Sale 50: United States Postal History

Lot 518    

(Restored Rates) 1849 (Jan. 3) Constantinople, Turkey to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter endorsed "Per Steamer Niagara", red "Paid at Liverpool, JA 27 1849" postmark and magenta "1/" shilling prepaid packet rating, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Jan. 27 to Boston arriving Feb. 11, red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' Feb 11" cds and matching red "12" rating h.s. for the 10¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and scarce restored rate usage from Turkey.
Estimate    $400 - 500.

Letter carried privately from Constantinople to Liverpool, probably on the French steamship Alexandre to Marseille because of the quick time from Turkey. Agent in Liverpool posted letter and paid 1s packet rate. Letter carried on third of four Cunard mail voyages to the U.S. during six week period when pre-retaliatory rates were restored before U.S.-U.K. postal convention became effective.

Realized: $325

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Lot 519    

1859 (Jul. 11) New Bedford, Mass. to Alexandria, Egypt via Liverpool, cover carried privately and posted with red "Boston Paid B. Pkt. 13 Jul" exchange cds, endorsed "via Marseilles", pencil "35" for PCM rate to Egypt, red crayon "12" cent credit to Prussia, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from Boston Jul. 13 to Liverpool arriving Jul. 23, Aachen (7.26) transit with red crayon "f. 3" sgr. credit, Trieste (7.30) and Austrian Post Office Alexandria (8.16) backstamps, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Although endorsed "Via Marseille" it did not go by the British mail route via France. Instead it was sent by the Prussian mail via Trieste. The letter was underpaid 3¢ for the 38¢ rate by Prussian closed mail to Egypt, but was allowed to go through as fully paid (reason unknown). Boston applied proper 12¢ credit for the rate paid. Prussia showed 3 sgr. weiterfranco (paid beyond GAPU), accepting statement that proper prepayment (38¢) made, while receiving the equivalent of only 2 sgr. "foreign" fees. Another example going beyond Trieste is known posted at Boston and sent in the Prussian mail insufficiently paid.

Realized: $650

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Lot 520    

1864 (Jun. 21) Alexandria, Egypt to Kittery Point, Me. via Portland Packet, cover with red British Post Office "Alexandria JU 21 '64" origin cds and red "1/2" 1s2d prepaid rating for all transit fees, red London Paid (7.1) transit and red "16/cents" credit to U.S., carried by Allan Line Peruvian from Londonderry Jul. 2 to Quebec arriving Jul. 12, "Portland Me. Am. Pkt. '5' Jul 14, 1864" exchange cds; opened at right, Very Fine and scarce Portland Packet use from Egypt.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Letter carried from Alexandria to Marseille by P&O steamer "Delta", then went overland to Paris, Calais, cross channel to Dover, and then to London. On the transatlantic voyage, Peruvian put the Portland mails off at Rivière du Loup on the St. Lawrence, to go by rail to Portland.

Realized: $500

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Lot 521    

1867 (Jul. 20) Smyrna, Turkey to New York, N.Y., folded letter with Austrian Post Office "Smirne 20/7" cds, blue crayon "4" sgr. debit to Prussia for all transit fees from Turkey, partial "Aachen 29/7 10 Cts." cds debit to U.S., carried by North German Lloyd Line Weser II from Southampton July 30 to New York Aug. 10, "N.Y. Am Pkt, '35' or U.S. Notes '48', Aug 11" depreciated currency cds, Very Fine, very scarce rate in effect for only 10 months, the only recorded example of this depreciated currency marking.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $400

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