Lot
3092 
1840 (Feb. 17) Canton, China to Philadelphia Pa., docketed folded letter from Russell & Co. endorsed "via Manila", carried privately via Manila, flap with red "Forwarded by Russell & Sturgis, Manilla" lined forwarder's oval, then by private ship to London arriving Sep. 17th, London red "Paid, 17 SP 17, 1840" Maltese cross datestamp and red manuscript "1/-" prepaid packet rating, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Sep. 19th to Boston arriving Oct. 3rd, red "Boston Ms., Ship, Oct 3" cds and manuscript "20¾" due rating for 18¾¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A REMARKABLE USE FROM CHINA VIA THE PHILIPPINES CARRIED ON THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE CUNARD LINE "CALEDONIA".
Advent of British Contract Steamship Service
Cunard was awarded a seven year contract to convey mails by steamship between Liverpool, Halifax and Boston, beginning on 1 July 1840. Twice-monthly sailings were required. This contract drove the Great Western Steamship Company out of business, and ensured British dominance of scheduled transatlantic mail service by steamship for most of the decade.
When the Cunard Line began steam service to Boston in 1840, delays in Philadelphia's British mails had shrunk dramatically. New York was less than a day away, Boston only two days.
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Realized: $3,500
Lot
3093
1840 (Mar. 9) Philadelphia, Pa. to London, England, folded cover showing blue "Philadelphia Pa. Nov 30" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with "25" rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 12½¢ freight money fee for sailing ship, carried by Blue Swallowtail Line Independence from New York Dec. 12th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 31st, "Liverpool/Ship Letter" two-line backstamp and matching "8" pence due handstamp for uniform ship fee, Extremely Fine freight money letter via sailing packet. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $110
Lot
3094
1840 (Mar. 9) Philadelphia Pa. to London, England, folded cover showing blue "Philada Pa. Mar 9" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with "50" double rating for two-times 12½¢ inland postage plus two-times 12½¢ freight money fee for sailing ship, red "New-York Mar 10" cds, carried by Kermit Line Virginian from New York Mar. 13th to Liverpool arriving Apr. 15th, "Liverpool/Ship Letter" and London (4.16) backstamps, manuscript "8" pence due rating for uniform ship fee; light vertical folds, Very Fine, ex-Winter. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $220
Lot
3095
1840 (Mar. 31) Philadelphia Pa. to Yorkshire, England, datelined folded letter endorsed "p British Queen", blue "Philada. Pa. Mar 31" cds and matching framed "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "37½" prepaid rating for combined 25¢ Freight Money letter steamship fee plus 12½¢ inland, carried as endorsed on British & American Steam Navigation British Queen from New York Apr. 1st to Portsmouth arriving Apr. 16th, red framed "Ship Letter/Portsmouth" handstamp and Apr. 16th arrival backstamps, manuscript "8" pence due rating for uniform ship fee, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $140
Lot
3096
1840 (May 8) Philadelphia Pa. to Schiedam, Netherlands, folded letter carried as endorsed by "Great Western" from New York May 9th to Bristol arriving May 23rd, red "Bristol Ship Letter" two-line handstamp with manuscript "8" pence ship letter rating, red London (5.25) arrival backstamp with manuscript "2/-" shilling debit to Holland, "Engeland over Rotterdam" two-line and Schiedam (5.29) backstamps, manuscript "120" Dutch Cents due rating, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Letter carried privately to New York where unspecified forwarding agent took letter to steamship agent and paid freight money fee. Letter never posted in U.S. mails. Bristol used red BRISTOL/SHIP LETTER handstamp (red 1840-1841 only) and marked 8 pence for the incoming ship letter fee. London debited Holland 2s (8d ship fee plus 1s4d letter fee from London to Holland). In Rotterdam the transit marking in red (shown above) was struck and the postage due was marked, consisting of 120 Dutch Cents to pay back G.B. plus 50 Dutch Cents inland fee for single letter.
Realized: $140
Lot
3097
1840 (Jun. 30) Philadelphia Pa. to London, England, datelined folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa., Jun 30" cds and matching framed "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "37½" prepaid rating for combined 25¢ Freight Money letter steamship fee plus 12½¢ inland, carried as endorsed on Great Western Steamship Co. Great Western from New York Jul. 1st to Bristol arriving Jul. 15th, red "Bristol/Ship Letter" two-line handstamp and manuscript "8" pence due rating for uniform ship fee, red London (7.16) arrival backstamp; file folds, Very Fine and attractive. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $120
Lot
3098
1840 (Aug. 17) Philadelphia Pa. to Paris, France via Bristol, datelined folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa., Aug 17" cds and matching framed "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "150" prepaid rating for combined four-times 25¢ Freight Money letter steamship fee plus 12½¢ inland for four sheets, carried as endorsed on Great Western Steamship Co. Great Western from New York Aug. 18th to Bristol arriving Sep. 1st, red "Bristol/Ship Letter" two-line handstamp and manuscript "1/4" rating for double the 8d uniform ship fee, London updated with manuscript "3/-" pence due rating for ½-1 oz letter double the 9d ship rate plus 10d to France, Paris "6fr/" for 36 decimes (3/- converted) plus 25 decimes inland (< 20g), fresh and Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
In most cities that collected the freight-money charge, the freight-money fee was accounted for separately. Only in Philadelphia did the post office add the two charges and show them as a single number.
Realized: $240
Lot
3099
1840 (Aug. 31) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter with red "Paid Ship Letter - London, 1 SP 1840" crown oval postmark, London "Paid" (8.31) tombstone postmark and matching large "1" penny late fee handstamp, carried as endorsed by British & American Steam Navigation Co. "British Queen" from Portsmouth Sep. 1st to New York arriving Sep. 16th, red "New York 'Ship' Sep 17" cds with manuscript "14½" due rating for 12½¢ letter rate plus 2¢ ship fee, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Winter. Estimate $500 - 750.
THE ONLY RECORDED NON-CONTRACT STEAMSHIP LETTER WITH EXTRA PENNY FEE PAID.
Lot
3100
1841 (Jun. 23) Cape Pamas, West Africa (Liberia) to New York N.Y. via Philadelphia, folded cover with datelined original letter, carried by private ship from Africa to Philadelphia, entered mails with blue "Philadelphia Pa. Sep 25" cds and matching "Ship" handstamp with red manuscript "14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; fold splitting, otherwise Very Fine and scarce early use from forerunner Liberia. Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
3101
1841 (Jul. 12) Philadelphia Pa. to Liverpool, England, datelined folded letter with clear strike of red "Forwd. From Harnden & Cos. Foreign Letter Office, Phila." in circular handstamp, carried by Harden to Boston, then by Cunard Line Britannia from Boston Jul. 17th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 29th, Liverpool "America/L" oval backstamp and matching "1/-" due handstamp for 1s packet rate, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $160