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Sale 89: The John Barwis Collection of Philadelphia Postal History

Table of Contents

Philadelphia Foreign Mail: 1709-1775 Colonial Period

Lot 3030    

1775 (Apr. 4) Philadelphia Pa. to London, England, datelined folded letter addressed to Jamaica Coffee House, light strike of "PHILA Apr: 4" straightline postmark on flap, endorsed "p packet" at bottom left, red "N. York Ap: 5" straightline backstamp with manuscript "To Pay 6d" as debit to London for colonial inland postage, carried by packet Duke of Cumberland from New York Apr. 6th to Falmouth May 4th, London "4/MA" Bishop mark backstamps and matching clear strike of "AMN. & PACT./POSTAGE" two-line handstamp and manuscript "1/6" 1sh6d due for colonial inland plus packet postage, Very Fine and exceptional packet letter with markings of three cities., ex-Hahn.
Estimate    $5,000 - 7,500.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE "PHILA" STRAIGHTLINE RECORDED ON FOREIGN MAIL, AND THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE LONDON "AMN. & PACT./POSTAGE" HANDSTAMP.

Letter includes an invoice and discusses loading the brig Rachel to Madeira, and the great scarcity of money. Two weeks to the day after this letter was written, Paul Revere warned Sam Adams that 100 British soldiers were on their way to Concord to destroy arms.


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Realized: $4,750

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