Lot
945 
(TransA - Ocean) 1847 (Jun. 1) New York, N.Y. to London, England, folded letter with red "New York Jun 1" cds with matching arced "Paid" handstamp, endorsed "per Mail Steamer 'Washington' ", carried by Ocean Line Washington from New York Jun. 1st to Southampton arriving Jun. 15th, "Liverpool 16 JU" blue double-arc and red "London 16 JU 1847" arrival backstamps with manuscript "1/" shilling discriminatory due rating on face, Very Fine, ex-Winter. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
THE INAUGURAL VOYAGE OF AMERICAN TRANSATLANTIC PACKET SERVICE BY OCEAN LINE WASHINGTON.
The commencement of the American Packet service led to Britain imposing a "Discriminatory Rate" on mails landed at Southampton with all US prepayment ignored and the One Shilling Packet Rate charged to the addressee. There are four recorded examples to Great Britain, each showing the discriminatory fee. There are three recorded covers on this voyage to France and Germany, one of which we offered in the Richard Winter sale (Sale 50 lot 258 realized $11,500).
Lot
946
(TransA - Ocean) 1847 (Jun. 24, c.) Paris, France to Philadelphia Pa., orange cover with blue "Ocean Steam Navigation Co. New York, Draper & Co., Paris" double-oval. This letter was put into the ship's mail bag by Ocean Line's agent in Paris, endorsed "p. Steamer Washington" at bottom left, carried as endorsed by Ocean Line Washington from Brest Jun. 25th via Southampton delayed with mechanical trouble, sailing for New York on Jul. 10th but had to return to port with additional problems. She sailed again July 15th arriving in New York Jul. 30th, New York "29" cent due rating for 24¢ transatlantic packet plus 5¢ inland postage, remailed with blue "Philadelphia PA. Jul 31" cds and manuscript "5" due rating totaling "34" cents. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
CARRIED ON THE MAIDEN RETURN VOYAGE OF AMERICAN PACKET SERVICE BY OCEAN LINE WASHINGTON.
While letters on the eastbound route during the Discriminatory Rate period are relatively rare, those on westbound voyages are exceptional.
Lot
947
(TransA - Ocean) 1847 (Jul. 2) Bremen to Baltimore, Md, folded letter endorsed "p. Steamer Washington", Bremen (7.2) origin cds and dark magenta framed "Paid." handstamp, red London "Paid 5 JY 1847" cds and magenta "1/6" credit rating to G.B., carried by Ocean Line Washington from Southampton Jul. 15th to New York arriving Jul. 30th, Baltimore blue "29" due rating for U.S. 5¢ inland postage and 24¢ American packet fee, Very Fine, ex-Winter. Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
A SECOND COVER CARRIED ON THE MAIDEN RETURN VOYAGE OF WASHINGTON, ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES, THIS PARTICULARLY CHOICE BECAUSE IT WAS CARRIED OVER THE OCEAN LINE'S ENTIRE ROUTE, BREMEN TO NEW YORK.
Realized: $2,700
Lot
948
(TransA - Ocean) 1847 (Dec. 16) Manchester, England to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter endorsed "p. Washington", carried by Ocean Line Washington from Southampton Dec. 19th to New York arriving Jan. 16th, red manuscript "29" due rating for U.S. 5¢ inland postage and 24¢ American packet fee, Very Fine and rare Westbound voyage, ex-Winter. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Letter placed in ship letter bag and not posted in British mail system, thereby avoiding the 1 shilling discriminatory charge imposed by the British. Unusually long voyage of 28 days as the "Washington" encountered severe gales on this third return voyage and put into Halifax for fuel and repairs.
Lot
949
(TransA - Ocean) 1848 (Mar. 15) Bremen, Germany to New York N.Y., folded cover with "St. P.A. Bremen. 14/3" double-circle origin cds and endorsed "pr Steamer Washington" at top, carried as endorsed by Ocean Line Washington from Bremen Mar. 15th to New York arriving Apr. 7th, New York red "24" cent due handstamp for 24¢ transatlantic packet, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
CARRIED ON THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING UNDER THE U.S.-GERMANY TREATY OF MARCH 1848 - THE FIRST DIRECT CLOSED MAIL SERVICE DEPARTURE CONNECTING THE PORT OF BREMEN AND THE UNITED STATES.
Realized: $1,150
Lot
950
(TransA - Ocean) 1848 (Mar. 20) New York N.Y. to Verviers, Belgium, datelined blue folded letter with New York pencil "24" prepaid rating per U.S.-Bremen treaty, carried as endorsed by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Mar. 21st to Southampton arriving Apr. 11th, red "Outre-Mer, Le Havre, 12 Avril 48" transit cds and manuscript "16" décimes due rating (10 déc to France, 6 déc inland to Belgium) and "7½" grams weight at top left, red Verviers (4.14) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, Carried on the Maiden Voyage of the Ocean Line Hermann, which was the first under the new 1848 U.S.-Bremen treaty., ex-Van der Linden, Walske. Estimate $400 - 600.
FEW COVERS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED BY HERMANN ON EITHER OF ITS EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND MAIDEN TRIPS; THREE OF EACH.
Realized: $425
Lot
951
(TransA - Ocean) (Discriminatory Rate) 1848 (Apr. 25) London, England to Petersburg, Va., folded letter with partial "Fenchurch St" receiving house handstamp, red London (4.25) and red manuscript "1/-" discriminatory packet rating, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Southampton May 6th to New York arriving May 22, upon arrival in U.S. blue manuscript "34" cent due rating for 24¢ American packet fee plus 10¢ inland postage, Very Fine and scarce discriminatory use, ex-Winter. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED COVERS CARRIED ON THE WESTBOUND MAIDEN VOYAGE OF HERMANN.
British charged 1 schilling outgoing packet fee even though letter carried on an American packet and British performed no service to carry the letter across the Atlantic. Americans called this a discriminatory charge since the sea postage was still to be paid in the United States. Continued use of this discriminatory rate on American packet letters caused the Americans to retaliate with a double sea postage (24¢ packet) on letters carried by British contract vessels in the last half of 1848. Since the letter cost was so high due to discriminatory rates, very few letters were sent from England to the U.S. on the American contract mail steamships before 1849.
Realized: $1,000
Lot
952
(TransA - Ocean) 1852 (Mar. 20) San Francisco, Cal. to Paris, France, exceptionally fresh cover endorsed "Via Panama & England", bearing red "San Francisco Cal. Mar 20" cds and matching "Paid" and "26" rating handstamps for the British open mail rate by American Packet from the West Coast, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Apr. 24th to Brest arriving May 9th, red Paris (5.9.52) entry cds and "8" décimes due in Paris, Extremely Fine and choice. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $290
Lot
953
(TransA - Ocean) 1853 (Jul. 16) San Francisco Cal. to Dordogne, France, folded letter with "San Francisco Cal. Jul 16" cds and matching "Paid 26" crude rating handstamp for British open mail by American Packet, red "New-York Am. Packet Aug 13" exchange cds, red Le Havre (8.27) entry cds with "16" décimes postage due handstamp, Vergt (8.27) arrival backstamp; edge tear at left, Very Fine, ex-Noel, Walske. Estimate $200 - 300.
One of only four recorded examples of this crude "Paid 26" rate handstamp, used only from Jun. 30th to Jul. 16th 1853. Carried by PMSC "John L. Stephens" from San Francisco Jul. 16th to Panama arriving Jul. 29th, then by USMSC "Illinois" from Aspinwall Aug. 1st to New York arriving Aug. 1st. Then by Ocean Line "Washington" from New York Aug. 13th to Southampton arriving Aug. 26th.
Realized: $170
Lot
954
(TransA - Ocean) 1856 (Feb. 20) San Francisco, Cal. to Amsterdam, Netherlands, folded cover with red "San Francisco Cal. 'Paid 26' 20 Feb" integral rate cds, red "New-York Mar 22" exchange cds, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Mar. 22nd to Southampton arriving Apr. 7th, London (4.7) transit backstamp and "U.S. PK. T." straightline h.s. with manuscript "4" pence debit to Netherlands, Amsterdam arrival backstamp and manuscript "40" Dutch cents due rating, minor bleach spot in address, F.-V.F. and scarce San Francisco use to Amsterdam., ex-Winter. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter, prepaid West Coast British Open Mail rate by American packet, carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Sonora" to Panama and U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "George Law" to New York. London marked the U.S.PK.T. to show basis for G.B. debit to Netherlands (letter paid to England, leaving only transit to Netherlands unpaid). Dutch postage due consisted of 4d or 20 cents to G.B. and 20 Cents internal fee in the Netherlands.
Realized: $280