Sale 88: The Sescal Sale

Lot 577    

(French Retaliatory Rates) 1853 (Jan. 17) Marseille, France to New York, N.Y., folded letter with "13" décimes prepaid (not shown), carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Jan. 22nd to Boston arriving Feb. 5th, black "Boston Br. Packet 6 Feb" exchange cds with matching "21" due handstamp for French retaliatory rate; some "Ship" usages, group of Cunard Line sailings, etc., Very Fine and choice, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Only three eastbound and two westbound Cunard steamship voyages were made during the short 16-day French Retaliatory rate period between Jan. 24th and Feb. 10th 1853, when the United States collected 21¢ per ½ ounce on all letters exchanged between the U.S. and France via Great Britain.

Realized: $375

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Lot 578    

1853 (Feb. 1) San Francisco Cal. to Schaffhausen, Switzerland, folded cover with clear strike of "San Francisco Cal, 1 Feb" cds with matching "Paid" and large "26" rating handstamps, red "New York Am. Packet Mar 5" exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Arctic from New York Mar. 5th to Liverpool arriving Mar. 16th, red London (3.17) transit backstamp, red "Etats-Unis Paq.Am.A. Paris" (3.18) transit cds, Basel (3.19) transit backstamp with red crayon "270" rappen due rating, Mar. 20th arrival backstamp; some minor pencil doodles, F.-V.F. and scarce use from San Francisco at the 26¢ British Open Mail rate to Switzerland.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $230

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Lot 579    

1853 (Feb. 26) San Francisco, Cal. to London, England, blue folded cover with black "San Francisco Cal 1 Mar" cds with matching "Paid" and "29" rate handstamps, Boston red "19" credit handstamp to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Canada from Boston Mar. 30 to Liverpool arriving Apr. 10, red London (4.11) tombstone date stamp, Very Fine, the only recorded example of this "29" rate handstamp in black, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Letter carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Oregon" from San Francisco to Panama City and by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Georgia" from Chagres to New York. Under U.S.-G.B. Convention, U.S. internal portion of total rate from West Coast was 10¢ from July 1851 until July 1863, or 5¢ more than other locations in the U.S.

Realized: $575

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Lot 580    

1853 (Oct. 13) Columbia, Cal. to London, England, buff cover bearing "Columbia, Cal." two-line postmark with manuscript "Oct 13" dating and matching "Paid" and crude "29" in circle rating handstamps, New York red "3" credit handstamp, red London Paid (11.2.1853) arrival cds; small edge tear and flap faults fixed, otherwise Very Fine and scarce.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $100

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Lot 581    

1853 (Oct. 16) San Francisco Cal. to London, England, blue folded cover with "San Francisco Cal. 16 Oct" cds with matching "Paid 29" rating handstamp, New York red "3" credit handstamp to G.B., carried by Collins Line Arctic from New York Nov. 12 to Liverpool arriving Nov. 23, London (11.24) arrival cds, F.-V.F., the earliest of only three examples of this "PAID 29" straightline, ex-Winter.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter carried by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer Golden Gate from San Francisco to Panama City and U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer George Law from Aspinwall to New York. Blue pencil "29" written when letter taken to San Francisco post office, later to be marked with rate handstamp when mail prepared for departure. Although the PAID 29 handstamp was used from October 1853-February 1855, it is surprising scarce.

Realized: $130

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Lot 582    

1853 (Dec. 6) New York N.Y. to Canton, China, gray folded letter from the Augustine Heard correspondence with red "New-York, Br. Pkt., Dec 6" exchange cds and pencil "65" cent prepaid rating, magenta "60" cent credit to G.B., endorsed "Overland Mail", carried by Cunard Line Canada from Boston Dec. 7th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 20th, red London "Paid, 1853, 19 DE 19" transit cds, indistinct arrival backstamp; horizontal fold wear, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $220

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Lot 583    

1856 (Jul. 24) Madeira to Washington, D.C., double-weight light buff cover with enclosed letter from Dr. George Clymer, surgeon on the U.S. Frigate St. Lawrence datelined "San Antonio da Serra. Madeira, July 13th. 1856." to his daughter sent unpaid via British open mail, entered mails with "Madeira, JY 23, 1856" double-arc backstamp, carried as endorsed by African Steamship Co. Niger from Funchal Jul. 23rd to Plymouth arriving Jul. 29th, reverse with "Plymouth, Packet Letter, JY 30, 1856" cds and red London (7.31) transit cds, London manuscript "1.20" debit to U.S. for transit and sea postage, carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Aug. 2nd to Boston arriving Aug. 13th, "Boston, Br. Pkt., 13 Aug" exchange cds and debit update to "1.40" for $1.40 due, Very Fine and scarce double rate from Madeira.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

London's debit of $1.20 to the U.S. was correct (double 65¢ rate, less 10 cents for U.S. inland). The Boston clerk may have thought it was a ship letter, so added 10¢.

Realized: $130

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Lot 584    

1857 (Jul. 29) Boston Mass. to Hong Kong, China, folded letter with red "Boston Paid, 29 Jul, Br. Pkt." exchange cds with pencil "5" prepaid rating, blue London (8.10) transit backstamp and manuscript "1/5" 1s5d rating, Hong Kong (9.10) double-arc receiver, docketed "Ans. Sept. 25/57", Very Fine printed circular use.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $200

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Lot 585    

1858 (Aug. 7) Havana, Cuba to Paris, France via Charleston and New York, gray folded letter with Charleston "Steam-Ship" oval and bold "10" cent due handstamp, red "New-York, Br. Pkt. Aug 18" exchange backstamp and red crayon "40" cent rating, carried by Cunard Line Persia from New York Aug. 18th to Queenstown arriving Aug. 28th, Calais (8.30) entry cds and "12" décimes due handstamp, Paris (8.31) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and interesting use from Cuba.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $280

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Lot 586    

1862 (May 26) Baltimore Md. to London, England, blue folded cover with blue "Baltimore Md., May 26" cds and matching bold "24" cent rating handstamp, clear "Boston Br. Pkt. '5' May 28" debit exchange cds, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston May 28th to Queenstown arriving Jun. 8th, scarce on-board purser's black "1/-" shilling due handstamp, red London (6.10.62) arrival backstamp, Extremely Fine, ex-Bolton, Feldman.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

This was carried on the final voyage of the Cunard Line "Niagara".

Realized: $110

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