Lot
150 
1870, 10¢ brown, natural s.e. at right, tied by partial "New Haven N.Y. Aug 1" duplex on cover to Lucerne, Switzerland, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Aug 3" exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Cuba departing Aug. 3rd to Queenstown arriving Aug. 12th, sent via France to Basel where "30" centimes emergency surcharge assessed, Zurich (8.19.1870) backstamp, original Aug. 1st 1870 enclosed letter; part of flap missing, cover tear and edge flaw, otherwise Very Fine. Scott No. 150 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS SPECIAL EMERGENCY FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR RATE PREPAID BY THE 1870-88 BANK NOTE ISSUE.
After France declared war on July 19th 1870, German forces entered the French provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, using their Baden territory as a staging area for troops and supplies. The mass of German activity in Baden obstructed the normal mail route via Ostende and Aachen to Basel. Switzerland organized an alternative temporary route, westbound across France to England. The closed bags went from the Basel exchange office northwest through Paris, crossing the Channel to England from the French port of Calais. The temporary Swiss rate for this emergency service was 80c per 15 grams, 30c (as due rated "30" in red crayon) higher than the 50c rate by the treaty mandated German-Belgian route. As a result, United States mail was surcharged "30" centimes.
Realized: $4,000