(Retaliatory Period) 1848 (Jun. 23) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Blue folded cover bearing G.B. 1s green embossed, large margins to touched, cancelled by "7" barred oval, London "LS, 23JU23, 1848" maltese cross datestamp on flap, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Jun. 24th to New York arriving Jul. 8th, bold red "New-York 'Ship, 29cts.' Jul 9" retaliatory due cds for 5¢ inland under 300 miles, fresh and Very Fine, with 2005 Knopke certificate.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING IN THE RETALIATORY PERIOD, THE EARLIEST RECORDED RETALIATORY COVER TO PHILADELPHIA. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

(Retaliatory Period) 1848 (Jun. 30) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cover with red octagonal "Paid At Liverpool, Ju 30 1848" octagon datestamp and red "1/" due handstamp for 1s packet rating, endorsed "Per Niagara", carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Jul. 1st to Boston arriving Jul. 12th, red "Boston Ms., Ship, Jul 12" cds with matching "34" cents due handstamp representing the 24¢ packet rate plus 10¢ inland for half ounce over 300 miles; with original enclosure, Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1848 (Aug. 7th) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter with red London "Paid" (8.18) cds and red manuscript "1/" prepaid rating for 1s packet rate, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Aug. 19th to New York arriving Aug. 31st, red "New-York, Ship 29 cts., Aug 27" integral-due cds; some file fold reinforcement, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

(Retaliatory Period) 1848 (Sep. 2) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Folded cover with part letter bearing Great Britain 1841 1d red (3) strip of three and 1847 1s green embossed (5) vertical pair, both mostly well margined, prepaying two-times the 1s packet rate plus 3d late fee, tied by barred numeral "486" cancels, matching Liverpool (9.2) backstamps, endorsed "pr Europa via New York" routing at lower left, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Sep. 2nd to New York arriving Sep. 14th, New York blue manuscript "58" due rating for double the 24¢ retaliatory packet rate and 5¢ inland; file fold through right 1d and fold through top 1s, Very Fine and rare late fee use.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY FOUR COVERS RECORDED TO PHILADELPHIA AT THIS RATE.

The late fee for Liverpool was on an experimental basis and charged 1d for 15 minutes after the time of clearing the letter box and 3d after 15 minutes up to 10 minutes prior to the time of dispatch from sometime in 1847 to 1 March 1849, when this rate was put into effect in several towns. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1848 (Dec. 31) Manchester, England to Philadelphia, Pa. Folded letter endorsed "pr. 'Cambria' ", posted with red "Manchester DE 31 1847" cds and red manuscript "2/-" shilling prepaid rating, Liverpool (1.1) backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool Jan. 1st to New York arriving Jan. 18th, red "New-York 'Ship 7cts' Jan 19" cds, Very Fine and choice, ex-Winter.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

CARRIED ON THE FIRST DIRECT MAIL VOYAGE TO NEW YORK BY THE CUNARD LINE.

New York ship-letter postmarks appear on Cunard covers for only six months in 1848 and two months in 1849, prior to 8 March 1849 New York arrival of the first Cunard steamer to sail under the United States - Great Britain postal convention.

In January 1848 Cunard added New York as a second American terminus, after which sailings alternated between Boston and New York. Both west and eastbound sailings called at Halifax for Canadian mails. By April 1848, sailing frequency had increased to weekly. By the winter of 1852-1852 service was year-round. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300