Lot
253 
1861 (Jul. 31) Ayr, Scotland to Geneva, Mich., cover bearing G.B. 1856 1s green (SG 19) plate-margin single tied by "Ayr, JY 31, 61" duplex with "27" barred numeral "27" duplex cancel, red London "21/Cents" credit handstamp to U.S., carried on Allan Line Nova Scotian from Londonderry Aug. 8th to Quebec arriving Aug. 13th, by rail to Detroit where neat strike of red "Detroit Am. Pkt., 24 Paid', Aug 16" exchange cds struck, Very Fine and scarce Detroit exchange office cds. Estimate $200 - 300.
This Detroit exchange office cds was used from March 1860 until November 1867 (See Allen & Littauer, Chronicle 244, 2014).
Lot
254
1861 (Aug. 3) New York N.Y. to Berlin, Germany, blue folded cover with "N. York Brem. Pk. '3' Aug 3" exchange cds, carried as endorsed by NGL New York from New York Aug. 3rd to Bremen arriving Aug. 18th, blue "Amerika über Bremen. 6½"double-circle exchange due rating and blue crayon "6½" restatement, Aug. 20th arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $80
Lot
255
1861 (Oct. 1) New York, N.Y. to Barcelona, Spain, folded cover bearing 1¢ blue (63) pair and 3¢ rose (65), tied by New York foreign mail black grid cancels (Kirke 60-02-01-GR), red "New York, Br. Pkt., Oct 1" exchange cds, reverse with blue "Forwarded By, Rivera & Hall, New York" double-line oval, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Boston Oct. 2nd to Queenstown arriving Oct. 12th, red London (10.14) transit backstamp, sent in closed bag by rail from Calais to the Spanish exchange office, "Espana, Junquera, 15 Oct 61" and Barcelone (10.17) backstamps, black "4.Rs" due handstamp; opened on three side for display, a Very Fine exhibition use at the 5¢ British open mail rate. Estimate $500 - 750.
Lot
256
1862 (Jun. 28) New York, N.Y. to Amsterdam, Netherlands, folded cover endorsed "P. Str. Etna, proof. open mail via Ostend", bearing 1¢ blue (63) and two 10¢ green (68) singles, tied by New York foreign mail circular grid cancels (Kirke 61-11-20-GR) and red "N. York Am. Pkt., Paid, Jun 28" exchange cds, slightly indistinct blue "E. SCHUGHARDT & SONS/ 20/ BANKERS/ NEW YORK" merchant oval, carried by Inman Line Etna from New York Jun. 28th to Queenstown arriving Jul. 10th, red London (7.11) transit backstamp and manuscript "4" pence debit to The Netherlands, Amsterdam (7.13) arrival backstamp and manuscript "55" Dutch cents due rating; small bottom edge mend, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
This letter was paid 21¢ for American packet rate only to England, from where it went unpaid to destination.
Realized: $160
Lot
257
1862 (Nov.) Far East to Boston, Mass. via London, blue cover front with left flap only, bearing sharp strike of "Saved from the wreck of the Colombo." framed handstamp, red London Paid (1.1.63) transit cds and red "16 / Cents" credit rating, manuscript "8" rating, bold "Boston Am. Pkt. '5' Jun 14" exchange due cds; edge wear, Fine and scarce use. Estimate $500 - 750.
The P&O Colombo struck on Minicoy Island Nov. 19th 1862 in a heavy fog. All of the passengers and crew were safely put into boats and were taken care of on Minicoy Island until they were rescued by the Ottawa on 30 November. The mail was recovered by divers about three weeks later.
Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (853KB)
Lot
258
1863 (May 4) Messina, Italy to New York, N.Y., folded letter sent privately to London where blue oval "Heath & Co. / London" forwarder backstamp was applied and posted unpaid, carried by Cunard Line China from Queenstown May 10th to New York arriving May 22nd, "London MY 9 '63" datestamp and "19/Cents" debit handstamp to U.S., New York "34" depreciated currency rating handstamp; file folds, F.-V.F., a very early depreciated currency cover., ex-Winter. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter carried privately to London where forwarding agent, Heath & Co. posted letter unpaid to the U.S. Starting May 1st 1863, exchange office postmasters were authorized to collect on unpaid letters from Great Britain and Ireland, France, Prussia, Hamburg, Bremen or Belgium the postage due in coin or depreciated greenback currency, with a premium calculated daily on the latter. This letter was due either 24¢ in coin or 34¢ in greenback notes.
Realized: $425
Lot
259
1863 (May 15) Paris, France to New York, N.Y., blue cover with Paris (5.15) cds with "24" cent debit to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Asia from Queenstown May 17th to Boston arriving May 27th, New York "40" depreciated currency rating handstamp, Very Fine, an early depreciated currency use, ex-Winter. Estimate $400 - 600.
During May 1863, New York introduced depreciated currency rate but had not starting using a dual rate cds.
Realized: $425
Lot
260
1863 (Jun. 20) Bremen to New York, N.Y., blue folded letter with "Bremen 20 6" boxed datestamp with matching "10" debit rating, carried by NGL Line New York from Bremerhaven June 21st to New York arriving July 7th, New York "U.S. Notes / 13" depreciated currency marking, Very Fine, ex-Winter. Estimate $500 - 750.
A VERY EARLY DEPRECIATED CURRENCY LETTER IN BREMEN MAILS.
Straightline "U.S.NOTES" marking used by New York exchange office before the introduction of the dual rate circular datestamp showing Bremen packet in mid-July 1863. Bremen indicated international rate of 10 grote was unpaid.
Realized: $550
Lot
261
1863 (Jul. 20) Mucheln, Prussia to Lafayette, Indiana, handmade envelope (from postal form) which contained a letter accompanying a package sent through the mails to Hamburg (packetbegleitbrief). Parcel weighed 14 4/10 Lorraine and was marked prepaid "66" silbergroschen in red crayon, special label on reverse identified tax quadrant of parcel origin, "Munchen 7/20" framed origin datestamp and "Am Bestimmungsorte/nicht abgelfordert" framed backstamp, carried by Hapag Line Saxonia from Hamburg Jul. 25th to New York arriving Aug. 10th, "N.Y. Hamb. Pkt. '15 or 18 in U.S. Notes' Aug 11" depreciated currency exchange cds, F.-V.F., ex-Winter. Estimate $500 - 750.
THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED TRANSATLANTIC PACKETBEGLEITBRIEF USE.
Since there was no provision for sending parcels in the U.S.-Hamburg Treaty, Hamburg postmaster detached letter from parcel (which was forwarded privately by ship) and sent packetbegleitbrief in treaty mails. New York marked letter for postage due of 15¢ in coin or 18¢ in depreciated greenback currency. Lafayette post office advertised letter, adding 1¢ more to postage due. Unsuccessful, letter marked "Not called for" on right edge and returned to New York for transmission back to Hamburg, where boxed marking in German indicated letter not called for at destination.
Realized: $450
Lot
262
1865 (Jun. 16) London, England to Philadelphia, Pa., blue datelined folded cover bearing G.B. 1865, 6d lilac, 1s green (SG 101, 97) tied by barred oval "15" cancels, red oval "Registered, London, 17 JU 65" oval datestamp and red crayon "645" registry number, carried on Cunard Line Cuba from Queenstown Jun. 18th to New York arriving Jun. 27th, light strike of red "Phila. Br. Pkt. '24 Paid' Jun 28" exchange cds, Very Fine, this is the latest reported use of this Philadelphia exchange office postmark, ex-Needs. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $120