Lot
904 
1852 (Dec. 1) San Francisco Cal. to La Rochelle, France, folded sheet with blue "San Francisco Cal. 1 Dec" cds with matching "Paid" and "26" rating handstamps, red "New-York Am. Packet Jan 8" exchange cds, London (1.21) arrival backstamp, Paris (1.22) entry cds with matching "16" decimes due rating handstamp, La Rochelle (1.23) arrival backstamp, F.-V.F., The latest of less than six recorded blue San Francisco "26" rating usages. , ex-Noel, Walske. Estimate $300 - 400.
This was carried by PMSS "Panama" from San Francisco. Blue color was used at San Francisco only from October 1 - December 13, 1852. In the Witner sale, the blue "26" had not been seen after Nov. 16th until this cover surfaced.