Sale 61: The Fall Sale

Lot 423    

1851 (Mar. 27) Gilbraltar to Petersburg Va., blue docketed folded cover with blue "Gibraltar, MR 27 1851" double-arc datestamp and red manuscript "1/8" 1s8d prepaid rating, carried by P&O Line Montrose from Gibraltar Mar. 27th to Southampton arriving Apr. 4th, red London Paid (8.5) transit and "16" cent credit to the U.S., carried by Collins Line Pacific from Liverpool Apr. 9th to New York arriving Apr. 19th, unusual "New-York '5cts' 19 Apr" debit cds as rate was to destination only with inland postage due, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $80

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Lot 424    

1851 (Jul. 15) San Francisco Cal. to Surrey, England, blue folded letter with red "San Francisco Cal. 15 Jul" cds and matching "Paid" and "25" rating handstamps, New York red "3" credit to G.B. for American packet, carried by Havre Line Humbolt from New York Aug. 23rd to Southampton arriving Sep. 4th, red London Paid (9.4) cds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS 25¢ ERROR RATE.

Letter carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. "Panama" from San Francisco to Panama City and by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. "Cherokee" from Chagres to New York. When new U.S. rates went into effect on July 1st 1851, the San Francisco postmaster incorrectly assumed the new West Coast rate to the U.K. was 25¢ (6¢ cross country plus 19¢ transatlantic fees) instead of the actual rate of 29¢. He used a "25" handstamp that was previously used at San Francisco. The 25¢ rate was in effect only two months before word reached him that he was rating the letters incorrectly, this letter was carried on the second of only four possible voyages (July 1st, July 15th, Aug. 1st, Aug. 15th).

We offered a similar use from the same sailing in our Sale 27 that realized $4,750 hammer.

Realized: $2,000

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Lot 425    

1851 (Oct. 8) Philadelphia Pa. to Cognac, France, light blue cover with blue "Philadelphia Pa. Oct 8" cds and red "PHILa. PAID 5 Cts." octagon handstamp rerated "21" cent, carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York Oct. 11th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 22nd, London red (10.23) transit backstamp, red Calais entry cds with black "8" decimes due rating handstamp, Cognac (10.25) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce rerated 21¢ Philadelphia octagon.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $140

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Lot 426    

1851 (Dec. 18) Dumfries, Scotland to Lyons N.Y., folded letter bearing G.B. 1s green embossed (S.G. 5), four margins, tied by grid cancel, red Dumfries (12.18) and blue Liverpool (12.19) backstamps, black Liverpool backstamp and red "5/Cents" credit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Africa from Liverpool Dec. 20th to New York arriving Jan. 2nd, red New York "Br Packet 'Paid 24' Jan 2" exchange cds also ties 1s, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $260

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Lot 427    

1852 (Feb. 11) Liverpool, England to New York N.Y., folded letter bearing G.B. 1d red and 1s green embossed, large margins including right sheet margin, tied by "466" grid cancels, Liverpool (2.11) backstamps with red "21/Cents" credit handstamp, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from Liverpool Feb. 11th to New York arriving Feb. 26th, New York red "Paid" arc handstamp, Very Fine, Prepaid 1 shilling transatlantic packet rate plus 1 pence late fee.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $350

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Lot 428    

1852 (Mar. 16) New Orleans La. to Edinburgh, Scotland, blue cover entering the mails with red "New Orleans La. Mar 16" cds and matching "Way 6" rating handstamp, manuscript "24" cent unpaid rating and black "5" circled debit rating handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York Mar. 24th to Liverpool arriving Apr. 6th, Liverpool 'America' (4.6.52) transit backstamp and "1/-" shilling due rating handstamp, red Apr. 7th arrival backstamp, Very Fine and remarkable Transatlantic way usage.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

This cover entered the mail system prior to New Orleans probably on a steamboat and was rated due 6¢ for the 1¢ way fee plus 5¢ domestic postage. At New York, the cover was rerated 24¢ for the transatlantic packet postage with a 5¢ debit to G.B. for U.S. inland postage.

Realized: $700

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Lot 429    

1852 (Aug. 11) Brooklyn N.Y. to Royston, England, folded letter with bold "Brooklyn N.Y. Aug 11" cds and bearing 12¢ black (17) pair, left sheet margin, each stamp cancelled by red "Paid / 24" handstamp, New York red "19" credit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Europa departing New York Aug. 11th to Liverpool arriving Aug. 22nd, red London (8.23) tombstone datestamp ties pair, Fine, A scarce cancel on the 12¢ 1851 issue.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $350

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Lot 430    

(French Retaliatory Rates) 1853 (Jan. 20) Paris, France to New York N.Y., folded letter with red Paris (1.20) cds and matching "PD" framed handstamp, reverse with prepaid manuscript "26" rating on reverse, endorsed "via Southampton" at top left, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Jan. 22 to Boston arriving Feb. 5, black "Boston Br. Packet 6 Feb" exchange cds with matching bold "21" due rating handstamp for French retaliatory rate; some light folded toning and small separation, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Only three eastbound and two westbound Cunard steamship voyages were made during the short 16-day French Retaliatory rate period between Jan. 24th and Feb. 10th 1853, when the United States collected 21¢ per ½ ounce on all letters exchanged between the U.S. and France via Great Britain.

Realized: $1,150

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Lot 431    

1853 (Feb. 4) Philadelphia Pa. to Saxony, Germany, folded letter with blue "Philadelphia, Pa., Feb 4" cds and manuscript "30" rating for Prussian closed mail rate, black "N. York Am. Pkt. '23' Feb 5" debit cds, reverse with red Aachen (2.20) and Leipzig-Dresden (2.22), blue manuscript and red crayon "13" due ratings, Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

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Lot 432    

1853 (Aug. 11) Cromer, England to New York N.Y., folded letter with red "Cromer, AU 11 1853" double-arc backstamp and bearing four G.B. 1s green embossed, cut to shape, cancelled by "577" grid cancels, red London (8.12) transit backstamp, green Liverpool (8.12) transit and red "20 / Cents" credit rating handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from Liverpool Aug. 13th to New York arriving Aug. 23rd, some edge wear, F.-V.F., Scarce prepaid 4s quadruple transatlantic packet use with corresponding 20¢ credit (4x 5¢ U.S. postage).
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $325

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