Lot
522 
1856 (Aug. 12) Hamburg, Germany to Durango, Mexico via USA, folded cover with "Hamburg 12 Aug 1856" origin d.s. and manuscript "Paid 27" (schillinge) for all transit fees, red manuscript "1/7" credit to London, red London (8.14) and Liverpool (8.14) transits, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Aug. 16 to Boston arriving Aug. 27, Vera Cruz (9.14) arrival oval and "2" reales postage due rating h.s., Very Fine and rare routing. Estimate $500 - 750.
Routing endorsement on this letter, "pr Steamer from Liverpool to New York & from New Orls to Vera Cruz", requested an unusual postal route to Mexico, consisting of Hamburg-G.B. treaty to London, U.S.-G.B. treaty to New York, and U.S. contract steamship mail service from New Orleans to Vera Cruz. The rate for this route in Northern Germany currency was 3 silbergroschen (sgr.) internal and 16¼ sgr. foreign fees or 19¼ sgr. total (equivalent to 27 schillinge Hamburg currency).
The Liverpool transit lozenge substantiated routing to the U.S. since normal mails by West Indies packet were despatched from London to St. Thomas and did not show a Liverpool marking.
From Aug.-Oct. 1856, the New Orleans-Very Cruz steamship operations were interrupted. This letter was probably sent from New York to Havana and then by British mail steamer to Vera Cruz.
This is the only recorded example of a cover from Germany to Mexico sent by this route. .
Realized: $425