Lot
5061 
1850 (Aug. 15) Philadelphia Pa. to Bischofsweda, Saxony, blue folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa., Aug 15" cds and matching "Phila., Paid, 5 Cts." octagon due handstamp with ms. "21" cents rerating, carried as endorsed by Collins Line Pacific from New York Aug. 16th to Liverpool arriving Aug. 27th, red London (8.27) transit backstamp with red "U.S. Pkt." straightline and ms. "8" pence debit to Prussia, Aachen red "Seebrief per England and Aachen" (8.28) double-circle transit backstamp and blue ms. "9 2/3" sgr. debit rating crossed out in ms. and rerated "16 2/3", Saxony red crayon "16 8/10" ngr final due error rating, Very Fine and unusual cover. Estimate $200 - 300.
This cover shows the London ms. "8" pence debit for British and Belgian transit. A Prussian clerk converted that to 6 2/3 sgr, added 3 sgr postage, and marked "9 2/3" in blue. Some other clerk saw the UK debit had not been crossed out and added it again for "16 2/3". That error was carried on in Saxony and converted to "16 8/10" neugroschen, almost doubling the real postage due.
Realized: $400
Lot
5062
1851 (Sep. 30) San Francisco Cal. to Herford, Prussia, gray folded letter showing red "San Francisco Cal., 1 Oct" cds with matching "Paid" and "26" rating handstamp, additional pencil "26" cent prepayment rating, carried by Collins Line Pacific from New York Nov. 8th to Liverpool arriving Nov. 19th, red London (11.20) transit backstamp with black "U.S. Pkt." straightline and "10" pence debit to Prussia, Aachen red "Seebrief per England and Aachen" (11.21) double-circle transit backstamp and blue ms. "11 1/3" sgr. due rating, Very Fine and scarce California use. Estimate $300 - 400.
The convention permitted the US to charge 10¢ domestic postage from the West Coast because of the added expense. For example, the top cover went by steamship from San Francisco to Panama, was carried across the isthmus to the port of Chagres, and then sent by steamship to New York.
Realized: $280
Lot
5063
1851 (Nov. 19) Cleveland, Oh. to Limbach, Saxony, folded letter with "Cleveland O. Nov 19" cds and matching "20" rating rating handstamp, additional red "Paid" handstamp and pencil "20" cent rating, carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York Nov. 23rd to Liverpool arriving Dec. 4th, red London (12.5) transit backstamp with "U.S. Pkt." straightline and ms. "6" debit to Prussia, Aachen red "Seebrief per England and Aachen" (12.6) double-circle transit backstamp and blue ms. "9 2/3" sgr. debit rating, Saxony red crayon "9 8/10" ngr final due rating; file fold wear, F.-V.F. and unusual use. Estimate $200 - 300.
This letter was prepaid 20¢ for the Bremen international rate. The New York exchange office accepted it as full 21¢ prepayment for U.S. packet.
Realized: $350
Lot
5064
1852 (Apr. 30) Philadelphia Pa. to Bischofswerda, Saxony, gray folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa., Apr 30" cds and red "Phila. 5 Cts. Paid" provisionally updated "21" in ms. octagon rating handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York May 5th to Liverpool arriving May 15th, red London (5.16) transit backstamps and ms. "1/6" debit 1s6d rating, red "Seebrief per England und Aachen, 18/5" double-circle exchange backstamp and blue ms. "18" rating, restated "18" in red crayon, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
This cover arrived too late for the Collins Line "Arctic", so it was sent via Cunard negating the prepaid U.S. ship fee.
Realized: $260
Lot
5065
1855 (Mar. 25) New Orleans La. to Limbach, Saxony, gray folded letter with red "New Orleans La., Mar 25" cds and matching "Paid 21" rating handstamp, red "New.York, Am. Packet, Apr 4" exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Apr. 4th to Liverpool arriving Apr. 18th, red London (4.19) transit backstamp with black "U.S. Pkt." straightline and "3½ Groschen" debit handstamp (Vdl 3256), red "Aus England Per Aachen, 20/4" exchange cds backstamp and blue ms. "7" sgr due rating; light fold toning, otherwise Very Fine and colorful use; with 1997 Van der Linden certificate. Estimate $200 - 300.
After the 1852 reduction in transit postage, the usual postage due for single letters by U.S. packet was 23 kr or 7 sgr.
Realized: $160
Lot
5066
1857 (Jul. 30) Henderson Ky. to Arnstadt, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, 3¢ red (U10) buff Nesbitt entire bearing 3¢ dull red (11) horizontal pair and 12¢ black (17), each tied by "Henderson Ky. Jul. 30, 1857" cds, red "New-York, Am. Pkt., Aug 8" exchange cds, carried by Vanderbilt Line Ariel from New York Aug. 8th to Southampton arriving Aug. 20th, red London (8.21) transit backstamp with "U.S. Pkt." straightline on face, Aachen red "Seebrief per England and Aachen" (8.22) double-circle transit backstamp and blue ms. "23" sgr. due rating crossed out with "f" franco adjacent; slight cover soiling and reduction at left, F.-V.F. and scarce 1851 Issue prepaid use, ex-Feldman. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
After the 1852 reduction in transit postage, the usual postage due for single letters by U.S. packet was 23kr or 7 sgr.
Realized: $900