Lot
286 
1855 (Mar. 12) Bridgehampton, N.Y. to Berlin, Prussia, cover with "Bridgehampton N.Y. Mar 12" cds and manuscript "Paid 24" rating, red "New-York Am. Packet. Mat 21" exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Nashville from New York Mar. 21 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 3, London (4.4) backstamp with "U.S. Pkt." and "3/Cents" debit h.s., Aachen (4.5) backstamp and blue manuscript "7" sgr. due rating, Berlin (4.7) arrival backstamp; F.-V.F., the Nashville was chartered by the Collins Line for one round voyage to replace the Pacific. This is the only westbound voyage for the Collins Line. Estimate $300 - 400.
24¢ prepayment (regular British rate) was insufficient for a letter to Germany. New York sent letter at British Open Mail by American packet rate (3¢ overpayment of 21¢ rate) which paid letter only to G.B. London marked U.S. PKT handstamp to show source of letter and sent it to Berlin unpaid under Anglo-Prussian Convention of 1852.
Realized: $700
Lot
287
1855 (Mar. 18) Philadelphia, Pa. to Dresden, Saxony, mourning cover with red "Philadelphia Pa. Mar 18" cds and matching "Paid 30" rate h.s., red "N. York Am. Pkt. 'Paid 7' Mar 21" exchange credit cds, carried by Collins Line Nashville from New York Mar. 21 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 3, Carried on the only mail voyage of the Nashville for the Collins Line. Estimate $400 - 600.
Nashville was chartered by the Collins Line to carry mails for one round voyage only as a substitute for Pacific. Since Philadelphia was not an exchange office for Prussian mails, New York did the treaty accounting showing the credit to Prussia.
Realized: $375
Lot
288
1855 (Apr. 21) New York, N.Y. to Bremen, orange buff envelope with pencil "10" prepaid rating and red "N. York U.S. Pkt. 'Paid 1' Apr 21" exchange credit cds, carried by Ocean Line Washington from New York Apr. 21 to Bremerhaven arriving May 8, Very Fine, a scarce New York 1¢ credit circular datestamp. Estimate $150 - 200.
Under the second Bremen Treaty, of the 10¢ prepaid, the U.S. was entitled to 5¢ internal fee and 4¢ sea transit fee since an American contract steamship carried the letter to Bremerhaven. Bremen was entitled to 1¢ of the international fee.
Realized: $350
Lot
289
1855 (Nov. 2) New York, N.Y. to Braunschweig, Germany, folded letter with "N.York U.S. Pkt. '9' Nov 3" exchange debit cds, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Nov. 3 to Bremerhaven arriving Nov. 22, "4½/2 Sgr America/über/Bremen" due h.s., red crayon "5¼" due rating, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Red orange 4½/2 Sgr. due handstamp was applied at the Hannover office in Bremen, showed that 4½ silbergroschen was due for the international fee and 2½ silbergroschen for the transit fee to Braunschweig. The total, 6½ sgr., was equivalent to 5¼ gutegroschen, which was collected at destination.
Realized: $135
Lot
290
1857 (May 5) Buffalo, N.Y. to Bischofsheim, Baden, orange buff cover with "Buffalo, N.Y. May 5" cds with matching "Paid" and "22" oval rate h.s., red "N. York Brem Pk. 'Paid 17' May 7" exchange credit cds, carried Fritze Line Hansa from New York May 7 to Bremerhaven arriving May 24, blue "America/über Bremen/Franco" three-line transit, small cover faults including no right side flap, Very Fine, The Last Return Voyage of the Fritze Line. Estimate $300 - 400.
"Hansa" carried mails on this last return voyage of nine round voyages between Bremerhaven and New York by this short-lived Bremen steamship company, which attempted to compete with the American Ocean Line as a mail steamship line. Less than five examples of this New York marking have been recorded, a credit marking used only on prepaid letters at the 22¢ rate carried by Bremen steamships.
Realized: $450
Lot
291
1857 (Aug. 28) Cedar Rapids, Ia. to Steinheim am Aalbuch, Württemberg, buff cover bearing 1857, 10¢ green, type II, strip of three, right stamp with trimmed perfs, tied by matching strikes of "Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Aug 28" cds, black "New York Br. Pkt. '23' Sep 2" exchange debit cds, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from New York Sep. 2 to Liverpool arriving Sep. 13, Aachen blue manuscript "halbf" and "45" kr. due rating, some cover stains and wear, Fine, an unusual Prussian Closed Mail postage due usage. Scott No. 32 Estimate $200 - 300.
The New York exchange office weighed the letter and determined two rates were required. Existing regulations permitted sending the letter if at least one full rate was prepaid, with the remaining postage to be collected at destination. New York credited Prussia 7¢ for the one rate paid and debited Prussia 23¢ for the one rate unpaid. Aachen marked "halbf" in blue ink to indicate that half the rate was paid as an explanation for the additional postage due rate of 45 kreuzer, the remaining unpaid rate. This cover was referenced in Chronicle 181, parcel post. 58-67.
Realized: $675
Lot
292
1858 (May 30) Baltimore to Vaihingen a. Enz., Würtemberg, buff cover with blue "Baltimore Md. May 30" cds with red "Paid" h.s. and red crayon "22" prepaid rating, red "N. York Hamb. Pkt. 'Paid 17' Jun 1" credit exchange cds, carried on Cunard Line Austria from New York June 1 to Hamburg arriving June 16, various backstamps including. Vaihingen (6.18) arrival; partial flap and some wear and two stain spots, F.-V.F., this cover was carried on Austria's maiden return voyage. Estimate $200 - 300.
Austria made only two round voyages to New York before being destroyed by fire at sea on her third westward voyage. Covers showing the 22¢ rate under the U.S.-Hamburg Treaty are not common and prepaid ones scarce.
Realized: $400
Lot
293
1858 (Jun. 1) New York to Lorch, Württemberg, cover with "N. York Hamb. Pkt. '10' Jun 1" exchange debit cds, carried by Hapag Line Austria from New York Jun. 1 to Hamburg arriving Jun. 16, Lorch (6.18) arrival backstamp with red crayon "57" kr. due rating, Very Fine, Covers showing double rating in the U.S. and single rating in Germany are uncommon, as are covers by Hamburg mail at the 22¢ equivalent rate. Estimate $150 - 200.
New York weighed letter at greater than ½ oz. (14.25 grams) and debited Hamburg 2x5¢=10¢. The Hamburg Thurn & Taxis post office marked letter for 2x6¾=13½ silbergroschen (2x15¢ equivalent) international rate plus 9 kreuzer for transit fee to Württemberg, the fee for a single weight letter of 1 loth (16 2/3 grams). Since 13½ sgr. was equal to 48 kreuzer, the total postage due was 57 kreuzer.
Realized: $145
Lot
294
1858 (Jun. 28) Wheeling, Virginia to Hirrlingen, Württemberg, cover with "Wheeling Va. Jun 28" cds with large circled "30" unpaid h.s., "N. York Hamb. Pkt. '5' Jul 1" exchange debit cds, carried by Hapag Line Saxonia from New York Jul. 1 to Hamburg arriving Jul. 15, Hamburg (7.16) backstamp with blue "6¾ Sgr - 9 Xr" due h.s., Rottenburg (7.19) backstamp with red crayon "35" kr. due rating, F.-V.F., very few examples of the 6¾ Sgr-9Xr handstamp have been recorded. Estimate $200 - 300.
Since letter routing instructions said "per Hamburg/Steamer" New York sent letter by Hamburg steamer and debited Hamburg 5¢ for a single rate letter. The Hamburg Thurn & Taxis post office marked letter with blue handstamp for 6¾ silbergroschen (15¢ equivalent) international rate plus 9 kreuzer for transit fee to Württemberg, the fee for a single weight letter. This was equivalent to 33 kreuzer (22¢). Württemberg added 2 kreuzer local fee for a total postage due of 35 kreuzer.
Realized: $375
Lot
295
1858 (Dec. 14) St. Louis, Mo. to Bingen, Hesse, 1854, 3¢ red on buff entire with "St. Louis Mo. Dec 14, 1858" cds and red "Paid 30" in oval for 30¢ PCM rate, red "N. York 'Paid 7' Dec 18" exchange credit cds, carried by Inman Line City of Washington from New York Dec. 18 to Liverpool arriving Dec. 30, Aachen (12.31) framed transit, blue manuscript "1" kreuzer due rating, Very Fine. Scott No. U10 Estimate $200 - 300.
Prepayment consisted of 3¢ entire and the remainder (27¢) paid in cash. St. Louis indicated the full prepayment with the red oval "PAID/30" handstamp. Blue pen mark may indicate that 1 kreuzer local fee was collected in Bingen.
Realized: $350