Lot
1232 
Nova Scotia, 1855 (Mar. 28) Douglastown Way Office, N.B. to Youghall, Ireland, blue folded with red "W.O. Douglastown, N.B., MR 23 1855" backstamp and red manuscript "Paid 1½", additional red ms. "Paid 7½ cy" underneath stamp, bearing New Brunswick 1851 6d olive yellow (2), four clear to large margins, tied by two strikes of blue "8" oval grid cancel, reverse with matching blue "Chatham, N.B., MA28 1855" cds and partial Bend of Kodiac (3.29) cds, carried by Cunard Line Africa to Liverpool arriving Apr. 7th; some light aging, 6d hinged in place, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
The 7½d (1½d paid in cash plus 6d by stamp) letter rate to Ireland via the British Packet from Halifax effective from August 1st 1854 to April 17th 1860. Virtually all covers paying this ½ ounce rate to the United Kingdom have a bisected stamp except this cover and one other offered in David Feldman USA March 2011 (lot 10094) mailed on the same day and carried on the same ship. The earliest bisect of New Brunswick recorded on mail abroad is dated Feb. 26th 1855 (a 3d bisect to the GB). There are also two earlier covers known bearing bisects addressed inland. No other bisects known are dated before the cover here.