"Great Western" New York May 9th - Bristol May 23rd 1840, folded May 4th letter from Charleston, S.C.to Guebwiller, France, carried privately to New York where red "De Rham & Moore" forwarders oval applied on back and freight money letter fee paid (not shown), red "Bristol/Ship Letter" handstamp and "8" pence rating for incoming ship letter fee, London 1s6d manuscript debit, French "38" décimes due rating from addressee, Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" New York May 9th - Bristol May 23rd 1840, folded May 6th letter from New York, N.Y. to Nantes, France, freight money letter fee paid directly to ship captain (not shown), crisp red "Bristol/Ship Letter" handstamp and "8" pence ship letter rating, London 1s6d manuscript debit, French 30 décimes due rating from addressee, particularly fresh and Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" New York May 9th - Bristol May 23rd 1840, folded letter from Philadelphia to Schiedam, Netherlands endorsed "pr Great Western", red "Bristol Ship Letter" two-line h.s. with manuscript "8" pence ship letter rating, red London (5.25) arrival backstamp with manuscript "2/-" shilling debit to Holland, "Engeland over Rotterdam" and Schiedam (5.29) backstamps, manuscript "120" Dutch Cents due rating, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. Letter carried privately to New York where unspecified forwarding agent took letter to steamship agent and paid freight money fee. Letter never posted in U.S. mails. Bristol used red BRISTOL/SHIP LETTER handstamp (red 1840-1841 only) and marked 8 pence for the incoming ship letter fee. London debited Holland 2s (8d ship fee plus 1s4d letter fee from London to Holland). In Rotterdam the transit marking in red (shown above) was struck and the postage due was marked, consisting of 120 Dutch Cents to pay back G.B. plus 50 Dutch Cents inland fee for single letter. $0 (Image)