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United States Postal History continued...

1861-68 10c Issue continued...

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(89) 1868 10c green Washington E Grill tied by cork cancel with matching “New Orleans, La. Nov. 16” (1868) cds on folded letter to Barcelona, Spain including bold straight-line “PAID-ONLY / TO ENGLAND” handstamp at right and red New York Nov 21 American Packet exchange cds below. Blue “4R” accounting handstamp at center accompanied by red London December 3 transit and Barcelona receiving backstamps. Sender's oval handstamp "L. Grand & Co., New Orleans" at lower left.

The 10c franking pays the single-weight rate by American packet under the British open mail system, effective September 1868 to January 1870. This covered postage only to England, with additional charges due from the recipient for carriage to Spain. A fine and desirable folded letter to Spain, showing the “PAID-ONLY / TO ENGLAND” auxiliary marking franked by a 10c E Grill.

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Current Opening Price...$300.00
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(63,68) 1861 10c green Washington vertical pair and 1c blue Franklin tied by black cork cancels with red “New York Paid 18 May 1” (1867) cds also tying 1c on small narrow cover from Rochester, N.Y. to Gibraltar. Black "Rochester NY Apr 29" cds at bottom left, red “4R” accounting handstamp at center and "Gibraltar MY 17 67" receiving cds at top right.

The 21c franking pays the single-rate (up to 1/4 oz) to Gibraltar via France under the 1857 U.S.-France Convention. The cover was carried on to Spain after arrival into France (Calais & PD handstamps at right plus transit backstamp) then on to Gibraltar. 10c pair with tiny perf flaws from edge placement, light cover soiling, otherwise fine. A fine and very scarce destination usage to Gibraltar, combining a 10c pair with the 1c Franklin to meet the 21c treaty rate.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(68) 1861 10c green Washington pair and single tied by black cork cancels on cover to Constantinople, Turkey. Red “New York Br. Pkt. 7 Paid Sep. 26” credit cds at left, with bold blue “Aachen Franco” transit and boxed “Franco-Preuss. resp. Vereinsl: Ausg: Gr.” (paid only to limits of German-Austrian Postal Union) handstamps at center. Additional “Wien” transit backstamp and “Constantinopel” arrival backstamp.

The 30c franking prepaid the Prussian Closed Mail rate via Vienna to Turkey, with carriage through the North German Union and Austria before entering the Ottoman Empire. Wrinkle at top of cover slightly affects stamps, but still a very fine appearing and rare usage via German mails to Constantinople with choice blue Aachen and boxed "Franco-Preuss" exchange markings.

The addressee, Rev. George Washburn (1833–1915), first arrived in Constantinople in 1858 as Treasurer of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, where he managed the finances of the Board’s Ottoman mission. His earliest years coincided with the city’s transformation in the aftermath of the Crimean War, a period he later recalled vividly in his memoir Fifty Years in Constantinople:

There was a restfulness in life in Constantinople in those days which was refreshing to an American. No Turk was ever in a hurry. Time was of no account. If a Turk moved, it was with deliberation and dignity. If he smoked, it was a tchibouk or a nargileh, and it was the business of the hour. No modern improvements had come to disturb the peace of the city and complicate the simple life of the people. A few small steamers had begun to ply on the Bosphorus, but it was still picturesque with thousands of graceful caiques and hundreds of sailing craft. I remember one day when more than a thousand ships passed up the Bosphorus. I counted more than three hundred in sight at once, all under full sail.

In the 1860s, Washburn worked with Dr. Cyrus Hamlin during the formative years of Robert College (founded in 1863), later becoming a professor and eventually succeeding Hamlin as President of the College. Together, they laid the groundwork for the institution to become the leading American educational presence in the Near East. Today, Robert College remains the oldest continually running American school founded outside the United States.

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Current Opening Price...$2,000.00
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(96) 1868 10c green Washington F Grill vertical pair cancelled by bold black target cancels with matching “Schenectady, N.Y. Jun. 22” (1869) cds on partly pre-printed address cover to Henry Ramsay in Cairo, Egypt. Red “New York Paid All Br. Transit Jun. 23” exchange cds on reverse, with bold red “5” in circle credit handstamp at bottom right, red four-line “Verviers A/6 7 III/Coeln Franco” exchange marking tying stamps at center, and Trieste July 6 transit backstamp. Additional blue crayon “f 4” (silbergroschen) accounting at lower left, concluding with circular Alexandria transit and Cairo receiving backstamps.

The 20c franking was underpaid against the then current 25¢ Northern German Union closed mail rate to Egypt, in effect from December 1868 to July 1870. The 20¢ rate was in effect during the previous year. Despite the deficiency, the cover was carried via the NGU system into the Mediterranean, reaching Alexandria as evidenced by backstamps. Some slight edge wear but overall an attractive and exceedingly rare usage of the 10¢ F Grill to Egypt, underpaid yet accepted.

Ex Gibson & Herzog, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$3,000.00
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(96) 1868 10c green Washington F Grill vertical pair tied by black target cancels with matching “Schenectady, N.Y. Jun 21” (1869) cds on partly pre-printed address cover to Henry Ramsay in Jerusalem, Syria, later amended in manuscript to Palestine. Stamps also tied by bold red four-line “Verviers A/4 7 III/Coeln Franco” (July 4) exchange and red “5” in circle credit handstamps. Blue crayon "f 2" (silbergroschen) for credit beyond North German Union at lower left. Backstamped with red “New York Paid All Br. Transit Jun 23” exchange cds, oval “Triest 7/1” transit and clear “Gerusalemme 19/7” (July 19) receiving handstamps.

The 20c franking pays the single-weight letter rate to Palestine by North German Union closed mail, in effect January 1868 to July 1870, carried via the Hamburg–American Line steamer Cimbria from New York to Hamburg. An exceedingly rare and handsome usage to Jerusalem franked by a pair of 1868 10c grilled stamps sent via German mails.

Ex Gibson & Herzog, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$3,000.00
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(68) 1861 10c green Washington horizontal pair tied by black cork cancels with matching “Newark, N.J. Jan. 29” cds on yellow cover with preprinted address to Rev. James S. Dennis, Beirut, Syria. Red “New York Paid All Br. Transit Jan. 30” exchange cds on reverse, with matching red “5” credit handstamp on front. Additional four-line “Verviers A/12 2 III/Coeln Franco” (Feb. 12) exchange handstamp at center, blue crayon "f 2" (silbergroschen) for credit beyond North German Union plus Trieste Feb. 14 transit and Beirut Mar. 2 arrival cds backstamps.

The 20c franking pays the North German Union closed mail rate to Syria, in effect January 1868 to July 1870. Cover with repair at top center with perfs of right stamp affected by edge placement, otherwise fine. A colorful and scarce usage of the 10c 1861-68 Issue to Syria, with a desirable sequence of exchange, transit, and arrival markings.

The addressee, Rev. James Shepard Dennis (1842–1914), was a prominent American Presbyterian missionary and author who spent much of his early career in Beirut, Syria (modern-day Lebanon). Arriving there in 1868 under the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Dennis devoted himself to educational and evangelistic work in connection with the Syrian Protestant College (later the American University of Beirut). Over the following decades he became a leading interpreter of Christianity’s role in the Near East and a prolific writer on the global missionary movement, authoring the influential three-volume Christian Missions and Social Progress (1897–1906). His early years in Beirut, during which this cover was sent, marked the beginning of a career that helped shape American religious and intellectual engagement with the Middle East.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(69,96) 1868 10c green Washington F Grill and 1861 12c black Washington tied by geometric cork cancels with Boston, Massachusetts cds at left on cover endorsed “Via England” and addressed to Captain H. Lowenstein, Sierra Leone, W.C. Africa. Red London March 20, 1869 transit cds below stamps and Sierra Leone April 8, 1869 receiving backstamp.

The 22c franking paid the single-weight rate by British packet to Sierra Leone effective January 1868 to January 1870.

Cover slightly reduced at left from opening, repair at top left corner but still a fine appearing and very scarce West African destination using 1861-68 Issue stamps, representing one of the few recorded U.S. covers to Sierra Leone in this period.

Ex Gibson.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(68,76) 1861 10c green Washington, 5c brown Jefferson, two of each, tied by black target cancels on cover addressed to Mauritius, endorsed “In care of U.S. Consul.” with September 12 origin town cds at left, red Red “New York Sep 26 Paid 24” exchange cds at center, French transit cds and "PD" in box handstamp. Reverse includes Paris October 10, Marseilles October 11 transit and Mauritius November 22 receiving backstamps.

The 30c franking pays the single-weight rate to Mauritius under the French mail system, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870, at 30c per ¼ oz. The cover has been restored including the right side added, stamps with faults though still a fine appearing and colorful franking to the scarce destination of Mauritius, combining 5c and 10c values of the 1861–68 Issue to pay the French mail rate.

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(63,65,68) 1861 1c blue Franklin, two singles, 3c rose Washington, and 10c green Washington vertical pair and two additional singles, all canceled by circular grid cancels with matching “New Brunswick N.J. Mar 18 1862” cds at right on cover to Hong Kong, China. Red London transit cds at right. magenta manuscript “24” credit notation at center and black "Hong Kong MY 21 62" receiving backstamp.

The 45c composite franking pays the single-weight British mail rate via Southampton to Hong Kong. A very fine and visually impressive seven-stamp 1861 Issue franking to Hong Kong.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$1,000.00
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(65,68) 1861 10c green Washington vertical pair and single, 3c rose Washington, canceled by black grid cancels with matching “Dover, N.H. Dec 12 1864” cds on fresh cover to Melbourne, Australia. Red “Boston Br. Pkt Paid” backstamp, carried by British mail via Southampton with red “28” credit handstamp. Reverse includes "London DE 26 64" transit and blue “Melborne MR 15 65” receiving backstamps.

The 33c franking pays the single-weight rate (per 1/2 oz.) to Victoria by the Southampton route in effect from January 1857 to January 1868. A very fine and attractive usage to Australia, featuring a striking 33c composite franking with 10c & 3c 1861-68 Issue stamps.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(65,68,73) 1861 3c rose Washington, 10c green Washington block of four, and 2c black Jackson, all manuscript cancelled and tied partially by “Adamsville, R.I. Nov. 26” (1866) markings on cover to Pyramid, Long Creek, New South Wales. Red “New York Paid All Br. Pkt Nov 28” exchange cds at left, 1866 London transit cds, and “40” credit to Great Britain handstamp at right. Reverse with clear “Sydney Ship Letter Feb 15 1867” and Long Creek, NSW receiving backstamps.

The 45c franking pays the British mail rate via Marseilles for a ¼–½ oz. letter to New South Wales, in effect from January 1857 to January 1868. All stamps with small faults and light cover soiling, small backflap tears, though overall still nice in appearance. A rare and desirable destination usage, with a 10c 1861-68 Issue block paying the bulk of the 45c rate to Australia.

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(68,69) 1861 10c green and 12c black Washington tied by black cork cancels with matching “Washington, D.C. Jul. 31” (1868) cds on cover endorsed “Via Steamer per Panama R. Road” and addressed to Sydney, New South Wales. Red “New York 12” credit handstamp at left, carried by American steamship to Panama, across the Isthmus by rail, with clear “Panama Aug. 17 68” transit cds, and onward by British packet service across the Pacific. Arrival into Sydney noted by October 9, 1868 receiving backstamp.

The 22c franking pays the British packet rate per 1/2 oz. to New South Wales via Panama, in effect from January 1868 to January 1870. A very fine and scarce Panama-route usage from Washington, DC to Sydney, Australia.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(68,76) 10c green Washington, two horizontal pairs and 5c brown Jefferson, manuscript cancels on cover from North Falmouth, Massachusetts with red "North Falmouth, Ms. Aug 3" (1866) cds at left to Mongonui, New Zealand, endorsed “via Marseilles.” Red “Boston Paid Br. Pkt 3 Aug” exchange cds on reverse and London transit cds tying stamp at center. Cover reverse includes October 23, 1866 Auckland transit and November 5, 1866 Mongonui, New Zealand receiving backstamps.

The 45c franking pays the double-weight letter (1/4-1/2 oz.) rate to New Zealand by British mail via Marseilles, in effect from October 1858 to January 1868. Cover restored at top, backflap missing and minor soiling, still a colorful and scarce 45c franking to New Zealand, one of the most elusive Australasian destinations in this period of U.S. postal history.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(68,69) 10c green and 12c black Washington tied by Boston cds and cork cancel on cover endorsed “Via Panama” and addressed to George Windsor, care of Taylor & Co., Lyttelton, New Zealand. Red “New York 12” credit handstamp at right over red exchange cds, and "Panama JA 11 67" transit cds at center. Reverse has "Lyttelton, New Zealand FE 25 67" receiving backstamp.

The 22c franking pays the single-weight British packet rate to New Zealand via Panama, in effect August 1866 to March 1869, with carriage by American packet to Aspinwall, over the Isthmus of Panama by rail, and onward across the Pacific by British colonial packet. Stamps slightly affected by edge placement, backflap with tears but overall a fine appearing and rare Panama-route usage to New Zealand, combining 10c and 12c 1861–68 Issue stamps to pay the proper rate.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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1861-68 30c Issue

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(32,71,73) Hawaii 5c blue King Kamehameha, U.S. 30c orange Franklin and 2c black Jackson horizontal pair, all tied by manuscript or cork cancels on 1867 cover from Hawaii. via San Francisco to Glasgow, Scotland. Black “San Francisco Cal Nov 15” transit cds and partial red New York cds at right.

The 39c franking represents a carefully calculated composite payment of the 2c ship fee, 3c Hawaiian postage rate the 10c rate to the U.S., and the 24c rate from the U.S. to Scotland - a combined rate structure valid for only four months, from September 1867 to January 1868. The 24c rate from the U.S. to Scotland was in effect from February 1849 to January 1868 and the 10c rate from Hawaii to the U.S. was in effect from September 1867 to July 1870.

Only a handful of covers are known sent from Hawaii with a 30c 1861 Issue stamp. This is the only one franked with a Hawaiian stamp in combination with the 30c 1861 Issue that we are aware of. Part of the right backflap is missing, but overall this is very fine appearing and remarkable Hawaiian and U.S. mixed franking with a 30c 1861 Issue used from Hawaii.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$10,000.00
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(68,71,73) 1861 10c green Washington, 30c orange Franklin and 2c black Jackson tied by bold checkered cork cancels with matching “New York Paid 36 May (1866)" exchange cds at right on cover to Acting 3rd Asst. Engineer Wm. H. Leonard, U.S. Steamer Ticonderoga, Lisbon, Portugal. Additional "Care of American Consul" manuscript at left. Red French boxed "PD" and black August 19, 1866 transit cds at right alongside black “480” reis due handstamp tying 10c stamp. Black Lisbon June 6, 1866 receiving backstamp.

The 42c franking pays the double 21c French mail rate to Portugal, in effect from April 1857 to September 1866. The postage only paid to the French-Spanish border with the "480" reis due applied in Portugal for additional carriage of the double-weight letter on to Lisbon, where the USS Ticonderoga was stationed as part of the U.S. European Squadron, patrolling Atlantic and Mediterranean waters in the mid-1860s after the U.S. Civil War.

10c stamp shows faults at right from placement near the edge, and 2c stamp with perforation flaws from edge trimming, otherwise fine and attractive. A scarce naval-related destination usage of the 1861 Issue to Portugal, combining three denominations to make up the correct double rate alongside a "480" reis handstamp.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(69,71) 1861 12c black Washington and 30c orange Franklin tied by black grid cancels with matching Cambridge, Massachusetts cds on cover addressed to Midshipman Charles H. Davis, U.S.N., United States Frigate “Colorado,” Antwerp, Belgium. Additional red "New York Paid 36 July 12" credit exchange cds at right and black French July 23, 1865 transit marking at left. Reverse has additional transit marking and Belgian receiving cds.

The 42c franking pays the double-weight French mail rate to Belgium, in effect April 1857 to February 1867, with carriage by British packet across the Atlantic and onward into Belgium. A fine and scarce naval-related destination usage, combining the 30c and 12c 1861 Issue to make up the double-weight (between ¼-½ oz.) French mail rate to Belgium.

The addressee, Charles Henry Davis Jr. (1845–1921), was the son of Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, a distinguished Union naval commander during the Civil War. Following his father’s path, Davis Jr. entered the U.S. Navy during the war years and by the mid-1860s was serving as a midshipman in Europe. At the time this cover was sent, he was stationed aboard the USS Colorado, then the flagship of the European Squadron. Ordered to that station, Colorado departed the New York Navy Yard on 16 June 1865 and remained in European waters until July 1867, cruising off England, Spain, and into the Mediterranean. Davis Jr. later continued his naval career, highlighted by his appointment as the third Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence from 1889-1892.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(65,71) 1861 3c rose Washington and 30c orange Franklin horizontal pair, natural straight edge at right, all tied by black targets duplexed with “Philad’a Pa. Apr. 4, 1865” cds on cover addressed to Madame Pike, American Legation, The Hague, Holland. Partial red “New York Paid Apr. 5” exchange cds to right of 30c pair, with black French transit and "P.D." in box at center, April 17 French transit and April 18 Hague receiving backstamps.

The 63c franking pays the triple 21c French mail rate to Holland, in effect from April 1857 to January 1868, carried by French packet via Southampton. This is a rare and visually striking triple-rate usage, combining a 30c pair and 3c 1861 Issue to make up the exact 63c postage. Left 30c stamp shows pre-use tears and a crease, otherwise fine appearing and attractive.

The addressee, Madame Pike was the wife of James Shepherd Pike (1811–1882), U.S. Minister to the Netherlands (1861–66). Pike, a noted journalist and diplomat, represented American interests during the U.S. Civil War and maintained strong U.S.–Dutch relations at a pivotal moment in transatlantic politics.

With 2007 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(100) 1868 30c orange Franklin F Grill tied by large black grid cancel on cover to Paris, France, with red “New York Paid 12 Dec. 9” (1868) credit cds at center and blue Calais entry cds above. Original letter enclosure datelined “New York, December 5, 1868” remains with cover.

The 30c franking pays the double 15c French treaty rate to France by American packet, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870. Posted in December 1868, this cover represents a first-month usage of the 30c F Grill. Small stain visible along top of cover, otherwise a fine example of the 30c F Grill used at the double French treaty rate, with crisp exchange and entry markings and the original letter preserved.

Included in William Herzog's 1985 census of 30c F Grill covers published in the USPCS Chronicle 126.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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1861-68 Issues

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(69,71) 1861 12c black Washington and 30c orange Franklin canceled by black grids with matching “Foxborough, Mass. Jun. 8” (1863) cds on narrow cover to Geneva, Switzerland. Red “Boston Paid 18 Jun 10” credit exchange cds next to Foxboro cds, with boxed black “P.D.” and French entry datestamp at center, Geneva receiving backstamp.

The 42c franking represents a double 21c French mail rate for prepaid letters to Switzerland via England and France, though the Boston exchange office credited the letter at the single 21c rate. Carried by British packet via Calais under the U.S.–France Convention of 1857. Cover barely reduced at right, still fine and appealing mid-Civil War usage to Switzerland.

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Get Market Data for [United States 69,71] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Current Opening Price...$300.00
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