Lot
341 
1854 (Feb. 18) Manila, Philippines to Boston Mass. via Hong Kong, folded cover docketed "Manila 18th Feb '54, Russell & Sturgis", flap with Hong Kong (3.10) and red London (4.27) transit cds, manuscript "5/5" 5s5d due rating updated to "130" $1.30 debit to U.S. rating, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Apr. 29th to Boston May 12th, "Boston, Br. Pkt., May 13" exchange backstamp and matching bold "140" due rating handstamp for ½-¾ ounces, Very Fine and rare $1.40 double-weight use from Manila. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $170
Lot
342
1854 (Feb. 21) Frankfurt, Germany to Philadelphia Pa., gray folded letter with "FRANKFURT a O / BAHNHOF 21/2" two-line handstamp with manuscript. "2/10" rating top left, red "Aachen" transit and matching "Brit: Packet." half-moon backstamp, blue manuscript. "1¼" indicating double-weight, manuscript "10" cents debit to the U.S. carried by Cunard Line Asia from Liverpool Feb. 25th to Boston arriving Mar. 10th, bold "Boston Br. Pkt., Mar 10" exchange cds and matching "60" cents due handstamp for double the 30¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate, some ink erosion top left, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
The exchange office accounting by Prussian Closed Mail for a double-weight letter was 10¢ Prussian inland, 4¢ Belgian transit, 36¢ sea and British transit, and 10¢ U.S. inland. The Cunard Line "Asia" made an unscheduled stop at Halifax en route by order of the British Admiralty to deliver dispatches causing a slightly longer voyage.
Realized: $160
Lot
343
1854 (Mar. 24) Boston Mass. to Riga, Russia, folded letter sent in care of Brown, Shipley & Co. Liverpool forwarders with "Boston, Br. Pkt., 24 May" exchange cds, red "Paid" and pencil "24" cents prepaid rating, red "19" credit handstamp to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Canada from Boston May 24th to Liverpool arriving Jun. 4th, red "America, Paid, Liverpool, JU4, 54" arrival cds, reposted with red "Liverpool, Paid, JU 5, 1854" cds and red manuscript "11½" prepaid rating, red London (6.6) transit cds with matching oval "P." handstamp and red ms. "7½" pence credit to Prussia, red "Aus England per Aachen, Franco, 7/6" transit double-circle and blue ms. "fr 3" sbr rating for transit fee beyond German border, Prussian blue ms. "fr 6¼" to show all transit fees through Germany and Russia to destination were paid, Riga (5.30) framed arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Riga was using the Julian calendar that was twelve days behind the Gregorian calendar (June 11th arrival).
Realized: $170
Lot
344
1854 (Jul. 31) Boston Mass. to Cadiz, Spain, blue folded letter with "Boston, Br. Pkt. Aug 2" exchange cds and red "Paid" handstamp with pencil "73" prepaid rating, red crayon "68" cent credit to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Aug. 2nd to Liverpool arriving Aug. 13th, red London "Paid" (8.14) transit, then by P&O Line Madrid from Southampton to Spain, Cadiz red "20R" reales due handstamp for inland postage, F.-V.F. and rare 73¢ rate to Spain via Southampton. Estimate $300 - 400.
Beginning Jul. 1st 1849, it became possible to prepay letters to destinations beyond Great Britain under the new U.S.-British convention. With regard to Spanish mails, a 73¢ per ½ oz. "via Southampton" rate was established for prepaid letters. At the same time, a "via France" rate to Spain was established at 41¢ per ¼ oz., or 51¢ per ½ oz. The 73¢ per ½ oz. rate was a combination of 5¢ inland postage, 16¢ packet rate, 52¢ (2s2d) British fee for direct packet service to Spain. This rate is quite rare due to the high fees compared to "via France" mails.
Realized: $220
Lot
345
1854 (Oct. 10) Glasgow, Scotland to South Ryegate Vt., J. Valentine Peace Propaganda envelope with framed "Glasgow, Paid, OC 10, 1854" postmark with red manuscript "1/-" shilling transatlantic packet rating, red Liverpool (10.11) transit and matching "5 / Cents" credit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Oct. 11th to Boston arriving Oct. 25th, red "Boston, Br. Pkt. 'Paid 24' Oct 25" credit exchange cds; faulty, Fine and scarce Valentine Peace Propaganda use. Estimate $300 - 400.
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Lot
346
1854 (Nov. 7) New York N.Y. to Cadiz, Spain via London, England, gray folded letter datelined "New York, November 7 1854" and with partial "U.S. Express Mail, New York, N.Y., Nov 7" railroad route agent cds, overstruck by Boston "5" debit handstamp, "Boston Br. Pkt. Nov 8" exchange backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Nov. 8th to Liverpool arriving Nov. 19th, red London (11.20) backstamp and manuscript "1/-" 1s due rating, sent privately by forwarding agent J.C. Thurn & Co. to Spain; small edge tear, otherwise Very Fine and scarce express mail route agent transatlantic use. Estimate $200 - 300.
This letter was sent to the care of forwarding agent J.C. Thurn & Co. in London who forwarded it under cover avoiding the additional postal fees in the U.K. and Spain, since British open mail was not available until Oct. 1858.
Realized: $100
Lot
347
1854 (Dec. 17) Alexandria La. to Cardenas, Cuba, buff cover with red "Alexandria La., Dec 17" cds with matching "Paid" and "10" ratings, blue Havana arrival backstamp and matching "NA" and "1" ratings for North America 1 reales due; "Rec.d. Jan. 4.1855" receipt docketing, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $120
Lot
348
1855 (May 2) Calcutta, India to Boston Mass., datelined folded letter with red Calcutta (5.2) origin backstamp and matching "INDIA" framed handstamp with ms. "2/3" 2s3d due rating, red London (6.15) transit backstamp and rating updated to "54" cent debit to U.S., carried by Collins Line Baltic from Liverpool Jun. 16th to New York arriving Jun.27th, "Boston Am. Pkt, Jun 28" exchange backstamp and matching "75" due rating handstamp (34¢ British inland and sea, 2x 10¢ French transit, 16¢ U.S. sea passage, 5¢ U.S. inland), Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $170
Lot
349
1855 (May 2) Baltimore Md. to Freywaldau, Bohemia, cover with blue "Baltimore Md., Jun 18" cds with "Paid" and oval "5" rating handstamps, endorsed "Bt the Boston Steamer", carried by Cunard Line Europa from Boston Jun. 20th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 1st, red London (7.2) backstamp and ms. "1/4" 1s4d debit rating, Aachen framed "America per England" handstamp (Van de Linden 112, rarity 6), red crayon "32" kr. rating, blue manuscript "1/6" rating crossed out and "13½" groschen due rating on reverse, Very Fine and scarce use. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $120
Lot
350
1855 (May 19) Westland Mo. to Copenhagen, Denmark missent to San Francisco, buff cover with manuscript "Westland Mo May 19th 55" postmark and matching "Paid 6" rating, "San Francisco Cal. 16 Jul" cds and matching "DUE 4" and "MISSENT" handstamps, "N.York Br. Pkt. '23' Aug 14" debit exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Asia from Boston Aug. 15th to Liverpool arriving Aug. 25th, red Aachen (8.28) transit backstamp and blue manuscript "13" debit rating, K.D.O.P.A. Hamburg (8.29) backstamp, red crayon "17½" and "65" final due rating; blue manuscript. spot, Fine and unusual San Francisco missent use. Estimate $200 - 300.
San Francisco apparently marked the cover 4¢ due for the difference between the prepaid 6¢ postage and the 10¢ transcontinental rate. The New York exchange office sent it as an unpaid letter in Prussian closed mail to Aachen, then to Hamburg where it was turned over to the Danish post office in Hamburg. Prussia debited Hamburg 13 silbergroschen due Prussia. Hamburg converted this debit to 17½ Lubeck schillinge, which was equivalent to 56 sk. To this was added 9 sk. for transit from Hamburg to Denmark for total postage due of 56 sk.
Realized: $160