Lot
1225 
Per Belfast & New York Packet / Ship Sarah Sheafe / Abrm Bell & Co Owners / No 30 Pine Street New York, red four-line handstamp struck on reverse of Feb. 12th 1836 folded letter from Ballyrobin, Ireland to Lynchburg Va., red "New-York Ship Apr. 21" cds and manuscript "27" rating for 25¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee; wear and tears, a Very Fine strike, ex-Hahn. Estimate $300 - 400.
THE DISCOVERY EXAMPLE OF THE ABRAHAM BELL & CO. "PER BELFAST & NEW YORK PACKET SHIP SARAH SHEAFE" HANDSTAMP.
This letter was handled by Abraham Bell & Co. who did a good deal of business in Ireland. The "Sarah Sheafe" was a copper-clad American sailing ship that was basically an immigrant ship rather than a mail ship. Cal illustrated this cover in part 2 of his article "Speeding the mails overseas" in Stamp Collector (May 12, 1979).
Realized: $325