 1851" crown backstamp, carried by Inman Line City of Manchester from Liverpool Sep. 17 to Philadelphia arriving Oct. 3, blue "Philadelphia Pa. Oct 3" cds and matching "Ship" and "7" circled ratings for the 5¢ domestic rate to Buffalo plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and interesting use, A scarce non-contract steamship sailing.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Letter carried on the second voyage of the "City of Manchester" and fifth voyage of the Inman Line. The Inman Line operated from Liverpool to Philadelphia from 1851-1856, then shifted the U.S. terminus to New York beginning in 1857.

Realized: $8,000

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Lot 452    

1851 (Nov. 26) St. Leonards-on-Sea, England to Newport, R.I., folded cover bearing G.B. 1847, 1s green cancelled by "682" grid, blue St. Leonards-on-Sea backstamp, red London (11.27) backstamp and "5/cents" credit h.s. overstruck with "Insufficiently Stamped" two-line h.s., Liverpool (11.28) with matching "Above ½ Oz." straightline h.s., carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Nov. 29 to Boston arriving Dec. 12, "Boston Br. Packet '24' 13 Dec." exchange due cds; Very Fine, one of only five recorded examples showing the illegal partial prepayment.
Scott No. GB #5    Estimate $500 - 750.

London determined letter over ½ oz. and required two rates. London marked INSUFFICIENTLY / STAMPED in red and ABOVE ½ (ms) OZ. in black, and sent the letter to Liverpool without rating it. Liverpool credited U.S. 5¢ for rate that was paid and debited U.S. 19¢ for rate unpaid. Boston marked 24¢ postage due. This unusual partial payment, contrary to the U.S.-U.K. convention of 1848, resulted from an informal agreement between the Liverpool and New York post offices and was not sanctioned by either government. It lasted from February 1849-December 1852.

Realized: $625

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Lot 453    

1852 (Apr. 30) Liverpool, England to New York, N.Y., folded letter that did not enter the British postal system, carried by Great Britain from Liverpool May 1 to New York arriving May 14, New York "2nd Delivery" black straightline handstamp and matching circled "6" rating for ship letter fee, Very Fine, This Is the Only Recorded Cover Carried By Great Britain after her 1846 Grounding. A scarce non-contract steamship sailing.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The New York second delivery marking was used to show the letter was received after others were turned in by the ship. The "Great Britain" made only three round voyages across the Atlantic after grounding, one in 1852, one in 1858, and one in 1859.

Realized: $525

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Lot 454    

1852 (May) Ship Loo Choo at Sea, North Atlantic to Dorchester, Mass. via Cowes, Isle of Wight, folded letter from sailor on board the ship Loo Choo in North Atlantic, latitude 29°N 11'W, which was transferred to another ship headed to England and landed at Cowes, "Cowes/Ship-Letter" backstamp, British manuscript "32" cent debit to U.S. for "8" pence (16¢) incoming ship fee plus 16¢ transatlantic packet service, carried by Cunard Line Africa from Liverpool May 8 to Boston arriving May 20, red "New-York 'Ship' May 20" exchange cds and manuscript "37" cent postage due with 5¢ added for inland postage, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

The U.S.-U.K. convention of 1848 had a provision for this 37¢ rate, which is uncommon. The New York Ship cds is rare on transatlantic convention mail.

Realized: $375

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Lot 455    

1853 (Jan. 11) Liverpool, England to Maysville, Ky., cover with red "Forwarded by Klingender Bros." oval and Liverpool (1.11) origin cds, carried by Collins Line Arctic from Liverpool Jan. 12 to New York arriving Jan. 26, "New-York '24' Jan 26" exchange due cds, advertised in Maysville with "ADV 1" due handstamp, no response and letter sent back to Liverpool, reverse with London "Sent Back to England/Without a Reason/For Non-Delivery" three-line h.s. in red, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $350

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Lot 456    

1854 (Jan. 13) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with green Liverpool (1.13) datestamp and matching "19/cents" debit h.s. to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Asia from Liverpool Jan. 14 to New York arriving Jan. 31, "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. '24' Jan 31" exchange debit cds, Very Fine, This is an early example of mails handled by this new exchange office, the second earliest strike of this exchange marking.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Philadelphia became an exchange office for U.S.-British Treaty mails on January 1, 1854.

Realized: $160

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Lot 457    

1854 (Feb. 17) London, England to Andover, Mass., folded letter that was sent "out of mails" to Boston, flap with manuscript forwarder's endorsement "Forwarded by Y. O.S.…N.B.L…Mch 7 '54", carried by Cunard Line Alps from Liverpool Feb. 19 to Boston arriving Mar. 7, posted with 1851, 3¢ red tied by "Paid" grid, red "Boston 8 Mar" cds, Very Fine.
Scott No. 11A    Estimate $200 - 300.

The Cunard Line "Alps" was substituting as a contract mail steamship on only this one voyage to Boston.

Realized: $170

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Lot 458    

1854 (Jun. 6) London, England to Baltimore, Md., folded letter with red London Paid (6.6) cds and red manuscript "1/-" shilling packet rating, red "21/cents" credit rating h.s., carried by Havre Line Union from Southampton Jun. 7 to New York arriving Jun. 23, red "Am. Packet, Paid 24, Jun 24" exchange credit cds, Very Fine, Letter was carried on maiden return voyage of the Havre Line Union.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

British mails were picked up and discharged off Cowes, Isle of Wight, in the Solent near Southampton. London applied 21¢ credit marking.

Realized: $375

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