Lot 195
1857 (Jun. 11) Norfolk Va. to Florence, Tuscany, folded letter bearing 5¢ red brown (12) clear to large margins, tied by blue "Norfolk Va. Jun 11" c.d.s. and black "New York 9 Jun 20" integral debit exchange office c.d.s., endorsed "pr. Cunard steamer", red "Et. Unis. Serv. Am. A.C. 2 Juil 57" entry c.d.s., "Paris 3 Juil 57" and blue "Firenze 7 Lug 57" backstamps, magenta "20" due rating, Very Fine, prepaid the 5¢ British open mail rate, actually sent via the 27¢ French mail rate per ¼ ounce. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 96, fig. 8-2.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
A CHOICE USAGE AND ONE OF TWO RECORDED 1856 5¢ USAGES TO TUSCANY.
Although endorsed for carriage by Cunard Line steamer, the Cunard steamer Arabia had departed New York City on June 10. Rather than send the letter to Boston for the June 17 Cunard sailing, the letter was held for the regular American packet service to England. The letter was handled via French mail unpaid at the 27-cent rate with 9 cent debit to France. The partial payment was not recognized. Carried in closed bag by the Collins Line steamer Atlantic departing New York on June 20, 1857 and arriving into Liverpool on July 1. It was then carried to Calais, where it entered the French mails to Florence received on July 7. It was correctly rated as postage due for the entire 27-cent rate, 20 crazie in Tuscan currency as indicated by the magenta "20" rating.
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| Realized $2,500 |
