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Sale 55: United States Postal History

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Transatlantic Mail - 1849 to 1859

Lots 947-956 Lots 957-966 Lots 967-976 Lots 977-982

Lot 947    

1849 (Feb. 20) New York, N.Y. To London, England, datelined folded letter with New York red "24" prepaid rating handstamp for 24¢ packet rating, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Feb. 21st to Liverpool Mar. 6th, London Paid (3.7) tombstone arrival and red manuscript "1/-" shilling packet rating; light horizontal fold, fresh and Extremely Fine.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

A CHOICE USE CARRIED ON THE FIRST EASTBOUND SAILING ON A BRITISH PACKET UNDER THE 1848 CONVENTION.

In December 1848 a treaty was negotiated restoring the conditions prior the the Retaliatory Rate period. The treaty was not ratified by Congress until February 1849 and the three eastbound sailings by Cunard before ratification are known as the Restored Period. The first sailing under the new treaty was from Boston by the "Niagara" on 21st February 1849.

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Lot 948    

1851 (Jan. 18) Louisville, Ky. To London, England, buff cover with blue Louisville cds and free frank "H Clay" signature at top right that was crossed out and black "Paid" and manuscript "24" cent rating, New York red "19." credit rating handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York Jan. 29th to Liverpool arriving Feb. 9th, red London Paid (2.10.1851) arrival cds; light fold at extreme left, Extremely Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

A CHOICE HENRY CLAY ATTEMPTED FREE FRANK USE ON A TRANSATLANTIC COVER TO ENGLAND.

Henry Clay apparently applied his free frank on this transatlantic cover, not realized that his frank was valid only on domestic postage. The postmaster recognized this and required Clay to prepay the 24¢ packet fee for transatlantic service.

Henry Clay, Sr. (1777-1852) was an American lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. He served three different terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was also Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. He lost his campaigns for president in 1824, 1832 and 1844.

Realized: $500

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Lot 949    

1851 (Feb. 1) San Francisco, Cal. To Surry, England, blue folded letter with red San Francisco cds with matching "Paid" and rare "59" rating handstamp for 40¢ West Coast rate via Panama plus 19¢ Transatlantic, Boston red "19" credit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Boston Mar. 12 to Liverpool arriving Mar. 23, red Liverpool America (3.23) and London (3.24) arrivals; minor edgewear, Very Fine, a scarce example of the 59¢ ratemarker, ex-Bolton.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $210

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Lot 950    

1851 (Jul. 28) Liverpool, England To Andover, Mass., folded letter bearing Great Britain 1841, 2d blue, four singles (one lightly creased), 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; with 2013 P.F. certificate.
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: $2,800

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Lot 951    

1852 (Jan. 1) St. Louis, Mo. To Hannover, Germany, folded letter with black "Saint Louis Mo. Jan 1" cds and small "Paid Part" two-line handstamp, red "20" cent prepaid rating, carried by Havre Line Franklin from New York Jan. 17th to Havre arriving Jan. 29th, red Havre (1.29) transit cds, Minden (1.31) backstamp, various manuscript ratings including blue "8" and magenta "6<2/3>", etc.; some soiling and edge wear, F.-V.F., a scarce part paid use from St. Louis, ex-Risvold.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $190

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Lot 952    

1852 (Mar. 18) Wooster, Oh. To Schuttertal, Baden, folded cover with "Wooster Ohio. Mar 18" cds and two strikes of "Paid/3" rating handstamp, overstruck with New York "20" rating for the unpaid 20¢ Bremen packet rate, carried on Ocean Line Washington from New York to Bremen, red "America, Uber, Bremen 33/9" transit, Minden (4.22) and Baden (4.24) backstamps, blue manuscript "42" Kr. due rating, F.-V.F., ex-Pullin.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $125

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Lot 953    

1852 (Mar. 24) New York To Leghorn (Livorno), Tuscany, printed circular with New York large red "2" cents credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York Mar. 24 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 6, Calais entry cds and manuscript "28" rating, red London (4.7) transit and Livorno (4.13) arrival backstamps, Very Fine and scarce, one of only two recorded printed circulars to Tuscany under the 4¢ rate.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Under U.S.-British Treaty of 1848, newspapers could be sent to Tuscany via England at 4¢ each. Unsealed printed circulars were treated under the newspaper rate. Until April 1853, letters prepaid 4¢ show a 2¢ credit to G.B. Examples of the 4¢ prepayment and 2¢ credit are seldom seen. However, since this cover is marked for 28 crazie postage due it appears that it was treated as an unpaid letter in Tuscany for reasons unknown.

Realized: $625

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Lot 954    

1852 (May 14) Philadelphia, Pa. To Cognac, France, folded letter with blue "Philadelphia May 14" cds and red "Phila Pa 5Cts." octagon handstamp updated with manuscript "21c", carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York to Liverpool arriving May 26th, Calais (5.27) entry cds with "8" decimes due handstamp for 5 dec. internal plus 3 dec. to GB, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Note that the Philadelphia office applied its "5 Cts Paid" handstamp, then manually adjusted the rate to reflect the correct 21¢ prepayment. Known uses of these provisional rate markings span the period between May 1850 and May 1852, this letter being the latest recorded example.

Realized: $280

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Lot 955    

1852 (Oct. 2) New York, N.Y. To Wurttemberg, datelined folded letter with black "New York '20' Oct 2" debit exchange cds, red "32/9 R America/Bremen" exchange postmark, blue manuscript "41" Kr. due rating, Minden (10.19) backstamp, blue German (10.23) arrival backstamp; Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $105

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Lot 956    

1852 (Dec. 12) Landstuhl, Bavaria To Jenners X-Roads, Pa., folded letter bearing Bavaria 9kr pair cancelled by "176" cancels for single letter rate to US via Havre Line, matching "Landstuhl 12/12" postmark, closed mails through Prussia, Havre (12.14) backstamp and carried on Havre Line Humboldt departing Dec. 24th to New York arriving Jan. 10th, black "New York '20' Jan 10" cds with integral 20¢ due, Very Fine.
Estimate    $600 - 800.

Under additional Articles to the 1847 Franco-Bavarian Convention, effective Nov. 1st 1850, France received a bulk rate payment of 1F20c per 30 grams for the postal services provided on prepaid letters sent from Bavaria to the US via the Havre Line. The total postage collected on such letters was 18 kreuzers per ½ loth. This amount was a combination of the 9 kreuzer Bavarian postage (which included any transit fees paid to the Prussian, Baden, or Thurn & Taxis Posts), plus the 9 kreuzer (30 centimes) portion due to France, and was sufficient to carry each letter only to the French port of debarkation (Le Havre).

Realized: $5,750

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Lots 947-956 Lots 957-966 Lots 967-976 Lots 977-982

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