Lot 173
1858 (Apr. 20) Orient N.Y. to Copenhagen, Denmark, envelope bearing 5¢ red brown (12) lovely color, four large to huge margins, tied by bold "Orient N.Y. 1858 Apr 20" c.d.s., and 10¢ green type II (14) horizontal strip of three (positions 58-60R) with three large margins, just touching at right, cancelled by circle of wedges, endorsed "via Prusn closed mail", red "New-York Am. Pkt. Apr 24" exchange office c.d.s. backstamp, Boston red "12" credit handstamp, red boxed "Aachen 3 5 Franco" transit handstamp also tying strip, reverse with Hamburg and Belgian May 9 backstamps, cover faults with some restoration, left 10¢ with tiny pre-use tear and crease in top margin only, a Very Fine and aesthetically appealing franking, the 35¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate per ½ ounce. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 147, fig. 14-6.
Estimate 30,000 - 40,000
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED 1856 5¢ USAGES TO DENMARK, AND THE ONLY ONE CORRECTLY FRANKED.
Provenance: Caspary
The letter was handled through the New York exchange office to Boston, where it was marked with 12 cents credit to Prussia. From Boston, the cover was carried in a closed bag on the Cunard Line steamer America, which departed on April 21 and arrived at Liverpool on May 4. The cover arrived on May 8 at Aachen, and then went via Hamburg to Copenhagen arriving on May 9.
The unusual Orient N.Y. double-circle origin postmark was made from devices manufactured by Collin and Company of New York. Many were sold for $2.50 each to small post offices that were not entitled, because of the small dollar volume of mail handled, to receive free devices supplied by the post office department. This postmaster evidently paid an extra 50¢ for the additional year date slug. See Frajola and Mayer page 148, figure 14-7 for an illustration of a Collin circular of the era.
The other recorded usage to Denmark is an 1857 (May 19) usage from New Orleans La. bearing 1851 3¢ (three, plus one lost in transit), 5¢ and 10¢ Ex Baker, Piller.
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| Realized $32,500 |
