Lot
469 
1865 (Sep. 1) New Castle-on-Tyne, England to Boston Mass., blue folded letter bearing G.B. 1s green tied by "545" grid cancel duplexed with "New Castle-on-Tyne, SP 1 65" cds, two-line "Insufficiently / Prepaid" handstamp, manuscript "38" cent debit rating, carried by Cunard Line Asia from Liverpool Sep. 2nd to Boston arriving Sep. 15th, Boston "67 In U.S. Notes" depreciated currency circular handstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $170
Lot
470
1865 (Oct. 2) Portland Me. to St. Petersburg, Russia, cover bearing 30¢ orange (71) cancelled by target duplexed with "Portland Me. Oct 2, 1865" cds, a 5¢ stamp removed by postal clerk after being entered as a fully prepaid cover for the 35¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate but actually sent at the 30¢ French mail rate, red "Portland Me. 'Paid' Oct. 6" exchange office datestamp and red crayon "27" cent credit rating to France, carried by Allan Line Moravian from Quebec Oct. 7th to Londonderry arriving Oct. 17th, French (10.18) transit and matching "P.D." framed handstamp, blue "Aachen Franco" (10.18) circular datestamp struck partly where stamp was originally affixed; pencil "Rec'd Oct. 9/21. 1865" docketing at left, Very Fine and unusual Portland Exchange office use, ex-Blake, Lebow. Scott No. 71 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A RARE AND IMPORTANT PORTLAND EXCHANGE OFFICE COVER TO RUSSIA PREPAID AT THE 30¢ FRENCH MAIL RATE.
This is an unusual cover that was originally franked with an additional 5¢ stamp to pay the 35¢ rate via Prussian Closed mail, but after postmarking and prior to processing in the Portland exchange office, the postal clerk removed the 5¢ stamp and the letter was prepared for the 30¢ French mail rate. The red crayon "27" credit to France for 12¢ transatlantic packet to France (considered British even though Allan Line contracted to carry American mails) plus 15¢ foreign transit fee to Russia. There is at least one other recorded Pierce correspondence use, dated Oct 9, 1865, from Portland to Russia with a stamp removed originally intended for P.C.M. but sent by French mail. This cover is discussed in "United States-Russia Mail:1840-1875" by Winter, Chronicle 242, May 2014, pp. 168-187 as fig. 23.
Realized: $1,450
Lot
471
1866 (Dec. 10) New Brighton, Pa. to St. Gallen, Switzerland, 1864, 3¢ pink entire sent with origin cds and target cancelling, "New York, 6, Dec 12" cds and boxed "F./30" exchange markings, red crayon 110 centimes due with various transit and receiving backstamps, Very Fine, a unusual unpaid usage. Scott No. U58 Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
472
1866 (Feb. 12) Dumfries, Scotland to St. Louis Mo., blue cover with "Dumfries, FE 12, 66" single-arc cds, Liverpool (2.13) backstamp with matching "3/Cents" debit handstamp, carried by Allan Line North American from Liverpool Feb. 15th to Portland arriving Mar. 2nd, blue "Chicago Am. Pkt. '24' Mar 7" debit exchange cds and matching "30 / U.S. Notes" depreciated currency marking; reduced slightly rough at right, Fine, A rare Chicago depreciated currency marking. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $400
Lot
473
1866 (Jun. 30) New York N.Y. to Paris, France, blue cover bearing 15¢ black (77) cancelled by NYFM three-bar grid cancel, red "New York 'Paid 12' Jun 30" exchange credit cds, French packet (6.30) datestamp, carried by French Line Lafayette from New York Jun. 30th to Brest arriving Jul. 12th, Paris (7.13) arrival backstamp, forwarded to London with manuscript "2" rating, remailed with Great Britain 1d red tied by London (7.15) duplex to Russell Square; reduced at top slightly, a Very Fine and scarce forwarded use. Estimate $500 - 750.
Lot
474
1866 (Sep. 15) Liverpool, England to Lynchburg Va., printed circular bearing G.B. 1d red tied by "Liverpool, SP 15 66" duplex, printed "Per 'Cuba', via Queenstown" endorsement at top left, carried by Cunard Line Cuba from Queenstown Sep. 16th to Boston arriving Sep. 28th, unusual Lynchburg Va. small "2" circled due rating handstamp, fresh and Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lynchburg Va. was one of the few U.S. cities that actually used a handstamp to show the 2¢ postage due.
Realized: $550
Lot
475
1866 (Oct. 6) New York N.Y. to Manchester, England, cover bearing 24¢ gray (78) tied by NYFM four squares cancel, red "New York Am. Pkt. '3' Am. Pkt." exchange credit cds, carried by Inman Line City of Paris from New York Oct. 6th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 19th, red Liverpool Paid (10.19) cds, Manchester (10.19) arrival backstamp; small edge tear at left, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $160