Lot
3190 
1859 (Dec. 9) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., blue folded cover with "London, DE 9, 59" duplex and two strikes of small "19/Cents" handstamp debit to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Asia from Liverpool Dec. 10th to New York arriving Dec. 22nd, "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. '24' Aug 22" exchange due cds, but insufficiently addressed, so passed to the Directory Section with "REC'D, DEC 23" framed handstamp and advertised the same day with "ADVD/1Ct." two-line handstamp, addressee did not respond so marked with bold strike of "Philadelphia, DEAD, Feb 1" cds backstamp and forwarded to the Dead Letter Office in Washington and returned to England, carried by Cunard America from Boston Feb. 8th to Queenstown arriving Feb. 20th, London red "Sent Back to England/Without a Reason/For Non-Delivery"; no net charges to either country; small edge tear and refolded, Very Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
A SCARCE UNDELIVERABLE AND RETURNED TO SENDER TRANSATLANTIC USE.
The Philadelphia "ADVD/1Ct." two-line handstamp and "Dead" cds are the earliest recorded strikes.