Sale 1211 — The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 29-30 October, 2019
Category — 1855 10¢ Green—Scarce Types I and IV
A choice 10¢ 1855 Issue strip of three, including two of the scarce Type IV, Scott 16, used to pay the double 15¢ treaty rate to France10¢ Green, Types IV-II-IV (16-14-16), Positions 74-76L1, horizontal strip of three, left and right stamps both Type IV--recut at top and bottom, respectively--center stamp Type II, three large margins, clear to barely touched at left, deep rich color, tied by "New Orleans La. Apr. 8, 1857" circular datestamps on address panel to Bordeaux, France, with one full back panel bearing all backstamps, sender's directive "pr st. ship of 15th", red "New York Paid 12 Apr. 18" 12¢ credit datestamp--missed the intended sailing of the Cunarder Asia on the 15th and carried on the Ocean Line's Washington, departing New York on April 18, 1857, and arriving at Southampton May 3--red "P.D." framed handstamp, French transit datestamp (May 4), "Paris a Bordeaux 5 Mai 57" and "Bordeaux 5 Mai 57" circular datestamps on back
Very Fine-Extremely Fine and rare combination strip with two Type IV stamps--a very attractive use to France.
The 1857 U.S.-France treaty set a fully prepaid rate of 15¢ per quarter-ounce, effective April 1, shortly before this was sent. The amount credited to other countries varied according to the ship used to convey the mail. In this case, the British Cunard steamer had already departed, so it was put on an American vessel; therefore, the credit was 6¢ of the 15¢, or in this case, a double credit of 12¢.
Ex Ryohei Ishikawa and Joseph Hackmey.
