Austria. 1859 (Jan 18). Cover from Nagy Kanisa (in modern day Hungary) to Boston, franked by 1858 type I 2kr, 5kr and 15kr pair and two singles, being 1kr overpaid for the 65kr rate comprising 11kr inland fee and including 54kr for the foreign portion of the journey, all tied by dispatch cds's, carried via Vienna (bs), obverse struck with red "AACHEN/PAID25Cts." and "Boston 30 Br. PKt." cds's, conveyed by the Cunard SS "America" from Liverpool to final destination, with crossed notation denoting no fees to be paid on receipt; stamps with faults at top, still though a very rare franking on transatlantic mail in this early period, which has been nevertheless described in the certificate by Ferchenbauer as a "sehr schönes Stück!" (very fine item); cert. Ferchenbauer (1984). (Image)

Austria. 1851 (Feb 16). Envelope from Freiwaldau (Silesia) to New York, paying 3/4 loth (ms at top right) double rate of 20kr+20kr for Belgian/British transit and 20kr for British sea carriage, with 1850 9k, close to huge margins, tied by "Freywaldau" oval ds and ms "1/20" 1 gulden 20 kreuzer cash payment on reverse paying total rate and marked "Franco", carried over Prussia to Aachen with railway transits, when it received "Aus Oesterreich" and circular "P" paid hs, then via Belgium, London and Liverpool and put aboard Collins "Pacific", arriving in New York where "5" cents was due for internal rate, missing portion of backflap and peripheral cover imperfections; a very rare transatlantic cover partially paid by a postage stamp, cert. Van der Linden (1996) which details the rate and markings and cert. Ferchenbauer (1996). (Image)

Denmark. 1865ca. (Mar 31). Envelope from Copenhagen to Philadelphia, with 1864-70 16s single and pair, 3s and 4s all tied by "181" railway duplexes and Copenhagen cds, endorsed "via Liverpool", with Lübeck/Lauenburg transit ds, partial US arrival, very fine and attractive franking on a small envelope. (Image)

Denmark. 1868 (Sep 29). Single weight envelope from Copenhagen to Millerton, California, franked by 1864-70 2s (short perf. at top), 3s and 16s, perf. 13x12 1/2, tied by "2" target cancels on departure, with matching cds at left, red crayon "4" amended to "3wf" in blue for inland rate, red New York cds below, bs of Hamburg, where it was placed on board the Hapag "Germania"; twenty-five covers with this franking are known, regardless of the destination. (Image)

France. 1855 (April 28). Entire from Paris to New York, paying 60c rate for mail carried by American steamer, with 1853-60 20c light blue pair (close to very good margins, tone spots) and single (just touched), tied by roller of dots cancel, carried to Le Havre and placed aboard Havre Line "Union" with "N York AM Pkt / 20" postage due cds on arrival, fine. (Image)

France. 1865 (July 19). Single rate cover from Paris to New Orleans, bearing 1862 40c (2), each tied by "15" dotted star, alongside showing dispatch cds, red octagonal "Br. Service" hs and rare "Paid" exchange marking of Portland, carried by the Allan Line "Hibernian", fine. (Image)

German States - Bavaria. 1861 (May 4). Envelope from Nurnberg to New York, paying the 45kr rate for Prussian closed mail (6kr inland postage and 39kr for foreign fees as noted by ink), following the 1852 Prussia-USA Convention, with 1850-54 well margined 9kr and 18kr pair with complete to wide margins. each tied by "356" numeral hs with cds on departure below,"AACHEN/PAID 25 Cts." indicating the fee credited to the USA, and "PAID 30" New York Br. Pkt. cds's in red at right, Leipzig transit on reverse; carried from Liverpool to New York by the Cunard SS "Persia"; an attractive and rare cover; cert. Stegmüller (2008). Note: The Prussia-USA Postal Convention was applied not only to Prussia, but to German States which were members of the German-Austrian Postal Union, including 45kr up to 1/2 oz (2 loth) for South German States, or 13sgr for North German States and 38kr for Austria. (Image)

Brunswick. 1866 (Dec 6). Cover from Brunswick to New York, paying the 6 1/2 groschen single Hapag rate (equivalent to 15 cents) with 1863 1/2gr (somewhat discoloured) in combination with two 1865 3gr, partly trimmed by scissors, tied by neat "Braunschweig" cds's on dispatch, red crayon "4 1/2" indicating international postage paid, carried by the Hapag "Alemannia" with Hamburg cds's on back and red "HAMBURG/PACKET/3" cds denoting the U.S. credit of 3 cents; a scarce transatlantic mail; cert. Lange (2013). (Image)

German States - Hanover. 1858 (March 6). Cover front from Emden to Baltimore, paying the internal rate with 1856-57 1/15th or 2sgr featuring a spectacular left sheet-margin example (tiny tear at top very slightly touching the design), tied by blue cds on departure, repeated adjacent, 25c credited to the U.S. with Aachen red cds, "11" red crayon denoting payment of 11 sgr, carried by the Inman "City of Baltimore", and red "N. York/Br. Pkt/30/PAID" marking; a rare combination franking between cash and partial payment with a stamp. Note: According to the 1852 Prussian-U.S. Postal Convention, the single rate was 30 cents per 1/2oz, including 5c for the U.S., 5c for Prussia and 20c comprising transit fees between both countries. (Image)

German States - Saxony. 1861 (Jun 6). Envelope from Schandau to Burlington, carried via Hamburg at 6 1/2 neugroschen rate equivalent to 15 cents (5/10 blue notation), paying the 2ng internal rate (5c) and the 4 1/2ng (10c) foreign fees, with 1855 1/2ng and 1ng, and 1856 5ng, tied by "18" numeral circles with matching cds at top left, Hamburg and exchange New York cds's in red alongside, embarked on the HAPAG "Hammonia" at Hamburg, Dresden and Hamburg backstamps; a very fine and scarce three-colour franking; ex Knapp. (Image)

German States - Saxony. 1865 (Apr 4). Single weight cover (part of the back lacking) from Leipzig to New York, bearing 1863 2gr (defective at top right) and 5gr pair, tied by "Leipzig/Dred:Bahnh." octagonal ds, red Aachen exchange office ds indicating 23 cents credited to U.S., endorsed "via Cork or Queenstown per steamer" confirming the carriage by the Cunard "Cuba"; filing fold passing through one 5gr, a scarce usage. (Image)

German States - Thurn and Taxis. 1867 (Feb 26). Envelope from Frankfurt to Philadelphia, bearing 1859 30kr, slightly touched in part of the lower margin, 1866 1kr pair (faint toning) and 9kr type II, each tied by "220" target cancel, with alongside matching cds, red Aachen transit denoting the 23c credited to the USA and "Boston Br.Pkt./Paid" arrival cds also in red, embarked on the Cunard "" "Africa" at Liverpool; a very attractive cover with clear strikes and including the rare second issue 30kr; cert. Sem (2009). Note: After the Prussian victory over Austria in 1866, the "Free City of Frankfurt" was occupied by the Prussians; it lost its independence and Frankfurt was included under the postal administration of Thurn and Taxis, being permitted to use a reduced rate. The 41 kreuzer franking (equal to 28c) paid the Prussian closed mail including 6kr of internal postage and 35kr of foreign fees. (Image)

German States - Württemberg. 1853 (Dec 19). Cover from Bopfingen to New York (Nördlinger Brothers correspondence), bearing 1851 1kr, 6kr type I and two examples of 18kr type II, the 9kr just touched at base, otherwise with predominantly large margins, tied by Bopfingen datestamps, repeated at right, where red French transit and U.S. 5c Boston cds were also struck, the latter indicating prepayment of the inland rate, carried from Liverpool by Cunard SS "Canada", some erosion caused by the ink in this fragile paper; a rare first-issue cover to a transatlantic destination; cert. Thoma (1981). Note: The 43 kreuzer rate, equivalent to 1/3d or 30 cents, included 2kr inland fee, 4kr for the French portion of the journey, 16kr corresponding to the British maritime fee and 5kr U.S. inland postage. (Image)

Gibraltar. 1861 (Nov 23). Entire letter to New York, fully paying the single rate to destination with 1855-57 4d pair and 6d, each tied by "A26" cancels with Gibraltar cds, red Ship Liverpool ds and New York exchange cds with 5c credited for inland rate on front, additionally "16" cents denoting sea carriage to U.S., conveyed by the Inman Line "City of Washington" from Liverpool to New York; a very rare franking (no similar examples were included in the Wood collection). (Image)

Greece. 1858 (Nov 22). Cover to New York, sent unpaid and most likely carried from Piraeus to Syros to be transferred to Lloyd steamer proceeding to Trieste with "7" Sgr hs before entering the GAPU area with red crayon "48/25" denoting 15 Nkr for Lloyd carriage and 25c for international service to the USA, then on to Aachen with "AACHEN / Cts" double circle ds (unrecorded in VdL without numeral), ms "17" for 12c rate from Greece and 5c American internal rate, carried over Ostende to Southampton and placed aboard Havre Line "Fulton" with New York arrival and "42" cents postage due hs; vertical fold reinforced inside; one of very few Greece pre-philatelic transatlantic mail covers (nothing similar in the Richard Winter collection), and probably a unique usage of the Aachen Exchange P.O. datestamp from Greece. (Image)

India. 1862 (June 21). Entire letter from Calcutta to Boston, with framed red "INDIA/PAID" hs and franked by 1855 8a and 1856-64 1/2a, 1a & 4a, tied by duplex hs on dispatch (1861 year in error), paying the 8 annas carriage to France and 5 1/2a from U.K. to the U.S., equal to "1/7" pence notation in red and "London/Paid" cds, red "16/CENTS" U.S. credit marking, black Boston 5c due cds on arrival, carried by the Peninsular & oriental "Bengal" to Suez, involving the Allan Line "Jura" from Londonderry to Quebec; an attractive and scarce four-colour franking. (Image)

Italian States - Modena. 1857 (Aug 2). Entire letter from Carrara to New York (from the famous Vito Viti correspondence discovered in New York in 1904), prepaid with 1852 10c pair, and dot after figures 40c strip of three, this just touched in small part at left, otherwise mainly large margins, tied by barred rectangular cancels, showing "VIA DI/SARZANA", dispatch cds, framed "PD", ms "3" cents credited to U.S., red arrival cds, framed "Br. Service" (carried by Cunard SS "Arabia") and "21" denoting correct full prepaid rate; two filing folds through one 40c and 10c stamps as usually found in this correspondence; a very rare franking to pay the single rate to U.S. and not including the 1L denomination, being unrecorded in Sassone; cert. A. Diena (1968). (Image)

Italian States - Papal States. 1853 (Nov 11). Cover front from Rome to New York, franked by 1852 6b and two pairs of 8b, correctly franked according to the French-papal Convention, tied by cds's on departure, red French entry and New York due (5c) arrival cds at right, carried by the Cunard SS "Africa", fine; signed Sorani and Vaccari. (Image)

Italian States - Papal States. 1862 (April 5). Envelope from Rome to Milford, prepaying the 32 baj rate (1858 French-Papal Convention) with 1852 8b in two pairs, tied by grids and "Roma" cds. red French transit, red "3" French credit tying one pair, octagonal "Br. Service" hs and "PORTLAND ME/PAID15" cds in red confirming that the internal 15c was prepaid; a very scarce mail from the Papal States showing the exchange marking of Portland (no similar item was included in the Richard F. Winter collection); carried by the Allan Line "Bohemian". (Image)

Italian States - Papal States. 1869 (Dec 20). Envelope from Rome to New York, franked by three examples of 1868 40c, overpaying by 5c the 115 cents rate, each tied by lozenge, blue St. Michel exchange cds, red "3" cents French credit and arrival cds adjacent, conveyed by the Allan Line "Nestorian" from Londonderry to Portland, very fine. (Image)

Italian States - Sardinia. 1859 (March 23). Entire letter from Genoa to Boston, paying the single rate to U.S. with 1859 40c and 1858 80c (Sassone €7,000), cut slightly into on one side, each tied by dispatch cds, showing "3" French credit to U.S., red French transit and Boston cds's, as well as octagonal "Br. Service" on front, conveyed by the Cunard "Europa", the 40c with minor imperfection and paper faults to the letter, nevertheless a rare usage. (Image)

Italian States - Tuscany. 1858 (April 14). Cover from Leghorn to Philadelphia, bearing 1851 9cr pair, cut slightly into on two sides, and well margined 1857 2cr, paying most of the journey to the port of disembarkation (1.5.1857 Convention), each used with "P.D" hs, with "Livorno" dispatch ds at left, red French entry and 15 cents New York circular hs at right, the latter also tying the franking; a scarce transatlantic mail. (Image)

Malta. 1873 (July 4). Entire letter to New York, paying the 4d rate for carriage to France and 6d transatlantic rate via London with 1872 4d vermilion pl. 13 and 6d pale buff pl. 11, each tied by "A25" duplex, with London transit and "2" accountancy marking denoting the British share of the transatlantic postage, carried by French packet via Marseilles to London, and placed on board the Cunard SS "Russia" at Liverpool; a rare combination franking not included in the Wood collection of British P.O.'s Abroad; cert. Briefmarkenprüfstelle Basel (2003). (Image)

Norway. 1867 (April 28). Envelope from Christiana to St. Louis, paying the 28sk single Hapag rate (equivalent to 25 cents) with 1863-67 4sk and 24sk, tied by neat "Christiana" cds on dispatch, red crayon "6 1/2" Sgr (15c) for German and foreign carriage plus Norwegian (7c) and Danish (3c) transit fees making up the rate, routed via Sandosund with backstamp to Denmark with "32" sk at lower left for Danish transit onwards to Kiel and Hamburg, where it was put aboard Hapag "Sassonia" with red "HAMBURG/PACKET/PAID/3" cds denoting the U.S. credit of 3 cents; a scarce transatlantic mail; only two covers known with this franking and only four in total sent to the USA showing this rate according to the Nk Postal 2012 catalogue; cert. Aune (2012). (Image)

Portugal. 1871 (March 8). Envelope from Lisbon to Philadelphia, paying the 160 reis rate to disembarkation port, with 1867 80r pair (one short perf. at lower right), tied by "1" numeral hs, matching "Lisboa" cds at left, alongside "5" arrival charge, red Liverpool transit and "2" pence accountancy marking indicating the British share for transatlantic carriage, conveyed by the PSNC "Nemesis" to Liverpool and the Cunard "Java" to New York; a delightful and rare cover. (Image)