Lot
5108 
1852 (Oct. 29) Philadelphia Pa. to Heilbronn, Württemberg, blue folded letter sheet with blue "Philadelphia Pa., Oct 29" cds and matching "20" rate handstamp, black "N. York, Am. Pkt. '23' Oct 30" debit exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York Oct. 30th to Liverpool arriving Nov. 10th, red Aachen (11.12) backstamp and blue ms. "45" kreuzer due rating, reverse with Frankfurt (11.14) transit and Nov. 15th arrival cds, magenta "47" kreuzer final due rating; cover wrinkle, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED USAGES CARRIED ON THE FIRST VOYAGE FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL, THIS BEING THE ONLY ONE TO GERMANY.
We record three uses carried on the first Prussian Closed Mail voyage:
1. 1852 Oct. 29, Philadelphia Pa. to Heilbronn, Württemberg.
2. 1852 Oct. 30, New York, N.Y. to Wohlen, Switzerland, ex-Winter.
3. 1852 Oct. 30, New York, N.Y. to Geneva, Switzerland, ex-Baird.
Realized: $1,500
Lot
5109
1854 (Apr. 20) Cleveland, Oh. to to Baureuth, Bavaria, buff cover bearing 5¢ red brown (12), full to large margins, tied by "Washington, Iowa May 14" cds, black "New York, Br. Pkt. '23' May 19" debit exchange datestamp, red Aachen (6.2) transit backstamp and blue ms. "45" kreuzer due marking, Baureuth (6.4) arrival backstamp; some overall wear, expertly repaired along edges incl. top flap reattached, still Very Fine and scarce use, ex-Rohloff, Mayer. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED USAGE OF THE OF THE 5¢ 1856 ISSUE TO BAVARIA, AND ONE OF ONLY SEVEN RECORDED SINGLE FRANKINGS TO GERMANY.
Lot
5110
1854 (Apr. 20) Cleveland Oh. to Weilburg, Nassau, buff cover bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair, large margins except slightly in at bottom, with red "Cleveland Oh. Apr 20" cds, partial also tied by "N.York, Br. Pkt. '23' Apr 25" debit exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line America from Boston Apr. 26th to Liverpool arriving May 8th, red Aachen (5.10) transit backstamp and blue ms. "45" kreuzer due rating, Weilburg (5.12) arrival backstamp, Very Fine use. Estimate $300 - 400.
This cover was franked to convenience overpay by 1¢ the 3¢ domestic U.S. postage plus 2¢ shore-to-ship rate via British Mails, this was treated as unpaid and so 23¢ of the 30¢ rate was debited by the U.S.
Realized: $525
Lot
5111
1857 (Aug. 28) Cedar Rapids, Ia. to Steinheim am Aalbuch, Württemberg, buff cover bearing 10¢ green, type II (32) strip of three, right stamp with trimmed perfs, tied by matching strikes of "Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Aug 28" cds, black "New York Br. Pkt. '23' Sep 2" exchange debit cds, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from New York Sep. 2nd to Liverpool arriving Sep. 13th, Aachen blue manuscript "halbf" and "45" kr. due rating; some cover stains and wear, Fine and unusual Prussian Closed Mail postage due usage, ex-Winter. Estimate $500 - 750.
The New York exchange office weighed the letter and determined two rates were required. Existing regulations permitted sending the letter if at least one full rate was prepaid, with the remaining postage to be collected at destination. New York credited Prussia 7¢ for the one rate paid and debited Prussia 23¢ for the one rate unpaid. Aachen marked "halbf" in blue ink to indicate that half the rate was paid as an explanation for the additional postage due rate of 45 kreuzer, the remaining unpaid rate. This cover was referenced in Chronicle 181, parcel post. 58-67.
Realized: $725
Lot
5112
1859 (Jan. 3) United States to Büdesheim, Hesse, orange buff cover bearing 10¢ green (32) and 12¢ black (36), tied by indistinct cds and red "N.York, Am. Pkt. 'Paid 7' Jan 8" credit exchange cds, carried by Havre Line Fulton from New York Jan. 8th to Southampton arriving Jan. 21st, red "Aachen, Franco 22/1" framed transit, German arrival backstamps; 10¢ stamp small tear, F.-V.F. and interesting accepted partial prepayment; with 1999 P.F. certificate. Estimate $300 - 400.
This cover was prepaid 22¢ for Bremen mails, but NGL Line Weser had suffered severe damage on its maiden voyage and could not sail on January 8th.
Lot
5113
1860 (Dec. 11) New York N.Y. to Breslau, Prussia, all-over pink shaded "A. Lievenroth & Von Auw Stationers" advertising cover bearing 1¢ blue (24), 3¢ dull red (26), 10¢ green, types V & III (35, 33), each tied by red open grid cancels, matching red "New York '19' Feb 11" credit exchange cds crossed out in magenta, red framed "Short Paid" handstamp and black "New-York, Br. Pkt. '23' Dec 11" debit exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from Boston Dec. 12th to Queenstown arriving Dec. 22nd, red Aachen transit backstamp and blue ms. "13" sgr (30¢) due rating, Dec. 27th arrival cds; small stamp flaws from edge placement, Very Fine and attractive three-color franking with two different 10¢ types, ex-Gabriel; with 2007 P.F. certificate. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
There was a widespread misapprehension in the latter half of the 1850's that a 24¢ rate to Germany existed. The 24¢ postage made the clerk think this was mail to England, so he applied the "19" cent exchange credit cds, then replaced it with "Short Paid" and the correct debit as totally unpaid. The "45" kreuzer and "12¾" (usually 13) sgr debits were equivalent to the 30¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate.
Realized: $1,200
Lot
5114
1861 (Oct. 8) Lima, Oh. to Oberweisbach, Thuringia, Gates red and blue Flag & Eagle clutching "Protect" ribbon Civil War Patriotic cover bearing 24¢ gray lilac (37) tied by "Lima O., Oct 3, 1861" cds, repeated at left, black "New-York, Am. Pkt. '23' Oct 12" debit exchange cds, carried by Havre Line Fulton from New York Oct. 12th to Southampton arriving Oct. 24th, red Aachen (10.26) transit backstamp and blue ms. "45" kr due rating, updated in blue ms. "12¾" sgr, Oct. 28th arrival backstamp; light edge wear, Very Fine, ex-Waterhouse, Ishikawa, Gallagher, Gabriel. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A RARE 24¢ 1860 ISSUE USED ON A CIVIL WAR PATRIOTIC TO GERMANY.
There was a widespread misapprehension in the latter half of the 1850s that a 24¢ rate to Germany existed. Ashbrook's note on reverse interpreted the late use of the 24¢ 1860 issue as "Old Stamp Not Recognized", but this was actually a short payment of the 30¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate treated as totally unpaid.
Realized: $2,800
Lot
5115
1865 (Dec.) San Francisco Cal. to Maburg, Hesse, printed "Wells Fargo & Co., Paid" frank on 3¢ pink (U35) buff entire bearing 5¢ brown (76) and 10¢ green (68), nat. s.e. at left, tied by NYFM cross-roads cancels, red "N. York '7 Paid' Dec 27" exchange cds, manuscript "per Steamer Constitution Connexion to German line of steamers from New York" endorsement, carried by Cunard Java from New York Dec. 27th to Queenstown arriving Jan. 5th, red Aachen Franco (10.1) boxed transit datestamp, Marburg (10.12) arrival backstamp; reduced slightly at top, stamp flaws, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A rare usage carried by Wells, Fargo & Co. and entering the mails in New York, with U.S. adhesives intending to pay the Hamburg rate however sent by Prussian closed mail.
Realized: $950