Lot
378 
1855 (Mar. 14) Murray Harbour, P.E.I. to Port Phillips, Victoria, blue folded letter with "Prince Edward Island, MA 17, 1855" rimless backstamp and red "PAID" handstamp with red crayon "1/0" prepaid rating for 6d to G.B. and 6d to Australia, carried by Cunard Line Africa from Halifax to Liverpool, red "Pkt. Letter, Paid, Liverpool, 7 AP, 1855" tombstone and matching "d1" credit handstamp, Liverpool (4.8) backstamp to Melbourne, red "Ship Letter GPO Victoria, AU 1 1855" backstamp, Fine. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND USE TO AUSTRALIA.
Lot
379
1855 (Mar. 28) Douglastown Way Office, N.B. to Youghall, Ireland, blue folded with red "W.O. Douglastown, N.B., MR 23 1855" backstamp and red manuscript "Paid 1½", additional red ms. "Paid 7½ cy" underneath stamp, bearing New Brunswick 1851 6d olive yellow (2), four clear to large margins, tied by two strikes of blue "8" oval grid cancel, reverse with matching blue "Chatham, N.B., MA28 1855" cds and partial Bend of Kodiac (3.29) cds, carried by Cunard Line Africa to Liverpool arriving Apr. 7th; some light aging, 6d hinged in place, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
The 7½d (1½d paid in cash plus 6d by stamp) letter rate to Ireland via the British Packet from Halifax effective from August 1st 1854 to April 17th 1860. Virtually all covers paying this ½ ounce rate to the United Kingdom have a bisected stamp except this cover and one other offered in David Feldman USA March 2011 (lot 10094) mailed on the same day and carried on the same ship. The earliest bisect of New Brunswick recorded on mail abroad is dated Feb. 26th 1855 (a 3d bisect to the GB). There are also two earlier covers known bearing bisects addressed inland. No other bisects known are dated before the cover here.
Lot
380
1855 (Apr. 23) St. John, N.B. to London, England, blue folded letter with "St. John, New Brunswick, AP 23 1855" double-arc backstamp and "New-Bk./1d/Claim" handstamp, carried by Cunard Line America from Halifax Mar. 13th to Liverpool, red London (5.9) arrival backstamp and manuscript "6" pence due rating (7½d cy.); some fold wear, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $200
Lot
381
1855 (May 12) Liverpool, England to Cornwallis, N.S., datelined folded letter with green "Liverpool, MY 12 1855" double-arc datestamp and "d5" debit handstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line America to Halifax, reverse with Halifax (5.24) oval and matching "7d½" cy. due handstamp, Kentville (5.25) transit backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $100
Lot
382
1855 (Dec. 27) Pictou N.S. to Edinburgh, Scotland, folded cover bearing Nova Scotia 1851, 3d dark blue, bisected (3a) and 6d yellow green (4), both with large margins, tied together by two strikes of oval grid cancel over manuscript "Paid 7½" rating, reverse with Pictou (12.27) origin and Halifax (12.29) backstamps, carried by Cunard Line Asia from Halifax to Liverpool arriving Jan. 14th, stamps tied by partial strike of red Liverpool "Pkt. Letter Paid, JA 14" tombstone, matching reddish "5" credit handstamp denoting British share, Edinburgh (1.15) arrival backstamp; 3d hinged in place, Very Fine, ex-Kanai, Mayer; with 2004 Sismondo, 1973 and 2007 R.P.S.L. certificates. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED SO-CALLED "HOUSE COVERS" WITH THE 3D DARK BLUE BISECT.
The other recorded "House Cover" with the 3d dark blue bisect is in combination with the 6d dark green.
Realized: $5,500
Lot
383
1856 (Mar. 13) Halifax, N.S. to Carthagena, Spain, blue folded cover originally with printed circular, "Halifax, Nova Scotia, MR 13 1856" backstamp and "1" pence due handstamp for printed matter, carried by Cunard Line America to Liverpool, red London (3.27) backstamp and matching "Returned for Postage" framed handstamp, Liverpool (3.28) transit, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool back to Halifax, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
A circular rate of 1 pence to Spain was introduced on Mar 1st 1854 that included mail through Halifax.
Lot
384
1856 (Jun. 16) London, England to Halifax, N.S., blue folded printed lettersheet bearing G.B. 1d red brown on blue, Large Crown watermark, plate 31 (Gothic "K"), three horizontal pairs, each tied by "81" oval cancel, London (6.16) backstamp, Liverpool (6.17) transit, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool to Halifax, reverse with Halifax (7.1) arrival oval and light strike red "7½" d.cy. credit handstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $425
Lot
385
1856 (Jun. 19) North Sydney, Cape Breton to London, England, cover bearing on reverse Nova Scotia, 1851 3d dark blue (3, 3a) horizontal strip of two and bisect se-tenant, full to large margins, tied by strikes of oval grid cancel, reverse also with "North-Sydney, C.B., JU 16 1856" origin cds and Halifax (6.24) oval transit, latter also ties strip, red "5" d.stg. credit to G.B. handstamp, carried by Cunard Line America from Halifax to Liverpool, red London "Paid, 14 JY 1856" arrival cds; cover opened on three sides for display, Very Fine; with 1976 E. Diena certificate. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A CHOICE NOVA SCOTIA 1851 3D DARK BLUE BISECT SE-TENANT STRIP PREPAYING THE 7½D TRANSATLANTIC PACKET RATE TO GREAT BRITAIN.
Lot
386
1856 (Jun. 21) Goderich, Canada to Newtownards, Ireland, cover with "Goderich, U.C., Jun 21 1853" cds, Hamilton red "PAID 6d stg. 7½d Cy." straightline exchange handstamp, London U.C. (6.24) and Quebec (6.27) backstamps, endorsed "Via Halifax" but actually carried by Allan Line Anglo Saxon to Liverpool arriving Jul. 16th, red "Pkt. Letter, Paid, Liverpool, JY 16 1856" tombstone postmark, "BY-CANADIAN/PACKET" two-line handstamp, green Newtownards (7.18) backstamp; some wear and backflap tear, F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $300
Lot
387
1856 (Jul. 25) London, England to St. John's Newfoundland, blue folded cover with red "London, Paid, 25 Jul 1856" cds and matching inspector's mark, red manuscript "6" pence rating, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool to Halifax, St. John's (8.19) arrival backstamp and red "1" pence credit struck for Newfoundland share, Very Fine and attractive. Estimate $300 - 400.