Lot
41 
(San Francisco, Pre-Statehood) 1849, San Francisco, Ca. Folded Letter to London. Postmarked black "San Francisco Cal Nov 15" cds with matching "Paid" & boxed "40" cents rate handstamp, manuscript "via New York" routing upper left corner, handstamped scarce Great Britain hand-stamped "9 ½" pence due marking at center, backstamped red "New-York Jan 13" transit cds and black oval "America Fe 4 1850" hand-stamp on the reverse, couple of vert. file folds, Very Fine, one of the rarest West Coast Trans-Atlantic usages. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
The "America" handstamp according to Colin Tabeart (Robertson Revisited) this hand-stamp was used on letters that did not enter the U.S. mails, or on letters from California via US packet to New York prepaid by the 40 cents US inland rate, and is known on letters from May-1849 to Apr-1850, and should be regarded as a postage due hand-stamp rather than an accountancy marking. The Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Panama", departed San Francisco 15-Nov, arriving Panama City 4-Dec. Many possibilities exist for sailings between Panama and New York. Carried per the Cunard Line steamer Canada, departing New York 23-Jan, arriving Liverpool 4-Feb.
Realized: $2,400
Lot
42
(San Francisco, Pre-Statehood) 1850, San Francisco, Ca. Folded Letter to London. Postmarked "San Francisco Cal Feb 1" cds with matching straight line "Paid" & boxed "80" hand-stamped in the upper right corner, pencil "80" upper left corner, and with British black manuscript "9 ½" pence due marking in the middle, light file fold, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
This was paid the correct two times 40c per half ounce letter rate to New York and the due in G.B. should be double the 9 ½ pence rate or 19 pence (38 cents U.S.) at 19 cents per half ounce for 3 cents G.B. inland, and 16 cents packet. The Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Panama", departed San Francisco 1-Feb, arriving Panama City 23-Feb. Many possibilities exist for sailings between Panama and New York. Carried by the Cunard Line steamer "Canada" departing from New York on March 20th arriving Liverpool April 1st.
Realized: $950
Lot
43
(San Francisco, Pre-Statehood) 1850, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to London. Postmarked orange red integral rate "San Francisco 28 Feb 40" cds & matching straight line "Paid", manuscript "pr Oregon" routing at top left, black British manuscript "9 ½" pence due marking in the lower left corner, which represents 3 cents G.B. inland, and 16 cents packet, orange red "AR 30 1850" G.B. receiving cds on the reverse, couple vert. file folds, some wear along left fold, F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Oregon" departed San Francisco on March 10th, arriving Panama City 20-Mar. Many possibilities exist for sailings between Panama and New York. Carried per the Cunard Line steamer "Europa", departing New York 17-Apr, arriving Liverpool 29-Apr.
Realized: $850
Lot
44
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1851, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to Surry, England. Postmarked orange red "San Francisco 1 Apr" cds with matching hand-stamped "Paid" and "59" cents rate handstamp, pencil "59" superimposed over the SF cds, and handstamped bold red "3" cents credit to G.B. for British inland postage, franking paid the correct 59 cents per half ounce letter (40 U.S. inland cents to New York, 16 cents U.S. packet, and 3 cents British inland) rate via American Packet, Very Fine, a very rare rate from San Francisco. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $950
Lot
45
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1852, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to France. Postmarked blue "San Francisco Cal 16 Nov" cds with matching straight line "Paid" and "26" cents rate handstamp, manuscript "pr Golden Gate. via Southampton" routing in the upper left corner, markings include red "New-York Br. Pkt. Dec 15" cds, black double line "Etats Unis Paq Birt B.A. Calais 28 Dec 52" French entry handstamp & black hand-stamped "26" decimes due (13 decimes per 7 ½ grams x 2), backstamped red British receiving/transit, black double line "Paris 28 Dec. 52" transit, and black "La Rochelle 29 Dec 52" receiving cds, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Departed San Francisco per Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Golden Gate" 16-Nov, arriving Panama City 28-Nov. Probably per the U.S. Mail Steamship Line steamer "Illinois", departing Aspinwall (Colon) 2-Dec, arriving New York 12-Dec. Per the Cunard Line steamer "Europa", departing New York 15-Dec, arriving Liverpool 26-Dec.
Realized: $375
Lot
46
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1854, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to Paris. Postmarked "San Francisco Cal 15 Apr" cds with matching handstamped "Paid 26" & pencil "26" cents rate, markings include partial red "New York Packet May 13" cds, French entry cds & "16" decimes due hand-stamped in the middle (8 decimes per 7 ½ grams x 2)., Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Departed San Francisco per Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "John L. Stephens" on 15-Apr, arriving Panama City 28-Apr. Probably per the U.S. Mail Steamship Line steamer "George Law", departing Aspinwall 30-Apr, arriving New York 9-May. Per the Collins Line steamer "Pacific", departing New York 13-May, arriving Liverpool 24-May.
Realized: $500
Lot
47
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1854, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to Germany. Postmarked black "San Francisco Cal. 16 Nov" cds with straight line "Paid" & pencil "60" cents rate, markings include red hand-stamped "Franco", red "N. York 7 Br. Pkt. Paid Dec 13" transit cds in the lower right corner, with a red "N. York 14 Br. Pkt. Paid Dec 13" corrected cds superimposed, backstamp red "Aachen 26 12" transit cds, some minor cover discoloration, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
The 60 cents paid the correct rate of 30 cents per half ounce letter rate for up to an ounce, per Prussian Closed Mail. New York originally credited Prussia with 7 cents (2 cents Belgian transit + 5 cents Prussian Inland) for a single rate, which was corrected to 14 cents (twice the above). Mail from California to Germany during this period is fairly scarce. Departed San Francisco per Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Golden Age" 16-Nov, arriving Panama City 28-Nov. Probably per the U.S. Mail Steamship Line steamer "North Star", departing Aspinwall 30-Nov, arriving New York 9-Dec. Per Cunard Line steamer "Africa", departing New York 13-Dec-1854, arriving Liverpool 24-Dec-1854.
Realized: $180
Lot
48
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1855, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to France. Postmarked black "San Francisco Cal 17 Apr 26 Paid" integral rate cds with pencil "26" cents, markings include partial red "New York Packet May 16" transit, red French "Etats-Unis Paq.Am. Paris 29 Mai 55" entry handstamp & black "8" decimes due, backstamped red G.B. transit and two receiving cds's, carried per the Collins Line steamer "Atlantic", departing New York 16-May, arriving Liverpool 27-May, Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $180
Lot
49
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1857, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to Germany. Postmarked red "San Francisco, Cal 30 Paid Aug 5 1857" integral rate cds with pencil "30" cents, markings include red "N. York 7 Am. Pkt. Paid" transit cds & red boxed "Aachen 19/9 Franco" transit hand-stamp superimposed over the San Francisco cds, couple small spots of discoloration, F.-V.F. Estimate $100 - 150.
San Francisco 30 paid hand-stamps indicates the correct rate of 30 cents per half ounce letter rate was paid in cash. New York credited Prussia with 7 cents (2 cents Belgian transit + 5 cents Prussian Inland) for a single rate. Per Vanderbilt European Line steamer "North Star", departing New York 5-Sep-1857, arriving Southampton 17-Sep-1857. Mail from California to Germany during this period is fairly scarce.
Realized: $115
Lot
50
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1857, San Francisco, Ca. cover to Italy. Franked with 3¢ Bank Note (#207) tied by "San Francisco Cal Oct 9 5 Am 81" duplex cancel, insufficiently paying the 5¢ per half ounce letter rate by 2¢ (10 centimes), handstamped "10" centimes due marking with pair of Italy 10c Dues tied by "Firenze 2 11 81 9m" cds, and paying the correct 20 centesimi due (10 centimes doubled as a penalty). Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $180