Lot
4089 
Australian States: Queensland, 1866 (Jul. 19) Maryborough, Queensland to Marysville Cal., blue cover with Queensland, 2d blue, horizontal strip of three, tied by light strikes of numeral "96" starburst cancels, matching "Maryborough, Queensland, JY 19, 66" rimless cds, Brisbane (7.21) transit backstamp, carried by New Zealand's Panama Line Rakaia departed Sep. 2nd to Panama arriving Oct. 6t, steamship to San Francisco, bold "San Francisco, Cal. Oct 26" cds and matching "10" due handstamp for 10¢ steamship rate, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Cover underpaid for routing via England, so held in Sydney for Rakaia via Panama. Queensland was not a signatory to the Panama Line contract and had a published rate of one shilling for mail via Panama (Campbell book, p307). Here 6d sufficed.
Realized: $1,350
Lot
4090
Australian States: New South Wales, 1866 (Dec. 31) Sydney, New South Wales to Providence R.I. via Panama and New York, registered cover bearing New South Wales, 6d violet (40) and 6d Registration, each tied by barred oval, red "Registered, Sydney, DE 31, 1866" oval postmark, endorsed "Via Panama" at left, carried by Panama Line Mataura via New Zealand and Rapa to Panama arriving Feb. 1st, rail across Isthmus, then contract steamship to New York, sharp "N.York, Steamship" circular backstamp and matching "Steamship 10" circular due handstamp for 10¢ steamship rate; reduced slightly at left, small stamp flaws, attractive and Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A RARE NEW SOUTH WALES REGISTERED USE TO THE UNITED STATES.
References: Illustrated and Discussed in Milgrams "Foreign Registered Mail: 1855-1875, Part Two: British" in the Chronicle May 2019, p. 185, fig. 25.
Realized: $675
Lot
4091
1867 (May 20) Pittsburgh Pa. to Waterloo, Victoria, cover bearing United States 10¢ green (68) and 12¢ black (69), s.e. at right, each canceled by matching blue geometrics duplexed with "Pittsburgh Pa., May 20" cds. New York red "12" credit handstamp, carried by American steamship to Colon, railroad across Isthmus, "Panama, JU 11 67" transit cds, carried by New Zealand Line Mataura to Sydney arriving Jul. 31st, reverse with Sydney (7.1) transit and blue Melbourne (8.3) entry cds, matching "6d, More to Pay" oval handstamp, Beaufort (8.5) and Waterloo (8.6) backstamps; 10¢ corner flaw from edge placement, light stain at bottom, F.-V.F. and very early use of the "More to Pay" oval. Estimate $500 - 750.
Mail by Panama Line to the Australian Colonies other than New South Wales was charged 6 pence upon arrival since they had not paid to be signatories on the mail contract. The "More to Pay" handstamp was introduced in 1866.
Realized: $575
Lot
4092
Australian States: Victoria, 1867 (Aug. 2) Wahgunyah, Victoria to San Francisco Cal., cover bearing Victoria, 2d gray lilac (75) and 1s blue (80), each tied by numeral "205" barred circle, reverse with matching partial Wahgunya (8.20.67) oval and blue Melbourne (8.22) transit cds, carried by New Zealand's Panama Line Mataura from Sydney Sep. 1st to Panama arriving Oct. 4th, then steamship to San Francisco, "San Francisco Cal. '10' Oct 25" integral-due cds for 10¢ steamship rate; no backflap, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Victoria was not a signatory to the Panama Line contract and had a published rate of one shilling (Palmer book, p282). Cover is paid the via Southampton 1/2 rate but was sent on New Zealand's Panama Line, saving almost a month.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
4093
Australian States: New South Wales, 1867 (Sep. 30) Sydney, New South Wales to Providence R.I., cover bearing New South Wales, 6d violet (40), rich color, tied by "N.S.W." oval duplexed with "Sydney, SP 30, 67" cds, carried by New Zealand Panama Line Kaikoura to Panama arriving Nov. 3rd, across Isthmus by railroad, then steamship from Colon to New York, "N.Y. Steamship '10' Nov 20" cds for 10¢ steamship rate; reduced at left with nicks affecting "Via Panama" endorsement, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
New York used three distinctive markings on Panama Line mail - the large circle "STEAMSHIP 10" circular handstamp, small "N.Y. Steamship 10" cds seen here and the depreciated currency "New York, 10 U.S. Notes" cds seen on the Mar. 31st 1868 use from Sydney.
Realized: $550
Lot
4094
Australian States: New South Wales, 1868 (Mar. 31) Sydney, New South Wales to Monument Mass., yellow cover bearing New South Wales, 6d violet (40), rich color, tied by "N.S.W." oval duplexed with "Sydney, MR 31, 68" cds, carried by New Zealand Panama Line Rakaia to Panama arriving May 4th, across Isthmus by railroad, then steamship from Colon to New York, "New York, 10 U.S. Notes, May 14" depreciated currency cds for 10¢ steamship rate; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
New York occasionally used their "10" depreciated currency marking on arriving mail with 10¢ due. These markings originated during the Civil War when gold and greenbacks had different values.
Realized: $450
Lot
4095
Australian States: Victoria, 1868 (Aug. 25) Melbourne, Victoria to New York N.Y., legal-size cover bearing Victoria, 1s blue (80), two singles, and 2s blue (28), three singles, all tied by strikes of "Victoria" barred oval duplexed with "Melbourne, AU 28, 68" cds, endorsed "Via Panama", carried by New Zealand's Panama Line Mataura from Sydney Sep. 2nd to Panama arriving Oct. 8th, across Isthmus and steamship to New York, New York pencil "80 Cents Due" rating; cover faulty and stained, right 2s faults, Fine and rare multiple-rate use. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THE LARGEST RECORDED PANAMA LINE FRANKING.
Realized: $1,150
Lot
4096
1868 (Nov. 5) Weaverville Cal. to Newcastle, New South Wales, cover bearing United States, 2¢ black (93) and 10¢ green (89) pair, strong grills, each cancelled by partial oval cancel, matching "Weaverville Cal. Nov 5" cds, San Francisco magenta "12 Cents." credit handstamp, ship to Panama, "Panama, NO 28, 68" transit cds, carried by New Zealand Panama Line packet from Panama to Sydney, partial transit backstamp; no back flap, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $800
Lot
4097
1869 (Feb. 11) Weaverville Cal. to Newcastle, New South Wales, cover bearing United States, 2¢ black (93) and two 10¢ green (96) singles, all with defects, each cancelled by partial oval cancels, matching "Weaverville Cal. Feb 11" cds, San Francisco magenta "12 Cents." credit handstamp,carried by PMSC steamship to Panama arriving Mar. 8th, then railroad across Isthmus, RMSC packet to London, red London Paid (4.13) transit cds, then P&O Ceylon via Suez, Simla to Galle, P&O Malta to Melbourne arriving Jun. 7th, Newcastle (6.10) arrival backstamp; cover with tear and professional edge restoration, Very Fine appearance; with clear 1981 P.F. certificate. Estimate $500 - 750.
When this cover reached Panama City it was realized it could not be sent via the Pacific because New Zealand's Panama Line was discontinued. Cover was sent via the Atlantic. Had it been sent overland from San Francisco to New York on the almost completed transcontinental railroad it would have reached Australia more than a month earlier.
Realized: $1,150