Lot 185
1857 (Apr. 9) Albany N.Y. to Aberdeen, Scotland, orange envelope bearing 5¢ red brown (12) two brilliant horizontal pairs, deep luxuriant color, exceptionally large margins with portions of six adjoining stamps, first pair barely touched at left, used with 1¢ blue type IV (9) and 3¢ dull red (11), each slightly in, tied by "Albany N.Y. Apr 9" circular datestamps, red "America Paid Liverpool AP 24 57" datestamp with matching red "3"credit handstamp, reverse with green "Aberdeen AP 25 1857" receiver, embossed coppersmith & plumbers' return card on flap; light folds not affecting stamps, Extremely Fine and remarkably fresh, the 24 cent rate per ½ ounce for up to 3,000 miles. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 138, fig. 13-1.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000
THE ONLY RECORDED 1856 5¢ USAGE TO GREAT BRITAIN ON A FULL COVER. WITH TWO PHENOMENAL PAIRS, AN EXQUISITE THREE-COLOR FRANKING ACCENTUATED BY NEAT POSTAL MARKINGS AND COLORED ENVELOPE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST VISUALLY SPECTACULAR AND DISTINCTIVE COVERS IN THE COLLECTION.
Expertization: Signed Stanley Ashbrook and Herbert Bloch.
Provenance: Klein
The cover departed New York April 11 on the steamship Alps, operating under an American mail contract for this sailing, replacing the Collins Line steamer Atlantic. The cover arrived at Liverpool on April 24 and marked 3¢ credit to England for inland postage. The United States retained the balance, 5¢ inland postage plus 16¢ for sea carriage. The cover arrived in Aberdeen the next day.
The 24¢ rate from the United States to Great Britain had been established by the Treaty of 1848. The 5¢ open mail rate was not available for mail destined for Great Britain.
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| Realized $115,000 |
