(Cope Line) 1819 (Jul. 14) Broomfield, England to Concord Pa. via Liverpool. Folded letter datelined "Broomfield 14th of 7 mo. 1819", entered mails with red "CHELMSFORD/29" two-line handstamp to "Thos. Thompson, Chemist and Druggist, Liverpool" and marked "Post Paid", London with dark red London "Paid/21 JY 21/1819" tombstone-style datestamp and matching "SHIP" handstamp with red manuscript "P 1/-" prepaid one-shilling packet charge, Thompson was the forwarder who arranged for the letter's transport to the U.S. unpaid and crossed out his address, bold strike of "LANCASTER" straightline applied by ship purser, carried by Cope Line Ship Lancaster from Liverpool Jul. 21st to Philadelphia Sept. 13th, Philadelphia red "Phi, 13, Sep" cds and matching "SHIP" handstamp with red manuscript "8" rating for 6¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and exceptional Cope Line name-of-ship handstamp use, ex-Robertson, Hahn.
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED COPE LINE "LANCASTER." NAME-OF-SHIP STRAIGHTLINE PURSER MARKINGS, THIS BEING THE ONLY STRIKE IN BLACK.

Thomas P. Cope's ships operated from 1806, and on a monthly schedule between Philadelphia and Liverpool from 1822 to 1872. Often termed the "Philadelphia Packet" or "Liverpool Packet," none of Cope's voyages were under mail contracts. The 383-ton Lancaster was the first ship in Cope's Philadelphia-Liverpool line with Thomas Potts as master.

Letters from the United Kingdom to overseas destinations via the Falmouth packet required compulsory prepayment of the packet rate in addition to the U.K. inland rate from posting via London to Falmouth. However, iif the sender chose to instruct the post office to send by private ship from a particular port, the only compulsory part of the postage was the inland rate via London to the port of exit as in the case here. Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Est. $1,500-2,000

1820 (Dec. 14) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter being an invoice for books shipped from Liverpool, endorsed via forwarder and sent unpaid, exceptional bold strike of olive green "Ship. Atlantic * W. Matlock * Sailed Decem. 17" purser name-of-boat handstamp, carried by Ship Atlantic from London Dec. 17th to New York arriving Feb. 19th, red "New-York, Feb 19" cds and "Ship" handstamp with red manuscript "14½" for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; expertly restored cover tear through front, otherwise F.-V.F.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED "SHIP ATLANTIC, W. MATLOCK" PURSER NAME-OF-BOAT HANDSTAMPS STRUCK IN OLIVE GREEN, ALL USED ON THIS SAILING ONLY.

By the 1820s American lines sailing regular schedules sprung up in many eastern U.S. ports. Intense competition for cargo and passengers was evident in newspaper advertisements. Name-of-ship markings provided additional advertising.

Letter to the publisher and bookseller Matthew Carey, a revolutionary, close friend of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, and early advocate of strong naval power as a necessary role of federalism. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

1827 (Jan. 26) Green Bank, England to Philadelphia, Pa. via Annapolis. Folded letter with "Green Bank" circular postmark and manuscript "2/3" 2s3d rating for prepaid packet fee, carried by Falmouth Packet Princess Elizabeth from Falmouth Feb. 14th to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Apr. 15, red "Annaps. Md. Apr 16" cds with matching "Ship" handstamp and "14½" due rating, Very Fine, the second of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover, ex-Winter.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED USAGES CARRIED BY THE CUNARD PACKET TO ANNAPOLIS, THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM THIS VOYAGE.

When Falmouth-New York packet service was terminated in late 1826, letters for America were sent on the Falmouth-Bermuda packet. From Bermuda a Cunard sailing ship was contracted to take them to Annapolis. Only nine such voyages were made before the service ended in October 1827.

Letters arriving by Bermuda packet entered the mail in Annapolis, not — as reported in the literature — taken to Washington by special courier. The trip to Philadelphia by mail coach took an entire day. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1827 (Jun. 27) Monmouth, Wales to Philadelphia Pa. via Annapolis. Folded letter with red "Cardiff JY 13 1827" rimless backstamp and red "P 2/1" 2s1d prepaid packet rating, carried by Falmouth Packet Eclipse from Falmouth Aug. 4th to Bermuda, then Cunard Sailing Packet Emily to Annapolis arriving Sep. 18th, black "Annaps. Md. Sep. 18" cds with matching "Ship" handstamp and "14½" due rating, Extremely Fine and choice, the eighth of only nine monthly voyages to Annapolis, a very rare British packet service cover, ex-Winter.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED USAGES CARRIED BY THE CUNARD PACKET TO ANNAPOLIS, THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM THIS VOYAGE.

Annapolis changed the color of ink used for datestamp from red to black sometime in mid-1827. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

1833 (Mar. 7) St. Kitts, B.W.I. to Philadelphia Pa. via New Haven. Datelined folded letter carried by private ship, entered mails sharp red "New Haven Ct., Apr 2" fancy cds and matching "Ship" handstamp in shape of ship's hull and red manuscript "39½" rating for double the 18¾¢ inland postage (150-400 miles) plus 2¢ ship fee, Extremely Fine and choice.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1834 (Jul.) Calcutta, India to Pittsburgh Pa. via Philadelphia. Docketed folded cover with part missionary letter from Rev. T. W. Lowrie to Western Free Missionary Society, carried by private ship Edward from Calcutta Aug. 10th via St. Helena Oct. 12th to Philadelphia arriving Dec. 8th, entered mails with slightly oily red "Phila., 8, Dec" octagonal double-line datestamp and matching Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp, noted "Treble" at bottom but rated as a quadruple letter with red manuscript "1oz." weight and "77" due rating for quadruple the 18¾¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; slight soiling and fold splitting reinforced, rittle folds, small piece missing from wax seal, Fine appearing and, which was used between May 1834 and September 1835, Fine rare combination of Calcutta origin and this iconic ship handstamp.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

The Philadelphia Rigged Ship handstamp was used only on incoming mail for addresses beyond the port. It is recorded used from May 1834 to Nov. 9, 1835. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

1834 (May 12) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Folded letter with red "FORWARDED BY/CARTWELL BROS./LIVERPOOL" three-line backstamp and matching "ORPHEUS" ship directional straightline, carried by Black Ball Line Orpheus from Liverpool May 16th to New York arriving Jun. 15th, entered mails with red "New-York, Ship, Jun 15" cds and red manuscript "14½" rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship rate; file fold, Very Fine and rare Liverpool packet name-of-ship marking.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED BLACK BALL LINE "ORPHEUS" STRAIGHTLINE NAME-OF-BOAT DIRECTIONAL HANDSTAMPS USED BY CARTWELL BROS. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1834 (Aug. 19) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter sent unpaid, carried by Brown's Line Brig Morgan from Liverpool Aug. 20th to Philadelphia arriving Oct. 8th, perfect bold strike of Philadelphia red "6" in lined octagon handstamp for 6¢ due for delivery at the port; some edge wear, Extremely Fine and choice.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

THE EARLIEST RECORDED STRIKE IN RED OF THE PHILADELPHIA "6" IN LINED OCTAGON SHIP RATING HANDSTAMP.

This Philadelphia "6" in octagon ship rating handstamp was only used on incoming mail for addresses within the city. Period of use was from October 1834 to October 1836. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Brown's Line of Baltimore) 1835 (Sep. 13) Liverpool, England to Kennebunk Me. Datelined folded letter sent unpaid, carried by Brown's Line Pocahontas from Liverpool Oct. 8th to Philadelphia arriving Nov. 9, entered mails with remarkably clear strike of the Fredersdorf Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp with red manuscript "27" due rating for 25¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee; central file fold, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

THE LATEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE FANCY PHILADELPHIA FULL-RIGGED SHIP HANDSTAMP, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDED STRIKES OF THIS DESIRABLE HANDSTAMP. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

1834 (Dec. 8) Liverpool, England to Germantown Pa. Docketed folded cover with partial letter sent unpaid by private ship, carried by Cope Line Algonquin from Liverpool Dec. 11th to the Lazaretto (Philadelphia's quarantine station) arriving Jan. 27th, delayed by storms and ice, entered mails with red "Phila., 28, Feb" octagonal double-line datestamp (Feb. error instead of Jan.) and matching remarkable bold strike of Philadelphia Full-Rigged Ship handstamp with manuscript "20" changed to "14" due rating for double 6¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; some edge wear, Very Fine and rare use delayed by ice.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

A CHOICE USE OF THE FANCY PHILADELPHIA FULL-RIGGED SHIP HANDSTAMP

LETTER DELAYED SEVEN WEEKS DUE TO ICE AT CAPE HENLOPEN— MAILS KEPT ABOARD. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

1834 (Dec. 12) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. "datelined folded letter endorsed "p Aid de Camp" at bottom left, carried as endorsed by Ship Aid de Camp from Liverpool Dec. 17th to Cape Island N.J. arriving Jan. 15th, Delaware River ice-jammed, so mails sent ashore in New Jersey, manuscript "Cape Island N.J., Janry. 15th" and matching "Ship 14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland plus 2¢ ship fee", Very Fine and rare use taken overland through New Jersey to avoid ice.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Instead of waiting for ice to clear on the Delaware River, at least one ship captain decided to send his mails overland from the mouth of the estuary. The following letter from Rathbone Brothers in Liverpool to Philadelphia merchant Nathan Trotter, dated December 12, 1834, the day after Algonquin had sailed. The sender endorsed the letter per Aid de Camp, another sailing vessel, which departed Liverpool on December 17, 1834. At Cape Island, New Jersey, Captain McGill of the Aid de Camp put his mail ashore on January 15, 1835. This was the same day the Algonquin managed to return after the week-long gale of early January. At the Cape Island post office, the letter was postmarked in manuscript and rated 14½ cents due: two cents ship fee plus 12½ cents inland postage to Philadelphia (80-150 miles). The letter was docketed as received in Philadelphia on January 17, 1835, more than a month before Algonquin's mails arrived there. Aid de Camp continued on to Philadelphia, arriving at the Lazaretto on January 27, the same day as the Algonquin.

Liverpool to Philadelphia was 200 miles longer than to New York, and required navigating a shoaling estuary. Even with favorable winds, the trip to Philadelphia could take an additional one to two weeks; ice blockages were not uncommon. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1838 (Sep. 15) Birmingham, England to Philadelphia. Consignee's letter and invoice sent privately to Liverpool by W&I Brown Co., carried by Pioneer Steamship Royal William from Liverpool Sep. 20th to New York arriving Oct. 10th, entered mails with sharp red "New-York, Ship, Oct 10" cds and manuscript "14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; file folds, Very Fine, The second of only three recorded voyages of the Pioneer Steamship Royal William.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300