1849 (Feb. 20) Leeds, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter with red Liverpool (2.23) cds and manuscript red "1/-" one-shilling packet rating, Liverpool (2.24) backstamp and red "5" cents credit to the U.S., carried on Cunard America from Liverpool Feb. 24th to Boston arriving Mar. 8th, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

THIS WAS THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING UNDER THE 1848 US-GB TREATY.

No rating handstamps were available in Liverpool for the first four westbound sailings. For details of the confusion surrounding early treaty mails see the 1992 article by R.F. Winter in Chronicle 154. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1849 (Feb. 22) Glasgow, Scotland to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined blue folded letter with red "Glasgow, Paid N, Feb 22, 1849" datestamp, endorsed "Paid at Glasgow 22 Feby / 49" at top and "p R.M. Steamer 'America' from Liverpool 24 Feby" at bottom, Liverpool (2.24) transit backstamp, red manuscript "1/-" one-shilling packet rating and matching "5" cents credit to U.S., carried on Cunard Line America from Liverpool Feb. 24th to Boston arriving Mar. 8th, Very Fine, ex-Needs.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

THIS WAS THE FIRST WESTBOUND SAILING UNDER THE 1848 US-GB TREATY.

No rating handstamps were available in Liverpool for the first four westbound sailings. For details of the confusion surrounding early treaty mails see the 1992 article by R.F. Winter in Chronicle 154. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1849 (Apr. 6) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Blue folded cover with red "Liverpool Metal Review, Newspaper, One Penny" tax handstamp on flap, bearing Great Britain 1d red (3) tied by "466" barred oval, matching Liverpool (4.6) cds and oval transit, "19/Cents" debit handstamp to U.S. carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Apr. 7th to New York arriving Apr. 19th, New York black "24" due handstamp for 19¢ debit plus 5¢ inland postage due.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

THE EARLIEST SURVIVING CIRCULAR TO PHILADELPHIA UNDER THE 1848 TREATY.

Articles XV and XVI of the 1848 treaty specified that newspapers and circulars could be sent for 1d from Great Britain, or 2¢ from the United States. No accounting was required. Written matter was not permitted, and if found resulted in the full letter rate being charged. Each item had to be unsealed to allow easy inspection. The red handstamp paid no postage, but signified that a newspaper tax had been paid at 1d per 4 ounces. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1849 (Sep. 7) Calcutta, India to Philadelphia Pa. Folded letter in care of Baring Bros. at London with red Calcutta (9.7) framed backstamp and matching "INDIA" framed handstamp, manuscript rating, red London (10.27) transit backstamp, Liverpool (11.2) Maltese cross datestamp and black "19 Cents" debit rating to U.S., carried by Cunard Line America from Liverpool Nov. 3rd to New York Nov. 17th, New York black "24" cent due rating for 19¢ debit plus 5¢ inland postage, Very Fine and scarce use from India.
Estimate; $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1850 (Jun. 7) Glasgow, Scotland to Philadelphia, Pa. Blue folded letter with "Glasgow L" special circular late fee marking and bearing GB 1841, 1d red brown (3) three margins, slightly in at right, tied by "159" grid cancel prepaying the 1d late fee, Glasgow (6.7) and Liverpool (6.8) backstamps, "19/Cents" debit to U.S. handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool Jun. 8th and arriving New York Jun. 23rd, no New York markings, Philadelphia blue "24" cents crude due handstamp for packet fee, Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1850 (Dec. 30) Aden to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter sent privately to London by Baring Brothers, carried by P&O steamers via Suez, black "Forwarded by Baring Brothers & Co., London" oval handstamp, entered mails with "London, Paid, FE 22, 1851" cds and red manuscript "2/-" rating for double-rate of ½ to 1 oz., and matching red "10" pence credit to U.S., carried by Cunard Africa from Liverpool Feb. 23rd to New York arriving Mar. 8th, red "Philadelphia Pa., '48 Paid' Mar 9" integral-rate cds confirms rate, Very Fine and scarce origin.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1851 (Apr. 11) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Printed Apr. 11th Liverpool circular of Richardson Brothers & Co. with list of sailing ships and advertising their sailing records, carried privately on Inman Line City of Glasgow from Liverpool Apr. 16th to Philadelphia arriving May 3rd, bold red "Stait's Despatch, Paid, So. 3rd St" circular handstamp and pencil "151 High" street address.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1851 (Jul. 5) St. Nicholas Abbey, Barbados to Philadelphia Pa. via St. Thomas. Blue datelined folded letter with "Barbadoes" (7.14) origin double-arc backstamp, red "Barbadoes" crown handstamp and red manuscript "1/-" prepaid rating for 1s British packet to New York, carried by RMSP Derwent from Barbados Jul. 14th to St. Thomas arriving Jul. 17th, St. Thomas (7.17) transit backstamp, then Cunard Merlin from St. Thomas to New York arriving Jul. 30th, sharp "New-York '5cts.' Jul 31" integral-due cds for 5¢ inland due, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1851 (Sep. 17) Liverpool, England to Buffalo N.Y. Folded letter bearing Great Britain 1841, 2d blue (2) horizontal strip of four, large margins to shaving framelines, position 3 with pinhole, tied by "466" barred ovals prepaying the 8d outgoing ship letter rate, Liverpool "Ship Letter SP 17 1851" crown backstamp, carried by Inman Line City of Manchester from Liverpool Sep. 17th to Philadelphia arriving Oct. 3rd, blue "Philadelphia Pa. Oct 3" cds and matching "Ship" and "7" circled ratings for the 5¢ domestic rate to Buffalo plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and rare prepaid non-contract steamship sailing, ex-Winter, with 2013 P.F. certificate.
Estimate; $3,000 - 4,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED BRITISH PREPAID SHIP LETTER TO PHILADELPHIA.

Letter carried on the second voyage of the "City of Manchester" and fifth voyage of the Inman Line. The Inman Line operated from Liverpool to Philadelphia from 1851-1856, then shifted the U.S. terminus to New York beginning in 1857. Est. $3,000-4,000 (Image)

Est. $3,000-4,000

1851 (Nov. 1) London, England local use, forwarded to Philadelphia Pa. Folded light gray letter with printed script "On Her Majesty's Service" and "W.L. Maberly" frank at lower left, originally mailed with red London District (11.1) octagon datestamp, forwarded with Liverpool "L, JA 15, C" transit and sent free, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Jan. 17th to New York arriving Feb. 7th, "New-York '5cts.' Feb 7" exchange cds; small edge tears top, Very Fine and scarce free frank transatlantic use.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1852 (Sep. 22) Calcutta, India to Philadelphia Pa. Gray folded letter datelined "Calcutta 22d. September 1852" and endorsed "p Express Overland Mail via Bombay, Egypt, Marseille & London", red "INDIA" oval handstamp, red London (11.14) transit backstamp and manuscript "1/10" debit rating to U.S., carried by Collins Line Baltic from Liverpool Nov. 17th to New York arriving Nov. 28th, "New-York, Ship, Nov 28" and matching "65" due handstamp; horizontal fold, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

London rated "1/10" debit, or 22d equivalent to 44¢ due (24¢ packet from India, 10¢ French transit, 8¢ India letter, 2¢ India inland). New York rated 65¢ due for 44¢ debit plus 21¢ American packet rate. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400