Lot
4413 
Star Office Panama, red fancy illustrated oval handstamp showing Star with Rays on blue folded letter datelined "David Decr. 5th 1852" and addressed to Philadelphia Pa., forwarded by the Panama Star to Aspinwall where put on the United States Mail S.S. Co. Georgia leaving Dec. 16th and arriving at New York on Dec. 31st 1852, New York "Steamship 20" circular rating handstamp for the 20¢ rate over 2,500 miles; small stain and two file folds, F.-V.F. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Panama had a large number of forwarding agents, the earliest known to have used a cachet was in 1844. An unusual forwarder is found in the form of the English language newspaper, the "Panama Star" was first published on February 24th 1849.
Realized: $675
Lot
4414
(Wreck Mail) Steamer Winfield Scott, unusually bold strike of red two-line handstamp on 1853 buff cover addressed to Kalamazoo, Mich., bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) vertical pair, top stamp defective, tied by dotted grid cancel for prepaid rate over 3,000 miles, matching "Sonora Cal. Nov 28" origin cds adjacent; minor edge wear, tiny top edge stain, Very Fine, illustrated in color in "Letters of Gold" on page 74., ex-Frank Newton. Milgram No. 1461 Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE SEVEN KNOWN COVERS RECOVERED FROM THE WRECK OF THE "STEAMER WINFIELD SCOTT" AND THOUGHT TO BE THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE FRANKED WITH STAMPS.
The "Winfield Scott" was a 1,291-ton steamer built in New York City in 1851, which was put into service along the Pacific Coast route in 1852. The "Winfield Scott" was purchased by the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company from the New York and San Francisco Line in July 1853. One round trip between San Francisco and Panama, but on December 2, 1853, she was stranded off Anacapa Island in the Santa Barbara Channel and lost on her second trip for the company. The five mail bags, passengers, crew and cargo including gold species were saved. Nine examples of this two-line handstamp are recorded, of which two were carried before the "Winfield Scott" was commissioned into the Pacific service.
Below is the PMSSC's advertisement of November 28th 1853 in the San Francisco Sun giving the sailing details of the "Winfield Scott".
Realized: $6,000
Lot
4415
1850 (May 8) Panama to San Francisco, Cal., sent by Charles Loring (Chile forwarding agent) enroute from Valparaiso to New York City and Boston, carried on Law's Columbus from Panama May 16th to San Francisco, red "San Francisco Cal. 6 Jun" cds with matching "Ship 6" clamshell rating handstamp, Very Fine, A rare strike of the San Francisco fancy clamshell ship rating handstamp in red. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $280
Lot
4416
"Chincha Islands, September 18th 1855", manuscript dateline on folded letter addressed to Boston Mass., docketed "Ship Greenwich, Sailed for Hampton Roads from Chinchas, Sepr. 19/55" and "Paid" at top right, letter carried privately from the Chincha Islands off the Peruvian coast to Callao for transfer to the British packet to Panama, from there carried by United States S.S. Co. George Law arriving in New York on Oct. 30th, black "Steamship 20" circular circular handstamp for the 20¢ rate over 2,500 miles, Very Fine. Estimate $600 - 800.
On October 1st 1853, a Post Office regulation allowed for the transfer of mails from the west coast of South America carried by Royal Mail Packets to Panama to be transferred to the U.S. postal service. The British rate of 1 shilling was prepaid and a U.S. charge of 20¢ applied for the Aspinwall to New York service.
Interesting letter reads in part, "I am sorry to inform you that after loading the Ship (with guano) down to 19 feet she commenced leaking badly and she is now drawing 19 feet 11 inches & ¾ even keel, and I have drawn up a document certifying that the ship is drawing 20 feet and have it signed by a number of Ship Masters to that effect…My crew is very much dissatisfied about her coming in the ship on account of leaking badly, she is making about 2 inches of water an hour. I am coming home with her or sink".
Lot
4417
San Francisco Cal. 21 May, two strikes of cds tie 1¢ blue, type IV (9), four margins, and 3¢ dull red (11), margins except touched at bottom, on 10¢ green (U15) addressed to Bridgeport Vt., carried by John L. Stephens from San Francisco on May 21st 1856 to Aspinwall, then by the George Law on June 5th arriving in New York on June 16th 1856; some edge wear, Very Fine and attractive three-color use. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
On June 30th 1851, the rate for over 3,000 prepaid at 6¢ replaced the previous 40¢ rate between the west and east coasts. On April 1st 1855, after the opening of the Panama Rail Road in February the rate was increased to 10¢.
Realized: $850
Lot
4418
1858 (Jun. 23) San Diego Cal. to Midi-Pyrénées, France via Panama & New York, orange buff cover with "San Diego Cal. Jun 23" cds initially rated with manuscript "Paid 16 cts" in box notation. This was crossed out and "Paid 26" circular rating handstamp struck, neither of these rates was in accordance with current 15¢ up to ¾ ounce rate, black "New York Jul 24" cds and matching "Short Paid" framed handstamp struck as letter apparently over ¾ ounces, black "30" circular debit rating struck, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Boston July 28th and arriving at Liverpool Aug. 7th, Calais (10.10.1858) entry cds with matching "16" décimes due rating handstamp; minor edgewear, Very Fine and interesting error rate cover. Estimate $500 - 750.
Although the early sailings by the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company under their contract for the San Francisco to Panama route made landings at San Diego, these were dropped in the interest of speed in early 1851. It was not until October 1858 that a San Francisco to San Diego coastal route was contracted. It is probable that mails to and from San Diego were entrusted to coastal ships Masters who were known to be calling at San Francisco, Acapulco or Panama. They were either paid at the 2¢ ship letter rate, or a local contract for the trip negotiated.
Lot
4419
1861 (Apr. 11) Old Point Comfort Va. to San Francisco Cal. via Baltimore, partial red cds on 3¢ red Nesbitt buff entire bearing 1¢ blue, type V (24) and two 3¢ dull red (26) singles, all tied by matching red grids, carried by Route 4149 to Baltimore, blue "Baltimore Md. Apr 19" transit cds, then to New York and carried on steamship via Chagres to San Francisco; edge faults and reduced at right, Fine, an unusual routing. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
4420
San Francisco Feb 5, cds with matching "Purser" and "Due 7" straightline handstamps on orange circa 1866 cover incoming from Mexico or South America addressed to San Francisco Cal., bearing 3¢ rose (65) tied by matching target cancel; couple small edge tears, F.-V.F., The rare "Purser" handstamp recorded 1865 to 1867. Estimate $300 - 400.
Lot
4421
G.B. Post & Co. "Via Panama.", perfect strike of straightline handstamp on buff cover addressed to Medford Mass. with dark blue "G.B. Post & Co., Commission Merchants, San Francisco" octagonal embossed cameo on flap, manuscript "U.S. Mail Packet Sonora, Sept 30. 1854" endorsement and bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) vertical pair, positions 15-25L2L, cancelled by matching manuscript "X" cancels prepaying the 6¢ over 3,000 mile rate; slightly rough opening at top, Very Fine. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF G.B. POST & CO. "VIA PANAMA" DIRECTIONAL HANDSTAMP.
G.B. Post & Company of San Francisco were mail agents for the Hawaiian Post Office and handled other mails. They apparently utilized a "Via Panama" handstamp to ensure their mail went by this route rather than via Nicaragua. It is also common practice to endorse letters with the name and sailing date of the steamboat carrying the letters from San Francisco to Panama City.
Carried by the Pacific Mail Steam Ship "Sonora" leaving San Francisco Sept. 30th and arriving at Panama on October 4th. Put onto the United States Mail Steamship "George Law" leaving Chagres October 17th to New York arriving October 27th 1854.
Realized: $2,600
Lot
4422
Independent Line, Ahead of the Mails, Uncle Sam and North Star, Via Panama, double-oval propaganda cachet handstamp on buff cover to Reading Pa. bearing 1851, 3¢ dull red (11A), horizontal pair, tied by manuscript, straightline "Missent" handstamp, small flaws including reinforced flap, F.-V.F. Estimate $600 - 800.
Realized: $1,200