Lot 261
1863 (Jul. 20) Mucheln, Prussia to Lafayette, Indiana, handmade envelope (from postal form) which contained a letter accompanying a package sent through the mails to Hamburg (packetbegleitbrief). Parcel weighed 14 4/10 Lorraine and was marked prepaid "66" silbergroschen in red crayon, special label on reverse identified tax quadrant of parcel origin, "Munchen 7/20" framed origin datestamp and "Am Bestimmungsorte/nicht abgelfordert" framed backstamp, carried by Hapag Line Saxonia from Hamburg Jul. 25th to New York arriving Aug. 10th, "N.Y. Hamb. Pkt. '15 or 18 in U.S. Notes' Aug 11" depreciated currency exchange cds, F.-V.F., ex-Winter.Estimate $500 - 750.
THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED TRANSATLANTIC PACKETBEGLEITBRIEF USE.
Since there was no provision for sending parcels in the U.S.-Hamburg Treaty, Hamburg postmaster detached letter from parcel (which was forwarded privately by ship) and sent packetbegleitbrief in treaty mails. New York marked letter for postage due of 15¢ in coin or 18¢ in depreciated greenback currency. Lafayette post office advertised letter, adding 1¢ more to postage due. Unsuccessful, letter marked "Not called for" on right edge and returned to New York for transmission back to Hamburg, where boxed marking in German indicated letter not called for at destination.
Realized: $450