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Sale 56: The Westpex Sale

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Ship/Ocean Waterway Covers

Lots 1152-1161 Lots 1162-1167

Lot 1152    

1798 (Dec. 13) Antigua, St. Johns to Say Brook Conn., datelined folded letter with manuscript "Sh 54" ship letter rating, schooner endorsement lower left, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

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Lot 1153    

1807 (Mar. 26) Liverpool, England to St. Simons, Ga. via Charleston, S.C., clear strike of "Charln. S.Ca. Mar 26" cds with matching "Ship" rating handstamp and manuscript "53" rating for triple the 17¢ letter rate up to 300 miles plus 2¢ ship fee, endorsed "pr Romp/ v Charleston", Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Before the introduction of navigable post road letters carried by ship on coastal routes in 1827, ship letters were charged the equivalent overland mileage rate and the additional 2¢ ship fee. St. Simons Island is off the Georgia coast near Brunswick. The Charleston cds is an example of the second shipment of circular datestamps supplied by the Post Office Department.

Realized: $160

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Lot 1154    

1830 (Feb. 22) Matanzas, Cuba to Bristol, R.I. via Warren R.I., datelined folded letter endorsed per New Columbia, red "Warren. R.I. Mar. 13" cds with matching "Ship" handstamp and red manuscript "8" due rating, fresh and Extremely Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

The warren R.I. ship marking is recorded as used from 1826 to 1839. Bristol was only 4 miles on the post road from Warren, but being a different town post office the charge of 6¢ for under 30 miles applied plus the 2¢ ship letter fee.

Realized: $170

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Lot 1155    

1835 (Feb. 28) Batavia, Java To Boston, Mass. via Philadelphia, folded letter datelined February 28th with full strike of red Full Rigged Ship in octagon handstamp, matching "Phila, 29 Jun" octagon date stamp, manuscript "39½" rate (2¢ ship fee + double 18¾¢ inland), reverse with green oval "Forward. By, Pairo Stricker & Co., Batavia" handstamp, Very Fine, one of two examples of this Philadelphia maritime marking in combination with a Batavia forwarder.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $900

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Lot 1156    

1845 (Dec. 20) St. Augustine, Fl. to Turks Island via New York, datelined folded letter with bold red "St. Augustine Fl.t. Dec 20" cds and manuscript "10" cent rating endorsed in care of Messrs. George & John Laurie, New York, flap with red "Forwarded by Geo. & John Laurie. New York." oval forwarders handstamp; paper loss on flap patched, Very Fine, A rare early Florida statehood use to Turks Islands.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Realized: $425

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Lot 1157    

1854 (Jan. 31, Aug. 1) Savannah, Ga. to Santiago, Cuba, two folded covers each showing Savannah Geo. cds with "Paid" and circled "10" rating handstamps, Cuba blue "NA" and "1" due ratings, Santiago (2.15) and (8.11) arrival backstamps; one with some foxing, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

The "Isabel" was under U.S. contract at the exorbitant rate of $60,000 per year for semi-monthly trips on the Charleston-Savannah-Key West-Havana route.

Realized: $160

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Lot 1158    

1854 (Mar. 24, Apr. 17) to Washington, D.C. via Boston "Ship", correspondence pair of blue folded covers with Boston Mass. "Ship" and "Free" rating handstamps addressed to the Auditor of the Treasury, Mar. 24th with black "Ship" and Apr. 17th with red "Ship", later undated; Extremely Fine and rare exhibition pair.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $250

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Lot 1159    

1854-1872, Incoming Steamship Mail, group of 6 covers comprising mostly Lanman & Kemp covers with various steamship rating handstamps, includes 1862 from Lima, 1868 from Tlacotalpan, Mexico, 1872 from San Juan P.R. with "N.Y. Steamship '3' " but missing stamp, etc., a F.-V.F. group.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $120

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Lot 1160    

1860 (Nov. 20) San Francisco Cal. to New York, N.Y., cover bearing 1857, 12¢ black, preprint paper fold, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Nov 20, 1860" cds, endorsed "Via Panama per 'Golden Age' ", flap with embossed Rodgers & Meyer cachet; reduced at left, back faults, F.-V.F.
Scott No. 36b    Estimate $400 - 600.

The Golden Age was launched in 1853 and arrived in San Francisco from Sydney, Australia in June 1854. On arrival was purchased by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. She began service between San Francisco and Panama on November 17th 1854.

Realized: $375

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Lot 1161    

1863 (Jun. 22) New York, N.Y. to Steamer Florida, Atlantic Coast, cover bearing 3¢ rose (65), vertical pair paying the 6¢ ship rate tied by bold circle of wedges cancel duplexed with "New York Jun 22, 1863" cds, date contemporaneously clarified with pen, addressed to "Dr. Grenville M. Weeks. Str Florida., North Atlantic Blockd'g Squadron, Off Wilmington N. Carolina, care Captain Carr, Storeship Badger off Beaufort, N. Carolina", endorsed "Steamer Florida" at lower left and docketed "Answered!!" at top; small stamp faults from edge placement, Fine and scarce use.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Weeks had been the assistant surgeon aboard the Union ironclad Monitor when it sank a year prior to this.

Realized: $1,400

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Lots 1152-1161 Lots 1162-1167

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