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Sale 89: The John Barwis Collection of Philadelphia Postal History

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Philadelphia Foreign Mail: 1849-1852 US-GB Treaty to UPU

Lots 3135-3144 Lots 3145-3154 Lots 3155-3164

Lot 3135    

1849 (Feb. 20) Leeds, England to Philadelphia Pa., datelined folded letter with red Liverpool (2.23) cds and manuscript red "1/-" one-shilling packet rating, Liverpool (2.24) backstamp and red "5" cents credit to the U.S., carried on Cunard America from Liverpool Feb. 24th to Boston arriving Mar. 8th, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

THIS WAS THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING UNDER THE 1848 US-GB TREATY.

No rating handstamps were available in Liverpool for the first four westbound sailings. For details of the confusion surrounding early treaty mails see the 1992 article by R.F. Winter in Chronicle 154.

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Lot 3136    

1849 (Feb. 22) Glasgow, Scotland to Philadelphia Pa., datelined blue folded letter with red "Glasgow, Paid N, Feb 22, 1849" datestamp, endorsed "Paid at Glasgow 22 Feby / 49" at top and "p R.M. Steamer 'America' from Liverpool 24 Feby" at bottom, Liverpool (2.24) transit backstamp, red manuscript "1/-" one-shilling packet rating and matching "5" cents credit to U.S., carried on Cunard Line America from Liverpool Feb. 24th to Boston arriving Mar. 8th, Very Fine, ex-Needs.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

THIS WAS THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING UNDER THE 1848 US-GB TREATY.

No rating handstamps were available in Liverpool for the first four westbound sailings. For details of the confusion surrounding early treaty mails see the 1992 article by R.F. Winter in Chronicle 154.

Realized: $240

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Lot 3137    

1849 (Mar. 16) Philadelphia Pa. to London, England, folded cover with blue "Philada. Pa., Mar 16" cds and matching crude "24" unpaid rating handstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line America from Boston Mar. 21st to Liverpool arriving Apr. 3rd, red London (4.3) arrival backstamp and manuscript "1/-" due rating for 1s packet rate; minor file fold toning, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Philadelphia used this large crude "24" rating handstamp on mail from March 16th to Jun. 4th 1849 only. This is the earliest recorded use of this Philadelphia crude "24" rating handstamp.
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Realized: $325

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Lot 3138    

1849 (Apr. 6) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa., blue folded cover with red "Liverpool Metal Review, Newspaper, One Penny" tax handstamp on flap, bearing Great Britain 1d red (3) tied by "466" barred oval, matching Liverpool (4.6) cds and oval transit, "19/Cents" debit handstamp to U.S. carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Apr. 7th to New York arriving Apr. 19th, New York black "24" due handstamp for 19¢ debit plus 5¢ inland postage due.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

THE EARLIEST SURVIVING CIRCULAR TO PHILADELPHIA UNDER THE 1848 TREATY.

Articles XV and XVI of the 1848 treaty specified that newspapers and circulars could be sent for 1d from Great Britain, or 2¢ from the United States. No accounting was required. Written matter was not permitted, and if found resulted in the full letter rate being charged. Each item had to be unsealed to allow easy inspection. The red handstamp paid no postage, but signified that a newspaper tax had been paid at 1d per 4 ounces.

Realized: $500

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Lot 3139    

1849 (Jun. 22) Philadelphia, Pa. to London, England, folded letter, blue "Philada Pa. Jun 25" cds with matching framed "Paid" handstamp and crude "24" rating handstamp, New York large red "19" credit to G.B. handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from New York Jun. 27th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 10th, red London (7.11) arrival cds, Very Fine, The earliest recorded use of this crude Philadelphia "24" rate handstamp, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Examples of the large red New York 19¢ credit marking are recorded from April 1849 to February 1850, an uncommon marking. Philadelphia struck the crude blue handstamp "24", the smaller of two crude blue "24" handstamps. This marking is also uncommon, recorded in use from March - October 1849 only.

Realized: $220

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Lot 3140    

1849 (Sep. 7) Calcutta, India to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter in care of Baring Bros. at London with red Calcutta (9.7) framed backstamp and matching "INDIA" framed handstamp, manuscript rating, red London (10.27) transit backstamp, Liverpool (11.2) Maltese cross datestamp and black "19 Cents" debit rating to U.S., carried by Cunard Line America from Liverpool Nov. 3rd to New York Nov. 17th, New York black "24" cent due rating for 19¢ debit plus 5¢ inland postage, Very Fine and scarce use from India.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

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Lot 3141    

1849 (Oct. 16) Philadelphia, Pa. to Cognac, France, blue folded letter with blue "Philada Pa. Oct 16" cds and red provisional "Paid/5" rating handstamp for British open mail rate by British packet, carried by Cunard Line Canada from New York Oct. 17th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 28th, red London (10.29) arrival backstamp and matching "Colonies/&Art. 13." framed accounting handstamp, Calais (10.30) entry cds with matching "15" decimes due handstamp for 10 dec. G.B. plus 5 dec. inland postage, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS PHILADELPHIA PROVISIONAL RATE HANDSTAMP USE.

This provisional rate handstamp was used in Philadelphia for only eight days in late 1849.

Realized: $525

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Lot 3142    

1849 (Dec. 3) Philadelphia, Pa. to Liverpool, England, folded letter with blue "Philada. Pa. Dec 3" cds and matching crude "24" rating handstamp, Boston black "5" debit rating, carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Boston Dec. 5th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 18th, Liverpool (12.18) backstamp and "1" shilling due handstamp, fresh and Very Fine, Carried on the last Trans-Atlantic mail voyage of the Cunard Line Caledonia.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Philadelphia did not have a die-cast handstamp for the 24¢ rate before August 1851. This is the earliest recorded use of this Philadelphia crude "24" rating handstamp.
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Lot 3143    

1849 (Dec. 17) Philadelphia, Pa. to Paris, France, folded cover with blue "Philada Pa. Dec 17" cds and red "Phila 5 Paid" provisional octagon rate handstamp for British open mail rate by British packet, carried by Cunard Line Europa Boston Dec. 19th to Liverpool Dec. 30th, red London (12.31) backstamp and matching "Colonies & Art. 13." framed accounting handstamp, black French (1.1) entry cds and matching "15" décimes due rating, Very Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

ONE OF EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS PHILADELPHIA PROVISIONAL MARKING FOR BRITISH OPEN MAIL.

Provisional rate marking used in Philadelphia for approximately six weeks, recorded from December 1849 to February 1850.

Realized: $450

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Lot 3144    

1850 (Jan. 4) Philadelphia Pa. to Paris, France via G.B., legal-size cover with blue "Philada Pa. Jan 4" cds and red "Phila 5 Paid" provisional octagon rate handstamp uprated to "20" for four-times the 5¢ British open mail rate by British packet for 1-1¼ oz., carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Boston Jan. 9th to Liverpool Jan. 22nd, partial London transit backstamp and red-orange "Colonies/&c. Art. 13." framed accounting handstamp, black Calais entry cds and manuscript "7f 5" due rating for 7 francs 5 décimes, Very Fine and rare quadruple-rate British open mail use.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

This uprating of Clark type S27 provisional postmark to 20¢ was previously unrecorded.

Realized: $300

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Lots 3135-3144 Lots 3145-3154 Lots 3155-3164

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