Lot
341 
1858 (Jun. 11) Sande, Oldenburg to Marthasville, Mo., yellow cover with blue "Sande 11/6" box d.s. and sent unpaid, Bremen (6.12) backstamp with manuscript "3/10" debit rating, carried by NGL Line Bremen from Bremerhaven Jun. 19 to New York arriving Jul. 4, black "N. York Brem. Pk. '13' Jul 4" exchange debit cds, Very Fine, The discovery example of "N.York Brem. Pk. 13" circular datestamp. Carried on the Inaugural Voyage of the North German Lloyd Line. Estimate $500 - 750.
Although endorsed for the Prussian Closed Mail route, this letter was sent by the Bremen service on the inaugural voyage of "Bremen" to New York. Bremen showed breakdown of total postage of 3 grote German transit and 10 grote international fees.
Realized: $750
Lot
342
1858 (Aug. 22) Bremen to New York, N.Y., folded letter with "Bremen 22 8" framed d.s. with blue "2" silbergroschen fancy script debit to Prussia, Aachen (8.23) transit and ms "5" debit to U.S., carried by Havre Line Fulton from Southampton Aug. 25 to New York arriving Sep. 7, New York blue blue crayon "30" due rating; two file folds, F.-V.F., a scarce Bremen "2" sbr. debit marking to Prussia with very few examples recorded. Estimate $150 - 200.
Lot
343
1858 (Sep. 19) Merzig, Rhennish Prussia to West Bend, Wisc., folded letter letter with Merzig (9.19) boxed d.s. with red crayon "15" sbr. prepaid rating, red "Recomandirt" serrated framed h.s., Bremen (9.22) with "Paid" framed h.s. with red manuscript "20" grote rating and framed "Registered" h.s., carried by Vanderbilt Line Ariel from Bremerhaven Oct. 2 to New York arriving Oct. 21, red "New-York Am. Packet Oct 22" exchange cds; light soiling, F.-V.F., a scarce Stampless registered letter under U.S.-Bremen convention. Estimate $150 - 200.
Prepayment included 2x6½ sgr. international fee plus 2 sgr. registration fee, all paid in cash. Prussia indicated 9 sgr. foreign fees paid in blue ink. Bremen indicated 20 grote foreign fees paid. Bremen also marked boxed "Registered" marking, while Prussia marked boxed "Recomandirt.".
Realized: $525
Lot
344
1858 (Sep. 24) Sande, Oldenburg to Marthasville, Mo., cover with red manuscript "Sande" postmark and matching "4" debit to Prussia, Aachen (9.4) transit, carried by Vanderbilt Line North Star from Southampton Sep. 29 to New York arriving Oct. 14, "N. York Am. Pkt. '60' Oct 14" exchange due cds; some edgewear, F.-V.F., this was the last mail voyage of the "North Star" for the Vanderbilt Line. Estimate $200 - 300.
Year determined by sailing tables and dates that Augustus F. Grabs was postmaster of Marthasville. Sande marked origin in red ink manuscript (upper right) and 4 silbergroschen (red ink upper left) debit to Prussia for German transit fee owed to Oldenburg. Transit fee restated by Prussians (blue ink on left side) when letter handled on Berlin-Minden railroad (date-stamp on reverse).
Realized: $325
Lot
345
1858 (Dec. 2) Bremen to Marthasville, Mo., folded letter with "Bremen 3/12" double circle date stamp with red "Paid" framed h.s. with attached "10" rate, red "N. York Brem. Pkt. 'Paid' Jan 16, 1858" exchange cds, Very Fine, a scarce disrupted mail voyage. Estimate $500 - 750.
Carried by "Weser" on her maiden voyage leaving Bremerhaven Dec. 4, was badly damaged by heavy seas and had to put back to Queenstown on December 26 for repairs. Apparently, the mails were transferred to the Cunard steamship "Niagara" to be conveyed to the U.S, leaving Liverpool Jan. 1 to Boston arriving Jan. 15. The closed bag of Bremen mail was sent to New York, where this letter was marked as paid. Only one other cover from this voyage with the same New York date is known.
Realized: $400
Lot
346
1859 (May 13) Bremen to New York, N.Y., blue folded letter with "Bremen 13/5" cds with black "10" debit rating, carried by NGL Line New York from Bremerhaven May 14 to New York arriving May 29, pencil "12¢" due rating for 10¢ international rate plus 2¢ carrier fee, Very Fine, a scarce transatlantic cover with carrier fee notation. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $110
Lot
347
1860 (Dec. 26) Peckelsheim, Prussia to Kensington, Pa., folded letter with "Peckelsheim, 28 Dec '60" framed d.s., Prussian large blue "2" sbr. debit h.s., Bremen blue "5/10" debit h.s., blue "Hamburg, 31 Dec 1860" transit d.s., carried Hapag Line Teutonia departing Hamburg Jan. 3 to New York arriving Jan. 20, "N. York Hamb. Pkt. '15' Jan 21" debit exchange cds, manuscript "17" cent carrier due rating on back, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Prussia debited Bremen the GAPU transit postage of 2 silbergroschen. The Hannover post office in Bremen marked 5/10 handstamp in blue to show that neither the 5¢ German transit nor the 10¢ international fees had been paid. Since letter just missed Bremen steamer it was sent to Hamburg rather than wait two months for the next Bremen steamer. 17¢ postage due marked on reverse included 2¢ carried fee in Kensington. Hamburg datestamp in blue is quite uncommon. A scarce Kensington carrier use. .
Realized: $135
Lot
348
1861 (Jul. 3) Meerane, Saxony to New York, blue folded letter with "Meerane 3/7" cds and sent unpaid, blue manuscript ratings, Bremen backstamp and "10/20" debit rating, carried by NGL Line New York from Bremerhaven Jul. 7 to New York arriving Jul. 24, "N.York Brem. Pk. '30' Jul 24" exchange debit cds, F.-V.F., the discovery example of "N.York Brem.Pk. 30" circular datestamp. Estimate $200 - 300.
Prussian railway post office marked 2x2 = 4 silbergroschen for internal German fees. Bremen showed breakdown of total fees, 2x5 = 10 grote German internal and 2x10 = 20 grote international fees.
Realized: $190
Lot
349
1863 (Apr. 30) Meerane, Prussia to New York, N.Y., folded letter with "Meerane 31/IV '63" origin cds, blue manuscript "4" sbr. debit to Hamburg, Hamburg backstamp and "10/20" due h.s., carried by Hapag Line Borussia from Hamburg May 2 to New York arriving May 21, New York "42" cent depreciated currency due h.s., some paper loss on flap, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Prussia marked 4 silbergroschen debit to Hamburg for internal fees owed Prussia. Hamburg marked 10/20 handstamp to show breakdown of unpaid letter fees, 2x5¢ = 10¢ internal and 2x10¢ = 20¢ international fees. New York marked 42¢ postage due in depreciated greenback currency. Early depreciated currency marking (May 1863 only) before dual-rate datestamps used at New York. Scarce Hamburg rate marking and scarce depreciated rating of New York.
Realized: $750
Lot
350
1863 (Jun. 20) Bremen to New York, N.Y., blue folded letter with "Bremen 20 6" boxed d.s. with matching "10" debit rating, carried by NGL Line New York from Bremerhaven June 21 to New York arriving July 7, New York "U.S. Notes / 13" depreciated currency markings, Very Fine, a very early depreciated currency letter in Bremen mails. Estimate $300 - 400.
Straightline "U.S.NOTES" marking used by New York exchange office before the introduction of the dual rate circular datestamp showing Bremen packet in mid-July 1863. Bremen indicated international rate of 10 grote was unpaid.
Realized: $575