"Great Western" Bristol October 19th - New York November 2nd 1839, folded Sep. 10 cover from Smyrna, Turkey, to Boston, Mass. with "Smyrna 10 Sept." double circle date stamp, Paris (9.25) and London (9.27) transit backstamps, red "Liverpool Ship Letter Oct. 18" rimless cds, red "New-York Ship Nov 3" cds with manuscript "20¾" rating for 18¾¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, part of back flap missing, F.-V.F., a rare non-contract steamship letter showing disinfection. Estimate  $300 - 400. Letter posted at French post office in Smyrna and carried by French steamer "Sesostris" to Malta, where it was disinfected (two chisel slits for fumigation). Malta applied mark of purification on reverse, then sent letter by the French steamer "Lycurgue" to Marseille. London marked on reverse 1s10½d "Foreign" fees and 10d "British" fees for postage due of 2s8½d (portion of cover missing shows most of this). Forwarding agent Woolley Bell & Co. in Liverpool paid this fee and 1s outgoing ship fee to re-direct letter by non-contract steamship. $0 (Image)