Lot
5184 
1868 (Mar. 5) Gainesville, Fla. to Berlin, blue "Gainesville Fla., Mar 5" cds with matching target cancels tie two 3¢ red, F grill (94) vertical pairs on 3¢ pink (U58) entire, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, Mar 10" exchange cds, carried by Hapag Line Charter Bremen from New York Mar. 10th to Southampton arriving Mar. 21st, red "Verviers. Coeln, Franco" (3.22) four-line transit, Berlin (3.23) arrival backstamp; right pair trimmed at top, gum stain spot, F.-V.F. and unusual franking for the 15¢ Closed Mail rate. Estimate $150 - 200.
The NGL Line "Bremen" was on loan to the Hapag Line for this voyage.
Realized: $200
Lot
5185
1868 (May 23) New York N.Y. to Leipzig, Saxony, folded cover bearing 15¢ black, E grill (91) and 30¢ orange (71), tied by NYFM grids, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, May 23" exchange cds, carried by Inman Line City of Paris from New York May 23rd to Queenstown arriving Jun. 1st, red "Verviers, Coeln, Franco" (6.3) transit, Jun. 4th arrival backstamp; some edge wear, Very Fine and early E grill franking for the triple 45¢ Closed Mail rate. Estimate $500 - 750.
This a first month use of the 15¢ E grill issue, mailed only 19 days after the earliest recorded use.
Realized: $2,100
Lot
5186
1868 (Jul. 16) New York N.Y. to Fürth, Bavaria, buff envelope with preprinted Mess. Seligman Bendit & Söhne address and "per closed Mail via London & Ostende" endorsement, bearing 15¢ black (77) tied by NYFM geometric cancel, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, Jul 16" exchange cds, carried by NGL Line Hansa from New York Jul. 16th to Southampton arriving Jul. 28th, red "Verviers, Coeln, Franco" (7.29) four-line transit, Fürth (7.30) arrival backstamp; small corner tear top left, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $180
Lot
5187
1869 (Mar. 13) New York, N.Y. to Göttingen, Prussia, cover bearing 15¢ black, F grill (98) tied by NYFM square grid cancel, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, Mar 13" exchange cds, carried by Inman Line City of Brooklyn from New York Mar. 13th to Queenstown arriving Mar. 23rd, red "Verviers, Coeln, Franco" (3.24) four-line transit, Göttingen (3.25) arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $190
Lot
5188
1869 (May 8) New York N.Y. to Leipzig, Saxony, cover bearing 3¢ ultramarine (114) and 12¢ Green (117), nat. s.e., each tied by NYFM circle of rounded wedges cancels, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, Nov 3" cds, carried by Inman Line City of Baltimore from New York May 8th to Queenstown arriving May 17th, red "Verviers, Coeln, Franco" (5.20) four-line transit, May 21st arrival backstamp; repaired tear and small hole, Very Fine appearance, ex-Heimburger. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $500
Lot
5189
1870 (Jan. 5) Marblehead, Mass. to Berlin, orange buff cover bearing 15¢ brown & blue (119) rich colors, tied by cork cancel, matching bold "Marblehead, Mass., Jan. 5" double-circle datestamp, red "New York, Paid All, Br. Transit, Jan 6" exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Nemesis from New York Jan. 6th to Queenstown arriving Jan. 17th, Jan. 19th arrival backstamps; minor edgewear, Very Fine, ex-Heimburger. Estimate $300 - 400.
Beginning in 1870, the "Verviers-Coeln" exchange office marking was used less frequently and does not appear on all closed mail covers.
Realized: $425
Lot
5190
1870 (May 31) San Francisco, Cal. to Ochersleben, Prussia, orange cover bearing 5¢ brown (76) and 10¢ yellow (116), tied by split cork cancels, matching "San Francisco, Cal. May 31" cds at top right, red "Chicago, Paid All, Direct, Jun 7" exchange backstamp, carried by NGL Line Weser II from New York Jun. 11th to Southampton arriving Jun. 22nd, red "Bremen, Franco, 23/6 70" framed transit, Jun. 24th arrival backstamp; part of flap missing and small edge tear, F.-V.F. and unusual 1861-1869 Issue combination franking. Estimate $300 - 400.
The sender intentional overpaid for closed mail. The trains from San Francisco to New York via Chicago took 7-8 days. If early or late, it would have had to go by closed mail.
Realized: $250