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Sale 52: The Westpex Sale

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Transatlantic Mails - Europe - Italy

Lots 1244-1251

Lot 1244    

1847 (Jun. 14) New York to Leghorn (Livorno), Tuscany, folded letter sent privately to ship bag in Boston, carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from Boston Jun. 16 to Liverpool arriving Jun. 28, red London (6.29) backstamp and matching "Colonies/&c. Art. 13." accountancy h.s., red Boulogne (7.1) entry cds, Livorno (8.8) arrival backstamp with manuscript "30" crazie due rating, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

The letter bill accounting changed from Article 12 to Article 13 in early 1846.

Realized: $100

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Lot 1245    

1850 (Jul. 17) Palermo, Sicily to Williamsburgh, N.Y., folded letter sent unpaid by sailing ship to Liverpool, "8 AU 1850 Liverpool Ship" framed backstamp with manuscript "32cts" debit rating to U.S. (8d ship plus 8d transatlantic fee), carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Aug. 10 to Boston arriving Aug. 21, "Br. Packet Boston 21 Aug" cds with final manuscript "37" cent due (5¢ British Open Mail plus 32¢ debit), Fine, combined ship/contract mail rates were allowed by treaty, examples of which are scarce.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

British debit to U.S. included 16¢ ship letter rate to G.B. from Palermo and 16¢ transatlantic sea postage. To this, Boston added 5¢ British open mail rate by British packet for a total postage due of 37¢.

Realized: $110

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Lot 1246    

1852 (Mar. 24) New York to Leghorn (Livorno), Tuscany, printed circular with New York large red "2" cents credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York Mar. 24 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 6, Calais entry cds and manuscript "28" rating, red London (4.7) transit and Livorno (4.13) arrival backstamps, Very Fine and scarce, one of only two recorded printed circulars to Tuscany under the 4¢ rate.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Under U.S.-British Treaty of 1848, newspapers could be sent to Tuscany via England at 4¢ each. Unsealed printed circulars were treated under the newspaper rate. Until April 1853, letters prepaid 4¢ show a 2¢ credit to G.B. Examples of the 4¢ prepayment and 2¢ credit are seldom seen. However, since this cover is marked for 28 crazie postage due it appears that it was treated as an unpaid letter in Tuscany for reasons unknown.

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Lot 1247    

1852 (Jul. 30) Venice, Italy to Brooklyn, N.Y. via Aachen, cover with red two-line postmark and matching "Franca" straightline handstamp, reverse with Leipzig (8.3), Berlin (8.3), Minden (8.4) and red Coeln (8.5) transits plus "America/Packet." half-moon handstamp and various manuscript ratings, red "Aachen" circular h.s. with framed "Paid/25cts" handstamp, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from Liverpool Aug. 11 to New York arriving Aug. 22, red "N. York Am. Pkt. 'Paid 30' Aug 23" exchange cds; couple scissor cuts at right, Very Fine and attractive use.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $400

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Lot 1248    

1857 (Apr. 16) New York, N.Y. to Livorno (Leghorn), Tuscany, printed circular of Smith & Tracy, carried by Havre Line N.Y. & Havre Navigation Co. Fulton from New York May 2 to Havre arriving May 15, Havre (5.15) entry cds, Livorno (4.20) arrival cds, manuscript "4" crazie due rating, F.-V.F., a scarce example of printed matter to Tuscany.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Circular was prepaid 2¢ (not shown) for the United States printed matter fee. Since U.S.-French Convention of 1857, which just went into effect on 1 April 1857, had no provision for printed matter between the United States and France, circular was treated as an unpaid circular under the 1851 Franco-Tuscan Convention. The 4 crazie postage due was the rate for printed matter arriving from overseas via England instead of going directly to France, which required a 3 crazie rate. The reason for this charge is unknown.

Realized: $135

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Lot 1249    

1858 (Aug. 4) New York, N.Y. to Livorno, Tuscany, folded letter with "New York '6' Aug 4" exchange debit cds for 6¢ double rate debit to France, carried by Cunard Line America from New York on Aug. 4th to Liverpool arriving Aug. 16th, French (8.17) entry cds, letter disinfected with slits and Office of Public Health framed h.s. Livorno (8.21) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a rare example of a disinfected transatlantic letter under U.S.-French convention.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter arrived by French Messageries Impériales steamship "Capitole" from Marseille to Livorno, an uncommon route since most mail went overland from France. Letter disinfected at the lazaretto in Livorno and received the handstamp of the Office of Public health at the harbor entrance. Knife slits in the letter from the disinfection process are consistent with those known to be used at this lazaretto.

Realized: $280

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Lot 1250    

1859 (Jan. 6) Albany, N.Y. to Rome, Italy, yellow cover bearing 1857, 3¢ dull red, tied by "Albany N.Y. Jan. 6" cds and also by "New York Jan 9" exchange cds, French transits including Jan. 22 entry cds, manuscript "32" decimes due rating, Rome (1.27) arrival backstamp; flap tear ending in small edge tear, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

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Lot 1251    

1871 (Apr. 26, Dec. 6) New Haven, N.Y. to Florence, Italy, two covers from the Shephard correspondence, Apr. 6 bearing 1861, 12¢ black (69) tied by blue New Haven duplex on 3¢ entire for the 14¢ NGU closed mail rate with red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Apr 27" exchange cds; and Dec. 6 use bearing 1861, 10¢ green (68) tied by blue New Haven duplex for 10¢ Italian closed mail rate, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Dec 7" exchange cds, both with 1871 receipt docketing; a Very Fine pair.
Scott No. 68 + 69    Estimate $300 - 400.

Realized: $230

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Lots 1244-1251

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