Cuba, 1811 (Jan. 11) New York N.Y. to Havana, Cuba. Datelined folded letter carried as endorsed by private ship "Mercia", manuscript "1" rating, red "HAVANA." straightline; light soiling, Very Fine and early use to Cuba.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Cuba, 1851 (Aug. 20) Havana, Cuba to Portland Me. Printed circular and letter endorsed per "Merchant via Charleston", black "Savannah Geo., Sep 1" cds with matching "HAVANA." straightline and "10" double-circle due handstamp for steamship rate, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

There are only 16 examples of this Savannah straightline marking recorded by Kouri in Chronicle 201, p. 65. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

Cuba, 1854, 1856 Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y. via Charleston. Each with clear strike of "Charleston S.C., 'Havana', 10" integral 10¢ rate cds, 1854 (Jul. 21) folded letter with blue strike endorsed per "Vapor Isabel", 1856 (Mar. 9) folded letter with black cds endorsed "pr Isabel" to New York, Very Fine examples of this Charleston "Havana" cds in both recorded colors, blue ex-Kouri.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

From 1854 to 1856, the post office in Charleston started using a postmark that incorporated the word HAVANA and "10" cent rating for single weight covers from Cuba. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Cuba, 1854 (Nov. 8) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y. Blue folded letter from the Lanman & Kemp correspondence, carried by U.S. Mail S.S. Co. Philadelphia to New York, New York "40" due handstamp for quadruple rate of 1½-2 ounces, Very Fine and scarce quadruple rate.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Cuba, 1855 (Dec. 22) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y. Blue folded letter with bold strike of "Charleston S.C., Dec 28" cds and matching "HAVANA" straightline handstamp, pencil "60" rating for six-times the 10¢ steamship rate, endorsed per "pr. 'Quaker City' ", actually carried on the Isabel which departed two days before the Quaker City; some wrinkling, Very Fine, ex-Kouri.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS CHARLESTON "HAVANA" STRAIGHT (THREE IN BLACK). THE HIGHEST RATE USE KNOWN CARRIED BY STEAMSHIP.

In the same time period, 1854 to 1856, Charleston used a single-line postmark "Havana" (9.8x2.6 mm) struck on letters exceeding ½ ounce in weight. This letter likely contained several letters to be sent onwards, the recipient is a well-known forwarder.

Illustrated and described by Kouri in Chronicle 201, pp. 63-73. This Charleston "HAVANA" straightline is scarce with only ten recorded (seven blue and three black). The Karrer example was not in the census. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Cuba, (1849 Treaty) 1856 (Jan. 22) Havana, Cuba to Sheffield, England via New York. Datelined folded letter endorsed "pr. Empire City via New York" at top, "New.York, Am. Packet., Mar 1" exchange backstamp and "26" debit handstamp to G.B., "Liverpool, America, 13 MR '56" entry cds with bold strike of rare "1/2½" due handstamp and partial "ART-2" backstamp, blue Sheffield (3.14) arrival backstamp, Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

The "ART-2" handstamp was struck on unpaid letters from foreign countries transiting through the United States to Great Britain under the 1849 Treaty. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

Cuba, 1859 (Nov. 4) Santiago de Cuba, Cuba to New York N.Y. Datelined folded letter bearing ½r blue (12), top sheet margin, tied by oval cancel, blue "Cuba, 4 No. 59" cds, bold New York "Steamship, 10" circular due handstamp for ½ ounce less than 2,500 miles, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Cuba, (Blockade Mail) 1862 (Mar. 1) Havana, Cuba to New Orleans La. via Charleston. Cover front with "Charleston S.C., Mar 6 186" cds and matching "Steam-Ship" oval handstamp with red crayon "12" due rating for 10¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee; some toning, Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

During the Civil War, Southern ports were blockaded. Blockade runners managed to slip through the blockade with mail and other items. One of the major points (besides Nassau, Bermuda) for smuggled mails was Cuba. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Cuba, 1866 (Apr. 17) Charleston S.C. to Trinidad, Cuba via New York. Printed circular bearing 2¢ black (73) tied by New York grid cancel, Cuba "NA 1" oval due handstamp, Trinidad (5.3) arrival backstamp; minor ink erosion, Very Fine, prepaid at the 2¢ printed matter steamship rate.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Cuba, (New York via Bermuda to Cuba) 1867 (Mar. 28) St. Jago de Cuba, Cuba to New York N.Y. Lanman & Kemp correspondence folded letter bearing sharp "U.S. Mail Steamship, Fah Kee., 28 Mar 1867, St. Jago." (Milgram 434) ornately framed datestamp on backflap, New York "Steamship 10" in circle handstamp, Very Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

On August 10th 1865 Capt. John Sterling purchased for $65,000 the wooden screw steamer "Fah Kee" from the U.S. Quartermasters. She was a U.S. Naval vessel during the Civil War. He contracted with New York's Waydell & Co. to run a regular mail packet from New York to St. Jago de Cuba. The contract with Waydell was run under the provisions of the Foreign Mails act of 1845 but only lasted three years as opposed to the normal ten years of the Act. The vessel was sold to the Bermuda authorities in 1868. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

Cuba, (New York via Bermuda to Cuba) 1869 (Oct. 19) New York N.Y. to Manzanillo, Cuba. Gray folded letter bearing 10¢ green (68) pair, small flaws, tied by New York foreign mail grid cancels, carried as endorsed by "Fah Kee" via Santiago de Cuba, Manzanillo (11.12) arrival backstamp, black "CVBA" straightline on flap and matching "2" Real due handstamp, Very Fine use at two-times the 10¢ rate.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

ONE OF LESS THAN 10 STRIKES RECORDED OF THE "CVBA" STRAIGHTLINE.

Instead of the "NA" handstamp for Norte America, St. Jago de Cuba struck a "CVBA" handstamp (Cuba) from 1866 to 1872. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400