(Restored Rate) 1849 (Jan. 8) Morrisville Pa. to London, England. Cover with datelined letter from the sister of the surgeon aboard U.S. Frigate St. Lawrence, care of Baring Brothers London, manuscript "Morrisville Pa., Jany 8 - /49" postmark and "Paid 5" rating to New York, carried by Cunard Europa from New York Jan. 10th to Liverpool arriving Jan. 22nd during the restored rate period, Liverpool manuscript "1/-" one-shilling due rating for packet; slight toning and sealing-wax stain., F.-V.F., Carried on the first of only three eastbound sailings in the restored rate period.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

No American packets sailed to the U.K. during the restored rate period. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1849 (Feb 8) New Ross, Ireland to New York N.Y. Datelined folded letter originally endorsed "By Halifax Steamer" (crossed out) then "By Contract Steamer", reverse with red Dublin (2.9) cds and black "RETURNED / FOR / POSTAGE" three-line handstamp, along with blue-green Ross (2.10), red Dublin (2.11) transit and red London (2.12) crown cds, manuscript "1/-" shilling due rating, black London "3" debit handstamp to U.S., carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Southampton Mar. 26th to New York arriving Apr. 13th, New York black "24" due handstamp, Very Fine, ex-Ashbrook, Reussille, Hahn, signed Ashbrook notes at left.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

THE FIRST AMERICAN PACKET SAILING UNDER THE 1848 TREATY AS WELL AS ONE OF THE EARLIEST PACKET LETTERS SENT UNPAID UNDER THE TREATY.

The sender in Ross first intended the letter to go on a Cunard ship via Halifax, but evidently thinking that the new treaty would allow it to go unpaid, but the treaty was not announced in London until Feb. 21st. When the Dublin post office returned the letter to Ross for postage the sender simply changed the endorsement to allow it to go by any other contract packet than a Cunarder. The letter was in London on Feb. 12th, but was not sent on the next Cunard sailing (America to Boston on Feb 24th, as obviated by the New York "24" debit), so was evidently held by the post office until the first March sailing on the Ocean Line. Hence the "3" cents debit to the U.S. rather than 21¢ had the letter gone via Cunard. The handstamp "3" was a London domestic marking and is not often seen on transatlantic mail. Accompanied by Dick Winter's analysis. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1849 (Feb. 17) Philadelphia Pa. to Berlin, Prussia. Blue datelined folded letter with partial blue Philadelphia cds and matching "Paid" octagon handstamp with pencil rating, black "New-York Feb 20" backstamp and matching "PART PART" straightline, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Feb. 21st to Liverpool arriving Mar. 6th, black "AMERICA / ÜBER BREMEN" two-line handstamp, red "1 1/3." credit rating, magenta "5" rating, Very Fine.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

The "Paid Part" handstamp is a New York marking indicating that the letter was prepaid only to Bremen. Since most Bremen Treaty mails were carried by steamer directly to Bremerhaven, closed mails via England and Belgium are uncommon. Because there were insufficient voyages to Bremerhaven for all the mails which accumulated in New York, the New York postmaster augmented these trips with closed mails via England for a few years. With the inauguration of the Ocean Steam Navigation Co., the U.S. Government made its first postal treaty with an overseas government, Germany. The treaty appointed the Postmaster of Bremen as U.S. Special Mail Agent at Bremen. A special postmark for use by the agent was introduced reading "AMERICA / ÜBER BREMEN" in two-lines. The example struck here in black is quite unusual.

This sailing of "Niagara" was also the first Cunard sailing to carry British packet mails under the 1848 US-GB Treaty. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1849 (Oct. 30) Pittsburgh Pa. to Necharsulm, Wurttemberg. Folded letter with red "Pittsburgh Pa. Oct 30" cds with matching "Paid" and "10" rating handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Boston Nov. 7th to Liverpool arriving Nov. 18th, red London (11.19) backstamp and matching "Colonies &c. Art. 13" framed accountancy handstamp, red Heilbronn (11.23) backstamp, red manuscript "38/4" rating totaled with red crayon "42" kr. due rating, additional manuscript "80/4/2fl5" rating at left, Very Fine and attractive use.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

According to Winter, the manuscript "80/4/2fl5" probably adds up a number of other letters paid for at the same time maybe to the same village. They probably mean 80kr., 5kr., and 42kr. for this letter, all adding up to a total of 2 gulden (florin) 5kr. or 125 kr., which was collected. This accounting for multiple letters is not usually seen on other Wurttemberg mail. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1849 (Nov. 25) Morrisville Pa. to Mahon, Minorca (Balearic Islands). Orange buff cover with datelined letter from the sister of Surgeon Clymer on the U.S. Frigate St. Lawrence, manuscript "Paid 29" cents (5¢ overpayment), sent via British open mail to the U.S. Consul in Marseilles, carried on Cunard America from New York Nov. 28th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 12th, red London (12.13) backstamp and matching "Colonies &c. Art 13" framed accounting handstamp, sent via rail from Calais and Paris to Marseilles (12.17) backstamp where "15" decimes postage due rating, forwarded to Mahon via Perpignan (1.5) backstamp for conveyance by ship to Palma, then by ship to Mahon, Spanish blue "11.R." reales due handstamp for the rate from France to the Balearic Islands for a letter weighing 6 Adarmes., Very Fine and rare destination, Possibly the earliest letter to the Balearic Islands under the 1848 treaty..
Estimate; $300 - 400.

The "St. Lawrence" departed the U.S. on Sep. 8th for Germany to assist the Prussians in starting a new navy. She stayed in the European area until entering the Mediterranean, where she arrived at Port Mahon on Dec. 3rd for duty with the Mediterranean Squadron. She left the Mediterranean in the summer of 1850. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1850 (May 1) San Francisco Ca. to Redruth, England. Orange buff cover with red "San Francisco '40' 1 May" integral-rate cds over pencil "40" and matching "Paid" handstamp at right, carried on PMSSC Panama from San Francisco May 1st to Panama arriving May 21st, crossed the isthmus by mule and canoe, then by USMSSC Georgia from Aspinwall to New York arriving Jun. 9th, then carried on Cunard Line Asia from Boston Jun. 12th, Liverpool fancy "9½^d." due handstamp for sea and inland postage, reverse with "America, Liverpool, JU 22,*50C" cds and matching "ART-10" handstamp, Redruth (6.24) arrival backstamp., Very Fine.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

BOTH THE ART 10 AND 9½D POSTMARKS ARE RARE. R.F. WINTER REPORTS HAVING SEEN ONLY 9 COVERS BEARING THE 9½ HANDSTAMP.

Article 10 of the 1848 treaty comprised detailed regulations regarding west coast mail before statehood, from July 1849 to September 1850. The letter should have had an endorsement specifying whether the route should be via New York or West Indies British packet. The total rate should have been 59¢, thus was paid only to New York and the 9½ pence due. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

1850 (May 28) New York N.Y. to Steyr, Austria. Blue folded letter missaddressed to Germany bearing red "New-York May 28" cds, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Hibernia from Boston May 29th to Liverpool arriving Jun. 10th, red London (6.11) backstamp and manuscript "1/4" due rating, Prussian "16¾" sgr. rating and "America via England" framed backstamp, updated with red crayon "26/20" rating, which is crossed out in manuscript. and "46" plus "12" totaled to "58" due; flap tear, a Very Fine use.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1850 (Aug. 15) San Francisco, Cal. to London, England. Dated outer letter sheet with partial contents sent unpaid, red "San Francisco, Cal., 15 Aug" cds, carried by the PMSSC Carolina from San Francisco Aug. 15th to Panama arriving Sep. 4th, by mule and canoe across the isthmus, then USMSSC Falcon departing Aspinwall Sep. 12th to Havana arriving Sep. 17th, then USMSSC Ohio from Havana Sep. 19th to New York arriving Sep. 22nd, then Cunard Asia from New York Sep. 25th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 5th, Liverpool America (10.6) backstamp and manuscript "2/5½" due (59 cents) due rating, red London (10.7) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and choice unpaid packet letter from Pre-State California, ex-Walske.
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1850 (Sep. 30) San Francisco Cal. to London, England. Blue datelined folded letter sent unpaid on PMSSC California from San Francisco Oct. 1st to Panama arriving Oct. 22nd, then on USMSSC Georgia from Aspinwall Oct. 26th to New York arriving Nov. 7th, carried transatlantic on Cunard Line Canada departing Boston Nov. 13th to Liverpool arriving Nov. 24th, originally rated "4/1" in error and corrected to "4/11" 4s11d equivalent to $1.18 as double the 59¢ rate from California, Liverpool America (11.24) backstamp and matching "ART-5" handstamp, red London arrival cds; minor fold toning, F.-V.F., A scarce double rate letter from California., ex-Pullin.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

Under the 1848 treaty, Article 5 dealt with the treatment of unpaid letters from California. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1850 (Oct. 2) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y. Datelined folded letter endorsed per steamer "Georgia" with choice of New York "12½" cents due, the port rate from Havana, docketed as received on Oct. 7th; horizontal fold, Very Fine.
Estimate; $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150