Lot
627 
1856 (Feb. 20) San Francisco, Cal. to Wakefield, England, orange buff cover with red "San Francisco Cal. '29 Paid' 20 Feb." integral cds, New York red "19" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Africa from New York Mar. 19 to Liverpool arriving Mar. 31, red Liverpool (3.31) d.s., Wakefield (4.1) arrival backstamp; flap trimmed, F.-V.F., very few examples of this integral 29¢ datestamp have been recorded. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Sonora" from San Francisco to Panama City and by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "George Law" from Aspinwall to New York. From about mid-1855, San Francisco used a circular datestamp on letters paid in cash that included the fact that 29¢ had been paid.
Realized: $160
Lot
628
1856 (Sep. 4) San Francisco, Ca. to Antwerp, Belgium, folded letter with red "San Francisco Cal. '26Paid' 5 Sep" integral rate cds, red "New York Am. Pkt. Oct 4" exchange cds, London (10.18) backstamp and "U.S. Pkt." h.s. with manuscript "4" pence debit to Belgium, Antwerp (10.19) arrival backstamp, various manuscript ratings, Fine, scarce letter from California to Belgium. Estimate $200 - 300.
The British portion for a ½ ounce letter under 1849 postal convention between the United Kingdom and Belgium was 4 pence. Ostend clerk marked two rates required in Belgium in blue ink, upper left corner (¼-½ ounce letter), and black accounting boxed handstamp, but did not fill in the values. Since 4 decimes was owed to the British and 2 x 2 decimes Belgium internal postage was due, the total postage due was marked in blue ink, 8 decimes.
Realized: $325
Lot
629
1856 (Oct. 19) San Francisco, Cal. to Lubeck, Germany, folded letter with "New-York Br. Packet Nov 15" exchange cds with manuscript "92" cent debit to Prussia, carried by Havre Line Fulton from New York Nov. 17 to Southampton arriving Nov. 30, Aachen (12.1) backstamp with blue manuscript "52" due rating, Hamburg (12.4) backstamp with red crayon "69½" final due rating, Very Fine, uncommon heavy letter in Prussian closed mail. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter weighed between 1-2 oz. requiring four rates. It was carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Golden Age" from San Francisco to Panama City, and by U.S. Steamship Co. steamer "George Law" from Aspinwall to New York. Aachen marked 4x13=52 silbergroschen postage due, which was changed to 69½ schillinge at Hamburg.
Realized: $170
Lot
630
1856 (Dec. 20) San Francisco, Cal. to Cognac, France, folded letter with red "San Francisco Cal. 'Paid 26' 20 Dec" cds, red "New York Am. Pkt. Jan 17" exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Ericsson from New York Jan. 19 to Liverpool arriving Feb. 1, red London (2.2) backstamp and "GB/40c" bulk debit h.s., Calais (2.2) entry cds with "5" décimes due h.s., Cognac (2.4) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, uncommon American packet cover during the three month period from West Coast. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter was prepaid 26¢ for British Open Mail rate by American packet from the West Coast. The "GB/40c" accountancy marking (effective January 1, 1857) struck at London to debit France 40 centimes/30 grams bulk letter weight as letter paid only to G.B.
Realized: $170
Lot
631
1857 (May 4) San Francisco, Cal. to Paris, France, folded letter endorsed "pr. Arago" and with crisp "New York '12' May 30" exchange debit cds, carried by Havre Line Arago from New York May 30 to Havre arriving June 11, Havre (6.11) entry octagon and "8" decimes entry h.s., Paris (6.11) arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Letter was written in San Francisco before the U.S.-French Treaty went into effect, but was carried privately to New York, where it was posted after the treaty started. Had the letter been posted in San Francisco, 26¢ would have been required for the West Coast rate.
Realized: $135
Lot
632
1859 (Sep. 3) San Francisco, Cal. to Kleinschmalkalden, Hesse-Kassel, cover with original letter, red "San Francisco Cal. Paid Sep 5 1859" cds with red crayon "88" cent (4x 22¢ rating), red "N. York Hamb. PKt. 'Paid' Oct 1" exchange cds with red manuscript "68" (4x 17¢) credit to Hamburg, carried by HAPAG Line Borussia from New York Oct. 1 to Hamburg arriving Oct. 16, various backstamps; some edgewear, F.-V.F., a scarce heavy letter use; 2002 Van der Linden cert. Estimate $150 - 200.
San Francisco first marked letter for 5x22¢ = $1.10, then corrected to 4x22¢ = 88¢ in red orange crayon, upper right corner. San Francisco circular datestamp showed letter prepaid. New York credited 4x17¢ = 68¢ and marked 4 rates in magenta ink, upper right corner.
Realized: $160
Lot
633
1860 (Feb. 17) San Francisco, Cal. to Mauze, France, folded letter endorsed "pr Overland Mail via Los Angeles", "San Francisco Cal. Feb 17 1860" cds, "New York '9' Mar 17" exchange debit cds and blue crayon "15" rating, carried by NGL Line New York from New York Mar. 17 to Southampton arriving Mar. 30, French (3.31) entry cds with "8" decimes due h.s., Mauze (4.2) arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter traveled overland across the United States on the Butterfield stage, departing San Francisco on February 17 and arriving at St. Louis about March 12, then by train to New York. Letter that can be confirmed by the overland route are very scarce since most of the mail still went from coast to coast by steamship via Panama.
Realized: $375
Lot
634
1861 (Aug. 7) San Francisco, Cal. to Mauzé, France via Central Overland Stage, blue folded letter endorsed "Via Overland", San Francisco cds and blue crayon "15" unpaid letter rating, "New York '9' Aug 31" exchange debit cds, carried by NGL Line Bremen from New York Aug. 31 to Southampton arriving Sep. 12, red Calais (9.13) entry cds with "8" decimes due h.s., Mauzé (9.14) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce transatlantic use via Central Overland Stage from California. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter traveled overland across the U.S. by an early Central Overland stage, departing San Francisco and arriving at St. Louis, then by train to New York. The shift from the Butterfield Overland route (southern route) to the Central Overland route took place on July 1, 1861. San Francisco marked the 15¢ unpaid letter rate in blue crayon.
Realized: $220
Lot
635
1861 (Aug. 7) San Francisco, Cal. to La Rochelle, France via Central Overland Stage, blue folded letter endorsed "Via Overland", San Francisco cds and blue crayon "15" unpaid letter rating, "New York '9' Aug 31" exchange debit cds, carried by NGL Line Bremen from New York Aug. 31 to Southampton arriving Sep. 12, red Calais (9.13) entry cds with "8" decimes due h.s., La Rochelle (9.14) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce transatlantic use via Central Overland Stage from California. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter traveled overland across the U.S. by an early Central Overland stage, departing San Francisco and arriving at St. Louis, then by train to New York. The shift from the Butterfield Overland route (southern route) to the Central Overland route took place on July 1, 1861. San Francisco marked the 15¢ unpaid letter rate in blue crayon.
Realized: $160