1801 (Mar. 27) St. Pierre, Martinique to Charleston S.C. via New York. Datelined folded letter carried by private ship, entered mails with "New-York, Apr 27" clamshell postmark and red manuscript "Sh 27" rating for 25¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; light file folds, Very Fine and early use from Martinique.
Estimate; $600 - 800. Est. $600-800 (Image)

Est. $600-800

1847 (Jan. 13) Havre, France to Kingston, Mass. Datelined blue folded letter with blue "Forwarded by / Yours respectfully / Havre '14 Jan '47' Wm. Slade" three-line forwarder's handstamp, red London Paid (1.19) Maltese cross and matching "Paid Ship Letter, London, 19 IA 19, 1847" crown rimless oval with red "8" pence prepaid rating, carried by Sands & Co. Sarah Sands from Liverpool from Jan. 20th to New York arriving Feb. 10th, red "New-York, Ship, 7 cts, Feb 11" integral due cds, Very Fine.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

A RARE USE CARRIED ON THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF PIONEER STEAMSHIP "SARAH SANDS".

The "Sarah Sands" of 1,400 tons was built for Sands & Company of Liverpool by James Hudson & Company, also of Liverpool as an iron screw propelled vessel and launched in September 1846. The maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York left on the 20th January 1847 and the Prices Current shown below traveled on that voyage. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Sep. 5) Paris, France to Boston, Mass. Folded letter with red Paris cds and manuscript "15" décimes prepaid rating on reverse, carried by Cunard Line Acadia from Liverpool Sep. 9th to Boston arriving Sep. 24th, London "Paid 6 SP" and Liverpool (9.7) transits, red "24" retaliatory due rating for 24¢ packet fee; light toning, ex-Winter.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

Letter carried on 12th of 25 Cunard voyages westbound to Boston under the retaliatory order. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1852 (Jan. 20) Wady Halfa, Nubia Sudan to Hartford, Ct. Long folded letter datelined "Wady Halfa, at the foot of the 2nd Cataract of the Nile" with some interesting local missionary activity content, mentions "bloody" Pasha of Egypt, camel trip to Cairo, laws against Jews, etc., "LS, 26 MR 26, 1852" Maltese cross transit and "19/ Cents" debit handstamp, carried by Cunard Africa from Liverpool Mar. 27th to New York arriving Apr. 7th, "Br. Packet '24' Apr 8" debit exchange cds, Very Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

A RARE EARLY INCOMING TRANSATLANTIC COVER FROM SUDAN.

Wadi Halfa is a city in the Northern state of Sudan on the shores of "Lake Nubia". It is the terminus of a rail line from Khartoum and the point where goods are transferred from rail to ferries going down the lake. The town is located amidst numerous ancient Nubian antiquities and was the focus of much archaeological work by teams seeking to save artifacts from the flooding caused by the completion of the Aswan Dam. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1852 (Sep. 10) Boston, Mass. to Bordeaux, France. Folded letter with black "American / Packet" two-line handstamp and red "Paid" and "21" rating handstamps, partial red "New York Am. Packet Sep 11" exchange cds, carried by Ocean Line Washington from New York Sep. 11th to Southampton arriving Sep. 25th, London (9.27) backstamp, Paris (9.28) entry cds with "8" décimes due handstamp rating, Very Fine and choice, ex-Winter.
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000.

This was an unusual routing from Southampton to London and Calais, not the usual for Ocean Line mails to France. Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Est. $1,500-2,000