Lot 252
1857 (Aug. 20) Nauvoo Ill. to Luçon, France, folded letter bearing 5¢ red brown (12) full to large margins, tied by "Nauvoo Ills. Aug. 20" and French entry circular datestamps, also franked with 10¢ green type III (15) also full to large margins, tied by manuscript rating, black "New York '6' Sep 2" exchange office debit c.d.s. with red "Short Paid" boxed handstamp and magenta "15" indicating short payment, French "Et. Unis Serv. Br. A. C. 11 Sept. 57" entry c.d.s. with matching "16" (décimes) due handstamps striking out "15", reverse with "Luçon 16 Sept. 57" arrival c.d.s.; part of address originally crossed out and subsequently restored with ink lightened as a result, Very Fine and attactive usage, short-paid double weight letter at the 15¢ treaty per ¼ ounce carried by British packet, treated as unpaid and rated 16 décimes due. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 75, fig. 6-23.
Estimate 5,000 - 7,500
THE ONLY RECORDED 1856 5¢ USAGE BEARING A SHORT PAID HANDSTAMP.
This cover was exchanged in New York City with the "6" debit datestamp struck in black. Under the convention, all partial prepayments were disregarded on underpaid letters and they were to be treated as unpaid. As a result, this cover was treated as an unpaid double rate. As the United States was entitled to 3 cents of each 15-cents rate for inland postage, this was rated as double 3 cents due from France. The cover was carried on the Cunard Line steamer Arabia, which departed New York on September 2 and arrived in Liverpool September 13. The cover entered the French mails the following day where it received the Calais datestamp and was struck with the 16 décimes due handstamp, which correctly reflects the French convention rate for a double weight cover.
|
| |
| Realized $5,000 |
