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Sale 50: United States Postal History

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Transatlantic Mail - California Mails - Incoming to California

Lots 636-645 Lots 646-652

Lot 636    

1850 (Mar. 26) Oberndorf, Württemberg to Culloma, Cal., folded cover with partial Oberndorf origin d.s., Bremen (4.1) with manuscript "24" cent debit to U.S., carried by Ocean Line Washington from Bremerhaven Apr. 15 to New York arriving May 4, small Culloma "ADV 2" advertised h.s. in blue for 2¢ fee, New York "Not Called For" fancy scroll h.s., some edgewear, Fine, Rare early returned letter to California under 1st Bremen Treaty.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Bremen debit was 2x12¢=24¢ for double rate German transit fee from Württemberg. New York marked postage due of 2x(40¢ west coast rate + 24¢ American packet rate+12¢ German transit)=$1.52. Letter advertised and not claimed in Culloma, so it was returned to Germany via New York where sender paid 2f24 kreuzer.

Realized: $625

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Lot 637    

1850 (May 24) London, England to San Francisco, Cal., blue folded letter endorsed "p West Indies Mail Packet" with red "Paid MY 25 1850" datestamp and red manuscript "1/" shilling prepaid rating, carried by RMSP Line Tay from Southampton Jun. 2 to Chagres arriving about Jun. 27, the from Panama to San Francisco by PMSS Co. steamer Oregon, San Francisco red boxed "30" due rating struck twice, Fine, Less than a half dozen covers have been recorded by this route before the fully paid rate went into effect.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

In October 1850, London announced that letters to California could be sent fully paid to destination in the British mails via Chagres and Panama by West India packet. This letter, sent eight months before this announcement, could be prepaid only to Panama.

Realized: $475

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Lot 638    

1850 (Nov. 8) Sanquhar, Scotland to San Francisco, Cal., folded letter with blue "Sanquhar 8 NO 1850" origin cds and red manuscript "Paid 2/5½" rating for all transit fees to destination (59¢ rate), Liverpool (11.9) backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Nov. 9 to New York arriving Nov. 22, San Francisco red "Paid" h.s., Very Fine, uncommon 59¢ rate equivalent to San Francisco.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Letter carried by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamers "Ohio" and "Pacific" to Havana and Chagres, and from Panama City to San Francisco on Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Tennessee". Letter in closed mail bag from Liverpool to San Francisco, where small red PAID marking applied.

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Lot 639    

1850 (Nov. 13) Sanquhar, Scotland to San Francisco, Cal., folded letter endorsed "Via Panama Mail" and with "Sanquhar NO 14" origin d.s., red London (11.15) transit cds and red manuscript "Paid 2/9" prepaid rating, carried by RMSCP Trent from Southampton Nov. 18 to Chagres arriving Dec. 18, San Francisco "Paid" straightline, Very Fine, one of only five recorded examples of the 2s9d West Indies rate to California.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Commencing October 1850, letters to California could be sent fully paid to destination in the British mails via Chagres and Panama. The rate for a ½ oz. letter was 2s9d (66¢), a very high rate. Since the rate was reduced in July 1851, eight months later, very few letters were actually sent at this rate. Letter carried from Panama to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer Oregon. Letter in closed mail bag from London to San Francisco, where red PAID struck.

Realized: $600

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Lot 640    

1851 (Mar. 14) Glasgow, Scotland to San Francisco, Cal., mourning cover with red "Glasgow Paid Mar 14 1851" d.s. and red manuscript "2/9" prepaid packet rating for West Indies rate to Cal., endorsed "Per West India Steam Packet", London (3.17) and Liverpool (3.17) backstamps, carried by RMSP Severn from Southampton Mar. 17 to Chagres arriving Apr. 15, San Francisco red "Paid" h.s., F.-V.F., One of five recorded covers by the West Indies route with this rate.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Commencing October 1850, letters to California could be sent fully paid to destination in the British mails via Chagres and Panama. The rate for a ½ oz. letter was 2s9d (66¢), a very high rate. Since the rate was reduced in July 1851, eight months later, very few letters were actually sent at this rate. This letter was carried from Panama to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer Tennessee. Letter in closed mail bag from London to San Francisco, where red PAID struck. One of five covers recorded by this route with this rate.

Realized: $575

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Lot 641    

1851 (Jun. 13) Angouleme, France to San Francisco Cal., June 13th cover with red "Angouleme 13 Juin '51" origin cds with "PD" and "P.P." framed handstamp. with manuscript "2.80" 2fr80c paid rating on reverse for transit fees via Panama by West Indies route, red London (6.16) transit, carried by RMSPC Medway from Southampton June 17 to Chagres arriving July 11, San Francisco red "20" cents due rating, reverse with "Reynolds & Co.'s Express, San Francisco, Stockton & Sonora" blue oval handstamp with matching "Not Paid" in oval handstamp, Very Fine, rare 28 décimes rate via Panama to California with express company handling, one of only two recorded.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Letter endorsed for British route to Panama, a 2 Franc 80 centime rate for eight months only, and paid in cash (manuscript on reverse). Empire City Line steamer Constitution carried letter from Panama City to San Francisco. French prepayment was to Panama only leaving 20¢ postage due for American contract steamer transit to San Francisco. Letter carried from San Francisco to the northern gold fields by Reynolds & Co. Express for an additional charge of $1.00.

Realized: $900

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Lot 642    

1851 (Aug. 28) Kiautschou, German China to Biberach, Württemberg via Culloma, Cal., datelined March 1850 folded letter entered mails with red "Culloma Call. Aug. 28" cds and matching "Paid" and "10", "10" and "5" rate handstamps, 25¢ prepaid (corrected to 15¢) for mistaken British open mail rate, carried by Cunard Line Africa from New York Oct. 8th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 19th, London (10.20) backstamp, red Paris transit, Heilbronn (10.24) backstamp, red "40" kreuzer postage due rating for 34 kr. to France and 6 kr. to Württemberg plus "1" kr. local fee, Very Fine, A unique use from German China to Europe via California by British open mails. An exceptional California error rate use.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

In July 1851, California postmasters apparently did not know how to implement the new U.S. rates on foreign mails. An unauthorized 25¢ rate was used for mails to England instead of the intended 29¢ rate. Error rates to the Continent of 22¢ instead of 26¢ (British open mail by American packet) and 15¢ instead of 10¢ (British open mail by British packet) also were used. The error rates were corrected two months later, probably when instructions were received from Washington D.C.

This letter originated in the German enclave at Kiautschou, China in March 1850. It was carried privately from China to Northern California and posted 17 months later! Culloma collected the 25¢ error rate, then corrected to 15¢ for British open mail to France by British packet from New York, also an error rate.

Realized: $6,250

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Lot 643    

1852 (Jun. 8) Papeete, Tahiti to London via San Francisco Cal., folded letter with blue "San Francisco Cal 16 Sep" cds with matching "Paid" and "29" rate handstamp, New York red "3" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Oct. 16 to Liverpool arriving Oct. 27, red London (10.28) arrival cds, Very Fine, a remarkable usage from Tahiti.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

Letter sent privately to agent in San Francisco, where the 29¢ fee to England was paid. It was carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Golden Gate" from San Francisco to Panama City and by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Illinois" from Chagres to New York. Blue handstamp "29" applied at San Francisco when letter paid by agent. The blue color ink was used in San Francisco from September 1 to December 13, 1852 only. This is the only recorded example of the "29" in blue, and it is on a letter from a very scarce origin.
.

Realized: $4,250

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Lot 644    

1853 (Feb. 25) London, England to San Francisco, Cal., folded letter from the Gibbs correspondence with, carried by RMSP Co. Avon from Southampton Mar. 2 to Chagres, arriving about Mar. 30, red London Paid (3.1) d.s. with red manuscript "2/4" 2s4d prepaid rating for West Indies rate to California, San Francisco black "Paid" h.s., Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Letter carried from Panama City to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Golden Gate". Prepayment included 12d packet rate to St. Thomas, 6d transit to Panama City, and 10d transit to San Francisco. Letter in closed mail bag from London to San Francisco. Mails to California by this route are much less common than by steamer to New York.

Realized: $425

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Lot 645    

1853 (Aug. 11) Binche, Belgium to Nevada City, Cal., folded cover with red "Binche 11 Aout 1853" double circle date stamp and red framed "PD" h.s., red London (8.13) transit, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Southampton Aug. 17 to New York arriving Sep. 1, some edge faults, Fine, a rare cover sent to California paid to destination in British mail.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter weighed 18 grams (marked on reverse) requiring 2x 20 centimes = 60 centimes (6 decimes) Belgium fee and 2x 1s5d = 2s10d British transit fees to destination via New York (Belgium circular 46 of August 13, 1851). Total payment was 34 decimes British and 6 decimes Belgium, or 40 decimes marked on reverse. American steamers "Georgia" and "Crescent City" carried letter to Aspinwall and "Oregon" carried it from Panama City to San Francisco.

Realized: $180

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Lots 636-645 Lots 646-652

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