Lot 239
1857 (Jan. 18) New Orleans La. to Massevaux, France, printed circular with date docketing, bearing 5¢ red brown (12) rich color, large even margins, tied by "New Orleans La. Jan. 18 1857" c.d.s., red "New-York Am. Pkt. Feb 1" exchange office c.d.s., red Liverpool "6 FE 1857" transit backstamp, "Angl. Amb. Calais 16 Fevr. 57" entry c.d.s. with oval "GB / 40C" debit and "5" décimes due handstamps, reverse with French transits and "Massevaux 18 Fevr. 57" arrival c.d.s., accepted short-payment of the 21¢ British open mail rate via American packet, plus 5 décimes due for postage from England to France. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 69, fig. 6-18.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000
THE ONLY RECORDED 1856 5¢ USAGE DURING THE THREE-MONTHS PERIOD HANDLED BY AMERICAN PACKET.
Expertization: Signed Stanley B. Ashbrook, 1985 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Martin
This letter was exchanged in New York City on February 1 for carriage on the Collins Line steamer Atlantic, which departed that day and arrived at Liverpool on Frebruary 14. Although the letter was insufficiently prepaid to be carried by the 21¢ American packet rate, it was accepted and transmitted as fully prepaid. The letter entered the French mails on February 16 and received the "GB 40c" oval debit handstamp that was reserved for prepaid mails carried by American packets. The letter was rated and handstamped with a 5 décimes due marking which included the French inland postage of 4 décimes plus 1 décime for the reduced British transit postage.
Carried on the last American packet sailing during the three months period.
|
| |
| Realized $12,500 |
