Lot
918 
1844 (Dec. 1) Kirkcaldy, Scotland To Shippensburgh, Pa., folded letter datelined "Gallaton", postmarked straightline "Kirkcaldy/1 Dec/1844" and boxed "Paid at Kirkcaldy" with red crayon "1/-", manuscript endorsement "Per Steamer, Prepaid", clear blue "20¾" U.S rate handstamp, two British transit backstamps, Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $140
Lot
919
1844 Le Havre To Boston, folded letter datelined Rochelle, bold red "Bureau Maritimes/ (Havre)/ 9 Aout 1844" and "New-York Ship, Sep 11" cds, blue manuscript "29" rate, Extremely Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $300
Lot
920
1845 (Jan. 2) Edinburgh, Scotland To New York, N.Y., folded letter with "Paid at Edinh, Jan. 2" cds and red manuscript "1/-" rating, red "Paid/1d Edin" framed handstamp, Liverpool (1.4) backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool Jan. 4 to Boston arriving Jan. 24, blue manuscript "20¾" rating for 18¾¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, F.-V.F., Carried on the maiden voyage of the Cunard Line Cambria. ex-Pullin. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $80
Lot
921
1846 (Jun. 5) Malaga, Spain To Boston, Mass., folded letter with bold strike of red Malaga (6.5) origin cds unpaid to London with ms. "10" pence due rating, addressed to be forwarded by Baring Bros. in London, remailed with red London paid (6.17) maltese cross datestamp with red manuscript "1/-" rating, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Jun. 19 to Boston arriving Jul. 4, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $100
Lot
922
1846 (Jun. 13) Bremen, Germany To Baltimore, Md., blue folded letter with Bremen (6.13) framed datestamp and "Franco" straightline with manuscript "frco 22" silbergroschen prepaid rating for all transit fees to U.S., manuscript "1/8" 1s8d Bremen credit to G.B., although endorsed via Holland, letter instead sent via Havre, Belgium (6.16 backstamp), London Paid (6.18) and Liverpool (6.18) transits, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Jun. 19 to Boston arriving Jul. 4, Baltimore blue "12" due handstamp for 2¢ ship fee plus 10¢ inland postage, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $350
Lot
923
1846 (Aug. 14) Bremen, Germany To Baltimore, Md., two folded letters from same correspondence handled by different routes (Aug. 14) with Bremen dcds and matching "Franco" straightline with red ms. "1/6" 1s6d credit to England, travelled from Bremen via Cuxhaven by sea to England, G.B. entitled 6d transit fee under Anglo-Bremen treaty of 1841 and 1s packet rate to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Aug. 19 to Boston arriving Sep. 3, Baltimore small blue "12" due rating for 2¢ ship fee plus 10¢ inland postage (Sep. 12) with Bremen dcds and matching "Franco" straightline, travelled from Bremen via Netherlands and private ship across English Channel to London, G.B. entitled to 8d transit fee under Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1843 and 1s packet fee to U.S., carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Sep. 19 to Boston arriving Oct. 3, Baltimore small blue "12" due rating for 2¢ ship fee plus 10¢ inland postage; Very Fine, interesting pair of covers showing. Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
924
1847 (Dec. 30) Baltimore, Md. To Amsterdam, folded letter with blue "Baltimore Md. Dec 30" cds and matching "Paid" and "10" oval handstamps, carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from New York Jan. 2 to Liverpool arriving Jan. 16, London (1.17) backstamp with manuscript "3/4" debit rating to Netherlands, scarce red "ENG CORRESP./Over SCHAGE" two-line backstamp and manuscript "220" Dutch cents final due rating; minor discoloring, Fine, This was carried on the first Cunard sailing from New York. Estimate $100 - 150.
The Cunard Line Hibernia departed New York at 0800 on January 2, 1848 on the first voyage of a Cunard steamer from New York to Liverpool. She was detained by dense fog from scheduled Jan. 1st sailing. Hereafter, sailing were to and from Boston and New York alternately.
Realized: $95
Lot
925
1848 (Jan. 1) Liverpool To New Orleans, folded printed Prices Current postmarked bold red octagonal boxed "Paid at/ Liverpool/ Ja 1 1848" with equally bold red handstamped "1/-", manuscript endorsement "Cambria Steamer via New York", partial red "(New York)/ 12cts, Jan 19" exchange office cds, Very Fine. Estimate $75 - 100.
Realized: $80
Lot
926
1848 (Jan. 13) Gibraltar To Petersburg, Va., datelined folded letter with framed "Gibraltar / Paid" handstamp, red manuscript "4/-" shilling rating, Liverpool (1.30) transit d.s., carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Jan. 30 to New York arriving Feb. 16, red "New York 'Ship' Feb 17" cds with blue manuscript "22" rating for 20¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; light fold stain, F.-V.F. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $90
Lot
927
1848 (Mar. 21) New York, N.Y. To Montpelier, France, no datestamp but presumably originated in New York and prepaid 24¢ for the American packet rate to France, carried as endorsed on Ocean Line Hermann arriving at Southampton Apr. 11th, upon arrival in England, the American mail agent, William Iselin, arranged for the transport of this letter directly to France, without passing through the London Foreign Office. As such, this letter did not receive the usual COLONIES/ &c.ART.13 handstamp, but instead, was struck with the "Outre-Mer, Le Havre, Avril 13" entry cds as ship letter and manuscript "21" decimes was required to pay the 1 decime ship letter fee plus the French internal postage on a letter weighing 10 grams, Very Fine, Carried on the Maiden Voyage of the Ocean Line Hermann. Estimate $400 - 600.
Beginning 1 June 1847, the United States provided its first contract steamship service for carrying mail to and from Europe, via the Ocean Line. The fee associated with this service was 24¢ per ½ ounce, plus the U.S. internal postage to New York (5¢ for distances less than 300 miles, or 10¢ for greater distances). The 24¢ prepayment represented only the transatlantic portion of the transit, so that all such letters were considered unpaid beyond the British port of arrival. Note that only the letters from voyages two through six of the Ocean Line were never placed into the British Mails, and entered France as private ship letters.
Realized: $525