10c Green, E. Grill (89). Cancelled by Anchor in Diamond of Dots French Maritime cancel and used with France, 1867, 20c Blue and 40c Orange (33, 35; Yvert 29B, 31), similarly tied on 1869 folded cover to New York, clear "St. Thomas/Paq. Fr. B No. 4/1 Mai 69" French Main Line B octagonal datestamp (Salles 1444), red "P.P." and "New York Paid All May 14" circular datestamp (confirming presence of U.S. 10c stamp), 10c affected by light vertical file fold, 20c tiny tear at bottom, some wear incl. splitting along folds

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE MIXED-FRANKING COVER FROM ST. THOMAS, DANISH WEST INDIES, TO NEW YORK CITY VIA FRENCH AND UNITED STATES PACKETS. ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE OF ALL MIXED-FRANKING USAGES. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MARC WEINBERG-MARTIN COLLECTION.

This cover was postmarked with the "St. Thomas" Line B datestamp, which was used on mail carried on Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (CGT) Main Line B steamer sailings, which in this case left St. Thomas for Havana. From Havana it was transferred to a U.S. steamer bound for New York, possibly the Morro Castle, which departed Havana on May 8 and arrived in New York on May 12. The French rate was 60 centimes per 7.5 grams. The U.S. contract steamship rate was 10c. From the French perspective, all that was required was the 60c prepayment, and the cover was marked "P.P." (Port Paye). On arrival in New York, the 10c stamp was recognized as prepayment, and the cover was postmarked "New York Paid All".

At this time, all French Packet mail from the Danish West Indies was required to pass through the post office and usually bears a St. Thomas postmark. However, some mail was clandestinely put on board French CGT ships, thus by-passing the St. Thomas post office (see DuBois book, p. 65). On May 1, 1869, the St. Thomas-Havana-New York connection would have beaten the arrival of the next U.S. and Brazil Line sailing from St. Thomas to New York. Ironically, the ship that would have made that sailing, the Mississippi, was wrecked off the coast of Martinique en route to St. Thomas, so there never was a regular May 1869 trip.

Ex Schatzkes. From the Marc Weinberg-Martin Collection.

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