Lot
4017 
Australian States: New South Wales, 1844 (Mar. 3) Sydney, New South Wales to Rome N.Y. via Salem Mass., datelined folded letter with partial red "Ship Letter, Sydney, MR 14, 1844" crowned rimless oval and magenta "3" pence prepaid rating for ship letter fee, carried by whaler to Salem, entered mails with blue "Salem, Mass. Apr 16" cds and matching "Ship" handstamp with magenta "20¾" rating for 18¾¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee, forwarded to Albany with light strikes of red "Rome N.Y." cds and matching "Forwarded" straightline with ms. "12½" rating totalled to "33¼" cents due; edge splitting and soiling, Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $950
Lot
4018
Australian States: New South Wales, 1848 (May 5) Sydney, New South Wales to Boston Mass., folded letter with red "Paid Ship Letter, Sydney, MY * 5, 1848" rimless crown oval and red manuscript "3" pence rating for ship fee, carried by private ship via Cape Horn, entered mails with red "New-York 'Ship 7 cts' Jan 27" integral due cds for 5¢ for domestic postage plus 2¢ ship captain fee; edge wear, F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
The New York "Ship 7cts" cds is recorded used from November 1845 to December 1850.
Realized: $675
Lot
4019
Australian States: New South Wales, 1853 (Sep. 7) Sydney, New South Wales to Natchez, Miss. via New Bedford Mass., blue cover bearing New South Wales, 3d yellow green (9), corner crease, tied by barred oval, matching "Ship Letter, Sydney, SE 7, 1853" rimless crown backstamp; carried by Whaler Berkshire via Cape Horn, entered mails with "New Bedford Mass., Mar 2" and matching "Ship" and "7" rating handstamps for 5¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; some cosmetic edge reinforcing, Very Fine appearance. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $325
Lot
4020
Australian States: New South Wales, 1853 (Sep. 8) Sydney, New South Wales to New Bedford Mass., legal-size blue cover bearing New South Wales, 3d yellow green (9), mostly large margins, tied by multiple strikes of barred ovals for quadruple the 3d ship fee, matching "Ship Letter, Sydney, SE 7, 1853" rimless crown backstamp; carried as endorsed by Whaler Berkshire via Cape Horn, entered mails with New Bedford "Ship" straightline and manuscript "6" due rating for 6¢ post of entry ship fee, Very Fine. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE ON COVER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES 3D LAUREATED.
This was carried on the same voyage as the previous lot but address to the port of entry. This was a quadruple weight ship letter in Sydney, but the 6¢ collect charge at the port of entry was not dependent on weight. Had it been sent via England, the addressee would have paid four-times 37¢, or $1.48.
Lot
4021
Australian States: Victoria, 1853 (Nov. 4) Bendigo Creek, Victoria to Boston Mass. via New Orleans, buff cover with red "Paid, Bendigo, 4 NO 1853" rimless postmark and red crayon "5" pence prepaid rating for 5¢ ship rate from interior, Melbourne (11.9) transit backstamp, sent on ship John McKenzie via Cape Horn to New Orleans, entered mails with red "New Orleans, Mar 4" cds and "Ship 7" rating handstamp, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED COVER FROM AUSTRALIA BY DIRECT SHIP TO NEW ORLEANS.
Realized: $1,900
Lot
4022
Australian States: Victoria, 1866 (Jan. 25) Melbourne, Australia to Boston Mass., cover bearing Victoria, 6d gray black (71) cancelled by "Victoria" barred oval duplexed with "Melbourne, JA 25 '66" cds, red framed "Insufficiently Paid via the United Kingdom" framed handstamp, sent by private ship via Cape Horn direct to New York, "New-York Ship '6 Cts.' Jul 19" cds and two strikes of "6" due handstamp; reduced at right with upper right corner repair, otherwise F.-V.F. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Postage in Southampton would have been 14d, but letter would have arrived more than three months earlier. This is a very late example of a direct "opportunity sailing" to New York.
Realized: $1,250