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Sale 73: The March Sale

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Foreign Mails - 1841 to 1847

Lots 1275-1284 Lots 1285-1294 Lots 1295-1302

Lot 1275    

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. 5th to Boston arriving Jan. 21st, 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., ex-Winter.
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.

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Lot 1276    

1841 (May 4) Liverpool, England to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter from the Abraham Bell correspondence, red "Paid At Liverpool 1841 MY 4" framed handstamp with red manuscript "4/-" prepaid rating for four-times 1s packet rate (there was no triple rate), carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool May 4th to Boston arriving May 19th, red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' May 19" cds with ms. "1½ oz" and "114½" due rating for six-times 18¾¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, a scarce high 1½ oz. weight transatlantic letter.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $230

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Lot 1277    

1841 (Jun. 21) Achnahannet, Scotland to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter with black boxed "Grantown/JY 5/1841" datestamp and red ms. "1/-" prepaid packet rating, red Edinburgh "Paid, Jul 6, 1841" cds, carried by Cunard Acadia from Liverpool Jul. 20th to Boston arriving Aug. 2nd, red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' Aug. 2" cds and manuscript "20¾" cents due rating for 18¾¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Achnahannet is on the Spey, in the heart of of Highlands whisky district.

Realized: $110

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Lot 1278    

1841 (Oct. 1) Derry, Ireland to Washington, D.C., datelined folded letter endorsed "On Public Service" and addressed to Genl. R. Jones, Adjt. Genl. U.S. Army, with faint red "Derry, OC 1, 1841" cds, red Dublin boxed "Paid, OC 3, 1841" datestamp and red ms. "1/-" packet rate prepayment, black dotted circle Liverpool "D, Oct 4, 1841" cds, carried by Cunard Columbia from Liverpool Oct. 5th to Boston arriving Oct. 21st, red "Boston Ms. Ship Oct 21" cds and blue "27" cents due rating for 25¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, crossed out as letter and sent free to a government official, Very Fine, An Exceptional Example of a Rare Liverpool Datestamp.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

The dotted-circle Liverpool datestamp was used only in 1841 on outgoing packet letters carried by Cunard.

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Lot 1279    

1841 (Nov. 3) London, England to Plymouth Mass., datelined folded letter with red London Paid (11.3) tombstone postmark and red ms."1/-" one-shilling packet rating, Liverpool "D, Nov, 1841" (M23) backstamp and matching "LP." circle handstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Nov. 4th to Boston arriving Nov. 18th, red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' Nov 19" cds and manuscript "32" due rating for triple 10¢ inland postage for 31-80 miles plus 2¢ ship fee, F.-V.F., ex-Hegland.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE LIVERPOOL "LP." POSTMARK.

The black "LP." postmark was recorded in the records on Aug. 27th and noted as having been sent to the Inland Office (London) for "American Letters." Only two have been recorded by R.F. Winter, one to Bermuda, and the cover shown here.
.

Realized: $725

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Lot 1280    

1842 (Jan. 3) Manchester, England to Boston, Mass., folded cover with red "Manchester JA 3 1842" origin datestamp and red manuscript "1/-" shilling prepaid packet rating, Liverpool "D, Jan 4, 1842" octagon backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Jan. 4th to Boston arriving Jan. 21st, Boston red "Ship/6" fancy ribbon due handstamp; some docketing on face, Fine and rare, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

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.

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Lot 1281    

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. 16th to St. Thomas arriving Mar. 12th, then RMS Dee via Havana to New York arriving Apr. 11th, red "New-York 'Ship' Apr 11" cds with blue manuscript "20¾" due rating for 18¾¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

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.

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: $2,500

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Lot 1282    

1842 (Mar. 30) New York, N.Y. to Feckenham, England, datelined folded letter with sharp strike of "New-York Apr 1" cds and matching "Paid" arc handstamp with manuscript "18¾" rating to Boston, carried by Cunard Unicorn from Boston Apr. 2 to Halifax, Liverpool "America, L" oval backstamp and matching "1/-" packet due rating, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

"Columbia" arrived at Halifax under canvas, having broken a shaft enroute about 450 miles from Halifax and never made it to Boston. Cunard sent branch line steamer Unicorn from Halifax to pick up Boston outgoing mails. Unicorn transferred mails to "Columbia" in Halifax. Unable to repair shaft, "Columbia" returned to Liverpool under sail, arriving Apr. 20th.

Realized: $250

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Lot 1283    

1842 (Apr. 7) Baltimore, Md. to Longtown, England, envelope with letter with blue "Baltimore Md. Apr. 7" cds with matching "Paid" handstamp with blue manuscript "37½" rating for double-weight to Boston, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Boston May 1st to Liverpool arriving May 15th, black "1/-" shilling due rating, Longtown (5.17) framed arrival datestamp, Very Fine, a scarce example of a pre-1845 envelope on transatlantic mail, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

In the U.S., letters were charged by the number of sheets of paper until the shift to a weight basis in July 1845. Because envelopes were charged as a sheet of paper, they were seldom used in this country before July 1845.

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Lot 1284    

1842 (May 13) Philadelphia Pa. to Halifax, England, datelined folded letter endorsed "per. "Harnden" to Boston" and bearing blue"Philadelphia Pa. May 13" cds and matching boxed "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "37" rating for double 18¾¢ postage, red "Forwd. From, Harnden & Co. Foreign Letter Office, Phila." circular handstamp and taken to Boston by Harnden & Co., carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Boston May 16th to Liverpool arriving May 29th, scarce Liverpool "America / L" double-oval backstamp and matching "1/-" shilling packet rating, Halifax (5.30) arrival backstamp, fresh and Very Fine with an unusually clear strike of the Harnden's Philadelphia marking in red.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Harnden did a brisk business between Philadelphia and Boston by carrying letters in bulk.

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Lots 1275-1284 Lots 1285-1294 Lots 1295-1302

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