Lot
1175 
1874 Naval U.S.S. Kearsarge Expedition Cover To Witness The Transit of Venus, ship letter Nagasaki, Japan to U.S. postmarked with U.S. style marking in Nagasaki Sep 5, 1874 with Oct 4 San Francisco transit and two Paids; enclosure a most intriguing three page letter datelined "U.S.S. Kearsarge", Nagasaki, Japan" and stating "the mail only leaves Yokohama twice a month and here not often as that. the worst of it is we get no stamps," and "we leave for some heathenish place (Vladivostock) in Siberia. I will not attempt to spell it…Prof. Hall and his party are on board now…", they were on their way to witness the transit of Venus, cover soiled but intact, a Fine cover, a rare and spectacular usage, the sloop-of-war was responsible for the sinking of the Confederate cruiser Alabama by U.S.S. Kearsarge on June 19th 1864, this cover sold in HR Harmer auction for hammer $1700 in 1995. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Realized: $1,200