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Sale 89: The John Barwis Collection of Philadelphia Postal History

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Philadelphia Foreign Mail: 1819-1839 Post-War Period Sailing Ships to Steamships

Lots 3066-3075 Lots 3076-3085 Lots 3086-3091

Lot 3076    

1827 (Jan. 26) Green Bank, England to Philadelphia, Pa. via Annapolis, folded letter with "Green Bank" circular postmark and manuscript "2/3" 2s3d rating for prepaid packet fee, carried by Falmouth Packet Princess Elizabeth from Falmouth Feb. 14th to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Apr. 15, red "Annaps. Md. Apr 16" cds with matching "Ship" handstamp and "14½" due rating, Very Fine, the second of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED USAGES CARRIED BY THE CUNARD PACKET TO ANNAPOLIS, THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM THIS VOYAGE.

When Falmouth-New York packet service was terminated in late 1826, letters for America were sent on the Falmouth-Bermuda packet. From Bermuda a Cunard sailing ship was contracted to take them to Annapolis. Only nine such voyages were made before the service ended in October 1827.

Letters arriving by Bermuda packet entered the mail in Annapolis, not — as reported in the literature — taken to Washington by special courier. The trip to Philadelphia by mail coach took an entire day.

Realized: $700

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Lot 3077    

1827 (Jun. 27) Monmouth, Wales to Philadelphia Pa. via Annapolis, folded letter with red "Cardiff JY 13 1827" rimless backstamp and red "P 2/1" 2s1d prepaid packet rating, carried by Falmouth Packet Eclipse from Falmouth Aug. 4th to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Sep. 18th, black "Annaps. Md. Sep. 18" cds with matching "Ship" handstamp and "14½" due rating, Extremely Fine and choice, the eighth of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED USAGES CARRIED BY THE CUNARD PACKET TO ANNAPOLIS, THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM THIS VOYAGE.

Annapolis changed the color of ink used for datestamp from red to black sometime in mid-1827.


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Realized: $1,300

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Lot 3078    

1833 (Mar. 7) St. Kitts, B.W.I. to Philadelphia Pa. via New Haven, datelined folded letter carried by private ship, entered mails sharp red "New Haven Ct., Apr 2" fancy cds and matching "Ship" handstamp in shape of ship's hull and red manuscript "39½" rating for double the 18¾¢ inland postage (150-400 miles) plus 2¢ ship fee, Extremely Fine and choice.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $180

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Lot 3079    

1834 (Jul.) Calcutta, India to Pittsburgh Pa. via Philadelphia, docketed folded cover with part missionary letter from Rev. T. W. Lowrie to Western Free Missionary Society, carried by private ship Edward from Calcutta Aug. 10th via St. Helena Oct. 12th to Philadelphia arriving Dec. 8th, entered mails with slightly oily red "Phila., 8, Dec" octagonal double-line datestamp and matching Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp, noted "Treble" at bottom but rated as a quadruple letter with red manuscript "1oz." weight and "77" due rating for quadruple the 18¾¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; slight soiling and fold splitting reinforced, rittle folds, small piece missing from wax seal, Fine appearing and, which was used between May 1834 and September 1835, Fine rare combination of Calcutta origin and this iconic ship handstamp.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

The Philadelphia Rigged Ship handstamp was used only on incoming mail for addresses beyond the port. It is recorded used from May 1834 to Nov. 9, 1835.


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Realized: $3,750

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Lot 3080    

1834 (May 12) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter with red "FORWARDED BY/CARTWELL BROS./LIVERPOOL" three-line backstamp and matching "ORPHEUS" ship directional straightline, carried by Black Ball Line Orpheus from Liverpool May 16th to New York arriving Jun. 15th, entered mails with red "New-York, Ship, Jun 15" cds and red manuscript "14½" rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship rate; file fold, Very Fine and rare Liverpool packet name-of-ship marking.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED BLACK BALL LINE "ORPHEUS" STRAIGHTLINE NAME-OF-BOAT DIRECTIONAL HANDSTAMPS USED BY CARTWELL BROS.

Realized: $1,700

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Lot 3081    

1834 (Aug. 19) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa., datelined folded letter sent unpaid, carried by Brown's Line Brig Morgan from Liverpool Aug. 20th to Philadelphia arriving Oct. 8th, perfect bold strike of Philadelphia red "6" in lined octagon handstamp for 6¢ due for delivery at the port; some edge wear, Extremely Fine and choice.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

THE EARLIEST RECORDED STRIKE IN RED OF THE PHILADELPHIA "6" IN LINED OCTAGON SHIP RATING HANDSTAMP.

This Philadelphia "6" in octagon ship rating handstamp was only used on incoming mail for addresses within the city. Period of use was from October 1834 to October 1836.

Realized: $525

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Lot 3082    

1834 (Dec.) Halifax, Nova Scotia to Philadelphia Pa., printed circular from the Consul John Morrow datelined "Consulate United States of America, at Halifax, July 23, 1834" concerning several vessels that sailed from ports in his district that failed to provide invoices for verification of cargoes, second page has list of consular agents in Canada and the Provinces, endorsed "Consular U.S.A. Halifax" at top right and addressed to J.A. Barker, Collector of Customs at Philadelphia, carried by Schooner Cyprus from Halifax Dec. 2nd via Newport to Philadelphia arriving Dec. 20th, entered mails with red "Phila., 20, Dec" octagonal double-line datestamp and matching Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp along with red "6" in lined octagon handstamp for 6¢ due for delivery at the port; central file fold, Very Fine, ex-Cipolla.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

AN INTERESTING U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT CONSULAR USE FROM HALIFAX WITH BOTH THE PHILADELPHIA FULL RIGGED SHIP HANDSTAMP AND THE 6¢ OCTAGONAL SHIP DUE HANDSTAMP.

The Philadelphia Rigged Ship handstamp was used only on incoming mail for addresses beyond the port. It is recorded used from May 1834 to Nov. 9, 1835. This use went against normal protocol as it was addressed to Philadelphia and bears the "6" in octagon ship rating handstamp used on incoming mail for addresses within the city. period of use was from October 1834 to October 1836.

Realized: $1,500

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Lot 3083    

(Brown's Line of Baltimore) 1835 (Sep. 13) Liverpool, England to Kennebunk Me., datelined folded letter sent unpaid, carried by Brown's Line Pocahontas from Liverpool Oct. 8th to Philadelphia arriving Nov. 9, entered mails with remarkably clear strike of the Fredersdorf Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp with red manuscript "27" due rating for 25¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee; central file fold, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

THE LATEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE FANCY PHILADELPHIA FULL-RIGGED SHIP HANDSTAMP, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDED STRIKES OF THIS DESIRABLE HANDSTAMP.

Realized: $4,250

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Lot 3084    

1834 (Dec. 8) Liverpool, England to Germantown Pa., docketed folded cover with partial letter sent unpaid by private ship, carried by Cope Line Algonquin from Liverpool Dec. 11th to the Lazaretto (Philadelphia's quarantine station) arriving Jan. 27th, delayed by storms and ice, entered mails with red "Phila., 28, Feb" octagonal double-line datestamp (Feb. error instead of Jan.) and matching remarkable bold strike of Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp with manuscript "20" changed to "14" due rating for double 6¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; some edge wear, Very Fine and rare use delayed by ice.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

A CHOICE USE OF THE FANCY PHILADELPHIA FULL-RIGGED SHIP HANDSTAMP

LETTER DELAYED SEVEN WEEKS DUE TO ICE AT CAPE HENLOPEN— MAILS KEPT ABOARD.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 3085    

1834 (Dec. 12) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., "datelined folded letter endorsed "p Aid de Camp" at bottom left, carried as endorsed by Ship Aid de Camp from Liverpool Dec. 17th to Cape Island N.J. arriving Jan. 15th, Delaware River ice-jammed, so mails sent ashore in New Jersey, manuscript "Cape Island N.J., Janry. 15th" and matching "Ship 14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee", Very Fine and rare use taken overland through New Jersey to avoid ice.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Instead of waiting for ice to clear on the Delaware River, at least one ship captain decided to send his mails overland from the mouth of the estuary. The following letter from Rathbone Brothers in Liverpool to Philadelphia merchant Nathan Trotter, dated December 12, 1834, the day after Algonquin had sailed. The sender endorsed the letter per Aid de Camp, another sailing vessel, which departed Liverpool on December 17, 1834. At Cape Island, New Jersey, Captain McGill of the Aid de Camp put his mail ashore on January 15, 1835. This was the same day the Algonquin managed to return after the week-long gale of early January. At the Cape Island post office, the letter was postmarked in manuscript and rated 14½ cents due: two cents ship fee plus 12½ cents inland postage to Philadelphia (80-150 miles). The letter was docketed as received in Philadelphia on January 17, 1835, more than a month before Algonquin's mails arrived there. Aid de Camp continued on to Philadelphia, arriving at the Lazaretto on January 27, the same day as the Algonquin.

Liverpool to Philadelphia was 200 miles longer than to New York, and required navigating a shoaling estuary. Even with favorable winds, the trip to Philadelphia could take an additional one to two weeks; ice blockages were not uncommon.

Realized: $1,150

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Lots 3066-3075 Lots 3076-3085 Lots 3086-3091

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