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Sale 93: The Dale Forster Collection of Australian - United States Mails

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Via Suez and Southampton

Lots 4098-4107 Lots 4108-4117 Lots 4118-4127 Lots 4128-4137

Lot 4098    

1853 (Nov. 30) New York N.Y. to Launceston, Tasmania, orange cover with blue "Nostrand & Bach, Dr. S.P. Townsend's Sarsaparilla" flap cameo, red "New-York, Br. Pkt., Nov 30" exchange cds with pencil "45" prepaid rating and magenta "40" credit to G.B., carried transatlantic by Cunard Arabia from New York Nov. 30th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 11th, red London Paid (12.12) transit cds, P&O Ripon Jan. 4th from Southampton, P&O Chusan Feb. 18th to Melbourne, then Black Swan to Launceston, red "Ship Letter Inwards Free, 18 AP 18, 1854" framed handstamp, Launceston (4.20) arrival backstamp; flap torn and some soiling, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Starnes lists a 45¢ packet rate "Via Plymouth". This rate also applied on P&O via Southampton sailings before the 6d rate of Oct. 1854.

Realized: $375

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Lot 4099    

Australian States: Victoria, 1854 (Mar. 23) Melbourne, Victoria to Buck Creek, Ala. via London and New York, gray cover bearing Victoria, Half-length, 3d blue, fifth printing (SG 14), tied by bold "1 V" barred oval and matching "Melbourne, Victoria, MA 23, 1854" rimless oval, carried by P&O Chusan contract packet via Galle, red London (6.11) transit backstamp, manuscript "1/-" debit with additional "2/-" at bottom right, carried transatlantic by Collins Line Atlantic from Liverpool Jun. 14th to New York arriving Jun. 25th, black "New-York, Am. Pkt. Jun 25" exchange cds with matching "45" cent due handstamp, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

The 45¢ rate is the sum of "1/" (24¢) packet Australia to London, 8d (16¢) transatlantic packet and 5¢ United States inland postage. P&O homebound voyages from September 1853 went direct to Galle, not via Singapore.

Realized: $1,150

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Lot 4100    

Australian States: Victoria, 1854 (Mar. 25) Melbourne, Victoria to Boston, Mass. via England, wrapper bearing Victoria, 2d purple brown (Sc 15, SG 20), huge margins all around, tied by "1 V" barred oval, matching bold "Melbourne, Victoria, MA 25, 1854" rimless oval and large "3" pence debit to G.B., carried by P&O Chusan via Galle and Suez arriving Jun. 11th, manuscript "6" pence debit to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Jun. 17th to New York arriving Jun. 30th, New York "8" due handstamp for 6¢ debit plus 2¢ inland postage, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Banchik.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

A RARE PRINTED MATTER USE FROM VICTORIA TO THE UNITED STATES VIA SUEZ AND SOUTHAMPTON.

The printed circular rate from Victoria was 2d pence with transatlantic transit fees due. The United States retained only 2¢ for internal postage.

Realized: $5,250

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Lot 4101    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1854 (Nov. 17) Sydney, New South Wales to New York N.Y., blue folded cover bearing New South Wales, 6d greenish gray, four margins, tied by barred oval, matching "Sydney, N.S.W., NO*17, 1854" rimless backstamp, large red "5" pence credit to G.B., carried as endorsed by P&O Norna to Galle direct arriving Dec. 24th, then P&O Bombay to Suez arriving Jan. 16th, camel caravan to Alexandria, then P&O Valetta Jan. 19th to Southampton, red London (2.11) transit and manuscript "12" pence debit deleted by "40" barred oval handstamp, carried by Havre Line St. Louis from Southampton Feb. 15th to New York arriving Mar. 1st, black "N.York Am. Pkt. '21' Mar 1" due exchange cds for 5¢ inland postage plus 16¢ transatlantic fee; some edge wear, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

This was the first sailing at the 6d Empire rate to England direct to Galle, not via Singapore. Letter was paid to England, collect transatlantic.

Realized: $525

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Lot 4102    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1855 (Jan. 26) Sydney, New South Wales to Richmond Va., blue folded letter with "Sydney N.S.W., JA*26, 1855" rimless backstamp and manuscript "1d" debit to G.B. rating, carried as endorsed by P&O Madras to Galle, P&O Hindustan to Suez, overland to Alexandria, P&O Euxine to Southampton, red London (4.5) transit backstamp and manuscript "12" cent debit to U.S., carried by Nashville under charter for Collins Line from Liverpool Apr. 7th to New York arriving Apr. 22nd, "New-York, Am. Pkt. Apr 22" exchange cds and matching "33" cent due handstamp, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

THIS WAS THE LAST SAILING UNDER THE P&O 1853 CONTRACT.

Realized: $575

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Lot 4103    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1857 (Jan. 22) Sydney, New South Wales to New York N.Y. via London and New York, blue cover bearing New South Wales, two 2d blue singles, two 1s rose vermilion singles, vibrant shades, each tied by barred ovals prepaying 2s4d for double the 1s2d rate, matching "Sydney, New South Wales, JA 22, 1857" rimless backstamp, carried as endorsed by E&ARM Oneida but broke down and returned, mail put on E&ARM European via Galle and Suez, red London Paid (5.9) transit cds, red manuscript "1/4" credit rating, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from May 9th to Boston arriving May 20th, closed back to New York where "N.York Br. Pkt. '10' May 29" due exchange cds for double the 5¢ rate, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

THE FIRST ILL-FATED EUROPEAN & AUSTRALIAN ROYAL MAIL CO. SAILING, AN OMEN OF BANKRUPTCY TO COME.

Realized: $2,700

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Lot 4104    

Australian States: Victoria, 1857 (c., Apr.) Melbourne, Victoria to Waterville N.Y. via London, gray wrapper bearing Victoria, 2d reddish brown, stone 9 (SG 22), ample to huge margins, tied by magenta "1" pence credit rating to G.B., carried as endorsed by E&ARM Columbian via Galle and Suez, red London Paid (6.12) transit cds, carried by Cunard Line Persia from Liverpool Jun. 13th to New York arriving Jun. 23rd, 2¢ due not marked on wrapper.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED VICTORIA PRINTED CIRCULAR CARRIED BY THE EUROPEAN & AUSTRALIAN ROYAL MAIL CO.

The 1857 rates had to be prepaid to the United States border, with 2¢ collected for delivery in the United States.

Realized: $2,700

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Lot 4105    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1857 (Jun. 12) Sydney, New South Wales to Providence R.I. via London and New York, large blue quadruple-rate cover bearing New South Wales, 2d blue, 6d greenish gray, and four 1s pale red singles tied by barred oval cancels prepaying 4s8d for four-times 1s2d rate, matching "Sydney, New South Wales, JU13, 1857" rimless backstamp, carried by E&ARM contract sailing to England, red London Paid (9.5) transit cds, manuscript "2/8" 2s8d and "64" cent credit to U.S., carried by Vanderbilt Line Ariel Sep. 9th to New York arriving Sep. 23rd, "New-York, Am. Pkt., Sep 24, 1857" exchange cds with matching "20" cent due handstamp for quadruple the 5¢ inland rate; some wear and soiling, small stamp flaws, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

THIS IS THE LARGEST PREPAID USE UNDER THE E&ARM CONTRACT.

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Lot 4106    

Australian States: Victoria, 1858 (Jun. 12) Melbourne, Victoria to Boston Mass. via London and New York, blue cover bearing Victoria 4d rose (Sc 48), two 1s blue (Sc 18) singles, tied by two strikes of numeral "1" barred circle prepaying 28d for double the 14d rate, carried as endorsed by E&ARM Australian via Suez and Southampton, red London Paid (8.14) transit cds, magenta "1/4" 1s4d and "32" cent credit to the U.S., carried transatlantic by HAPAG Line Borussia from Aug. 18th to New York arriving Aug 31st, "New-York, Am. Pkt. Aug 31" exchange cds and matching "10" in circle due handstamp for double the 5¢ inland; edge flaws and separated, missing top flap, F.-V.F. appearance.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $400

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Lot 4107    

Australian States: Victoria, 1858 (Aug. 16) Melbourne, Victoria to San Francisco Cal. via London, cover bearing Victoria 3d blue, 6d yellow orange and 1s blue, each tied by numeral "1" barred circle, matching Melbourne (8.16) backstamp, carried by E&ARM Columbian to Galle arriving Sep. 14th, and Suez Oct. 3rd, across Isthmus by camel caravan to Cairo, then railroad to Alexandria Oct. 5th, Cambria to Southampton, red London Paid (10.18) transit cds and red manuscript "1/2½" credit to U.S., carried by Cunard America from Liverpool Oct. 23rd to Boston arriving Nov. 5th, then New York ship via Panama, San Francisco "Paid" straightline, Very Fine; with 2008 R.P.S.L. certificate.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

A CHOICE THREE-VALUE USE AT THE RARE 20½D AUSTRALIAN STATES RATE VIA SOUTHAMPTON TO CALIFORNIA.

Rate tables in NSW, Victoria and Queensland show a 20½ pence via Southampton rate to California from 1857 - necessarily overpaid since no half-penny stamps were available. This rate was evidently calculated by adding the 6d Empire Rate to England to the 1/2½d paid-to-destination rate from England to the USA west-coast.

The 1/8½d rate was miscalculated - 1½d British internal postage being included in both the 6d Empire Rate to England and the 1/2½d rate from England to the west-coast. The rate was correctly lowered to 1/7d in 1863. No examples have been seen but 1/1 credits on two following pages show England observed the correction.

Realized: $6,250

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Lots 4098-4107 Lots 4108-4117 Lots 4118-4127 Lots 4128-4137

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