Sale 1048 — 2013 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 25 June, 2013
Category — Stampless Covers
San Blas, Mexico, to Providence R.I. via Havana and New York. Folded letter datelined "San Blas, Nov. 9, 1822", addressed to Brown & Ives in Providence R.I., carried privately to Havana where bold "YNDIAS" straightline handstamp struck along with "3" (reales) for rate due in Cuba for letter from Mexico, crossed out, carried by ship to New York where it entered the mails with red "New-York Apr. 17" circular datestamp and matching "SHIP" straightline, rated 39c due (2c ship fee plus double 18-1/2c), Apr. 20 receipt docketing, Very Fine, only rarely was the "YNDIAS" marking used on mail to or from the United States, this is one of only four recorded examples, this letter took more than five months to reach its destination
Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship. Clear strike of this wonderful pictorial handstamp in red with matching "PHILA./14/MAY" octagonal double-line datestamp on folded letter to New York from Havana Cuba, datelined April 30th, 1835, fancy printed "C.D.& Co. Havana, Produce" with list of commodities provided and cities served, directed "via Philadelphia" at bottom, manuscript "27" rate (double 12-1/2c plus 2c ship fee), fresh and Very Fine, a beautiful cover
Havana, Cuba, to Portland Me. via Savannah Ga. Bold strike of red "HAVANA." straightline handstamp struck in Savannah on printed prices current and letter datelined "P. Isabel, Havana, 24 Oct. 1848" to Portland Me., "Isabel" ship designation repeated on front, red "Savannah Geo. Oct. 28" circular datestamp and "STEAM BOAT" straightline (struck in error as this was a contract steamship), manuscript "12-1/2" due for contract rate from Havana (equivalent to one Spanish real), all markings beautifully strongEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL COVER CARRIED ON THE FIRST RETURN TRIP OF THE STEAMER ISABEL. THIS IS THE EARLIEST KNOWN USE OF THE UNITED STATES "HAVANA." STRAIGHTLINE AND THE EARLIEST KNOWN INCOMING CONTRACT STEAMSHIP LETTER.
The Act of March 3, 1847, authorized the U.S. Post Office to subsidize steamers to carry mail between the East and Pacific coast ports of the U.S. via the West Indies and the isthmus of Panama. Moses Moredecai operated a line between the two main southern ports of Charleston and Savannah, and Havana, the capital of Cuba. The steamer Isabel ran regular bi-weekly trips on the route from October 1848 until the start of the Civil War.
Illustrated in Chronicle 199 (p. 224)
T*Robinson. Bold strike of brown straightline handstamp on folded letter to Providence R.I. with receipt docketing "Amsterdam June 7, 1810, rec'd Sep. 11, 1810", ship-name directive "pr the George Augustus" and "Forwarded by your obdt. hbl. Serv. Forming Bauneiser & Co." manuscript notation on side flap, red "PHI/5/SE" circular datestamp and matching "SHIP" handstamp, red "36" manuscript rate (double 17c rate plus 2c ship letter fee), faint vertical file fold, Very Fine, a rare early name-of-ship purser marking, Cal Hahn recorded this cover and one other (without forwarder's marking) with the "T*Robinson" marking, ex Chambers and Meroni
LANCASTER. Straightline Cope Line name-of-ship handstamp in black on folded letter datelined "Broomfield 14th of 7 mo. 1819" (Jul. 14) from England to Concord, Pennsylvania, red "CHELMSFORD/29" two-line handstamp, first addressed to "Thos. Thompson, Chemist and Druggist, Liverpool", Thompson was the forwarder who arranged for the letter's transport to the U.S., marked "Post Paid" (crossed out along with Thompson's address), "P 1/-" prepaid one-shilling packet charge, dark red London "Paid/21 JY 21/1819" tombstone-style datestamp and matching "SHIP" handstamp above "Lancaster", red "PHI/13/SEP" circular datestamp at upper left and matching "SHIP" handstamp at upper right, manuscript "8" due for 6c rate (Phila. to Concord) plus 2c ship letter fee, Very Fine, an extremely rare transatlantic name-of-ship marking, the 383-ton Lancaster was the first ship in Cope's Philadelphia-Liverpool line (Thomas Potts, master)
British Queen. Illustration of ship cut from another source and affixed to folded letter datelined "Liverpool July 9, 1839", addressed to New York with ship-name directive "Steamship 'British Queen'", manuscript "6" rate marking ties the illustrated cut-outVERY FINE. A UNIQUE "ILLUSTRATED COVER" FROM THE 1839 MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE BRITISH QUEEN.
The British Queen was owned by the British and American Steam Navigation Co. This letter was carried on her maiden voyage, which departed Portsmouth on July 12, 1839. This company chartered the Sirius for two voyages in 1838, in order to beat the Great Western Steamship Company as the first steamship company to make the transatlantic crossing.
The British Queen was substantially larger than other transatlantic steamers used at the time, earning the company a profit. They built a second sister ship, the President, which was double the size of Cunard's Britannia, but both ships were considered underpowered. The President was lost in 1841 and caused the collapse of the company. The British Queen was sold to the Belgian government.
Harnden & Co.'s Express, New York. Clear strike of red oval handstamp on 1842 folded cover addressed to Richard P. Waters, the United States Consul in Zanzibar, sent "Care of Jahangheir Nesservangir Wady Esqr., Merchant, Bombay", red "Paid 5 MY 5 1842" British P.O. datestamp, boxed "Returned for Postage" and "Detained for Postage" handstamps applied at British P.O., manuscript "4/6" 4sh6p rate marking, blue manuscript "Rec'd at Zanzibar, July 27th 1842 pr. Sch. 'Turlem' from Bombay", trivial edgewearVERY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF TWO RECORDED HARNDEN'S EXPRESS COVERS TO ZANZIBAR.
Richard P. Waters, of Salem, Massachusetts, was the first United States Consul to the Omani-controlled island of Zanzibar, serving from 1837 to 1845. The development of U.S. and Oman relations is attributable to the personal relationship that developed in Zanzibar between Waters and Said bin Sultan, the sultan of Oman.
This cover to Consul Waters was carried by Harnden's Express to Boston, where it made a Cunard sailing to Liverpool. Harnden was contract mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office Department at this time.
CANANDAIGUA, June 12. Absolutely perfect "proof-like" strike of this marking with floral spray at bottom, on 1803 folded letter to Hartford Conn., sender is Oliver Phelps (of Phelps Gorham Purchase fame) who asks recipient to endorse his $4,000 note and pledges a note signed by both himself and Gorham, Extremely Fine strike which is illustrated on page 238 of the American Stampless Cover Catalog, ex Jarrett, a history of the Phelps-Gorham purchase can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phelps_and_Gorham_Purchase
"NEWARK VALLEY. NY." Kissing Doves. Single straightline with "March 2" blue manuscript date surrounded by ornate floral frame with entwined hearts and two kissing doves, to Clinton Conn., twice forwarded to North Guilford and New Haven, blue manuscript "18-3/4" rate applied in Newark Valley, forwarding from Clinton to N. Guilford charged 10c with matching manuscript postmark, blue "No. Guilford Ct. Mar. 29" manuscript postmark and an additional 6c charged for a total of 34-3/4c due from recipient, minor soilingVERY FINE STRIKE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE ROMANCE-INSPIRED POSTAL MARKING. CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HANDSTAMPED MARKINGS APPLIED TO 19TH CENTURY MAIL.
Perhaps three or four examples of this marking are known. ASCC value $7,000.00
Russell N.Y. July 31. Circular datestamp with Colonial soldier's hat integrated into design, clear strike in red on 1845 folded letter to Utica N.Y., blue manuscript "5" rate, missionary report content, light vertical file folds incl. one thru rim of marking, Very Fine, this is the listing example of this rare pictorial stampless handstamp, illustrated in American Stampless Cover Catalog (p. 257), Russell was the site of an arsenal which played an important role in the War of 1812, ex Dunsmoore
Sherwood's N.Y. Sep. 9. Bold blue stencil marking with lower half ("Corners") removed, date in manuscript and matching "5" rate on 1850 folded letter to Skaneateles N.Y., faint vertical file fold well away from marking, Extremely Fine, a phenomenal example of this rare marking
SB Nashville, Nashville and New Orleans Packet. Elaborate handstamp in red with delicate lettering and designs in oval, on buff cover to Lafayette Ky., endorsed "Nashville" at upper left and "care Brannon & Weeks, Tobacco Port" at lower left, with original part-printed Prices Current with manuscript dateline "New Orleans Jany 4th 1850", some slight wearVERY FINE. THIS NEWLY DISCOVERED STEAMBOAT MARKING IS UNIQUE. A MARVELOUS WATERWAY COVER.
The Nashville & New Orleans Packet steamers navigated the waters of the Mississippi and Cumberland Rivers, leaving New Orleans every Tuesday at 4 p.m. and returning from Nashville every Saturday at 4 p.m. One of the vessels was the Nashville, a 497-ton sidewheel steamboat captained by Thomas Bellanyder. She was launched in 1849 at New Albany, Indiana. At the outbreak of the Civil War she was converted to a hospital ship of the same name. Her two decks accommodated 1,000 casualties.
Unlisted in any reference book
Merchants Exchange, San Francisco. Remarkably bold red oval handstamp with matching "PAID" below in small italic caps, magenta manuscript "40" transcontinental rate on Oct. 1, 1850 folded letter to Waterbury Conn., black "PAID" in arc applied at New York City; the Merchants Exchange at San Francisco provided local residents and transients with mail-forwarding service -- in this case, we have clear evidence that the private "Paid" marking and 40-cent rate were satisfactory proof of prepayment when the letter arrived at the New York City post office, despite the fact that no government postal markings were applied in San Francisco -- a superb example of this extremely rare marking and use from the early period of San Francisco's postal history, illustrated in Letters of Gold
Merchants Exchange, San Francisco. Perfectly clear three-line handstamp with "PAID" on third line in small italic caps (as in handstamp in previous lot), magenta manuscript "40" transcontinental rate on folded cover to New York City; another example of mail forwarded by the Merchants Exchange at San Francisco -- in this case, too, the absence of San Francisco postal markings and postage due in New York City indicates that the private "Paid" marking and 40-cent rate, although entirely private in origin, were satisfactory evidence of prepayment; an outstanding cover demonstrating the link between an independent mail operation in early San Francisco and the official government post office, illustrated in Letters of Gold, with 1992 P.F. certificate