Lot
1541 
Cuba, 1845-1849 Spain - Cuba, group of three covers comprising 1845 from Sevilla to Havana with "Correo Maritimo No. 1" rimless oval and matching "24" Silver Reales rating handstamp; 1849 Cadiz to Havana endorsed "Per Correo No. 6" and with partial orange "CORREO MARITIMO No. 6"; and 1849 Havana to Logrono with blue "CORREO MARITIMO No. 7" and oval "Franco" handstamps, F.-V.F. trio. Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
1542
Cuba, 1847 (Dec. 25) Havana, Cuba to Barcelona, Spain, blue folded letter with blue "Sicart Mitja & Co., Havana" forwarder's double-oval backstamp, endorsed "Correo No. 5" at top right, blue "Correo Maritimo No. 5" rimless and matching "Franco" oval handstamps, red Barcelona arrival backstamp and matching "6.ms." handstamp for 6 Maravadies for street repair in Barcelona (1852-56), Very Fine and rare Correo No. 5 use. Estimate $300 - 400.
The Correo No. 5 is the scarcest since the ship made only made four or five round trips.
Lot
1543
Cuba, 1848 N. America and Europe to Cuba, two folded letters comprising first datelined "West Chester, 25 Mars 1848" to Santiago de Cuba with blue "Empresa, N. America, 15 Abr. 1848" cds and "1" real due rating; other to Havana with red "Paris, 28 Avril 48" cds and matching "PD" framed handstamp with ms. "15" decimes rating, red London "Paid, AP 30" transit cds, blue "Empresa, N. Europa, 27 May 1848" cds and matching "2" real rating handstamp, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Lot
1544
Cuba, 1848 (Apr. 23) Havana, Cuba to Santander, Spain, blue folded letter with small red "YNDIAS" handstamp (type 9: 1826-48) struck upon arrival and matching "5Rs" handstamp for 5 "Reales de vélon" due handstamp for up to 5 adarmes, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
THIS IS THE SCARCEST OF ALL YNDIAS HANDSTAMPS, PARTICULARLY DESIRABLE ON TRANSATLANTIC MAIL TO EUROPE.
Realized: $300
Lot
1545
Cuba, 1851 (Feb. 13) Georgetown S.C. to Havana, Cuba, blue folded letter with red "Georgetown S.C., 13 Feb" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "12½" cent rating, endorsed "pr Stmr Isabella" at top right, orange "Empresa, N. America, 19 Feb. 1851" cds on top flap and matching "1" Real handstamp for inland postage, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Lot
1546
Cuba, 1855 (Mar. 3) Longro, Spain to Havana, Cuba, folded cover with "Longro 3 Mar 55" cds bearing Cuba 2r tied by grid cancel for letter up to one ounce, black "½" Real due handstamp for the captain's fee; small flaws at top, Fine and rare 2r double-weight with ½r ship captain surcharge. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $400
Lot
1547
Cuba, 1857 (Aug. 7) Pamplona, Spain to Havana, Cuba, folded cover with "Pamplona, 7 Ago 57" cds, carried by non-contract merchant ship to Cuba, blue "Habana, 1 Oct 1857" arrival backstamp, bearing Cuba 1r gray green (1) tied by grid cancel, red "½" Real due handstamp for the captain's fee; some ink erosion, F.-V.F. and scarce ½r ship captain surcharge. Estimate $500 - 750.
The government issued an order in 1856, that set a fee to the captains of Spanish merchant vessels without contract of a surcharge of ½ Real plata, irrespective of the letter weight.
Lot
1548
Cuba, 1857, 1858 Havana to Spain by the French Line "Cie. Franco-Americano de Vapor", two covers, 1857 with blue "Habana, 12 Di. 57" cds to Santander bearing ½r strip of three for triple rate, carried per Cadiz via Le Havre; 1858 with blue "Habana, 12 Fe 58" cds to Cadiz bearing ½r strip of three for triple rate, carried as endorsed per "France Comptois" via Le Havre, disinfection slits, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
In 1857-58, the French Line "Cie. Franco-Americano de Vapor" of the Gauthier Frères, Le Havre, developed a packet service under Spanish contract, but when the Spanish Government tried to commit the company to sail under Spanish flag, they gave up at once.
Realized: $250
Lot
1549
Cuba, 1858 Havana to Spain by the "Vapores Correos Transatlantica" Line, two covers, 1858 folded cover with blue "Gardenas, 5 Jul 1858" cds and bearing ½r blue tied by oval to Rivadeo, carried as endorsed per Espana Vapor Correo; other 1858 (Oct. 12) Havana folded letter bearing two ½r blue strips of three for the six-times rate to Cadiz carried as endorsed per Almogabar, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Another short lived packet trial was undertaken by the "Vapores Correos Transatlantica" from 1858 until 1861, when the company had to be liquidated.
Realized: $190
Lot
1550
Cuba, 1859 (Oct. 12) Havana, Cuba to Laredo, Spain, blue folded letter bearing Forgery ½r blue, pair, margins to touched, tied by oval cancels, matching "Habana, 12 OC. 59" cds, Very Fine, Forgeries accepted as prepayment of the single 1r rate up to 1 ounce. Estimate $200 - 300.
Widespread falsification did a lot of damage to the post, and extensive wear to the printed plates of the earlier issues, induced the Spanish government to prepare a new series of stamps for Spain and the colonies on January 1, 1864 depicting Queen Isabella facing left.