"1776" Constitution, red & blue allegorical design and verse on lettersheet, with original cover to Figleys Mill, O. franked with manuscript canceled 1857, 1¢ blue, type V, strip of three, with Vermont, Ill., July 13, 1861 cds below and missent endorsement at left, enclosure contains war news and events in St. Louis, Very Fine. Scott No. 24  Estimate $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

"189_" Dead Letter Office Return Seal, affixed to cover bearing 2¢ carmine (279B) tied by "Hartford, Conn. Mar 30 1900" duplex, blue "Misdirected" handstamp, apparently illegible address and sent to DLO, reverse with D.L.O. (4.5) triangular backstamp, label with red manuscript "(Suspension Bridge) Niagara Falls, N.Y." redirection, Suspension Bridge (4.17) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and scarce. Scott No. OXB6  $500. $0 (Image)

"189_" Dead Letter Office Return Seal, affixed to cover bearing 2¢ carmine (279B) tied by "Cleveland, O. Sta. B. Mar 7 1900" duplex, purple "Insufficiently Address" handstamp, sent to D.L.O., label with red manuscript "Guttenberg, N.Y." redirection, F.-V.F. Scott No. OXB6  $500. $0 (Image)

"British Queen" Maiden Return Voyage, New York Aug. 1st - Portsmouth Aug. 15th 1839, folded Aug. 1st cover from New York to London, letter taken directly to ship's letter bag, London (8.16) arrival backstamp with manuscript "1/4" 1s4d due rating for 8d incoming ship fee plus 8d inland postage, Extremely Fine and choice use. Estimate  $500 - 750. The "British Queen" was a vessel of the British & American Steam Navigation Company, which also owned the "Sirius" and the "President". $0 (Image)

"British Queen" New York December 2nd - London December 25th 1839, folded Nov. 29th letter from Boston to London, sent unpaid, red "Ship Letter/Gravesend" framed backstamp and London (12.26) backstamp, manuscript "1/" shilling due rating (8d incoming ship rating plus 4d uniform inland fees), Very Fine, One of only three recorded covers from this voyage showing the 4d rate. Estimate  $300 - 400. Letter carried privately to New York and placed in ship's letter bag by unknown agent. Letter carried on third return of nine round voyages by British Queen before the steamer was sold to the Belgian Government. This voyage of British Queen was the only steamship voyage into G.B. during the five week experimental 4d uniform inland rate period. $0 (Image)

"British Queen" New York Jun. 1st - Portsmouth Jun. 16th 1840, folded May 15 letter from New Orleans, La. to London, partial blue "New Orleans La. May 15" cds and red manuscript "25" rating, endorsed in care of Mess. Travers & Alexander with their manuscript forwarder's endorsement on reverse, red "Ship Letter/Portsmouth" framed backstamp and London (6.17) arrival backstamp, manuscript "8" pence due rating; fold toning, Fine, This was carried on the last voyage before the Cunard contract., ex-Robertson. Estimate  $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

"British Queen" New York June 1st - London June 17th 1840, folded June 30 letter from New York to Cologne, Germany on the fifth of nine round voyages by "British Queen" before the steamer was sold to the Belgian Government, letter sent out of mails to London, posted by agent to Germany via Belgium with red manuscript 1s8d prepaid rating, Ostend sent letter to Prussia debiting 20 Dutch cents, Prussia marked red manuscript "7" silbergroschen due; Very Fine, a scarce pioneer steamship letter to Germany. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Capt. Geo. Drew of Ship Haebaran, Charleston", folded letter endorsed "Per Pilot", light strike of cds and red marking, Very Fine, an unusual use by pilot boat. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Cherry Creek", directive in early ca. 1858-59 letter…Write to me and direct my letters to Cherry Creek Head Quarters via Fort Laramie, letter mentions scarcity postage stamps, traveling to Elk Horn City and Fremont, with 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Omaha, N.T.; reduction at left, Very Fine, a very early usage from Cherry Creek. Estimate  $750 - 1,000. Early mails to and from the new settlements, were often carried back to the Missouri River towns by travelers. The settlers privately contracted with William Smith to operate a letter express between Cherry Creek and Fort Laramie. The quote from this letter acknowledges the lack of government mail service to the Cherry Creek settlements. The writer, Will (W.D. McClain) is known to have arrived at Cherry Creek on November 2, 1858. $0 (Image)

"Damaged in Wreck, of S.S. Rio De Janeiro, Feb 22 1901", purple three-line handstamp on cover from Japan to San Francisco, slightly washed out purple "Tokyo, Japan/Jan 28, 01" cds on front and "San Francisco, Cal., Feb 29, 01" receiving cds on reverse, the American steamer City of Rio de Janeiro sailed from Yokohama, Japan on Feb 2 and struck a ledge of rocks between Mile Rocks and Fort Point attempting to enter San Francisco Bay on Feb 22 and sank, Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

"Fort Garland, New Mexico, Sept 14 1860", docketing of recipient on fresh cover to Bristol, R.I., franked with 1857, 3¢ dull red, two singles slightly overlapping and tied by "Fernando de Taos, N.M., Sep 19", Very Fine. Estimate  $2,000 - 3,000. A portion of New Mexico Territory was included in the new Colorado Territory with the first four post offices (Conejos, Fort Garland, Huerfano and San Luis) all established on February 25, 1862. In 1860, with no official United States post offices and mail service at Fort Garland, mailed was carried by Military Courier. This letter was taken to and entered the U.S. Mail at Fernando de Taos, N.M. $0 (Image)

"Four Shields", of Covington, Ky., crisp strike on 1861, 3¢ rose, well centered, fresh and Very Fine, a choice strike of this unusual cancel. Scott No. 65. Skinner-Eno No. PS-S 8  Estimate $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" Bristol Jun. 2nd - New York Jun. 17th 1838, folded May 31st letter from Birmingham to New York, docketed "from Store, pd 1/-" and "May 31st, pr Gr. Western", letter says "Be sure to send word by return of the Great Western", otherwise Very Fine, this was carried on the second voyage of the Great Western. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" Bristol May 18th - New York May 31st 1839, folded May 11th letter from London, England to Philadelphia, red "New-York 'Ship' Jun 3" cds with matching "2nd Delivery" straightline handstamp and manuscript "14½" ship rating, Very Fine, the scarce 2nd Delivery handstamp indicates 2nd delivery from the ship. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" New York April 28th - Liverpool May 11th 1842, folded April 27 cover from New York to Wohlen, Switzerland, carried out of mails to Paris, where it was posted as an unpaid letter to Switzerland, Paris red "FR/7D" framed square handstamp for French debit of 7 décimes to Basel, equivalent to 21 kreuzer and Basel added 1.5 x 4 = 6 kreuzer for total of 27kr. reflected by red crayon "27" debit rating to Canton Argovie, transit to Argovie of 9 kr. was added for total debit rating of red manuscript "36" kr., Very Fine and attractive. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" New York March 16th - Liverpool April 1st 1843, folded March 16 letter from New York to Schiedam, Netherlands, "Liverpool Ship 1 AP 43" and London backstamps, manuscript "2/-" rating for 8d ship rate plus 1s4d British packet fee to Holland (80 Dutch Cents), Schiedam (4.7) arrival backstamp and manuscript "170" rating that included an additional 50 Cents for incoming packet U.K. letter rate, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. Early in 1840, Dutch and British agreed to allow transit fees to be debited to the Dutch and allow unpaid letters to be forwarded through the U.K. Previously, the British required the fees to be paid before they allowed letters to be forwarded. $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 Apr. 29th letter from New Orleans to Rheims, France put directly in ship's letter bag bypassing the post, red "Bristol/Ship Letter" two-line handstamp with manuscript ratings including "1/6" 1s 6d debit to France, red London (5.25), Paris (5.27) and Rheims (5.28) backstamps, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Great Western" New York September 14th - Liverpool September 29th 1844, folded Sept. 14 letter from New York to Berlin, Prussia, "Liverpool Ship 39 SP 44" and London backstamps with "2/4" rating for 8d incoming ship fee plus 1s8d transit to Germany (equivalent to 31 schillinge), Hamburg added 6 schillinge and debited Prussian office 37 schillinge (equiv. 29 silbr.), Prussians added 8 silbr. transit fee for 1-1½ loth and marked "37" silbergroschen due, Very Fine, an interesting non-contract steamship use to Prussia. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Hiogo, Japan", double-circle cancellation on two 1869 singles comprising 1869, 2¢ brown with a clear strike and 1869, 10¢ yellow with partial strike, reperfed at right and two tiny tears, Fine and scarce; each with 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 113, 116  $830. $0 (Image)

"Lincoln" and Stars, fancy negative cancel duplexed with "Albany N.Y. Oct 2" cds ties 1863, 24¢ lilac on piece addressed to Birmingham, England, partial "New York 'Paid 19' Oct 4" exchange cds in red, reverse with "Birmingham OC 16 '65" arrival cds, small stamp flaws, still a Very Fine and unique strike of this Lincoln cancel on the 24¢ value. Scott No. 78. Skinner-Eno No. LC-NP 15  Estimate $500 - 750. It was originally believed that this cancel was circa 1866, but this piece with arrival year proves that it was produced in 1865 after Lincoln's assassination. $0 (Image)

"Liverpool" Liverpool Sep. 21st - New York Oct. 10th 1839, folded Sep. 6th letter from Liverpool to Boston, Mass., endorsed "p Liverpool Steamer, via New York", red "New-York 'Ship' Oct 10" cds and "20¾" rating for 18¾¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; sealed address tear, F.-V.F., carried on the 6th voyage of only 7 by the Liverpool., ex-Preece. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"Massachusetts" Liverpool Jan. 21 - New York Mar. 4 1846, blue folded Jan. 13th letter from Sheffield to Philadelphia with blue Sheffield (1.17) datestamp, flap with "Ship-Letter, Liverpool, JA 19 '46" datestamp and red manuscript "8" prepaid rating, endorsed "P. Steamer Massachusetts", red "New-York 'Ship 7cts' Mar 5" manuscript check mark indicating carrier service in Philadelphia (see Lowell Newman in "Carrier Check Marks", Penny Post, Vol. 4 No. 4); fresh and Very Fine, a scarce Transatlantic carrier use carried on the 2nd and final voyage of the Massachusetts. Estimate  $400 - 600. $0 (Image)

"New Orleans La. May 27", red cds with matching large "40" circular rate handstamp on buff cover to San Francisco, cover neat refolded at edges, Very Fine, ex-Tatham. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

"President" - Second Outbound & Return Voyage, two folded letters, Liverpool Oct. 1st - New York Oct. 17th, Sep. 30th letter from Liverpool to Portsmouth N.h. with red "Ship Letter, Liverpool, 1 OC 1840" rimless crown datestamp and matching "8" pence prepaid handstamp, red "New-York, Ship, Oct 18" cds with manuscript "20¾" rating;New York Nov. 2nd and 11th - Liverpool Nov. 27th 1840, Oct. 30th letter from New York to Aberdeen, Scotland with "Liverpool/Ship Letter" two-line backstamp and London (11.28) transit backstamp, a Very Fine and choice voyage pair. Estimate  $300 - 400. The 2nd return voyage westbound of the President encountered a severe gale outbound from New York and had to return to New York on November 9. She took on more letters and sailed again on November 11. $0 (Image)