Lot
443 
1855 (May 26) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter bearing G.B. 1s green, vertical strip of five, margins to touched, tied by "466" oval grids, "Liverpool F.R.H. MY 26 1855" floating receiving house backstamp and red manuscript "20" cent credit rating, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Africa from Liverpool May 26th to Boston arriving Jun. 7th, closed bag to Philadelphia where red "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. 'Paid' Jun 7" exchange cds and matching red "96" cent rate handstamp struck; vertical file fold affects center stamp, ex-Seybold, Gibson. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
This cover was prepaid 5 shillings for four-times the 1s transatlantic packet plus 1s floating receiving house fee. Proper credit of 20¢ to the U.S. for four times 5¢ inland postage. Philadelphia struck the scarce "96" rating handstamp in red as a restatement of the rate (four times 24¢ rate).
Realized: $2,000
Lot
444
1856 (Mar. 3) London, England to New York N.Y., folded cover with London (3.4) Maltese cross datestamp, Liverpool (3.4) transit and matching large "3/Cents" rocking debit h.s., carried by Collins Line Quaker City from Liverpool Mar. 5th to New York arriving Mar. 21th, New York black "24" debit handstamp, light stain spot, a Very Fine use, The Quaker City was chartered by the Collins Line for one round voyage after the loss of Pacific. This is the only westbound voyage for the Collins Line. Estimate $150 - 200.
Cover examples show that Liverpool began to use a large 3/CENT debit marking, the same size as that used at London, as early as March 1854. The Date Impression Books of the G.P.O. in London, however, does not show this marking was sent to Liverpool before February 1857. This example supports an earlier issue of the marking.
Lot
445
1856 (Jul. 22) Charleston S.C. to Uster, Switzerland, blue folded letter with "Charleston S.C. Jul 22" cds with black "Paid" straightline and manuscript "20" rating, magenta charge box notation, red "New-York Am. Pkt. Jul 26" exchange cds, carried by Havre Line Fulton from New York Jul. 26th to Havre arriving Aug. 9th, red Le Havre (8.9) transit cds, couple railroad backstamps and Zurich (8.10) transit cds, orange manuscript rating, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Cover discussed by Winter in "Understanding Transatlantic Mail", Vol. 2, figure 1-127.
Lot
446
1856 (Nov. 28) Paris, France to Washington D.C., cds on cover bearing France 20c and 40c Empire issue imperfs, tied by diamond lozenge cancels, red framed "P.P." handstamp, red Bureau Maritime Le Havre (11.29) backstamp, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Bremerhaven Nov. 29th to New York but sustained major damage from severe weather and returned to Southampton on Dec. 14th, her mails were transferred to N.Y. & Havre Line Fulton that departed Southampton Dec. 18th to New York arriving Dec. 31st, partial black "New York '21' Dec 31" exchange due rating cds; 40c stained, Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Note that other letters from France to the United States carried aboard the "Fulton" were charged the direct service rate of only 20¢ per ½ ounce on arrival.
Realized: $110
Lot
447
1857 (Apr. 28) Philadelphia Pa. to Le Cret du Locle, Switzerland, folded cover with red "Philadelphia Pa 'Paid' 1857 Apr 28" exchange cds with matching "Paid / 21" rating and additional "Br Service" boxed handstamp but failed to show proper 18¢ credit to France, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from New York Apr. 29th to Liverpool arriving May 10th, red French (5.11) transit cds and matching over-inked "PD" framed handstamp, reverse with Paris (5.12), Locle (5.13) and Le Cret du Locle (5.14) datestamps, light red crayon rating at bottom right, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Two other April 1857 outbound letters are known with the "Br Service" or "Am Service" handstamps (both from Philadelphia), applied during the early days of the U.S.-French Convention because of confusing regulations. These service handstamps were usually reserved for incoming letters.
Realized: $140
Lot
448
1857, 1858 (Jun. 30, Jan. 26) Boston Mass. to Clipper Ship Eagle Wing at Hong Kong, China, pair of letters from Theodore Chase to Capt. Robert H. Waters, 1857 (Jun. 30) addressed in care of Messrs Russell & Co. at Canton, China, probably carried transatlantic by Cunard Line Europa departing Boston Jul. 1st to Liverpool arriving Jul. 11th, docketed on reverse "Recd Sept 9th 1857 Hong Kong"; 1858 (Jan. 26) probably carried transatlantic by Cunard Line America departing Boston Jan. 27th to Liverpool Feb. 9th, docketed on reverse to Hong Kong but actually received in New York May 19th upon her return, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A RARE PAIR OF LETTERS TO THE WELL-KNOWN CLIPPER SHIP EAGLE WING AT HONG KING, CHINA.
The "Eagle Wing" was a medium clipper ship built in 1853 at Medford Mass. of 1,174 tons. She made several passages to China in the 1850s and sailed from Shanghai Feb. 4th 1858 to New York arriving in 103 days, when the second letter was sent. Content concerns business matters including freight account and second letter mentions additional commission fees charged by Messrs. Russell & Co. for procuring freight to New York.