Lot
1 
1735 (Oct. 29) Louisbourg, French Nova Scotia to Rochefort, France, folded letter datelined "louis bourg, le 29 octobre 1735" carried by French ship to France, entered mails with "ROCHEFORT" straightline and manuscript "6" sols due rating, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
THE EARLIEST RECORDED LETTER FROM FRENCH NOVA SCOTIA, AND THE EARLIEST RECORDED FROM ALL OF NEW FRANCE.
Steinhart notes the earliest letter from French Nova Scotia for 1755 and the earliest cover with a postmark from all of New France as 1749. This usage is by far the earliest.
In 1745, New Englanders attacked Louisbourg and with the help of the British Fleet and four warships under the command of Commodore Warren Louisbourg surrendered on 17th June 1745. It was again given back to France in the peace of Aachen on October 18th 1748.
Realized: $30,000
Lot
2
"A Regimental Court Martial in Sr. Wm. Pepperrells Regiment, Louisbourg, May 23rd 1748", letter describing court martial signed by Capt. Wooster as President concerning "Robert White of Capt. Woosters Compy confin'd by Sergt. Hotchkiss for Striking and abusing him" and goes on in detail concerning the event and a second "Corpl. Morrison of Capt. Boyles Compy confin'd by the Governors Order for disobedience of Orders, both were found guilty and given 50 and 100 lashes respectively; file folds, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
William Pepperrell was one of several people who proposed an expedition against the French Fortress of Louisbourg. He gathered volunteers, financed and trained the land forces in that campaign. When they sailed in April 1745, he was commander-in-chief, supported by a British naval squadron under Captain Peter Warren, appointed Commodore on a temporary basis. They besieged Louisbourg, then the strongest coastal fortification in North America and captured it on June 16th after a six-week siege.
Lot
3
1751 (Feb. 12) Annapolis Royal N.S. to Boston Mass., datelined folded letter to Thomas Hancock carried privately by ship, sender was merchants Daniel and George Dyson promising prompt payment after "many disappointments" to Hancock, the famous Boston merchant whose nephew was founding father John Hancock, Very Fine, ex-Steinhart, Rathbun. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
THE SECOND EARLIEST LETTER IN PRIVATE HANDS FROM THE BRITISH PART OF NOVA SCOTIA.
This letter was datelined "Annapolis Royal Feb. 12th 1750 / 1", the double year notations appearing before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, moving the date eleven days ahead on September 2, 1752 (followed by Sep. 14, 1752, indicating the previous year in January to March of a subsequent year. If this letter had been written on the Gregorian calendar, the date would have read "Feb. 23, 1751".
Realized: $2,600
Lot
4
1752 (Nov. 14) Halifax, N.S. to London, England, folded letter written by Col. Perguine T. Hopson, 2nd Governor of Nova Scotia at Halifax carried across the Atlantic by Admiralty Ship Torrington landing at Bristol, reverse with Bristol "B" postmark and manuscript "6" pence due rating, London "26/FE" Bishop mark backstamp; small edge tear, Very Fine, ex-MacDonald. Estimate $4,000 - 7,500.
AN IMPORTANT LETTER WRITTEN BY COL. PERGUINE T. HOPSON AS 2ND GOVERNOR OF NOVA SCOTIA AT HALIFAX.
The "Torrington" carried Cornwallis home. Hopson had commanded Louisbourg and handed it back to the French. He served for 15 months only as illness forced his return to England. He was best known for relatively fair treatment of Acadians and the settlement of Germans at Lunenburg. Hobson is perhaps best known for signing the Peace Treaty of 1752 with Mi'kmaq chief Jean-Baptiste Cope which is celebrated (along with other treaties) every year by Nova Scotians on Treaty Day.
Realized: $4,500
Lot
5
1757 (Jul. 15) Halifax, N.S. via New York to London, England, datelined folded letter carried as endorsed from New York by packet Harriott to Great Britain, manuscript "1N" shilling packet due rating, the letter was written by Captain James Campbell of the Squadron of Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York, he mentions "Admiral Holbourne with his Fleet and Transports are all arrived and we make a formidable appearance", some staining and fold splitting, Fine, Illustrated in Jephcott, Green and Young., ex-Maritimus. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
AN IMPORTANT LETTER WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN JAMES CAMPBELL DURING THE 1757 BRITISH EXPEDITION AGAINST LOUISBOURG, WHICH RESULTED IN THE 1858 FINAL BRITISH SIEGE AT LOUISBOURG.
A regular packet service to North America was established in October 1755. The first packet left Falmouth for New York on November 15th and from then on every 2nd Saturday of the month. The rate was 1 shilling and had to be prepaid from London. Mail between Halifax and New York was despatched as opportunity offered.
British preparations for the expedition against Louisbourg began March 18 to 27, with Loudon preparing 90 transport vessels in Boston, New York and Philadelphia with Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York commissioned as Rear-Admiral. They sailed via Sandy Hook to Halifax arriving June 30th without opposition. This letter was written while encamped at Halifax awaiting word from vessels sent to reconnoitre the harbor of Louisbourg. Holbourne's fleet arrived at Halifax on July 7th. As a result of the report, an attempt to attack Louisbourg was abandoned on August 4th 1757 as it was believed the French forces in Louisbourg were too strong. The following year, the British bombarded Louisbourg for two months and the city fell on July 27th 1758. 13,000 soldiers and the British Fleet under Admiral Boscawen had fought against the French.
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Realized: $4,250
Lot
6
1763 (Aug. 18) Groton Mass. to Annapolis Royal N.S., datelined folded letter carried privately by ship, Oliver Prescott writes: "I should have wrote to you much oftener if I could have found a conveyance", some toning and significant edge splitting, Fine, ex-MacDonald. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
POSSIBLY THE EARLIEST CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COLONY IN PRIVATE HANDS.
Oliver Prescott (1731-1804) was a colonial-era physician, soldier and judge. The letter is addressed to Henry Evans who had led a group of 47 people from Massachusetts to settle on land in the Annapolis Valley that was vacant after the Acadians were expelled in 1755.
Lot
7
1766 (Sep. 4) Halifax N.S. to London, England, folded cover docketed "No. Nova Scotia, A Letter from Revd. Mr. Breynton Missry at Halifax dated Halifax Sept. 4. 1766", sent as a ship letter, entered the mails with "Portsmouth / Ship Lre" two-line handstamp and manuscript "7" pence rating for 6d inland as double-weight letter plus 1d ship fee, London "19/NO" Bishop mark backstamp, Very Fine, ex-Clark. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Lot
8
1772 (Apr. 3) Eglinton N.S. to Kellelaga, Scotland via Boston and New York, folded letter with "Eglinton, April 3, 1772" dateline and instructions for directing a return letter to "the Windsor road 24 miles from Halifax", sent by private ship to Boston where faint magenta "BOSTON" straightline and Franklin mark struck, manuscript "To pay 10d" for mailing to New York, flap with "NEW / YORK" two-line handstamp, carried to London by New York-Falmouth packet, reverse with London "20/IY" Bishop mark and front with "IND. AND PACT./ POSTAGE" two-line handstamp and "1N10" rating, forwarded to Scotland with "In All 2N4" total due; edge wear and splits along folds reinforced with hinges, Very Fine, A rare Canadian routing through the United States to Scotland. ex-Steinhart, Siskin, Robertson. Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
AN OUTSTANDING NOVA SCOTIA TO SCOTLAND CROSS-BORDER COVER THROUGH BOSTON AND NEW YORK WITH THE RARE "IND. AND PACT. POSTAGE" STRAIGHTLINE HANDSTAMP.
The letter was carried by private ship to Boston, entered the post to New York with the rating "To Pay 10d Stg" for 200-300 miles, carried to London by the Falmouth packet, London "IND. AND PACT. POSTAGE" handstamp and 1 shilling 10 pence rating for the combined British 1 shilling packet rate plus 10 pence American internal postage, forwarded to Scotland and re-rated 2 shillings 4 pence collect. One of Only a few recorded examples of this style "Ind. and Pact. Postage" handstamp and, most likely, the only cross border usage.
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Lot
9
1787 (Aug. 15) London, England to Shelburne, Nova Scotia, carried as ship letter by "Cap Murphy" to Halifax, reverse with "HALIFAX. N.S." boxed postmark and "OC 25" dating handstamp, front with matching rectangular "SHIP LRE" framed handstamp and manuscript "6" pence rating, probably carried by ship to Shelburne; inside docketing, Very Fine, ex-John E. Young, MacDonald, Clark. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
At Shelburne, the second Post Office in the Colony was opened on November 5th 1783. It served the largest community in British North America at the time, larger than Quebec and Montreal together. The boxed Halifax postmark was used 1786 to 1895, and the matching ship letter marking used 1788 to Mar. 20th 1820.
Lot
10
1788 (Dec. 26th) Yarmouth, N.S. to North Yarmouth, Mass., datelined folded letter originally enclosing a second letter carried privately, endorsed "pr favor of Captain Rufus Utley" at bottom right, some aging, Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.