Lot
385 
1850 (Feb. 18) Philadelphia, Pa. to London, England, blue folded letter with blue "Philada Pa. Feb 18" cds and red "Phila. Paid 24cts." rating octagon h.s., New York red "19" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Europa from New York Feb. 20 to Liverpool arriving Mar. 4, London (3.4) arrival d.s., Very Fine, This is the earliest recorded use of the new Philadelphia octagonal rate handstamp showing 24¢ prepayment for treaty rate. Estimate $200 - 300.
The Philadelphia 24¢ octagonal rate handstamp was in use at Philadelphia until March 1853.
Realized: $180
Lot
386
1850 (Apr. 19) Philadelphia, Pa. to London, England, folded cover sent unpaid with blue "Philada Pa. Apr 19" cds and matching crude "24" due rate h.s., New York large "21" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Apr. 20 to Southampton arriving May 7, London (5.8) backstamp and "1/-" shilling due rating, Very Fine, less than 6 examples of the large New York "21" debit h.s. are recorded. Estimate $300 - 400.
Philadelphia struck crude blue "24" handstamp to show letter being sent under 24¢ British treaty rate. New York applied the large black "21" debit marking since Philadelphia was not an exchange office for mails under this treaty.
Realized: $2,000
Lot
387
1850 (May. 25) New York, N.Y. to London, England, folded letter endorsed "p. Pacific Steamer" and with bold strike of black "New York '42' May 25" debit exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Pacific from New York May 25 to Liverpool arriving Jun. 7, London (6.8) backstamp and "2/-" shilling double weight due rating; two file folds, F.-V.F., This was carried on maiden voyage of Pacific and second voyage of the Collins Line. Estimate $300 - 400.
New York debit marking showed 2x21¢ for double rate letter. London marked letter for 2x1 shilling postage due.
Realized: $2,500
Lot
388
1850 (Oct. 11) New York, N.Y. to London, England, folded letter endorsed "p. Atlantic Steamer" and with "New-York Oct 12" ocean mail cds with manuscript "84" cent debit to G.B., carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Oct. 12 to Liverpool arriving Oct. 24, London (10.25) arrival backstamp and manuscript "4" shilling due rating; light staining, Fine, a scarce example of this New York postmark on transatlantic mail. Estimate $200 - 300.
New York postmark, sometimes referred to as the first type of ocean mail marking, may have been created from the popular marking of the same form with the word "SHIP" above the date. New York debited G.B. 4x21¢ for quadruple rate letter and London marked 4x1 shilling for postage due.
Realized: $190
Lot
389
1851 (Oct. 25) Philadelphia, Pa. to Liverpool, reposted to Paris, cover with "Philada. Railroad" straightline, light strike of New York exchange debit cds, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Oct. 26 to Liverpool arriving Nov. 7, Liverpool America (11.7) with "1" shilling due rating h.s., paid by Brown Shipley & Co., re-entered mails with Liverpool (11.7) cds to Paris, red Calais (11.9) entry cds with "8" decimes due h.s., Paris (11.9) arrival backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter was handed to railroad agent on train to New York and not posted in Philadelphia. The "Philada Rail-road" straightline was applied at New York to show source of letter. A very scarce marking found on a transatlantic cover.
Realized: $850
Lot
390
1852 (Dec. 12) Augusta, Ga. to Belfast, Ireland, folded letter with blue "Augusta Ga. Dec. 13" cds with matching "Paid" and "24" rating h.s., New York red "3" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Collins Line Arctic from New York Dec. 20 to Liverpool arriving Jan. 1, Liverpool (1.1) backstamp and "ABOVE ½ Oz." straightline h.s., manuscript "1" due rating for additional rate only, London (1.2) and Belfast (1.2) backstamps, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
From February 1849 until December 1852, an informal agreement existed between the Liverpool and New York post offices regarding insufficiently prepaid mail. This agreement was not sanctioned by either government.
Contrary to the wording of the postal convention which prohibited partial prepayment, these two exchange offices allowed letters prepaid at least one full rate to receive credit for the prepayment and be forwarded to the other office. Here they were marked for the unpaid additional postage. This resulted in some examples of both credit and debit markings on the same letter, and in a collection of less than the full amount.
When the two governments discovered this private arrangement, the tried unsuccessfully to agree to a modification to the convention to legally permit this practice. By the end of 1852, each ordered its exchange office to cease the practice.
One of only six recorded covers showing this part-paid treatment. New York considered the letter required only one rate and sent it to Liverpool with a 3¢ credit for the single rate prepaid. Liverpool marked the letter "ABOVE ½ OZ." and allowed the single prepaid rate. One shilling for the second rate was the only postage due.
Realized: $900
Lot
391
1855 (Apr. 3) Troy, N.Y. to London, England, two covers from same correspondence with red "Troy N.Y. '24' " integral cds and matching fancy "Paid" handstamps, Apr. 3rd cover sent by American packet with New York "3" credit h.s. to G.B. and carried by Collins Line Atlantic departing New York Apr. 4 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 18; Sep. 12th sent by British Packet with Boston "19" credit h.s. to G.B. and carried by Cunard Line Canada from Boston Sept. 12 to Liverpool arriving Sept. 23, a Very Fine exhibition pair. Estimate $200 - 300.
Troy, New York was one of the few U.S. cities that used a special circular datestamp to show the full prepayment for British treaty mails. The "24" in pencil on each cover was undoubtedly was placed on the envelope when the letter was taken to the Troy post office and prepaid. Later, the Troy circular datestamp was applied in a separate operation.
Realized: $230
Lot
392
1855 (Sep. 11) West Falls, N.Y. to Tibthrope, England, buff cover with blue "West Falls, Erie Co. N.Y. Sep 11" oval cds with matching framed "Paid" h.s. and manuscript "24" rating, New York red "3" credit h.s. to G.B., carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Sep. 19 to Liverpool arriving Sept. 30, red "Liverpool America Paid, SP 30" arrival cds, Very Fine, an unusual use of an early County postmark on transatlantic mail. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $240
Lot
393
1856 (Jul. 21) West Haverford, Pa. to Manchester, England, cover bearing 1852, 3¢ dull red, margins to cutting, tied by manuscript with matching "Paid 21ct in Money" adjacent, red "West Haverford Pa. Jul 21" cds, partial red Philadelphia "19" July 22 exchange credit cds, carried by Cunard Line Africa from New York Jul. 23 to Liverpool arriving Aug. 3, red "Liverpool America Paid AU 3" arrival cds; some edgewear, F.-V.F., an uncommon use of partial payment with 3¢ stamp and remainder in cash. Scott No. 11 Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $150
Lot
394
1857 (Mar. 17) Salem, Mass. to Liverpool, England, blue folded letter to Captain of Ship Shirley, red "Salem Mass. Mar. 17" cds and large black "24" unpaid rate h.s., "N. York Br. Pkt. '5' Mar 18" exchange debit cds, carried by Cunard Line Persia from Mar. 18 to Liverpool arriving Mar. 28, experimental Liverpool (3.29) arrival cds with black "1/-" shilling due rating, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Unusual Liverpool circular datestamp with two rows of dots below was issued from G.P.O. on 10 May 1856. Some consider the style experimental, but a second marking was issued on 28 February 1857. Since there is a normal Liverpool arrival packet marking on the reverse, its use here is not understood. Examples of this marking are not that common.
Realized: $125