10¢ Green, Type III (15), horizontal strip of four, three large margins, clear to just barely in at left, left stamp barely affected from placement at edge of cover, rich color, used with horizontal pair of 1¢ Blue, Type II (7), intense shade and impression, large margins to just in, tied by three perfect strikes of "New Orleans La. Jan. 23" (1856) balloon-style circular datestamp on grayish blue folded letter to Chalon sur Saone, France, pencil "42" rate, red "New-York Am. Pkt. Feb. 2" circular datestamp, sender's generic "pr Steamship" directive--carried on the Collins Line Baltic, departing New York on February 2, 1856, and arriving at Liverpool February 13--red London backstamp (February 14), Calais arrival datestamp (February 14) also ties strip, French railroad and receiving backstamps (February 15), manuscript "16" for grams in weight and "24" decimes due markings

Very Fine--a rare strip of four of the 1855 10¢ Imperforate on cover to France, and especially rare as part of a double 21¢ rate franking.

The 42¢ postage pays the double 21¢ British Open Mail rate by American Packet. The double rate was calculated in New York, but the 24 decimes due--three times the 8 decimes per 7.5 grams--was based on the weight calculated in France and noted as 16 grams at left.

Ex Joseph Hackmey. Signed Baudot and Calves handstamp.

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables