Lot
433 
1853 (Sep. 9) New York, N.Y. to Wohlen, Switzerland, blue folded letter with red "New-York Am. Packet Sep 10" exchange cds and pencil "21" prepaid rating for British open mail, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Sep. 10 to Southampton arriving Sep. 23, Le Havre (9.24) entry cds, Basel (9.26) backstamp, Wohlen (9.27) arrival cds, red crayon "130" rappen due rating, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Prepayment written in pencil lower left by New York post office. Once mails put off in the Solent near Southampton, an auxiliary steamer carried them to Havre and the letter never went ashore in England. French entry marking "ETATS-UNIS PAQ.AM.A. LE HAVRE" was used on letters carried by Ocean Line steamers to Southampton and then conveyed by auxiliary steamer to Havre. While not a rare marking, it is also not common. Basel marked letter for 130 rappen, the postage due for letters arriving from steamers to England going to the first Swiss rayon. Since Wohlen was in the second rayon, letter properly was due 130 rappen.
Lot
434
1854 (Jan. 2) Philadelphia Pa. to Wohlen, Switzerland, blue folded letter with red "Philadelphia Pa. 'Paid' Jan 2" cds and matching "Phila., 5 Cts., Paid" framed handstamp, partial "Boston Br. Pkt. Jan 4" exchange backstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line America from Boston Jan. 4th to Liverpool arriving Jan. 16th, red London (1.17) transit backstamp, red Paris (1.18) transit cds, Basel (1.19) transit backstamp, blue Wohlen (1.30) arrival cds, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Although Philadelphia became an exchange office on January 1, 1854, this letter dated Jan. 2nd was not exchanged by Philadelphia.
Lot
435
1854 (Jan. 13) Boston Mass. to Paris, France, datelined folded letter with red "Paid" straightline and blue crayon "44" rating, red "New York Am. Packet, Jan 16" exchange cds, carried by Havre Line Nashville from New York Jan. 16th to Havre arriving Feb. 3rd, red Le Havre (2.3) entry cds and black "6" decimes rating handstamp; some edge flaws, F.-V.F., Carried on the maiden voyage of the Nashville for the Havre Line. Estimate $200 - 300.
This letter was carried by the steamship "Nashville" that was on charter to the Havre Line as a replacement for the "Humboldt", recently lost. "Nashville" made two round voyages for the Havre Line.
Lot
436
1854 (Jan. 16) San Francisco Cal. to Wakefield, England, endorsed "per Adams Co. Express" at top left, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal. 16 Jan" cds and matching "PAID 29" straightline handstamp, red crayon "29", carried by John L. Stephens to Panama and then George Law from Chagres to N.Y., New York red "3" cent credit handstamp, carried by Havre Line Franklin from New York Feb. 16th to Southampton arriving Feb. 28th, red London Paid (2.28) cds Wakefield (3.1) arrival backstamp, no backflap, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $350
Lot
437
1854, 1857 San Francisco, Ca. to Great Britain, two folded covers, 1854 (Mar. 28) carried by Oregon from San Francisco Apr. 1st to Panama Apr. 15th, then by Illinois Chagres Apr. 17th to New York Apr. 29th, then by Collins Line Arctic to Liverpool arriving May 10th, green Liverpool 'America' (5.10) backstamp and matching green "ART-5 / U.S. Pkt." two-line handstamp, black "1/1½" due rating handstamp, red Worcester (5.12) arrival backstamp; 1857 (Nov.) from San Francisco via Panama and N.Y., then by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Dec. 2nd to Liverpool arriving Dec. 14th, black Liverpool 'America' (12.14.57) backstamp and "ART-5 / Br. Pkt." two-line, matching "1/2½" due rating, handstamp, couple tape stains, F.-V.F., A scarce pair of San Francisco covers showing the two Article 5 markings. Estimate $400 - 600.
The U.S. - G.B. Treaty specified the rate under Article 5 of the treaty and handstamps were applied at Liverpool stating "ART-5 / B.R. PKT." and "ART-5 / U.S. PKT.".
Realized: $425
Lot
438
1854 (Dec. 9) Liverpool, England to Concord N.H., blue tissue paper cover bearing G.B. 1s green embossed (SG #5), cut to shape, tied by "134" oval grid cancel, blue Liverpool (12.9.1854) backstamp and red "5 / Cents" credit handstamp, carried by Cunard line America from Liverpool Dec. 9th to Boston arriving Dec. 25th, red "Boston Br. Pkt. 'Paid 24' Dec 25" exchange credit cds, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
This Christmas day arrival was the first Cunard voyage under the G.B. Crimean War restrictions where Cunard Line ships called only at Boston until 1856.
Lot
439
1855 c. England to Farmer N.Y., wrapper endorsed "Book Post" bearing two G.B. 1d red singles tied by oval grid cancels; left stamp torn, Fine and rare use at the 2¢ book post rate. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $120
Lot
440
1855 (Jan. 6, Dec. 7) London, England to Richmond Va., two blue folded covers, 1855 (Dec. 7) bearing G.B. 1d red tied by "42" oval grid, red London (12.7) backstamp, blue "John K. Gilliat & Cos., Circular, Registered" double-oval handstamp and red manuscript "p. Asia" endorsement at top left, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Asia from Liverpool Dec. 8th to Boston arriving Dec. 19th, red crayon "2" cent due rating, vertical fold; 1855 (Jan. 6) bearing G.B. 1d red tied by "42" oval grid and with John K. Gilliat & Co. 1d Newspaper backstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Canada, Richmond red crayon "2" cent due rating, file fold damages stamp, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Richmond marked the circular for 2¢ postage due, which was usually omitted in most U.S. cities.
Realized: $140
Lot
441
1855 (Jan. 20) Troy Oh. to Tubingen, Germany, buff cover with clear "Troy Ohio. Jan 20" cds and manuscript "22" cent rating, partial black "N. York Am. Pkt. '23' Jan 24" integral debit exchange cds with the "23" obliterated by circular grid cancel and corrected with sharp strike of "N. York U.S. Pkt. '14' Jan 27" exchange debit cds, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Jan. 27th to Southampton Feb. 13th as the vessel did not proceed to Bremerhaven due to inclement weather, Frankfurt (2.20) backstamp, red "24/9 Kr.R. America uber Bremen" exchange handstamp, total transit fee "33" restated in blue manuscript; small top edge tears reinforced, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
442
1855 (Apr. 5) Liverpool, England to Philadlephia Pa., folded letter with manuscript "pr Nashville" endorsement, green "Liverpool, AP 5, 1855" double-arc and Liverpool (4.6) backstamp with matching "3/Cents" debit rating, carried by Collins Line Nashville from Liverpool Ar. 7th to New York arriving Apr. 22nd, "Philadelphia Am. Pkt. '24' Apr 22" due exchange cds; tone spot, F.-V.F., Carried on the only return voyage of the Nashville for the Collins Line. Estimate $300 - 400.
The "Nashville" was chartered by the Collins line to make only one round voyage in place of the "Pacific", which was unable to make the voyage.