Lot
564 
Hong Kong, 1854 Shanghai to Boston, Mass. Folded letter docketed "Shanghae, 2 Dec 1854" with manuscript "Via Marseilles"& manuscript Great Britain 86 cents debit to US, and Boston hand-stamped "96" cents (earlier than Blake and Davis 718: 6.21.55-6.4.57) due from addressee, partial Hong Kong cds, Great Britain red "27JA27 1855 "cds & "Boston Br. Pkt. Feb 15" receiving cds on reverse, Great Britain debited the United States for 86 cents as follows: 2/3 or 54 cents for ½ - ? ounce letter from Hong Kong (24 cents British share + 30 cents French), plus 16 cents per half ounce sea (2 x 16 = 32c) from GB to US, total due was figured on arrival in US as between a half ounce and one ounce at 5 cents per half ounce for a total of 10 cents, which was added to British 86c debit. Carried by P & O Cadiz: Hong Kong 12 Dec 1854 - Galle 26 Dec 1854, Bombay: Galle 28 Dec - Suez 16 Jan 1855; Valetta: Alexandria 19 Jan - Marseilles 25 Jan 1855, F.-V.F., per Cunard Line "Asia": Liverpool 3 Feb - Boston 15 Feb 1855. This mail was delayed when the P&O Bombay had to wait at Aden 5-10 Jan. for steamer with mail from Bombay, seldom seen high rate. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $750
Lot
565
Hong Kong, 1855 Canton incoming from New York. Folded letter with red "New-York Am. Pkt. Dec 26" cds, pencil "43" cents (paid), red manuscript "22" cents credit to Great Britain, and red London tombstone "Paid 9 JA 9 1856", manuscript "P Baltic" in lower left corner, and "via Marseilles" routing. "Hong Kong 10 Mr 1856" receiving cds on reverse, rate of 43c for up to quarter ounce letter via Marseilles, Oct 1854 - Dec 1856, Very Fine, per Collins Line Baltic: New York 27 Dec 1855 - Liverpool 8 Jan 1856. Per P&O Alhambra: Marseilles 12 Jan - Alexandria 22 Jan; Hindostan: Suez 31 Jan - Galle 18 Feb; Norna: Galle 18 Feb - Hong Kong 10 Mar. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $575
Lot
566
Hong Kong, 1855 Canton incoming from New York. Folded letter sheet with red "New York Am. Packet. Feb 21" cds, pencil "53" cents per half ounce rate, and red manuscript "32" cents credit to gb superimposed over partial orange red "Paid 5 MR 5 1855" British transit cds, faint "Hong Kong 26 Ap 1855" transit cds on the reverse. US retained 21 cents (5 cents US inland and 16 cents US Packet), and credited 32 cents (1/4) to gb, which was correct rate for British Packet via Marseille (although not so docketed) for quarter to half ounce letter, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Collins Line "Atlantic": departing New York 21 Feb 1855, arriving Liverpool 4 Mar. Per P&O Valetta: Marseille 11 Mar - Alexandria 18 Mar., overland to Suez, Hindostan: Suez 22 Mar - Galle 7 Apr.; Singapore: Galle 10 Apr - Hong Kong 26 Apr 1855.
Realized: $650
Lot
567
Hong Kong, 1855 Canton incoming to New York. Fully paid folded letter with on front red "New.York Am Packet Aug 22", red London "Paid 3 Sp 3 1855", 33 cents in pencil, and large, bold, red 12 (not previously seen on mail to China), Winter type 291, indicating 12c credit by New York Exchange Office to GB out of 33c rate for up to ½ ounce letter via Southampton (reduced from 45c in 1855; an early use). "Hong Kong 26 Oc 1855" arrival cds on back, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $800
Lot
568
Hong Kong, 1856 Canton to New York. Folded entire with manuscript "Via Marseilles", "New.York Am. Packet Mar 21" cds, with "32" cents G.B. debit to the U.S., and hand-stamped 53 cents due mark not recorded by Winter, "Hong Kong 14 Ja 1856" transit cds, and red "U B 3 MR 3 1856" GB transit cds on reverse, rate for ¼ - ½ ounce letter via Marseilles was 53c Oct 1854 - Dec 1856. Per P&O steamer Madras: departing "Hong Kong 15 Jan", arriving Galle 30 Jan. (her first voyage on this route). Per Bengal: Galle 1 Feb - Suez 17 Feb; Ava: Alexandria 22 Feb - Malta 25 Feb; and Alhambra: Malta 26 Feb - Marseilles 29 Feb. (leap year), Very Fine, per Collins Line steamer Quaker City: Liverpool 5 Mar - New York, 21 Mar. Quaker City chartered for one round trip after loss of Pacific - Only cover seen from China. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $675
Lot
569
Hong Kong, 1857 Hong Kong Incoming From Boston, Mass. Part entire with on front large red "Boston Br Pkt Paid 8 Apr", pencil 10 cents for US inland fee, and 3/1 (74c) due for a ½ to ? ounce letter sent via Marseille. London 21 AP 21 1857 transit mark on back, with "Hong Kong 10 Ju 1857" arrival cds, also on back, sender's direction that letter be forwarded or returned if Mr. Sturgis was absent, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $325
Lot
570
Hong Kong, 1857 Manila to Salem, Mass. Folded letter from Manila, 10 May, "per Soledad to China", with oval "Forwarded By Lyall Still & Co Hong Kong" on back (Rowe 1996 value: 5/10), plus very good "Hong Kong 24 My 1857" type 9 cds, and "London Jy-14 57" transit cds. On front, manuscript 18 cents GB debit, "New-York Am Pkt Jul 29" cds, and NY Exchange Office 39 cents hand-stamp, Winter type 315, earlier than recorded (Oct 57 - Jul 61). Total of 39c due from addressee for up to ¼ ounce letter sent via Marseille, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $1,250
Lot
571
Hong Kong, 1858 Hong Kong to New York. Folded entire with manuscript "Via Marseilles", "New - York Am. Pkt. Aug 9" cds, manuscript "24" cents G.B. debit to the US, and hand-stamped 45 cents due. "Hong Kong 6 Ju 1858" and red "London Bf Jy 27 58" transit cds on reverse. Rate for ¼ - ½ ounce letter via Marseilles was 45 cents from Jan 1857 thru Aug 1861, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Carried per P&O steamers "Norna": departing Hong Kong 7 Jun, arriving Galle 25 June; Candia: Galle 29 June - Suez 17 July; Pera: Alexandria - Malta, 19-22 July; and Panther (chartered from Denny & Co. by P&O), Malta - Marseilles, 22-25 July. Havre Line Arago: Havre 27 July -Southampton 28 July, New York 9 Aug.
Realized: $260
Lot
572
Hong Kong, 1858-65 Incoming folded letters. 3 items; from Calcutta (2) and GB to Hong Kong, 1) Calcutta to Hong Kong cover with, on front, East India two Annas stamp bearing killer cancel, and on back red "Cal. G.P.O. 11 May 1858", oval "Forwarded By Hoare Miller & Co Calcutta" (recorded by Rowe, but with no size or usage dates), and "Hong Kong 5 Ju 1858" arrival cds, manuscript direction "pr Lightning", a private steamer that made regular voyages between Calcutta and Hong Kong. 2) Calcutta to Hong Kong cover with, on front, East India four Annas stamp cancelled "Calcutta Ja 22 62", red Calcutta "India Paid", and manuscript 4 Annas rating. On back, oval "Mackillop Stewart Calcutta", and "Hong Kong Fe 27 62" arrival cds, docketed "pr Str. Bengal via Galle" (c.30 Jan), and then by P&O China from Galle, 6 Feb, to Hong Kong, 27 Feb (long voyage). 3) London to Hong Kong folded letter bearing on front GB one shilling green and four pence orange (damaged) stamps, cancelled with 46 killers, paying 1/4 rate via Marseille, and red 1d hand-stamped credit to Hong Kong. On back, square "London Ap 10 65" date-stamp, and "Hong Kong My 21 65" arrival cds, carried by P&O steamers, Very Fine overall. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $1,000
Lot
573
Hong Kong, 1859 Manila, P.I. to Concord, N.H. Envelope (nick at top and flap damage) bearing red oval "Russell & Sturgis Manila" (recorded as a forwarding agent by Webb and Rowe), manuscript 40 cents GB debit on US, and Boston 45 cents due hand-stamp for a ¼ to ½ ounce letter "Via Marseilles" as directed, red "London De 30 59" transit cds, and "Boston Br. Pkt. Jan 17" receiving cds on reverse, circular cut out on the reverse, probably either Hong Kong or Singapore transit cds, F.-V.F. Estimate $400 - 600.
If a Hong Kong cds this letter was carried by the P&O Rajah from Manila, 9 Nov, to Hong Kong, 13 Nov, an addition to the dozen recorded covers carried by the P&O Manila - Hong Kong Line, which only operated Dec 1857 to Feb 1860. P&O Cadiz: Hong Kong 15 Nov - Galle 30 Nov; Colombo: Galle 2 Dec - Suez 17 Dec; Valetta: Alexandria 21 Dec - Marseilles 28 Dec. Per Cunard Line Europa: Liverpool 31 Dec - Boston 16 Jan.
Realized: $800