Lot
433 
1853 (Sep. 9) New York, N.Y. to Wohlen, Switzerland, blue folded letter with red "New-York Am. Packet Sep 10" exchange cds and pencil "21" prepaid rating for British open mail, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Sep. 10 to Southampton arriving Sep. 23, Le Havre (9.24) entry cds, Basel (9.26) backstamp, Wohlen (9.27) arrival cds, red crayon "130" rappen due rating, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Prepayment written in pencil lower left by New York post office. Once mails put off in the Solent near Southampton, an auxiliary steamer carried them to Havre and the letter never went ashore in England. French entry marking "ETATS-UNIS PAQ.AM.A. LE HAVRE" was used on letters carried by Ocean Line steamers to Southampton and then conveyed by auxiliary steamer to Havre. While not a rare marking, it is also not common. Basel marked letter for 130 rappen, the postage due for letters arriving from steamers to England going to the first Swiss rayon. Since Wohlen was in the second rayon, letter properly was due 130 rappen.