Lot
3165 
1853 (Jan. 6) Philadelphia Pa. to Paris, France, folded letter bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) strip of three and 12¢ black (17), mostly large margins, prepaying the 21¢ treaty rate, tied by two strikes of blue "Philadelphia Pa. Jan 6" cds, red "New-York, Am. Packet, Jan 8" exchange cds and matching "3" cent credit to G.B. handstamp (struck in error), carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Jan. 8th to Liverpool arriving Jan. 20th, red London (1.21) transit backstamp, Paris (1.22) entry cds and bold "16" décimes due handstamp for 7½ to 15 grams, Paris (1.22) arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A CHOICE PREPAID 21¢ TREATY RATE TO FRANCE BY AMERICAN PACKET WITH 3¢ ERROR CREDIT HANDSTAMP.
The addressee Charles Toppan co-owned the Philadelphia company that printed the stamps on this cover.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
3166
1853 (Jan. 20) Dudley, England to Philadelphia Pa., datelined folded letter with "Dudley, JA20, 1853" double-arc origin backstamp bearing Great Britain, 1s green embossed (5) horizontal pair, mostly large margins, cancelled by blurry ovals, prepaying double the 1s packet rate, Liverpool (1.21) transit backstamps and red "10/Cents" credit to U.S. handstamp for double the 5¢ inland postage, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Jan. 22nd to Boston arriving Feb. 5th, red "Boston, Br. Pkt. Feb 6" exchange cds with matching "Paid" and "48" rating handstamps for restatement of prepayment, Very Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
3167
(French Retaliatory Rates) 1853 (Feb. 8) Philadelphia, Pa. to Cognac, France, folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa. Feb 8" cds and red "Paid" handstamp with red manuscript "21" prepaid rating for British open mail rate by British packet, red "New-York Br. Pkt. Feb 9" exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Africa from New York Feb. 9th to Liverpool arriving Feb. 23rd, Calais (2.24) entry cds with "13" décimes due handstamp for 7½ to 15 grams; small edge flaws, F.-V.F., a scarce second retaliatory rate period usage (January 24 to February 10, 1853), ex-Winter. Estimate $500 - 750.
THE ONLY RECORDED COVER FROM PHILADELPHIA DURING THIS RETALIATORY PERIOD.
The Retaliatory Rate Period of 24 January to 10 February, 1853
Due to miscommunication, U.S. Postmaster General Hubbard thought that double sea postage was being charged on letters to France carried via American packets in the British open mail. This had been the case, but Hubbard was unaware that the French had already corrected the inequity by lowering their rate to the U.S. from 15 decimes to 13 decimes. Hubbard's new rate was 21 cents regardless of whether a letter was carried by British or American packet. Hubbard's misapprehension was corrected, and the retaliation was suspended after only 17 days.
Realized: $675
Lot
3168
1853 (May 25) Havana, Cuba to San Francisco Cal. via Philadelphia, datelined folded letter sent privately to Philadelphia, blue "Philadelphia Pa., Jun. 12" cds with red "PAID" and "6" double-octagon rating handstamp for prepaid 6¢ rate over 3,000 miles; horizontal file fold, Very Fine and attractive use with bold markings. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $180
Lot
3169
1853 (Jul. 12) Philadelphia Pa. to Cape Verde Islands, orange buff cover addressed to Purser U.S. Frigate Constitution at Porto Grande, St. Vincent, red "Philadelphia Pa., Paid, Jan. 12" cds and red "Paid" double-octagon handstamp with manuscript "65" prepaid rating, New York crossed out the rating and updated with magenta "60" credit, red "New York Br. Pkt. Jul 13" exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Africa from New York Jul. 13th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 24th, London "Paid" (7.25) transit cds, docketed as received Dec. 18th; wax seal stain, Very Fine usage paying the 65¢ rate by British mails via England. Estimate $500 - 750.
The U.S. Navy's Africa Squadron operated antislavery patrols, in cooperation with the Royal Navy's West African Squadron, along the west African coast from 1819 to 1861. The American squadron was based at Porto Grande in the Cape Verdes.
Realized: $375
Lot
3170
1854 (Jan. 6) Manchester, England to Philadelphia Pa., blue folded letter with blue "Manchester, JA 6, 1854" double-arc datestamp, green Liverpool (1.7) oval backstamp and matching "19/Cents" debit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Jan. 7th to Boston arriving Jan. 25th, black "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. '24' Jan 26" due exchange cds for 19¢ debit plus 5¢ inland postage; vertical file fold, F.-V.F., The Earliest Recorded Use of the "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. '24'" exchange cds. Estimate $200 - 300.
The Philadelphia Exchange Office
Philadelphia became an exchange office on I January 1854, and was to correspond in closed bags with the exchange offices at Liverpool, London or Southampton. Although mail despatched by the Philadelphia exchange office could originate any-where, British bags sent to Philadelphia were to comprise only mail to addresses within the Philadelphia city limits.
Lot
3171
1855 (Jan. 22) Philadelphia Pa. to Cape Verde Islands, orange buff cover addressed to Purser U.S. Frigate Constitution at Porto Grande, St. Vincent, red "Philadelphia Pa. Jan. 22" cds and red "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "65" prepaid rating, New York crossed out the rating and updated with magenta "44" credit to G.B., red "New York Am. Pkt. Jan 24" backstamp, carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York Jan. 25th to Liverpool arriving Feb. 5th, indistinct London "Paid" transit cds, docketed as received Feb. 26 on reverse, Very Fine usage paying the 65¢ rate by British mails via England, ex-Starnes. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Lot
3172
1855 (Apr. 7) Calcutta, India to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with Calcutta (4.7) origin cds backstamp, London (5.18) backstamp and matching "India" framed handstamp, manuscript "54" cents debit to U.S., carried by Collins Line Pacific from Liverpool May 19th to New York arriving May 30th, sharp "Philadelphia Am. Pkt. May 30" exchange cds with two strikes of "75" due handstamp, Philadelphia manuscript "77" at lower left includes 2¢ carrier fee, Very Fine and choice, ex-Winter. Estimate $400 - 600.
Letter carried by P&O steamers "Oriental" from Calcutta to Suez via Madras and Ceylon and "Vectis" from Alexandria to Marseille via Malta. British debit included 34¢ British and 20¢ French transit fees. Letter in closed mail bag from London to Philadelphia, an exchange office since January 1854.
Realized: $375
Lot
3173
1855 (May 26) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter bearing G.B. 1s green embossed (5) vertical strip of five, margins to touched, tied by "466" oval grids, "Liverpool F.R.H. MY 26 1855" floating receiving house backstamp and red manuscript "20" cent credit rating to U.S., carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Africa from Liverpool May 26th to Boston arriving Jun. 7th, closed bag to Philadelphia where red "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. 'Paid' Jun 7" exchange cds and matching red "96" cent rate handstamp struck; vertical file fold affects center stamp; cover nick lower right, otherwise Very Fine and rare, ex-Seybold, Gibson. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A REMARKABLE PREPAID QUADRUPLE-RATE TRANSATLANTIC PACKET USE SHOWING THE ONE SHILLING LATE FEE FOR POSTING AT THE FLOATING HOUSE.
This cover was prepaid 5 shillings for four-times the 1s transatlantic packet plus 1s floating receiving house fee. Proper credit of 20¢ to the U.S. for four times 5¢ inland postage. Philadelphia struck the scarce "96" rating handstamp in red as a restatement of the rate (four times 24¢ rate). The 1848 U.S. G.B Treaty did not permit a triple rate. Late fees were not addressed by the treaty, but were established by GPO London in 1849 at 1/- per letter regardless of weight, reduced to 6d in 1859.
Lot
3174
1856 (Nov. 8) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., salmon buff cover bearing G.B. 6d purple embossed (SG 60) horizontal pair, cut to shape, one cut into right stamp, each cancelled by "51" barred ovals and tied by Liverpool "L, NO 9, A" transit, red "21/Cents" credit handstamp to U.S., carried by Collins Ericsson from Liverpool Nov. 12th to New York arriving Nov. 26th, bold strike of red "Phila. Am. Pkt. '24 Paid' Nov 26" integral-rate cds restating rate, Very Fine and pretty use. Estimate $300 - 400.