Lot
4316 
(Route 4834) From Packet Chancellor, red oval handstamp on blue cover addressed to Marietta Oh., entered mails with blue "Louisville Ky. '10' Jan 28" integral due cds for 10¢ rate and matching "Steam" straightline handstamp, carried to Cincinnati on Route 4834 and then overland 200 miles to Marietta; some edge wear and light toning upper right, F.-V.F., a scarce marking, ex-John A. Eggen. Milgram No. 197 Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
4317
(Route 5032) Cincinnati & Louisville Mail Route, cds cancels 3¢ red Nesbitt buff entire to Pittsburgh Pa.; stain at bottom left, otherwise Very Fine. Milgram No. O-21-a Estimate $200 - 300.
This cover probably put onto Route 5032 at Louisville and transferred at Cincinnati to the post roads running east to Pittsburgh. There was no continuous route by water that was contracted on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
Lot
4318
(Route 5032) Louisville & Cincinnati Mail Line, 5, Jun 9, bold strike of route agent cds with separately struck "5" cent rating within, on folded letter datelined "Louisville June 8th 1852" to New York City carried on Route 5032 to Cincinnati; light stain, a Very Fine strike. Towle No. O-21-c1 Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $135
Lot
4319
(Route 5032) Louisville & Cincinnati Mail Line, July 1, route agent's cds on large part of folded letter to Miss A. C. Hulme in Philadelphia Pa. bearing 3¢ orange brown (10), position 11R1E, large margins to slightly in with rich color, tied by blue 13-bar grid, upper left corner of stamp torn off and reattached, a Very Fine appearing use, Referenced in Mekeel's Oct. 1956 and Chronicle numbers 15, 21, 29., ex-Gerald B. Smith.; Accompanied by two letters from Tracy W. Simpson discussing the cover. Scott $12,500. Towle No. O-21-d Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
THE ONLY RECORDED FIRST DAY COVER OF THE 1851 3¢ ORANGE BROWN WITH A ROUTE AGENT MARKING.
In his census in the 1851 Sesquicentennial book, Wilson Hulme records a total of 43 covers used on the July 1st 1851 first day of use. This is the only on-cover example recorded with a route agent marking, with all other examples originating in cities. This Cincinnati & Louisville Mail Line marking is scarce in itself, and its use was discontinued shortly after July 1851. The sender likely purchased the stamp at the Cincinnati post office and posted the letter on board the boat.
Lot
4320
(Route 5032) Lou. & Cin. S.B. Mail Route, 12 May, vivid red route agent cds with matching circular grid tying 3¢ dull red (11A), margins to slightly in, on buff cover with original enclosure datelined "Cinti May 12th 1852" addressed to New Orleans La. and put onto Route 5032 the same day, probably transferred at Louisville to the New Orleans packet on Route 5001; light stain, Very Fine, A rare route agent cds that is usually found in combination with the Telegraph No. 2 packet marking. Towle No. O-21-e Estimate $300 - 400.
The Louisville to Cincinnati routes utilized at least eight different route agent datestamps between 1851 and 1874. Route 5032 from 1846 to 1858 and Route 9503 from 1858 to 1866 used stamps incorporating the wording "Mail Line".
Lot
4321
(Route 5032) Lville & Cinti. Mail Line Oct 9, bold strike of blue cds ties 1857, 3¢ dull red, small flaw, on buff cover to Oxford Mass., Very Fine, ex-Wagshal. Scott No. 26. Towle No. O-21-f Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $270
Lot
4322
(Route 5032) Louisville & Cincinnati, Mail Line. Feb. "21", red rectangular steamboat route agent datestamp with manuscript date on folded Merchants Bank of Cincinnati lettersheet datelined "20th February 1851" and addressed to Indianapolis Ind., bearing 5¢ red brown (1) cancelled by matching manuscript "X", four margins, tiny tear at top and barely affected by vertical fold, endorsed "Paid" and "Via Madison"; stamp lifted and replaced, a Very Fine usage, ex-S.W. Richey; with 1968 P.F. certificate, signed and guaranteed by Stanley B. Ashbrook. Towle No. O-21-g Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS STEAMBOAT ROUTE AGENT POSTMARK USED WITH THE 5¢1847 ISSUE.
In July 1846, the U.S. Mail Line of Cincinnati was contracted at $3,850 a year for a daily service between Louisville and Cincinnati. The contract was renewed every four years until 1858. The U.S. Mail Line was using the General Pike and one other steamboat for this service. This rectangular route agent marking with manuscript day of month was used in 1851 only.
There are a total of three recorded 1847 issue covers with this rare boxed route agent marking:
1. Feb. 21, 1851, 5¢ 1847 on letter from Cincinnati to Indianapolis Ind., ex-Richey, the cover offered here.
2. Apr. 5, 1851, 10¢ 1847 cancelled by manuscript with red postmark on partial letter.
3. Apr. 22, 1851, 10¢ 1847 tied by blue postmark and grid on cover to Philadelphia Pa., PFC.
Realized: $2,500
Lot
4323
(Route 5032) Louisville & Cincinnati, Mail Line. June "5", blue rectangular steamboat route agent datestamp with manuscript date and matching "10" rating handstamp on circa 1851 orange buff cover addressed to Philadelphia Pa.; light vertical creases, Very Fine. Towle No. O-21-g Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A RARE EXAMPLE OF THIS STEAMBOAT ROUTE AGENT MARKING IN BLUE THAT WAS USED IN 1851 ONLY.
Realized: $900
Lot
4324
(Route 5032) U.S. Mail Steamer Telegraph No. 2, vivid red circular handstamp with matching "Lou. & Cin. S.B. Mail Line March 19" route agent cds (Towle O-21-e) on folded letter datelined "Cincinnati March 19th 1852" and addressed to Nashville Tenn., bearing 3¢ dull red (11A), margins to touched, tied by matching vivid red circular grid cancel, docketed "April 1852", Very Fine and attractive, ex-Dr. James W. Milgram, Louis Grunin, Barry K. Schwartz. Milgram No. 1352 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A BEAUTIFUL AND IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF THIS PACKET AND ROUTE AGENT COMBINATION USAGE, ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES.
Private purser markings only occur when applied before receipt by the route agent, or when the agent was also a member of the crew as apparently the case in this example.
In July 1842, C.M. Strader, President of the U.S. Mail Line of Cincinnati contracted for the Cincinnati to Louisville route. Renewed every four years until 1870, in the period 1846 to 1858 the route was designated as 5032 with a daily trip each way paying $3,850 a year. Amongst the many steamboats owned by the company were the Telegraph No. 2 and 3. Both were used on Route 5032 as shown by combinations with the route agent cds.
We have recorded the following three examples:
1. March 19, 1852, Cincinnati Oh. to Nashville Tenn., ex-Milgram, the cover offered here.
2. March 27, 1852, Cincinnati Oh. to Rome Ga., ex-John A. Eggen.
3. April 9, 1852, addressed to Philadelphia Pa., pictured in Milgram on p. 679.
Realized: $28,000
Lot
4325
(Route 5032) Cincinnati & Louisville Steamer Telegraph No. 3, ornate blue embossed cameo corner card on cover addressed to Bowling Green Ky., partial "Cincinnati & Louisville Mail Route Sep 7" route agent cds (Towle O-21-a), carried on route to Cincinnati where partial red "Cincinnati O. '3 Paid' Sep 8" cds struck, red "Paid" straightline at center; cover cleaned with some mended faults, Fine, a lovely cover, Illustrated in Milgram on page 680., ex-Eggen. Milgram No. 1353 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.