Lot
1303 
1848 (Feb. 11) London, England to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter conveyed privately to Liverpool, entered mails with red "Paid at Liverpool, FE 12 1848" framed handstamp and matching "1/-L packet-rate handstamp, carried on Cunard Britannia departing Liverpool Feb. 12th to Boston Mar. 4th, New York red "7" cents due for 5¢ inland plus 2¢ ship, Very Fine example of New York's large "7" ratemarker, ex-Pullin. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $140
Lot
1304
1848 (Mar. 7) Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter with "Meiningen 7/3 1848" cds sent unpaid in care of Baring Bros. in Liverpool and endorsed "via Ostend", Prussia blue ms. "4¼" sbr. debit to G.B., reverse with red London (3.13) and blue Liverpool (3.13) arrival cds, remailed with red "Liverpool, Paid, MR 20 1848" origin cds and "1" shilling packet rating, endorsed per Ocean Line "Washington" from Southampton but missed it with "Too Late" framed handstamp struck, red London Paid (3.21) cds and Liverpool (3.21), sent on Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Mar. 25th to New York arriving Apr. 8th, red "6" circled handstamp; tear at center, Very Fine appearance. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $160
Lot
1305
1848 (Mar. 16) Zante, Ionian Islands to Boston, Mass., folded letter addressed in care of Forwarding Agent Baring Brothers in London, green "Zante, 16 Marzo" origin datestamp with red manuscript "6" pence prepaid for double Ionia Island local fee, London (3.31) arrival backstamp and manuscript "2/-" shilling due, after paying British postage due on the letter, it was sent to Boston "out of the mails" avoiding the transatlantic packet rate, carried by Cunard Line Acadia from Liverpool Apr. 8th to Boston arriving Apr. 23rd, Fine and scarce incoming use from the Ionian Islands., ex-Winter. Estimate $150 - 200.
Lot
1306
1848 (Mar. 19) New Orleans La. to Bordeaux, France, datelined folded letter with black "New Orleans La. Mar 19" cds and matching "Paid" and large "10" rating for inland postage, carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Boston Apr. 5th to Liverpool arriving Apr. 18th, red London (4.19) transit backstamp and matching "Colonies &c. Art 13" framed handstamp, Bordeaux (4.22) arrival backstamp and manuscript "20" decimes due rating, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Lot
1307
(Discriminatory Rate) 1848 (Mar. 21) New York N.Y. to London, England, Rothschild correspondence folded letter with red "New-York Mar 18" exchange datestamp and pencil "48" prepaid rating for two-times the 24¢ American packet rate, endorsed "Paid",carried as endorsed on Ocean Line Hermann from New York Mar. 21st to Southampton arriving Apr. 11th, red London (4.12) arrival backstamp and manuscript "2/-" shilling rating for two-times the 1s packet fee; some edge splitting at top, Very Fine and scarce use, Carried on the Maiden Voyage of the Ocean Line Hermann. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Beginning June 1st 1847, the United States provided its first contract steamship service for carrying mail to and from Europe, via the Ocean Line. The fee associated with this service was 24¢ per ½ ounce, plus the U.S. internal postage to New York (5¢ for distances less than 300 miles, or 10¢ for greater distances). The commencement of the service led to Britain imposing a "Discriminatory Rate" on mails landed at Southampton with all US prepayment ignored and the One Shilling Packet Rate charged to the addressee leading to the Retaliatory Rate period. Since the letter cost was so high due to discriminatory rates, very few letters were sent from the United States to England on the American contract mail steamships before 1849.
Realized: $625
Lot
1308
1848 (Apr. 25) Bremen to Petersburg, Va., dateline folded letter with "S.T. P.A., Bremen, 25 4" double-circle datestamp and matching "Franco" straightline and red manuscript "1/6" credit to G.B., letter traveled from Bremen via Cuxhaven by sea to England, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool Apr. 29th to New York arriving May 14th, New York large red "12" due handstamp for 10¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and scarce use from Bremen with large New York "12" rating handstamp, ex-Winter. Estimate $300 - 400.
U.K. was entitled to 6d transit fee under Anglo-Bremen Convention of 1841 and 1s packet rate to U.S.
Realized: $230
Lot
1309
1848 (May 15) La Grange, Texas to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, folded letter datelined "Farm New Riede" and mailed the following dated with manuscript "La Grange Texas, May 15. 1848" postmark and matching "Paid 10¢" rating, endorsed "via Boston, Liverpool, by first Steamer", carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from New York Jun. 7th to Liverpool arriving Jun. 21st, red London (6.22) transit backstamp and manuscript "1/10" 1s10d debit to Prussia as letter required two Belgian rates, Aachen "AMERICA per ENGLAND" framed handstamp and red manuscript "21 2/3" sgr. due (1s10d converted to 18 1/3 sgr. plus 3 1/3 sgr. German transit fee), Frankfurt manuscript "76/0" due rating for 76 kr. due with no local fee; some erosion and toning, Fine and rare use from Texas. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $425
Lot
1310
1848 (May 19) Liverpool, England to New Orleans, La., blue folded letter with red "Paid at Liverpool, MY 1848" framed handstamp and magenta "1/-" prepaid rating for 1s packet rate, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool May 20th to Boston arriving Jun. 2nd., red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' Jun 2" cds and matching "12" due rating for 10¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, This was the Maiden Voyage of Cunard Line Niagara. Estimate $150 - 200.
Lot
1311
1848 (Jun. 10) Liverpool, England to New Orleans, La., folded letter endorsed "pr. Britania", red "Paid At Liverpool JU 10 1848" postmark and matching "1/-" prepaid packet fee, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Jun. 10th to New York arriving Jun. 26th, New York large "12" due rating for 10¢ inland fees and 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, Carried on the final voyage prior to the retaliatory period., ex-Winter. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter carried on ninth and final voyage by Cunard steamer to New York before retaliatory rate period. New York ship markings appear on Cunard covers for only six months in 1848 and six weeks in early 1849 before treaty rates became effective.
Realized: $160
Lot
1312
(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Jun. 20) Liverpool, England to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter with red "Paid At, Liverpool, JU 21 1848" framed handstamp and matching "1/-" packet-rate handstamp, carried on Cunard Caledonia departing Liverpool Jun. 24th to New York arriving Jul. 8th, bold strike of New York red "24" retaliatory due handstamp, Very Fine, This was the first westbound sailing of Cunard after institution of the retaliatory rates.. Estimate $300 - 400.
The New York post office neglected to charge the inland postage portion of the retaliatory rate. For letters arriving on subsequent Cunard ships, the 5 cents inland rate was added, and letters were thus rated 29 cents due.
Realized: $250