1846 (Jun. 18) Le Havre, France to Castine Me. via Southampton. Datelined folded letter with red Havre forwarders backstamp, red "Bureau Maritime, Havre, 17 Juin 46" origin cds and "PD" handstamp with prepaid ms. "13" decimes rating on reverse, red "Southampton, JU 18" transit backstamp and matching "Foreign Paid" arc framed handstamp, London (6.18) tombstone transit, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Jun. 19th to Boston arriving Jul. 4th, Boston red "7" rating handstamp for 5¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine.
Estimate; $150 - 200.

Letter paid 13 decimes (10 decimes to United Kingdom under 1843 Anglo-French convention plus 3 decimes internal fee for 7½-10 gram letter going a distance less than 40 km. FOREIGN PAID marking in red arc box applied at Southampton on letters brought directly from Havre to show that postage was paid beyond England. This is an uncommon marking on transatlantic mails. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1847 (Dec. 31) Boston Mass. to Paris, France via Liverpool. Gray datelined folded letter with red "Forwarded by Harnden & Co. Boston" oval backstamp and matching "Paid H & Co." shield handstamp on face, carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Boston Jan. 15th to Liverpool arriving Jan. 29th, black "Postage Paid to Destination by Harnden & Co. of Liverpool" framed handstamp, entered mails with red Liverpool Paid (1.31) cds and magenta "10" pence rating, red London "Paid" (2.1) cds and matching "PD" in oval handstamp, ex-Bryan Wood.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Although endorsed for the first Cunard Line sailing out of New York by "Hibernia" on Jan. 1st, this was actually held by Harndens for the next sailing out of Boston on Jan. 15th. Dense fog delayed the "Hibernia" sailing by a day and may have attributed to this letter being held for the next Boston sailing. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300