Lot 175
1857 (Jul. 23) Richmond Va. to Bremen, forwarded to Münder über Springe, Hanover, blue folded letter bearing 5¢ red brown (12) horizontal block of six, rich color, varying margins to in at sides, tied by four strikes of "Richmond Va. Jul 23 1857" circular datestamps, red "New 7 York Am. Pkt. Jul 26" exchange office c.d.s., red "Aachen 7/8 Franco" transit, redirected upon receipt in Bremen with red crayon "1½" (silbergroschen), blue "Münder 9/8" arrival c.d.s., the block was folded over edge of cover (resulting in creases and small internal tears) which has been opened out, expanded and patched with piece of original letter sheet, Fine, one of the hightlights of a collection replete with the most notable items of this issue, the 30¢ Prussian Closed mail rate. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 115, fig. 9-12.
Estimate 75,000 - 100,000
AN IMPORTANT CLASSIC UNITED STATES COVER BEARING THE LARGEST INTACT 1856 5¢ MULTIPLE IN ANY FORMAT.
Expertization: 1994 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Ezra D. Cole Collection
The letter was processed at the New York City exchange office under the Prussian Convention to be carried by an American packet leaving on July 25, 1857. As with the previously discussed covers sent by Prussian closed mail, the cover was correctly marked with the "Paid 7" credit to Prussia datestamp. The letter was carried by the Havre Line steamer Arago, which departed from New York City on July 25, 1857, and arrived at Southampton on August 6, 1857. The next day, the cover reached the Aachen exchange office, which applied its boxed paid datestamp. When the letter reached Bremen it was redirected to Münder über Springe in Hanover. A total of 1½ silbergroschen was charged for the additional handling to Münder, where it was received on August 9 and backstamped with the blue arrival marking.
Illustrated in Henry W. Hill, "The United States 5¢ Stamps of 1856-61", 1955, p. 13, fig. 14.
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| Realized $67,500 |
