| Europe, Asia and the Pacific |
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Lot 110 |
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1868 Cover to California, 1859 1¢ rose and 5¢ vermilion (14, 15) tied by two of three strikes May 7 Trout River, L.C. c.d.s. on cover to Woodside, San Mateo County, Calif., backstamped Huntingdon, L.C. on the same day and Montreal May 8; the 5¢ has slight perf damage from being affixed at the extreme edge of the cover, Fine, scarce usage of the 1859 issue in the Large Queen period and a rare destination. Arfken records only four such usages.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000
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Lot 111 |
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1868 Cover to California, 1868 3¢ red (25), horizontal pair tied by neat oval grid on cover from New Brunswick to San Francisco, Calif., postmarked July 16 Sussex-Vale, N.B. broken circle, backstamped St. John on the same day, very fine and very scarce.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
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Lot 112 |
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Tasmania - Circa 1854 cover to New York, 4d orange (2), two cut-to-shape singles (one with bottom margin imprint) tied by Birch's Bay 67 cancels on cover to Wolcott, Wayne County, New York, indistinct red PAID marking (Robson Lowe HS10, type 2) with illegible date applied at Hobart, San Francisco c.d.s., Dec 16, handstamped "SHIP" and "12" for 10¢ transcontinental postage plus 2¢ to ship's captain; minor restoration, fresh very fine appearance, a rare usage.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
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Lot 113 |
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Victoria - 1858 Cover to New York via San Francisco, 1857 4d rose (35), horizontal pair rouletted vertically only, tied by Melbourne "1" cancels on blue cover to New York City, postmarked on reverse Melbourne rimless oval, Jan 15, manuscript instruction "Per Overland Mail Jan 15/58" applied in Melbourne, May 5 "San Francisco Cal/12" c.d.s. indicates 10¢ transcontinental postage plus 2¢ to ship's captain; horizontal file crease through the stamps, otherwise very fine.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 114 |
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Victoria - 1863 Short-paid cover to New York via San Francisco, 1861-63 6d black (71) tied by Melbourne duplex cancel, Nov 25, on cover to New York City, clear strike red boxed "INSUFFICIENTLY PAID/ VIA THE/ UNITED KINGDOM", San Francisco exchange office c.d.s. Mar 7, 1864 and handstamped "SHIP/6"; minor flaws, Fine and scarce. The sender must have intended this letter to travel via Great Britain but, being short-paid, it was held for the next available ship for San Francisco.
Estimate 200 - 300
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Lot 115 |
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Circa 1867 cover to California, 1866 40c rose and 1fr violet (21, 22), tied by Antwerp 12 lozenges on folded letter to San Francisco, postmarked Nov 1, 1867 (?) and boxed "PD" with red "N.YORK Br. Pkt./…PAID" exchange marking, backstamped "Etats Unis Par Ostende" c.d.s. Nov 2 and straight line "BR. PACKET", very fine. 1.40fr equaled about 27¢; red manuscript rate "20" indicates 20¢ due others, with 3¢ being retained by Belgium for inland postage and 4¢ for British transit.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
Expertization: 1977 J. Baete certificate.
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Lot 116 |
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Forwarded by Wm. Scarborough & Co. Mazatlan, boldly struck double oval on reverse of May 20, 1841 folded letter from Canton, China to New York with additional light Vera Cruz c.d.s., manuscript "6" rate on face (for ship letter delivered at port of arrival), receiving note in magenta ms: "Recd. Via Vera Cruz N.Y. Jany 13/42" with additional matching note: "from China to Gulf of California & Mexico" written inside forwarder's oval, Fine and very rare, believed to be the earliest example of this forwarder's oval and one of the earliest recorded Transpacific covers from Asia.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
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Lot 117 |
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Circa 1868 three-color franking to California, 1864-68 2s blue, 3s red violet and 16s olive green (11, 12, 15) tied by Copenhagen 3-ring "1" cancels on ca. 1868 cover to Millerton, Fresno County, postmarked Copenhagen c.d.s. Nov 19, manuscript instruction "Pr Hamburg or Bremen steamer", backstamped Kiel/Hamburg Nov 19 with two different blue "FRANCO" handstamps and incomplete red "NEW YORK/PAID ALL" d.s. Dec 5 on front, the latter also tying the stamps; minor ink erosion in address, a Very Fine and spectacular franking, The North German Union letter rate to the U.S. via Bremen or Hamburg was 10¢; Danish 21 skilling was equivalent to 13¢ with 3¢ credit going to Denmark.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000
Expertization: 1987 Carl Moller certificate.
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Lot 118 |
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1855 Cover to California, 1853 40c orange on yellowish (18) block of six with mostly large margins tied, along with a single 20c blue (16), by Bordeaux small numeral "441" on folded cover to San Francisco, postmarked Bordeaux c.d.s. 26 Feb 1855 with red boxed "P.P.", manuscript insruction "Via Liverpool and New York", bold "Br. Packet, Boston, 17 Mar" entry c.d.s. with Paris transit postmark on reverse; restored horizontal crease through block where the cover has been cosmetically refolded, otherwise an immaculate and most impressive cover.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
The French rate of 260 centimes was based on a double-weight letter at 130 centimes per ¼-ounce. The postage was prepaid to Boston then rated as a single ½-ounce letter and charged 10¢ due for cross-country postage to California.
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Lot 119 |
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1861 Cover to California, 1860 80c rose on pinkish (20), tied by Bordeaux small numeral "441" on folded cover to San Francisco, postmarked Bordeaux c.d.s. 16 Nov 1861 with red boxed "PD", manuscript insruction "via Liverpool" with red octagonal boxed "Am Service" and "NEW PAID YORK/15" Dec 9 c.d.s. (month inverted), both also tying the stamp, blue handstamped merchant's corner card;slight cosmetic refolding and minor age stains, a Fine and scarce usage.
Estimate 300 - 400
Despite the sender's written instruction, this cover was sent via Southhampton and the Hamburg-American Line packet Bavaria, the only mail packet to arrive in New York on Dec 6.
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Lot 120 |
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1865 Cover to British Columbia, 1860 80¢ rose on pinkish (20), tied by Boulogne-S-Mer large numeral "549" on cover to New Westminster, British Columbia, postmarked Boulogne c.d.s. 11 Aug 1865 with red boxed "P.P." and "PD" as well as a red "London/Paid" c.d.s. Aug 12, Paris transit postmark on reverse; a fresh and immaculate example of this extremely rare destination. One of only two known examples of this usage.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000
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Lot 121 |
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1870 "Ballon Monté" cover to California, 30¢ brown and 40¢ orange (34, 59) tied by Paris star cancel on small folded letter carried on the balloon Colonel Charras to London, then via Liverpool, New York, and the transcontinental railroad to San Francisco, postmarked Paris October 28 c.d.s. with black boxed "PD", red London/Paid c.d.s. Nov 2 and red San Francisco/Paid All receiver Nov 21; the 40¢ on the cover is a replacement for the original 40¢ stamp, the address and San Francisco c.d.s. are partially redrawn, otherwise a very fine and extremely rare destination.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000
Expertization: 2000 J-F Brun Certificate.
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Lot 122 |
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Baden - 1867 Three-color franking to British Columbia, 1862-65 1kr black, 3kr rose and a pair of 9kr brown (19, 20, 23) tied by four of five strikes Heidelberg c.d.s., May 23, on a mourning envelope to New Westminster, neat red Bremen oblong-boxed "PAID.10", Baden railroad and Bremen transit backstamps; minor sealed edge tears with black border enhanced, choice very fine appearance. Rate was 22kr or 15¢; the "PAID.10" indicated 7¢ for transatlantic and 3¢ for U.S. internal postage.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
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Lot 123 |
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Bavaria - 1867 Three-color mixed issue franking to California, 1862 1kr yellow and 18kr red plus 1867 3kr rose (9, 14, 16) tied by Kalmbach "264" broken cogwheels on cover to San Francisco, postmarked May 17 with red Bremen oblong-boxed "PAID.10", Bremen backstamp; small piece of back flap missing, fresh and very fine.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
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Lot 124 |
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Prussia - Circa 1861 Three-color franking to California, 1858 3sgr orange (13), horizontal strip of three with large margins, tied with 3-margin 1sgr rose (11) on a 3sgr yellow stamped envelope to San Francisco by beautifully struck boxed Goerlitz postmarks, Feb 4 (1861?), red "AACHEN/PAID 25Cts" Feb 6 and "BOSTON 20 Br. Pkt." Feb 24 c.d.s.s; small piece of back missing, fresh and very fine. Manuscript "2/11=13" indicates 2sgr retained by Prussia, 11sgr due others.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
Expertization: 1985 Jürgen Kaustan certificate.
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Lot 125 |
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Prussia - 1867 Three-color franking to California, 1867 1kr green, 3kr rose and a pair of 9kr bister brown (23, 25, 26) tied by four of five strikes Wiesbaden c.d.s., Sept 5, on cover to San Francisco, red Bremen oblong-boxed "PAID.10", Bremen backstamp; reduced somewhat at left with slight top edge strengthening, Fine.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
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Lot 126 |
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Wurttemberg - 1868 Three-color franking to Oregon, 1865 1kr yellow green pair, 3kr rose and 6kr blue (41, 42, 43) tied by three of four strikes Metzingen "fan" cancel, May 25, on 3kr stamped envelope to Portland, blue straight line FRANCO, incomplete red New York exchange c.d.s. Apr 14 and red manuscript "4" rate marking; cover wrinkle has damaged the bottom 1kr, otherwise a very fine and rare destination. 14kr was equal to 10¢ with 3kr for internal postage and 11kr due others.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
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Lot 127 |
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1851 Stampless folded letter from Scotland to California, blue Sanquhar postmark, Apr 15, with red straight line "PAID" and London Paid c.d.s. Apr 16, manuscript rate "2/9", addressed to "Saint Francisco" with manuscript sender's instructions "Panama Mail" and "from London"; very fine example of the 2/9 per ½-ounce West Indies rate.
Estimate 400 - 500
British Post Office instruction No. 36, in October of 1850, required that all mail to California or Oregon, "not specifically addressed to be forwarded by any other route", was to be carried by West India Mail Packet to Panama, then by American Packet to San Francisco, and charged at the rate of 2sh9d per ½-ounce.
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Lot 128 |
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1851 Stampless folded letter to California, carried privately from Liverpool to New York, datelined Feb 5, placed in the mails at New York, marked manuscript "Steamer Georgia", postmarked New York c.d.s., Mar 11, and handstamped "80" in circle, unpaid penalty rate of double the prepaid transcontinental rate, docketed on the inside "recd Str California April 24/ 51", very fine.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 129 |
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1855 Cover to California, forwarded by free-frank to Washington, D.C., 1847 1/- green (5), cut to shape, tied on cover from Broseley (postmarked on reverse Oct 31) via London and Liverpool (Nov 1 backstamps) to Congressman J.W. Denver in Benecia, Calif., incomplete strike red "Br. Packet/Paid/24" c.d.s. with handstamped "21/cents" credit to U.S. (16¢ packet plus 5¢ internal), manuscript "due 5" added for deficiency in transcontinental postage, Congressman Denver had apparently returned to Washington, to whence the cover was forwarded with a Benecia c.d.s. Dec 19 and a handstamped "FREE", very fine.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 130 |
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1861 Three-color franking to British Columbia via New York, 1856 1d re-engraved and 1/- green plus 1858 2d blue (20, 28, 29) tied by London "E/14" duplexes, Aug 17, on small cover to Victoria; very fine.
Estimate 300 - 400
The rate at to the west coast of North America via New York was 1sh 2½d. Ironically, Great Britain did not issue a ½d stamp until 1870 or a 2½d stamp until 1875. Consequently, all mail over this route had to be overpaid by ½d.
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Lot 131 |
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1862 Cover to British Columbia, 1856 1d re-engraved, three singles, and 6d lilac, wing margin pair (20, 27) tied on small mourning envelope to New Westminster by Plymouth "621" ovals, postmarked Nov 16 Plymouth c.d.s. on reverse along with red Nov 17 London c.d.s., docketed "Recd. 15 Jany 1863"; 6d pair has been lifted from where it had originally been wrapped around the top edge, otherwise Very Fine and very scarce.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 132 |
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1864 Newspaper to British Columbia, 1864 1d (33), two singles tied by London "W.E. 2" grids on top half of front page only of the Nov 25-28 edition of the Evening Mail, addressed to the "Eveng Express Office, Victoria, Vancouver's Island, Dec. 3rd", very fine and very rare usage.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
Front page news includes the "Manifesto of the Confederate States" and conflicting reports on the activities and whereabouts of General Sherman's army.
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Lot 133 |
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1864-66 Two covers to California, a.) 1862 1/- green (42) tied by Bristol "134" duplex, Aug 31, 1864, on blue cover to San Jose, and b.) 1864 1d plus 1865 3d and 1/- (33, 44, 48), tied by Aberdeen, Scotland "1" duplexes, Oct 26, 1866, on registered cover to San Jose; Fine.
Estimate 200 - 300
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Lot 134 |
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1867 Cover to California, beautiful perfectly struck blue handstamped corner card of the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Co & Pacific Railroad Co., featuring detailed illustration of a mail steamer, on stampless folded letter from London to San Francisco, boxed London postmark, May 21, with San Francisco cog-wheel duplex July 21, handstamped rates "24" and "3/CENTS" (credit to Great Britain), letter is on PMSSC letterhead; minor splitting along folds, very fine and most attractive.
Estimate 500 - 750
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Lot 135 |
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1867 Cover to New York via San Francisco, 1863 bright 8¢ orange (13a), cancelled "B62" and additionally tied by "San Francisco, Cal. Jan 1" c.d.s. in combination with U.S. 10¢ green (68) on neat envelope to Hamilton, N.Y., with very fine strike of "China and Japan/Steam Service" oval handstamp in red and manuscript instructions "per 'China'"and "Pacific Mail Steamship Co." (for domestic postage) denoting the contract between the U.S. Post Office and P.M.S.S. Co. for monthly mail service, with on reverse remnant of Thomas Hunt & Co. forwarding agents cachet and fine "Hong Kong C No 26" c.d.s.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000
A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THIS SERVICE AND THE ONLY SUCH COMBINATION FRANKING RECORDED.
Provenance: Ishakawa
Carried on the maiden voyage of the China which left Yokohama on December 8 for San Francisco via Honolulu.
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Lot 136 |
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1867 Cover to Boston via San Francisco, 1865 8¢ orange buff (13) cancelled by "B62" barred obliterator and nicely tied by "San Francisco Cal/10" transit-charge c.d.s. of March 21, manuscript instruction "per 'Colorado' via San Francisco" distinctive straight line "Steam China" handstamp in red of the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. (applied on first three inward trips)/backstamped "Hong Kong" origin c.d.s., a Very Fine and rare cover and a wonderful exhibition item.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
The cover was carried under the monthly contract mail service of the PMSSC between the West Coast of the U.S. and China and Japan. This was the first return trip of the Colorado and actually the maiden voyage for this service from Asia to the U.S..
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Lot 137 |
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Naples - 1861 Three-value franking to California, 1858 2gr, 5gr and two 20gr (3, 4, 6) tied by boxed ANNULATTO cancels on onion-skin cover to San Francisco, all markings on front in red including Naples c.d.s. Feb 9, 1861, Sicily/Marseilles c.d.s. Feb 11, boxed "P.D" and "Am. Service", "5" and "9" rate markings, and "Boston/Paid/15" c.d.s. Mar 2, backstamps are Lyon-Paris and Paris-Calais railroad c.d.s.s, a very fine and unique usage. The only recorded cover from Naples to California.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000
Expertization: signed A. Diena.
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Lot 138 |
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"Hakodada Japan June 1855", manuscript note of origin and matching "Pr Caroline E. Foote Via San Francisco, Cal." ship endorsement written at top of white envelope to Philadelphia, bold "San Francisco Cal. 20 Sep." c.d.s. with matching "SHIP" AND "12" handstamps, pencil receiving note of Oct. 17th; cover with light toning at top edge otherwise Very Fine, the earliest recorded transpacific from Japan.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000
The Caroline E. Foote which arrived in San Francisco on Sept. 17th was one of only a handful of ships leaving Japanese ports in the early 1850s that was not bound for Shanghai or Hong Kong. Although it carried dispatches intended for the Russian government, until now no mail was believed to have been handled on this voyage, recently discovered, this important and unique cover predates the previously earliest known usage by five years, and precedes by one year the arrival of the first foreign consul to take up residence in Japan. Accompanying this is a 2nd cover from the same correspondence, mailed Dec. 9, 1854 from Hong Kong and postmarked Philadelphia.
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Lot 139 |
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Forwarded by/J Mand Brower/Yokohama Japan, clear double oval struck on reverse of white envelope to Bath, N.Y., neat "San Francisco Cal. Jan. 1" double circle datestamp with matching "Due" in circle and "SHIP 6" straightline, manuscript "Via San Francisco" at upper left; some toning on back, still Very Fine, the discovery copy of this Japan forwarder, unlisted in ASCC Vol II or Rowe.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 140 |
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Forwarded by/U.S. Consul./ Kanagawa, Japan., double oval with ornamental border of stars, fantastic strike on white envelope to Lynchburg, Va., clear "SHIP 6" and matching "San Francisco Cal. Feb 5" double circle, manuscript "Per 'Oriflano'", original enclosure datelined "Yokohama Japan Jan. 5 1866" with interesting contents: "The U.S. proposes to send several vessels here soon. since the Wyoming left in pursuit of the Alabama we have had no ship of war here. The Pacific coast is growing daily in importance… A line of Mail Steamer is soon to be started & when the Pacific R. Road is done we will be Very near home, 30 days perhaps", etc. Cover with skillfully closed (small) edge tears at bottom, still Very Fine, a superb example of this rare consular handstamp (the service was in effect from Jan. 6- Dec. 31, 1866 for non-contract ships), and the only sailing of the California, Oregon and Mexico Steamship Co.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
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Lot 141 |
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2¢ Black (73), single, used with 10¢ bluish green (68) pair, each tied by fancy cork cancel and bold strike of Hiogo Japan double circle handstamp on March 25, 1869 folded letter from Japan to Bradford, York, England, manuscript "per 'Costa Rica;" to Yokohama, then per PMSS Japan via Honolulu to San Francisco, magenta c.d.s. of latter dated Apr 27, the cover probably left New York May 8 per Cunard City of Baltimore in order to be received on May 19 in Bradford York; the short time of 11 days indicates usage of the nearly completed transcontinental railroad; file fold through right margin of left 10¢ Very Fine usage of U.S. stamps in Japan andthe only recorded use of a 2¢ Black Jack from there.
Estimate 20,000 - 30,000
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Lot 142 |
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1855 Stampless cover to California, blue FARSUND c.d.s. May 6 on envelope with multiple postmarks: three different Hamburg (two on reverse), a red Aachen c.d.s., a poorly struck "NEW YORK/AM. PACKET" c.d.s. May 30 and, on the reverse, a red "Americ./Packet." in a semi-circle with, handstamped "48"(¢) rate with manuscript rates of "6" (skilling) for Norway to Aachen, which was converted in blue pen to "8" (silbergroschen), and "23" (cents) for Prussia and beyond; address of "Union Citty, Alamada County, Californian" somewhat faded, Fine and scarce.
Estimate 300 - 400
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Lot 143 |
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Forwarded by/H.T. Fitch./Honolulu, red handstamp in octagon frame on cover to New Bedford, Mass. with matching straightline BARK FRACIS PALMER, clear strike of San Francisco 20 Dec. c.d.s. and matching "SHIP 12", the recipient's note at lower left indicates this originated in Samoa: "Capt. Fuller Navigator Islands- July 18/55. Recd Jan. 7 1856" Wm. C. Fuller was captain of the whaler Ocean, which left New Bedford May 27, 1853 and returned June 29, 1856. John Thornton, the addressee, was the ship's owner. Privately carried "per First Vessel" to Honolulu, it was given to H.T. Fitch who placed it on the Francis Palmer which left Honolulu Dec. 1, 1855, arriving in S.F. Dec. 14th. Very Fine, a handsome usage, particularly with the Samoan and ship associations. The misspelled handstamp is considered the rarest of the Francis Palmer markings.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000
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Lot 144 |
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"Ockotsk Sea, Shantor Bay July 30, 1854", dateline on folded letter from the Okhotsk Sea New Siberia to Westerly, R.I., carried privately via Hawaii to San Francisco, clear Sep. 13th c.d.s. and matching "SHIP 12" handstamp (10¢ unpaid rate for transcontinental mail + 2¢ ship fee); slight edge wear, Fine and rare.
Estimate 500 - 750
This was written by a whaler who tells his recipient: "We have taken 16 whales…Last season there was but 30 to 40 ships in here…There are at least 100 ships here this season."
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Lot 145 |
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"Papeete Tahiti June 8", dateline on 1852 folded letter to London, England "via California" entering the mails at San Francisco with clear strike of Sep. 16th c.d.s. in blue, matching "Paid" and large "29" (24¢ rate + 5¢ surcharge for West Coast mail) red "3" credit and arrival date of Nov. 23rd, Very Fine. This letter left S.F. aboard the PMSS Golden Gate on Sept. 16 to Panama, then was carried to New York on the Georgia, leaving N.Y. Nov. 6th per the Ocean Line Washington. A very attractive usage.
Estimate 750 - 1,000
Provenance: Haas
In the early 1850s, most Pacific mail to the Eastern U.S. or beyond, unless coming from Hawaii, was sent via Great Britain or France; the "via California" designation is most uncommon.
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