Lot
1516 
1838 (Jun. 25) New York N.Y. to Sheffield, England, datelined folded letter with prepaid manuscript "50" cent for double the 25¢ steamship freight money fee, carried by Great Western on 2nd return from New York Jun. 25th to Bristol arriving Jul. 8th, partial "Bristol/Ship Letter" framed handstamp with manuscript "1/6" due rating for 8d ship fee plus 10d inland, re-rated "3/-" for three schillings due, Very Fine, ex-J. Pullin. Estimate $500 - 750.
THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED EXAMPLE OF FREIGHT MONEY FEE COLLECTION FOR ANY STEAMSHIP VOYAGE.
June 25, 1838 New York Commercial Advertiser contained an advertisement "Letters received on board will be charged 25¢ per single letter, large letter and parcels in proportion". This was the birth of the Freight Money charge for service provided by steamships. This fee remained in effect until the first voyage of an American owned steamship departing New York June 1, 1847. We offered another example from Dick Winter's collection from this "Great Western" voyage showing freight money prepayment (Sale 50, lot 81).
Letter taken to ship agent's office and paid the 25¢ freight money fee. It is very uncommon to find the freight money fee marked on any letters from New York with only a few examples known and those from the start of the freight money period.
Realized: $350
Lot
1517
1838 (Oct. 1) Baltimore, Md. to London, England, folded cover with partial red "Baltimore Md. Oct 1" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp, red manuscript "Ship 25" and "18¾" ratings for 25¢ steamship freight money fee plus 18¾¢ inland postage to N.Y., carried by Great Western on 4th return voyage from New York Oct. 4th to Bristol arriving Oct. 17th, "Bristol/Ship-Letter" framed handstamp with manuscript "1/5" due 1s5d rating for 8d ship fee plus 9d inland, London (10.18) arrival backstamp, Extremely Fine, This is the earliest recorded freight money cover from Baltimore., ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $200 - 300.
Postage due consisted of 8d incoming ship fee plus 9d inland fee from Bristol to London (distance just under 120 miles). Early freight money covers from Baltimore show manuscript "Ship" alongside rate markings.
Realized: $110
Lot
1518
1839 (Mar. 30) Baltimore, Md. to London, England, folded cover showing red "Baltimore Md. Mar 31" cds with matching "Paid" and red manuscript "75" and "50" ratings for 4x 18¾¢ inland postage and 4x 12½¢ sailing freight money fee, red "New-York APL 1" cds, carried by Black Ball Line Cambridge from New York Apr. 1st to Liverpool arriving Apr. 29th, "Liverpool/Ship Letter" and London (4.30) backstamps, manuscript "4/9" due 4s9d rating for 3x 8d ship fee plus 3x 11d inland postage, Very Fine and choice, a scarce New York "APL" datestamped freight money letter, ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $400 - 600.
Postage due of 4s9d consisted of 3x8d incoming ship letter fee plus 3x11d inland fee from Liverpool to London (206 miles). Baltimore used no consistent pattern of writing freight money fee over inland fee or vice verse. Here the inland charge was written over the freight money fee.
Realized: $200
Lot
1519
1839 (Jun. 10) Baltimore Md. to London, England, folded letter showing red "Baltimore Md. Jun 11" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with red manuscript "50" and "37½" ratings for 2x 25¢ steamship freight money fee plus 2x 18¾¢ inland postage, endorsed at top left "Paid Mail & ship postage", red "New-York Jun 12" cds, carried by Great Western on 8th return from New York Jun. 13th to Bristol arriving Jun. 27th, "Bristol/Ship Letter" handstamp and manuscript "2/10" due 2s10d due rating for 2x 8d ship fee plus 2x 9d inland, London (6.28) backstamp, Very Fine, ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $150
Lot
1520
1839 (Dec. 10) Charleston S.C. to Greenock, Scotland, datelined folded letter with red "Charleston S.C., Dec 10" cds and matching "Paid" handstamps with "25" rating for 25¢ freight money fee and "25" for 25¢ inland postage to N.Y., carried by Transatlantic S.S. Co. Liverpool from Dec. 15th to Liverpool arriving Jan. 11th, sharp "Liverpool / Ship Letter" two-line backstamp and matching large "8" due handstamp for 8d ship letter fee, F.-V.F., an early freight money use in the 8d uniform ship fee period, ex-J. Pullin. Estimate $300 - 400.
Lot
1521
1840 (Feb. 13) Toronto, Upper Canada to London, England, large folded letter with "City of Toronto U.C. FE 13 1840" origin double circle datestamp, matching "Paid" h.s. with magenta "2/4 & 100" rating for four-times 7dcy = 2s4d Canadian postage and 4x 25¢ steamship freight money fee, carried by Black Ball Line England from New York Feb. 25th to Liverpool arriving Mar. 17th, "Liverpool/Ship Letter" backstamp with manuscript "2/8" rating for four-times the 8d uniform ship letter rate, ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $200 - 300.
England had to wait at anchor for favorable winds and sailed a couple of days late. Since the pioneer steamship Liverpool was no longer operating from New York to Liverpool (it had been sold), the New York postmaster placed the letter on a sailing ship and refunded 4 x 12½¢ = 50¢ to the Toronto office.
Realized: $140
Lot
1522
1840 (Mar. 16) Richmond Va. to Liverpool, England, folded letter with blue "Richmond Va. Mar 16" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with blue manuscript "18¾" cent rating for postage to New York, flap with matching blue "Steam" and "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "25" rating for freight money fee, carried by Great Western S.S. Co. Great Western from New York Mar. 19th to Bristol arriving Apr. 3rd, "Bristol/Ship Letter" handstamp with manuscript "8" pence due rating for ship fee, some light fold soiling, F.-V.F., ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $200
Lot
1523
1840 (Dec. 4) Baltimore, Md. to Rotterdam, Netherlands, folded letter showing red "Baltimore, Md. Dec 4" cds with manuscript "18¾" and "25" ratings for 18¾¢ inland postage and 25¢ steamship freight money fee, red "New York Dec 10" cds and matching "Too Late" handstamp, carried by Havre Line Formosa from New York Dec. 16th to Havre arriving Jan. 12th, red Havre arrival cds, Rotterdam (1.16) arrival backstamp and manuscript "80" Dutch cents due rating, F.-V.F., A scarce freight money letter via France to Rotterdam, ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter endorsed for the steamship Great Western from New York, however it arrived at New York the day after the steamship sailed. It was marked with a red handstamp "TOO LATE" and placed on the next sailing packet for France. The New York postmaster normally returned unused freight money fees to the origin post office. Letter marked for 80 Dutch Cents postage due, 50 Cents French transit and 30 Cents for Dutch transit from Bergen to Rotterdam. Letter considered a freight money cover even though it was transported across the Atlantic on a vessel that did not charge the freight money fee.
Realized: $150
Lot
1524
1842 (Oct. 6) Baltimore, Md. to London, England, folded cover showing blue "Baltimore Md. Oct 6" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with magenta "18¾" and "25" ratings for 18¾¢ inland postage and 25¢ steamship freight money fee, carried by British Queen under Belgian flag from New York on 3rd return from New York Oct. 7 to Portsmouth arriving Nov. 3, red London (11.3) cds and "Ship Letter" backstamps, large manuscript "8" pence due rating for ship fee, Very Fine, One of only two recorded British Queen freight money letters carried under Belgian flag., ex-Hegland, J. Pullin. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $150
Lot
1525
1846 (Jun. 7) Philadelphia, Pa. to Dewsbury, England, folded letter with blue "Philadelphia Pa. Jun 7" cds with matching "Paid" handstamp and blue manuscript "30" cents rating, carried by Great Britain from New York Jun. 8th to Liverpool arriving Jun. 22nd, Liverpool Ship (6.22) backstamp with handstamped "8" pence incoming ship due rating, Wakefield (6.23) and Dewsbury (6.23) backstamps, Very Fine, ex-Winter, J. Pullin. Estimate $200 - 300.
Letter prepaid the 25¢ freight money fee for a steamship plus 5¢ inland fee to New York. Carried on 2nd of 4 return voyages by "Great Britain" before running aground.
Realized: $210