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EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE "ST. JOHN N.B./SHIP LETTER" HANDSTAMP ON AN 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVER. A REMARKABLE POSTAL HISTORY RARITY IN IMMACULATE CONDITION.
This cover was correctly prepaid for the 6c rate to Canada and the maritime provinces, but instead of entering a U.S. post office, it was evidently posted directly on the northbound steamer on one of its regular runs between Boston, Portland, Eastport and St. John. It was probably mailed from Eastport, Maine. On arrival at St. John, it was treated as a fully prepaid letter, and the stamp was cancelled with the St. John ship-letter marking.
Illustrated in Baker's U.S. Classics (p. 268). Ex Colonel Green, Newbury, Baker, Haas and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
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EXTREMELY FINE. A WELL-TRAVELLED COVER WITH A COLORFUL AND RARE COMBINATION OF UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN STAMPS TO PAY 6-CENT TREATY RATE AND 8-PENCE BRITISH RATE TO FRANCE.
Illustrated in Forster article on mixed frankings (1982 Register, p. 95).
Ex Juhring and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY THREE 1869 PICTORIAL COVERS ARE REPORTED WITH THE "TOO LATE" HANDSTAMP.
A two-part article in Chronicle 88 and 91 discusses the "Too Late" handstamp and records only three examples on 1869 issue covers. It was used to indicate that the letter missed the designated sailing. The Lafayette sailed Apr. 2 and this cover was carried on the HAPAG's Hammonia II, illustrated in North Atlantic Mail Sailings 1840-75 (p. 186).
Ex Haas and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
VERY FINE. AN UNUSUAL AND BEAUTIFUL COVER FROM THE REVEREND DENNIS MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE TO BEIRUT, SYRIA. ONLY TWO OF THE NINE RECORDED 10-CENT 1869 COVERS TO SYRIA WERE SENT VIA FRENCH MAIL.
The 30c French Mail rate to Syria was in effect until December 31, 1869. There are nine 10c 1869 covers to Syria (eight listed in the 1869 PRA Census), but only two were prepaid 30c for the French Mail rate while it was in effect. The others were sent via North German Union Mail. This cover missed the HAPAG sailing to Cherbourg on Nov. 2 and was sent instead on the Cunarder Scotia, which departed N.Y. on Nov. 3 and arrived in Queenstown on Nov. 12. The 21c credit and the Calais transit datestamp indicate transit through England. The other recorded 30c French Mail cover to Syria has an 18c credit and Cherbourg transit (direct to France).
Ex Juhring, Grunin and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
VERY FINE. A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ON AN INBOUND BRAZIL LINE COVER FROM PUERTO RICO TO NEW YORK VIA ST. THOMAS. THE FORWARDER'S ANCHOR-ILLUSTRATED MARKING IS AN UNUSUAL AND DESIRABLE ELEMENT OF THIS COLORFUL USAGE.
This cover was pictured and discussed in Michael Laurence's article on 10c 1869 covers in the Pan-American mails (Chronicle 118).
Ex Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE ON AN INBOUND DOUBLE-RATE COVER FROM YOKOHAMA, JAPAN.
The 1869 Census book records only 17 covers used from Yokohama, of these only five have more than one 10c stamp. (Image)
EXTREMELY FINE. A COLORFUL AND BREATHTAKING 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVER SENT FULLY PREPAID BY BRITISH MAIL AT THE 22-CENT RATE. EXAMPLES OF THIS RATE PAID BY THE 1869 ISSUE ARE EXTREMELY RARE.
This cover is pictured and discussed in U.S.-Spain Mails via British Convention, 1849-1876 by Richard F. Winter (supplement to Chronicle 147, pp. 15-16). The Convention rates effective from Jan. 1, 1868, to Dec. 31, 1870, followed a progression of 10c U.S. per -1/2 oz. and 12c credit to G.B. per 7.5 grams (-1/4 oz.). Therefore, this letter must have weighed no more than a quarter-ounce and was prepaid with 22c postage (12c U.S. credit to G.B. and 2p G.B. credit to Spain). It was carried on the Cunarder Java, departing New York on Jul. 14, 1869, and arriving off Queenstown on Jul. 22.
EXTREMELY FINE AND SIMPLY SPECTACULAR. THE USE OF THREE DIFFERENT COLORFUL STAMPS FROM THE 1869 PICTORIAL AND ITS SUCCESSOR 1870 PORTRAIT ISSUE IS RARE IN ANY FORM. HAVING THEM ON A 28-CENT BRITISH MAIL RATE COVER TO SOUTH AFRICA IS EVEN MORE DESIRABLE. FINALLY, THE CONDITION OF THIS PALETTE OF COLORS IS IMPECCABLE. IN OUR OPINION, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL 1869 PICTORIAL FOREIGN-MAIL USAGES.
Illustrated in Rose book (p. 97) where described as one of two known 12c 1869 covers to South Africa (there are only a few other 1869 Pictorial covers to this destination). Illustrated in color in the 1869 PRA Census (p. 130).
EXTREMELY FINE. A COLORFUL AND EXTREMELY RARE 1869 PICTORIAL FRANKING FOR THE 34-CENT RATE TO CHILE VIA BRITISH PACKET. WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE OF THE 1869 COVERS TO SOUTH AMERICA.
Although there is no year date, this must have been mailed in 1869 or early 1870, because the 34c rate was only valid until mid-February 1870. There are only a dozen or so 1869 Pictorial covers to Chile known to exist.
Illustrated in color in the 1869 PRA Census (p. 133). Ex Haas and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVER. THE 15-CENT TYPE I AND 3-CENT ENTIRE PAY THE 18-CENT RATE TO THE GULF COAST BY BRITISH PACKET VIA ASPINWALL (COLON). THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED 1869 PICTORIAL COVER TO COLOMBIA.
The 18c rate to the Gulf Coast included 10c for carriage from New York to Aspinwall (Colon) and 8c (credit) for British transit to Carthagena. The forwarder in Carthagena arranged for delivery to the addressee in Monteria, about 120 miles south. There are no other covers to Colombia listed in the 1869 PRA Census.
Illustrated in Searing article on 15c Type I covers (Chronicle 108) and in color in 1869 PRA Census (p. 135). Ex Juhring and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate. (Image)
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN INCOMPARABLE 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVER, PASSING THROUGH FIVE DIFFERENT POSTAL SYSTEMS ON ITS JOURNEY FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO A MISSIONARY IN ALEPPO, SYRIA, ONE OF THE OLDEST INHABITED CITIES IN THE WORLD.
This cover is pictured and described in Jeffrey M. Forster's 1982 Register article on 1869 mixed frankings (pp. 104-106), where he states "This cover is remarkable inasmuch as it passed through the United States, German, Austrian, Turkish and French postal systems. This writer knows of no other cover which demonstrates this outstanding accomplishment."
To summarize the cover's journey, it was stamped 15c for the North German Union Direct rate to Syria (Turkey). The U.S. retained 10c and credited the North German Union with 5c for postage beyond NGU boundaries. From Bremen the cover was sent to Vienna (Mar. 2) to enter the Austrian postal system, which maintained offices in Turkey. It was postmarked at the Austrian P.O. in Constantinople on Mar. 10. However, without an office in Aleppo to receive the letter, the Austrians turned it over to the Turkish P.O., which determined that it should be sent by French Mail. Two Turkish postage due stamps amounting to 1 piastre and 20 paras (approximately 7-1/2 cents) were affixed on back and tied by Turkish cancels (the "TAXE" handstamp is in identical ink). From Constantinople the cover was carried by French Mail to Beirut (Mar. 31), then to Alexandretta (Apr. 3) for the final leg of the journey inland to Aleppo. Evidently the French P.O. assessed postage due at 6 decimes (12c).