Lot
1255 
1850 (Oct. 29) San Francisco, Cal. to Rotterdam, Netherlands, folded letter with red "San Francisco Cal. 30 Oct" cds with matching "Paid" h.s. and red crayon "64" cents prepaid rating, carried by Cunard Line Arctic from New York Dec. 21 to Liverpool arriving Jan. 1, red London (1.2) backstamp and matching "U.S. PK. T." h.s. with manuscript "8" pence debit to Holland, Rotterdam (1.4) arrival backstamp and manuscript "70" Dutch Cents due rating; Very Fine, exceedingly rare 64¢ prepaid Bremen Mails rate from the West Coast. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Letter carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer "Panama" to Panama and United States Mail Steamship Company steamer "Georgia" from Chagres to New York. Letter prepaid 64¢ for Bremen mail rate to Bremen from West Coast (40¢ + 24¢), not the normal routing for mail to Holland. Since no Bremen steamship service was available during the 1850-1851 winter, New York sent letter to G.B. in the open mails (a 56¢ rate), despite a Bremen Closed Mail being carried on this same voyage. London struck "U.S.PK.T." in red (scarce color used 1850-51 only) to show letter brought to G.B. by American packet. Dutch postage due included 40 Dutch Cents to G.B., 10 Dutch Cents transit through Belgium and 20 Dutch Cents internal postage. Very early California letter to Holland.
Realized: $725