Lot
51 
(San Francisco, Statehood) 1859-72, San Francisco, Ca. to France. Four stampless covers from San Francisco to France, includes 1859 folded letter with San Francisco cds & "San Francisco 15" integral rate debit cds, 1860 folded letter with red "San Francisco Paid" cds with manuscript "45" rate, 1860 folded letter with San Francisco cds & black "15" unpaid rate marking, last is unpaid 1872 folded letter with San Francisco cds, "New York/4/Br. Transit" cds & two strikes of British "G.B. 2F" accountancy marking, Very Fine, an attractive lot. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $270
Lot
52
(San Francisco, Statehood, Error Rates) 1851, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to London. Postmarked orange red "San Francisco Cal 15 Jul" cds with matching straight line "Paid" and "25" cents rate handstamp, partial red "3" cents credit to G.B. for inland postage, and dark red "Paid 1851 4 Sp 4 Bx" receiving cds on the right side, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
According to Winter, the San Francisco postmaster arrived at this rate by adding the 6 cents per half ounce paid U.S. transcontinental rate, 16 cents sea, and 3 cents G.B. inland. The correct rate being 29 cents per half ounce from 1-Jul-1851 through 30-Jun-1863. Departed San Francisco per Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Panama" on 15-Jul, with no arrival date in Panama City known to Wierenga (Theron J. - U.S. Incoming Steamship Mail, 1847-1875). Per the Havre Line steamer "Humboldt", departing New York 23-Aug, arriving Southampton 4-Sep. Winter has recorded two examples of this error rate. This is probably the second cover recorded, and was accorded service via British packet.
Realized: $4,750
Lot
53
(San Francisco, Statehood, Error Rates) 1851, San Francisco, Ca. folded letter to France. Postmarked orange red "San Francisco 1 Jul" cds on with a blue octagonal merchants hand-stamp superimposed, matching straight line "Paid" and "22" cents rate hand-stamp in the upper right corner, red manuscript "Voie de Panama et par Steamer" across the top, pencil "22" upper left corner, struck with proper transit & arrival markings including red double line "Etats Unis Paq Brit. Paris 19 Aout 51" transit & black "30" decimes due hand-stamp. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
This is the first day of the rate change, and the rate was arrived at (guessed) by the San Francisco postmaster by adding the prepaid 6 cents per half ounce transcontinental letter rate to the 16 cents transatlantic fee established by the U.S. - G.B. Postal Convention of 1848. The 30 decimes due in Bordeaux was for a letter weighing between 7 ½ and 15 grams (10 decimes owed to G.B. + 5 decimes French per 7 ½ grams). Departed San Francisco per Pacific Mail Steamship Line steamer "Panama" on 1-Jul, with no arrival date in Panama City known to Wierenga (Theron J. - U.S. Incoming Steamship Mail, 1847-1875). Possibly per the U.S. Mail Steamship Line steamer "Empire City", departing Chagres 25-Jul, arriving New York 6-Aug, and onward to Boston. Per the Cunard Line steamer "America", departing Boston, 6-Aug, arriving Liverpool 17-Aug. Winter had recorded four examples of this error rate.
Realized: $4,250
Lot
54
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1849, Glasgow, Scotland. Cover to the forwarding agent Louis Lewis in Panama for forwarding to San Francisco, postmarked bright red double line arc "Glasgow Paid 15 Sep 1849" cds with partial "Paid IC 17se171849" transit cds to the left, and black framed San Francisco "40" cents due marking superimposed, red manuscript "2/" rate on the left side, black manuscript "recd Decr 4/49" docketing on the reverse, Very Fine and rare, scarce West Indies routing to California - From the Daniel Gibb correspondence. Estimate $300 - 400.
The rate from Scotland to Panama was 1sh per half ounce from 16-Mar-1848 through 30-Jun-1881, consequently the indicated franking on this cover paid the correct rate for up to an ounce. 40 cents was collected in San Francisco, which is based on 20 cents per half ounce steamship rate from Panama to San Francisco, particularly since the British rate indicates a weight of between one half and one ounce.
Probably carried per the Royal Mail Steamship "Avon", departing Southampton 17-Sep-1849, arriving Jamaica 14-Oct-1849. Carried from Jamaica per steamer "Tay" on 18-Oct-1849, arriving Charges 24-Oct-1849 and traveled overland from Charges to Panama. The only sailing that might fit the Panama to San Francisco leg of the journey, was the Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer "Oregon", which departed Panama 10-Nov-1849, arriving San Francisco 1-Dec-1849.
Realized: $1,200
Lot
55
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1850, Glasgow, Scotland folded letter. To San Francisco, California (headed "Well Park Brewery, Glasgow") with manuscript "pr steamer form Liverpool" in the upper corner & red manuscript "2/5 ½" pence rate, postmarked red hand-stamped "Paid" & dark red framed "Glasgow Paid H 30 Au 1850" hand-stamp, Liverpool transit hand-stamped on the reverse, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $200 - 300.
The franking paid the half ounce letter rate of 2/5 ½ pence or 59 cents U.S., consisting of 19 cents British (3 cents inland + 16 cents packet) + 40 cents U.S. inland to California. Per Cunard Line steamer Asia, departing Liverpool 31-Aug, arriving New York 11-Sep.
Realized: $550
Lot
56
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1851, Montreal, Canada folded letter. To San Francisco, California, postmarked red "Montreal Oc 1 1851 L.C." cds with a red hand-stamped "Canada" in a double line arc exchange and black manuscript "9" pence due marking (15 cents U.S) on the right side, black "15" cents due handstamp applied in New York, Very Fine, ex-Steinhart & Kramer. Estimate $400 - 600.
This was mailed from Canada on the east coast to the west coast of the U.S. where it was subject to the 15 cent rate consisting of 10 cents per half ounce over 3000 miles and 5 cents per half ounce Canadian inland (6-Apr-1851 - Mar-1864.) The Cross Border Mails collection of Susan M. McDonald contained a west coast to east coast version of this rate, but lacked an example in the other direction.
Realized: $400
Lot
57
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1851, Greenock, Scotland folded letter. To San Francisco, California, postmarked blue "Greenock My 2 1851" cds and hand-stamped "Paid" with red manuscript "2/5 ½" pence rate, backstamped Liverpool transit hand-stamp, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
The franking paid the half ounce letter rate of 2/5 ½ pence or 59 cents U.S., consisting of 19 cents British (3 cents inland + 16 cents packet), plus 40 cent U.S. inland to California. Carried per Cunard Line steamer "Cambria", departing Liverpool 3-May, arriving Boston 15-May.
Realized: $325
Lot
58
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1852, Glasgow, Scotland folded letter. To San Francisco, California, postmarked dark red "Glasgow Paid F Jun 1 1852" cds and red manuscript "4/8" on the right side, and orange red "Paid CW 2 JU 2 1852" Great Britain transit cds, handstamped black San Francisco straight line "Paid", black manuscript "pr W.I. Packet via Southampton" routing in the lower left corner, Very Fine, The rate was for a letter weighing between half and one ounce for mail routed via Colon or Panama from Jul-1851 through Sep-1865. From the Daniel Gibb correspondence. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $600
Lot
59
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1853-55, Two Covers from G.B. to San Francisco, California. Illustrating the 1/-2 ½ pence rate per half ounce letter rate for a single and a double rate (2/5), the 1855 cover routed "via New York" with blue straight line "Bishopsgate" town mark with orange red "Paid AA 3 AU 3 1855" cds and "1/ 2 ½" pence rate or 29 cents U.S., comprising 10 cents U.S. inland (N.Y. to Calif.) plus 19 cents British (3 cents inland + 16 cents packet), handstamped black San Francisco straight line "Paid" at upper right, probably per Cunard Line steamer, America, departing Liverpool 4-Aug, arriving Boston 17-Aug., the 1853 cover routed "Pr Cambria - via Boston" with orange red Maltese cross "Paid L S 29AP29 1853" with red manuscript "2/5" rate upper, handstamped black San Francisco straight line "Paid" rate, carried per the Cunard Line steamer Cambria, departing Liverpool 30-Apr, arriving Boston 13-May, Very Fine, a nice pair illustrating the two rates. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $260
Lot
60
(Incoming Mail to San Francisco) 1857, London, England folded letter. To San Francisco, black manuscript "per steamer via United States" across the top franked with Great Britain 1d red + 2d blue + 1sh green tied by black barred numeral "22" cancels, for a total franking of 1/3, which overpaid the correct 1/ 2 ½ pence rate by a half pence, black San Francisco handstamped "20" cents due upper middle for steamship from Panama to San Francisco, horiz. cover wrinkle, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
The letter is datelined "Calcutta 8th January 1857" with "Recd. P steamer Golden Age 12th April 1857" just beneath in a different hand. The Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer Golden Age departed Panama 30-Mar, arriving San Francisco 12-Apr. This was most likely routed via Southampton to St. Thomas, and onward to Colon and Panama City. The Royal Mail Steam Packet steamer LaPlata departed Southampton 17-Feb, arriving in St. Thomas 18-Mar. Per the steamer Clyde, departing St. Thomas 18-Mar, arriving Colon 24-Mar. This is a more likely scenario than if routed via New York or Boston.
Realized: $1,250