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Sale 89: The John Barwis Collection of Philadelphia Postal History

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Philadelphia Foreign Mail: 1709-1775 Colonial Period

Lots 3002-3011 Lots 3012-3021 Lots 3022-3030

Lot 3022    

1772 (Aug. 1) Philadelphia Pa. to London England, folded cover addressed to Thomas Penn, Proprietor of Pennsylvania Colony, sent unpaid by private ship Snow Charlotte from Philadelphia Aug. 12th to Waterford arriving Sep. 21st, entered mails with "WATERFORD" straightline with matching "SHIP" handstamp and manuscript "9" for 8d inland (2x 4d) to Dublin plus 1d ship fee, London "21/SE" bishop mark backstamp and manuscript "1/9" due rating for 1sh packet to London (2 x 6d) plus the 9d previously rated and crossed out; some fold splitting, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

THE ONLY RECORDED "WATERFORD" STRAIGHTLINE POSTMARK.

Realized: $1,300

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Lot 3023    

1772 (Sep. 3) Barbados to Philadelphia Pa. via New York, docketed folded cover to James Pemberton, sender's directive "p Cap. Montgomery Via New York", carried by private ship Montgomery from Barbados Sep. 7th to New York arriving Oct. 5th, entered mails with "NEW/YORK" two-line handstamp and "7/OC" Franklin mark on flap, red manuscript "Sh 2.16" ship-letter rating for 2dwt inland postage plus 16gr ship fee, Philadelphia red manuscript "1/4" due in local currency (2dwt16gr=8p x 1.67 inflation factor=14p plus 2p carrier fee, or 1sh4p), receipt docketing "Barbados Sept. 3d 1772 from Cap. Jno. Harr"; minor repaired spots around edges where paper has eroded, Fine and scarce colonial cover from Barbados to Philadelphia.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Realized: $400

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Lot 3024    

1772 (Dec. 5) Norwich, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded cover with "NORWICH" straightline with manuscript "Pd. 1/4" 1s4d rating, London red "POST/PAID" circled handstamp with red manuscript "p. 1/4" restatement, carried as endorsed by Falmouth packet Duke of Cumberland from Falmouth Dec. 25th to New York arriving Feb. 7th, New York red "2" dwt inland due rating, Philadelphia red manuscript. "1/-" 1sh local currency due rating (6d (2x 3dwt) inland plus 1d delivery x 1.67 = 12d); light cover toning, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $230

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Lot 3025    

1773 (Jan. 6) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., docketed folded cover from Thomas Penn, Proprietor of Pennsylvania with London "6/IA" Bishop mark backstamp and manuscript "1N" shilling transatlantic packet due, carried by packet Harriot from Falmouth Jan. 30th to New York arriving Mar. 14th, reverse with partial "New/York" two-line backstamp and matching "15 AP" Franklin mark, red manuscript "6" dwt due for 4dwt packet plus 2dwt inland, Philadelphia red manuscript "2/8" 2sh8d due in local currency (6dwt x 3 = 2s6d plus 2d carrier), docketed from as received Mar. 16th, F.-V.F. and scarce unpaid packet use.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Prior to a 22 May 1784 London GPO Notice, prepayment of packet postage from London to New York was optional. Local currencies fluctuated at different rates, so the Act of 1765 required payment of postage in the colonies be made in relation to rates defined in sterling. Inflation in Pennsylvania in 1773 was high — local currency had lost 16.5 percent of its value.

Thomas Penn (1702-1775) was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania. Thomas Penn was born in Bristol, England after his father returned there in 1701 because of financial difficulties. Thomas Penn inherited the position of Proprietor of the Colony of Pennsylvania for the British Crown in 1718 along with his brothers John and Richard on the death of their father William Penn, until 1746 when John died. Thomas continued as the Proprietor with Richard's son, John, and his own son John Penn until 1775. He tried to bring his family out of the debt that had plagued his father. He asserted his independence from the Quakers, and tried to assert his control of the colony almost as a feudal lord.

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Lot 3026    

1774 (Apr. 5) Philadelphia Pa. to Ballymoney, Ireland via London, folded letter with light "PHIL/DELPHIA" two-line red backstamp with matching light "5 AP" Franklin mark backstamp, "New-York" straightline backstamp and red manuscript "To pay 6" rating as a debit to London for colonial inland postage, carried by packet Mercury from New York Apr. 7th to Falmouth arriving May 26th, London "28/MA" bishop mark backstamp and "IND. AND PACT./POSTAGE two-line handstamp applied and manuscript "1/6" due for 6d Colonial inland plus 1sh packet postage, London rerated "Inall 2/4" to include 6d to Ireland plus 4d Irish inland, Dublin incorrectly rerated "2/8" due; staining and faults, Fine and rare, ex-Hugh Feldman.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

ONE OF ONLY NINE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE LONDON "IND. AND PACT./POSTAGE".

In February 1756, William Franklin, GPO Comptroller in Philadelphia, issued a notice that packet letters from New York to London must be prepaid for both packet and American inland postage; single rates were 4dwt (1/-) and 2dwt (6d), respectively. This edict was not regularly followed, and Britain did not demand prepayment of incoming packet letters from America until 1784. In the early 1770s London used three different handstamps to inform addressees of their additional postage due.

Realized: $1,800

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Lot 3027    

1774 (Apr. 13) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded cover with London "13/AV" Bishop mark backstamp and manuscript "3N" schilling due rating for triple rate, sent unpaid by packet Harriot from Falmouth Apr. 15th to New York arriving May 14th, New York manuscript "18" dwt due rating ((4dwt packet + 2dwt inland) x 3 = 54d stg), Philadelphia rated "7/8" 7sh8d due in local currency: (54d stg. x 1.67) = 7/6 plus 2d delivery = "7/8"; small edge tear at top, Very Fine triple-rate Falmouth packet use.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 3028    

1774 (Jul. 15) Philadelphia Pa. to Poole, England, datelined folded letter endorsed "favoured P - Captn. M Causlane via London" sent unpaid by private ship Jane from Philadelphia Jul. 18th to Deal arriving Aug. 20th, Deal "20/AV" arrival backstamp and manuscript "4" pence due (3d inland to London plus 1d ship), London rerated "Inall 8" pence due for the 4d plus 4d inland to Poole, the letter is to a British owner of property in Bucks County Pa. describing extensive damage done by revolutionaries, Very Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Deal is on the southeast coast, about 70 miles by sea from London. Putting the London mails ashore at Deal saved at least a day, more if wind and tides were adverse. The time saved was partly offset by the addressee having to pay an additional three pence inland postage to London.

Realized: $450

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Lot 3029    

1774 (Sep. 3) Philadelphia Pa. to Poole, England, datelined folded letter with red clear strike of red "PHILA/DELPHIA" two-line backstamp on flap and matching red "6 SE" Franklin mark, endorsed "p Packet via New York" at bottom left, "NEW-YORK" straightline on other flap with light strike of "7 SE" Franklin mark over Philadelphia straightline, red manuscript "To pay 1/" rating for double-rate debit to London for colonial inland postage, carried by packet Mercury from New York Sep. 8th to Falmouth arriving Oct. 8th, London "11/OC" bishop mark backstamp and matching "INLAND AND/PACKET POSTAGE" two-line handstamp on front with manuscript "3N" postage due for inland plus two-times packet postage, re-rated "3N8" 3sh8d due for 8d inland to Poole, beautifully written letter concerns contains a draft of "Durham Lands" divisions and sales; wear and small paper loss on one flap which does not affect any markings, splitting along folds, Very Fine and rare colonial packet letter, ex-Hahn.
Estimate    $4,000 - 6,000.

AN EXCEPTIONAL PACKET LETTER WITH MARKINGS OF THREE CITIES, INCLUDING ONE OF ONLY EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE LONDON "INLAND AND PACKET POSTAGE" HANDSTAMP.

Six types of London postmarks denote unpaid American and packet postage. All are rare.


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Realized: $5,000

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Lot 3030    

1775 (Apr. 4) Philadelphia Pa. to London, England, datelined folded letter addressed to Jamaica Coffee House, light strike of "PHILA Apr: 4" straightline postmark on flap, endorsed "p packet" at bottom left, red "N. York Ap: 5" straightline backstamp with manuscript "To Pay 6d" as debit to London for colonial inland postage, carried by packet Duke of Cumberland from New York Apr. 6th to Falmouth May 4th, London "4/MA" Bishop mark backstamps and matching clear strike of "AMN. & PACT./POSTAGE" two-line handstamp and manuscript "1/6" 1sh6d due for colonial inland plus packet postage, Very Fine and exceptional packet letter with markings of three cities., ex-Hahn.
Estimate    $5,000 - 7,500.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE "PHILA" STRAIGHTLINE RECORDED ON FOREIGN MAIL, AND THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE LONDON "AMN. & PACT./POSTAGE" HANDSTAMP.

Letter includes an invoice and discusses loading the brig Rachel to Madeira, and the great scarcity of money. Two weeks to the day after this letter was written, Paul Revere warned Sam Adams that 100 British soldiers were on their way to Concord to destroy arms.


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Realized: $4,750

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Lots 3002-3011 Lots 3012-3021 Lots 3022-3030

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