Sale 122: The Dr. James Milgram Collection Steamboat Mail

Lot 1079    

Paid* Pr* Hibernia,* (Atlantic Ocean), bold black handstamp on 1843 folded letter from London to an Oil merchant in New York, some restoration along top and edges, Very Fine appearance, the only recorded example.
Milgram No. 607AA    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $400

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Lot 1080    

Steamer Hong Kong Maru, purple straightline on 5¢ entire with blue illustrated advertising to Japan, cancelled with "San Francisco Jun 14, 1911" machine cancel, Very Fine and attractive.
Milgram No. 613A    Estimate $100 - 150.

Realized: $100

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Lot 1081    

U.S.S. Iroquois (Pacific Ocean), Commanding Officers purple 2-line handstamp with signature at upper left on cover to Berkeley, Cal., franked with Hawaii 2¢ Rose (91) tied by "Honolulu, H.I., Sep. 5, 1899" duplex paying the soldiers letter rate, backstamped San Francisco transit & Berkeley arrival, Illustrated in Milgram.
Milgram No. 654    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

Fred Gregory lists this as only one strike recorded, however we are aware of this cover and one other. A similar cover with this marking was sold in our Sale #26 (April 2007, Lot 2506) for $3,500.

The 713-ton steam tugboat "U.S.S. Iroquois" arrived from San Francisco on January 28, 1899, and was stationed in Honolulu until May 19, 1900, with the exception of two documented voyages. The first was from August 13 to 15, 1899, when it traveled to Kauai to bring survivors of a shipwreck to Honolulu. The second was from February 13 to 16, 1900, to Hilo to investigate a report of plague. After May 1900, the "Iroquois" remained in Honolulu until sometime after Hawaii became a U.S. Territory.

Realized: $1,600

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Lot 1082    

Packet Ship, James Munroe, Sailed March 1, 1819 (Atlantic Ocean), red oval handstamp with red arced "Packet Ship" above on 1819 folded letter from Glasgow to Montreal, postmarked red "New York Apr 8" cds and matching "Ship" straightline with manuscript rates "20-½" (18½ cents postage for 150-400 miles and 2 cents ship fee) and "1N10", Very Fine and rare, ex-Steinhart.
Milgram No. 673    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

Realized: $450

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Lot 1083    

U.S. Training Ship Jamestown, Mar. 17, 1883 (Atlantic Ocean), blue oval handstamp on 1883 cover to Brattleboro, VT., franked with French Colonies 25c (53) tied by Fort de France, Martinique double circle postmark, backstamped St. Thomas & New York transit postmarks, Very Fine, Illustrated in Milgram.
Milgram No. 676    Estimate $300 - 400.

The "Jamestown" had a long and storied history serving literally around the world. First off the coast of Africa in 1845 to suppress the slave trade, later in 1847 to assist the starving population in Ireland during the potato famine, as well as service during the Civil War, and later in Alaska. The "Jamestown" was present at the hoisting of the U.S. Flag at Sitka on 18 October 1867 after Alaska was purchased from Russia.

She was then fitted out as an apprentice training ship and in 1882 proceeded to the Atlantic coast via Cape Horn. In her new capacity, she sailed the Atlantic Ocean, voyaging to the West Indies, Spain, and as far north as the State of Maine.

Realized: $325

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Lot 1084    

Jane MacWilliam (Atlantic Ocean), near complete 2-line handstamp on 1823 folded letter from Havana to New York, postmarked red "Chalsⁿ. Apr 22" and matching "Ship" straightline handstamp, manuscript "27" rate, letter with interesting contents which include, My arrival here in seven days from Savannah in good health and have over more avoided the pirates who had the day previously taken a schooner, murdered the Capt. (Blunt) & Cook from New Orleans had also 2 days previous taken the schooner Pilot from Baltimore. and is signed, in haste as the Brig is getting under way, some minor edge splits, Very Fine and very rare handstamp of which this is the only recorded example, Illustrated in Milgram.
Milgram No. 677    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $400

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Lot 1085    

S.S. Jeanie (Pacific Ocean), blue straightline handstamp on 1888 cover to New Bedford, Mass., franked with 2¢ Bank Note (213), tied by grid cancel, bold "U.S. Charge To Collect 2 Cents" aux. handstamp, "Ship" straightline in circle, blue crayon "2" ties 2¢ Postage Due paying the due postage, backstamped San Francisco transit & New Bedford arrival, Very Fine, Illustrated in Milgram.
Milgram No. 683    Estimate $300 - 400.

The "S.S. Jeanie" was a large 1,071-ton, 186-foot, three-masted steam schooner built in Bath, Maine, in 1883, and had run on nearly every route between San Francisco and the Arctic Ocean. In 1906, the vessel, owned by the Alaska Coast Company, was engaged in hauling passengers and freight between Puget Sound ports and southwest Alaska.

On Sunday, November 18, 1906, the "S.S. Jeanie" collided with the inland passenger steamer "S.S. Dix" in the Puget Sound. The "Dix", traveling from downtown Seattle to Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island with 77 passengers and crew on board, sinks within five minutes with a loss of at least 39 lives. It is the greatest maritime disaster ever recorded on Puget Sound.

The "S.S. Jeanie" met her own fate on December 19, 1913, while en route from Seattle to southwestern Alaska. She ran aground in heavy fog on Calvert Island in Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia, and became a total loss. Fortunately, there were no lives lost. The crew was rescued by the Canadian steamship "S.S. Estevan".

Realized: $290

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Lot 1086    

On Board S.S. Jefferson, multi-colored illustrated "patriotic" post card showing the Jefferson with "The Alaska Steamship Company" imprint, Wells, Fargo & Co. 1901 1¢ definitive tied by Ketchikan, Alaska duplex, second card with view of S.S. Jefferson, Alaska Tourist Steamer with similar franking tied by Seattle machine cancel, Very Fine, Unlisted in Milgram.
Milgram No. 684A    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $130

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Lot 1087    

Str. John B. Speed, lot of two covers, first with bold purple handstamp straight line over elaborately illustrated corner card for "Memphis and Cincinnati Packet Co., Steamer New South", addressed to Hungary franked with three 1890 2¢ (220) singles tied by "Cincinnati, O. Jun 29 92" cds's, second with printed corner card for "Cincinnati and New Orleans, Elegant New Fast Passenger Steamer, John K. Speed" in red & green, franked with 1890 2¢ tied by "Natchez, Miss. May 28, 1894" duplex, small faults, Very Fine appearance, unlisted in Milgram.
Milgram No. 709A-B    Estimate $200 - 300.

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Lot 1088    

Packet Ship Josephine (Atlantic Coast), bold and complete three line straightline on backflap on 1831 folded letter Cookstown, Ireland to Penn., postmarked red "New York Apr 19" cds with integral "Ship", manuscript "12½" rate, some minor edge restoration, Very Fine, an outstanding strike of this rare marking.
Milgram No. 729    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $375

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