3¢ Orange Brown, Type I (10), two, gorgeous rich color, large margins (one just slightly in at left), bold black grid cancels, green "N.O.U.S. City Post, Sep. 29" (1851) framed datestamp applied by carrier department, brilliant red "New Orleans La. Sep. 30" (1851) circular datestamp on bluish folded letter to Bordeaux, France, sender's routing instruction "pour First Stimar"--likely carried on the Ocean Line Washington, departing New York on October 4, 1851, but forced to return due to mechanical troubles on the 11th, her mail bags were sent to Boston for carriage on the Cunarder Canada, departing October 15 and arriving Liverpool October 26-- red London backstamp (October 27), red Paris British Packet arrival datestamp (October 28), black "15" decimes due handstamp, receiving backstamps (October 30), a Very Fine and possibly unique use of the New Orleans carrier marking on a transatlantic letter with the 3¢ Orange Brown--the 6¢ postage on this letter was probably intended to prepay the 5¢ inland rate plus 1¢ for carrier service, out of the sender's misunderstanding of the carrier fee structure, but there was no charge in New Orleans for letters carried to the mails, ex Dr. Kapiloff, Ashendorf and "Sevenoaks"

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables