Lot
4170 
Australian States: Queensland, (Long Sea Route) 1883 (Jul. 30) Brisbane, Queensland to New York N.Y., blue cover bearing Queensland, 6d yellow green (69) tied by "70" oval starburst cancel and "Brisbane, Queensland, JY 30, 88" cds, endorsed "Via San Francisco", "Insufficiently Prepaid/For route Indicated" two-line handstamp, red crayon "2" credit rating, sent by QRM Chyebassa via Torres Strait, Batavia, Suez Canal and Gibraltar, "Plymouth Ship Letter, OC 9, 83" transit backstamp; contract steamship to New York, New York "Paid All" (10.21) exchange arrival backstamp, original contents; lower left edge flaw, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY 5 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE QUEENSLAND "INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID/FOR ROUTE INDICATED" TWO-LINE HANDSTAMP.
The five recorded examples of the Queensland "Insufficiently Prepaid/For route Indicated" two-line handstamp are known on covers to Nova Scotia, Mauritius, Great Britain and two to New York (same addressee). See "Queensland Mail to the USA via San Francisco", Forster, D., SAS/Oceania Informer, July 2012 for discussion of this cover.
Realized: $900
Lot
4171
Australian States: Victoria, 1883 (Sep. 14) Melbourne, Victoria to Brooklyn N.Y., cover with open ends endorsed "Printed matter Only" top bearing Victoria, 6d ultra (117) tied by bold "Victoria" barred oval duplexed with "Melbourne, SE 14, 83" cds, carried by P&O Rosetta through Suez Canal to Gravesend arriving Nov. 14th, then steamship to New York, New York "Transit" (11.26) backstamp; small edge tear, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
This cover was underpaid for the 8d via Brindisi rate and sent on to Gravesend. There was no P&O 6d letter rate to the USA (or 4d to London) at this date but printed matter apparently carried with freight.
Realized: $170
Lot
4172
Australian States: Victoria, 1886 (Jul. 13) Melbourne, Victoria to Albany N.Y., gray Victorian Institute of Surveyors booklet bearing Victoria, 2d lilac rose (148) tied by "Victoria" barred oval duplexed with "Melbourne, JU 13 '85" cds, missent to Albany, Western Australia on P&O Shannon, "Albany, Western Australia, AU 6, 1886" rimless transit, P&O Rome to Suez, P&O Khedive by Long Sea Route to Gravesend, then mail steamer to New York where "Due 2" straightline, U.S. 2¢ red brown (J16) s.e. at left, tied by "Albany N.Y., Rec'd, Oct 8, 1886" cds; few light stain spots, Very Fine printed matter use. Estimate $300 - 400.
Postal rates for newspapers and various classes of printed matter addressed to foreign counties were seldom published. Here 2d was charged in Victoria, but Albany New York postmaster charged 2d due for a pamphlet sent by the Long Sea Route.
Realized: $350
Lot
4173
1890 (Jan. 5) Port Chester N.Y. to Inglewood, Victoria, cover bearing United States, 2¢ green (213) and 10¢ brown (209), tied by cork cancels duplexed with "Port Chester N.Y., Jan 5, 1890" cds, endorsed "via Europe", New York (1.15) transit backstamp, transatlantic steamship to London, carried by P&O Arcadia from Gravesend Jan. 24th through Suez Canal to Adelaide, train to Melbourne, reverse with Melbourne (3.4) transit and Inglewood (3.5) arrival cds; couple small edge tears and wear, F.-V.F. and scarce use. Estimate $300 - 400.
The United States 12¢ rate was equivalent to the 6d rate in the other direction. The United States credit to Great Britain was expressed in French centimes as per GPU regulations - 50 centimes was equivalent to 10¢ or 5 pence. Very little mail from United States to Australia was sent by the long sea route.
The 12¢ rate via Long Sea Route was the same as the rate via San Francisco across the Pacific Ocean. Here the sender found out letter would need to be held for the Feb. 8th sailing from San Francisco (which would arrive in Sydney on Mar. 6th), so a few days were saved by routing via Europe.
Realized: $425
Lot
4174
Australian States: South Australia, 1890 (Feb. 3) Adelaide, South Australia to New York N.Y., blue cover bearing South Australia, 6d pale blue (80), tied by "S.Australia" barred circular duplexed with "Ship Mail Room, FE 3, 90" cds on blue cover, red crayon "2", carried by Orient Line Lusitania via Suez Canal, reverse with Plymouth (3.15) transit and New York "Paid All" (3.23) exchange arrival; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Orient Line had monthly sailings between P&O sailings. Orient Line 6d Long Sea Route letter rate to the United States was effective from January 1889.
Realized: $425
Lot
4175
Australian States: Victoria, 1891 (Mar. 17) Melbourne, Victoria to Stockton Me., cover bearing Victoria, 6d pale blue (80) tied by bold "Victoria" barred oval duplexed with "Melbourne, MR 17, 91" cds, red crayon "1½" credit, carried as endorsed by P&O Arcadia via Suez Canal, reverse with Plymouth (4.25) transit and New York "Paid All" (5.4) exchange duplex; small edge tear, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
The red crayon "1½" is apparently a credit when normally a "2" credit is seen.
Realized: $130