Lot
3045 
1794 (Jan. 23) Kingston, Jamaica to Philadelphia Pa., datelined folded letter endorsed "p Elizth. & Mary, Capt. Latimer" at lower left, carried as endorsed by ship Elizabeth & Mary to Philadelphia, entered mails with clear strike of Philadelphia "4" cents due 12mm handstamp for port of arrival ship letter, docketed as received Apr. 2nd; horizontal file fold, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
The Philadelphia 12mm "4" rating handstamp is recorded from 1792-1799 with only fifteen recorded examples.
Realized: $120
Lot
3046
1794 (c., Mar. 1) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., folded cover with manuscript "Rec'd & forwarded, yr. hbleServt., F. Pigice" on flap and endorsed "Geo Barclay", sent unpaid by Ship George Barclay from London Mar. 1st 1794 to Philadelphia arriving May 1st (62 days), entered mails with bold strike of Philadelphia "4" cents due 8mm handstamp for port of arrival ship letter, Very Fine and scarce. Estimate $500 - 750.
Philadelphia was the only city to use a handstamp 4 device. Four sizes of typeface were used to indicate this rate; a census records that all four comprise only 26 examples. The Philadelphia 8mm "4" rating handstamp is recorded from 1793-1794 with only fifteen recorded examples.
Realized: $525
Lot
3047
1794 (Oct. 17) Havana, Cuba to Newport R.I., folded letter carried privately to Philadelphia, forwarder's endorsed "Philada. 8 Decemr. 1794. Recd under cover and forwarded by Post, Your Friends Elliston & John Perot", entered mails with Philadelphia brownish "8 DE" Franklin mark and manuscript "20" cent rating, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
3048
1796 (Mar. 11) Montserrat to Newburyport Mass., "datelined folded letter endorsed "via Capt grice, philadelphia", sent unpaid by private ship, entered mails with partial Philadelphia "5 AP" Franklin mark and manuscript "Sh 26" rating for inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, letter of Stephen Holland headed "Moserate" and reads in part "…we were obliged to…go under the Le of Antegar the weather being thick & very dark at 10pm was Brought to by the gangers a British 74 gun ship & a small Schooner her tender & we were order'd on board with our papers…the Capt. whose name is Laforing…conceived that our property on board was of french & could not be american property & after that order'd us on board…to take us in to Antegar but the wind still being to the northward order'd us to Monserate whare we arrived at 3pm & Anchord in Plymouth Bay for adjudication…I was order'd on shore without Capt. Hoyt to be Examined & to go through the Interogatives…how the Business will turn god only knows for I don't know…"; docketed as received Apr. 11th, F.-V.F. and rare early incoming letter from Montserrat with news of ship seizure by British. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $150
Lot
3049
1797 (Jun. 7) Kingston, Jamaica to Philadelphia Pa. via New York, datelined folded letter addressed to George Thatcher at Congress, carried by private ship to New York, entered mails with "N. York June 7" straightline postmark and matching "Free" rating handstamp, red manuscript "Sh" ship rating, Very Fine and scarce Free ship use. Estimate $150 - 200.
The addressee, George Thatcher (1754-1824) graduated from Harvard in 1776. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and was later elected by the District of Maine as a Federalist to every Congress from 1789 until his retirement in 1801. He once wrote "Parties are not necessary to the existence or support of political liberty". He did not think a Bill of Rights was necessary either.
Realized: $130
Lot
3050
1797 (Oct. 13) Livorno, Italy to Philadelphia Pa., folded letter carried privately to Geneva, printed Swiss "Merle-d'Aubigné" forwarders label noted as received Oct. 19th and forwarded Oct. 21st, red London Paid (12.27) cds and manuscript "3/4" 3sh4d rating for two-times 8d inland London-Falmouth and 1s packet, carried by Packet Halifax from Falmouth Jan. 25th to New York arriving Mar. 10th, New York manuscript "20" cents due for two-times the 10¢ rating for 60-100 miles, docketed as received Mar. 12th; some wear, F.-V.F. and rare early Swiss forwarders use from Italy. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
The Dutilh & Wachsmuth firm started in 1790 and engaged in the coffee and sugar trade between the West Indies and Europe.
The Act of 1797, 37 Geo III was effective 5 January 1797 with the packet rate remaining 1s, but must include 8d inland postage from London, and inland postage to London if posted elsewhere.
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Realized: $800
Lot
3051
1800 (Feb. 6) Nassau, Bahamas to Philadelphia Pa. via New York, datelined folded letter written and signed by Jacob Weiser to merchant Manuel Tyer with interesting content "…the Schooner Weymouth which is now called the Eliz. She was captured on her passage from Cape Francois to Baltimore by a French Privateer and afterwards re-captured by the U.S. Frigates General Green and Boston, put into this port in distress…thoroughly overhauled and now in compleat order.", cover endorsed "Via New York" at lower left, carried by private ship, entered mails with "New-York, Mar 14" clamshell postmark and red manuscript "Sh 14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and interesting privateering content. Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $250
Lot
3052
1800 (Aug. 2) Amsterdam, Netherlands to Providence R.I., datelined folded letter endorsed "pr. Ship Howard" at bottom left, entered mails with partial magenta "PHI, 13 OC" cds and matching small "SHIP" handstamp with red manuscript "36l rating for two-times 17¢ inland postage for under 300 miles plus 2¢ ship fee, docketed as received Oct. 17th, letter to the owners of Ship Mary Ann concerning delays, Very Fine, ex-Hugh Feldman. Estimate $200 - 300.
Philadelphia was the first city in the United States to introduce a "SHIP" handstamp, and this type was used until 1804. New York put a similar postmark into use in 1806.
Realized: $200
Lot
3053
1803 (Jul. 21) London, England to Philadelphia Pa., datelined folded letter with clear strike of "Post-Paid Ship-Letter, London, JUL 21, 1803" double-circle postmark and red manuscript "11" pence prepaid rating for one half of the 1/10 packet rate, carried as endorsed by Ship Pigou from London Jul. 22nd to Philadelphia arriving Sep. 7th, Philadelphia red "6" in circle due handstamp; soiled, Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF THIS LONDON POSTMARK ON A LETTER TO PHILADELPHIA.
Prepayment of ship letters was not permissible until 1799. Act 39 Geo III c 76 allowed private ships to carry mail for the post office at "not less than half the packet rate". This was amended by GPO notice in 1803 to be exactly half the packet rate, and required letters to be held in sealed bags. Prepaid ship letters are very rare, as letters were normally sent unpaid.
Realized: $250
Lot
3054
1804 (Mar. 8) Cape Town, South Africa to Portsmouth N.H., docketed folded cover carried by Ship Perseverance from Cape Town Mar. 8th to Philadelphia Pa. arriving May 3rd, entered mails with bold magenta "PHI, MY, 4" cds and matching "SHIP" arc handstamp with magenta "22" rating for 20¢ inland 300-500 miles plus 2¢ ship fee; top center flaw, Very Fine, The Earliest Recorded Use of this "SHIP" arc handstamp.. Estimate $150 - 200.
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Realized: $180