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United States Postal History continued...

1861-68 30c Issue

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(69,71) 1861 12c black Washington and 30c orange Franklin tied by bold black geometric cancels with red New York cds on blue folded cover to Naples, Italy. Red “TOO LATE” handstamp at lower left, applied for missing the intended sailing, with blue French boxed "PD" and transit cds at right. Manuscript endorsement “per ‘Hammonia’” at top left. Black Naples May 1868 receiving backstamp.

The 42c franking prepaying double 21c French mail rate to Italy via American packet, in effect from January 1862 to January 1870, though this letter was marked “TOO LATE” for the intended departure of the Hamburg-American Line steamer Hammonia. Carried instead on the next available sailing via France to Naples.

Part of 30c stamp missing at right, likely from pre-use separation from sheet. Filing fold away from the stamp, still a fine appearing and colorful transatlantic usage to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, showing the uncommon “TOO LATE” marking on mail to southern Italy.

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Current Opening Price...$200.00
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(69,71) 1861 12c black Washington and 30c orange Franklin tied by bold black grid cancel and red “New York Mar 16” (1867) cds on folded cover to Sig. Emmanuele Lagorio, Genoa, Italy. Red boxed “P.D.” handstamp and partial French entry cds at center, with Genoa receiving backstamp on reverse.

The 42c franking pays the double 21c French mail rate to the Kingdom of Sardinia (Italy) via Great Britain and France, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870. Water stain at top left and light horizontal file fold at right of stamps, otherwise a fine and striking example of the 30c and 12c 1861 Issue combination used to Italy.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(71) 1861 30c orange Franklin tied by black fancy cork cancel on folded letter datelined at "New York 14 Sept, 1866" endorsed “pr City of Boston” and addressed to Aachen, Prussia. Red “New York Am. Pkt Sep 15 Paid 7” exchange cds at right and bold strike of blue framed “Aachen 27/9 Franco” exchange marking at center. "Ausg 27 9 No. 1" receiving backstamp.

The 30c franking represents a 2c overpayment of the 28c Prussian Closed Mail rate, in effect January 1862 to January 1870, for a single-weight letter carried by American packet across the Atlantic. Aachen served as the principal exchange office for Prussian mails, applying its distinctive blue Franco marking. A fine and attractive Prussian Closed Mail usage showing the 30c 1861 Issue paying the transatlantic rate to Prussia.

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Current Opening Price...$300.00
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(71,76) 1861 30c orange Franklin and 5c brown Jefferson, both tied by black four-ring target cancels with matching “San Francisco, Cal. Mar. 3” (likely 1868) cds on cover to Copenhagen, Denmark. Red New York Apr. 8 exchange cds with matching red “12” credit handstamp, bold blue framed “Aachen 20/4 Franco” transit marking below the stamps, and blue crayon “f2” (silbergroschen) credit at left. Copenhagen Apr. 22 receiving backstamp.

The 35c franking pays the single-weight rate to Denmark by Prussian Closed Mail, in effect January 1868 to January 1870. Carried by American packet to Europe and routed through Aachen to Denmark. 30c with tiny perf tear at top, cover with stain at lower left and small portion of backflap missing, otherwise very fine appearing. A scarce West Coast usage of the 30c 1861 Issue, properly paying the Prussian Closed Mail rate to Denmark with a desirable combination of U.S., German, and Danish exchange markings.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(65,71) 1861 30c orange Franklin and 3c rose Washington tied by black grid cancels with matching "Princeton, Ill. Apr. 23 1862" cds at right on restored cover front endorsed “To Europa via Bremen,” addressed to Sweden. Bold strike of “Helsingborg 23/5 1862” receiving cds at right, black “Franco” handstamp at bottom left next to red sgr credit to Sweden in crayon. Center of cover has large manuscript “28” credit to Bremen.

The 33c franking pays the single-weight Bremen–Hamburg mail rate to Sweden, in effect July 1857 to February 1867, combining the 30c and 3c 1861 Issue to make up the correct treaty rate. Cover front has been skillfully restored with an added back, but overall a fine and scarce destination franking showing the 30c 1861 Issue in combination with the 3c to properly pay the 33c rate to Sweden.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(71,76) 1861 30c orange Franklin and 5c brown Jefferson tied by black cork cancels with matching "Portland ME. May 29" cds on cover endorsed “Via Prussian Closed Mail,” addressed to Josiah Pierce care/ Winants Brothers, St. Petersburg, Russia. Red New York exchange cds at left with matching red “14” credit handstamp at right, and bold blue framed “Aachen Franco 10/6” transit marking at bottom left. "Rec'd June 2/14 1866" manuscript notation at left.

The 35c franking pays the single-weight Prussian Closed Mail rate to Russia, in effect May 1863 to January 1868. Carried by British packet across the Atlantic and routed via Aachen into Russia. Stamps affected from initial placement at top edge of cover, now folded up slightly for display, still a fine and attractive usage of the 30c 1861 Issue, properly combined with the 5c to meet the 35c PCM rate to Russia.

The addressee, Josiah Pierce (1827–1902) of Gorham, Maine, was a lawyer and diplomat whose career was closely tied to U.S.–Russian relations. A Bowdoin graduate and member of Phi Beta Kappa, he first went to St. Petersburg in 1855 as U.S. Secretary of Legation and remained until 1858. After a brief return home, he resumed work in Russia with the railway contractors Winans, Harrison & Winans, and beginning in 1865 undertook a third extended stay in St. Petersburg under William L. Winans’s new contract. In October 1865, he received the Knighthood of the Order of St. Anne (3rd Class) from the Emperor of Russia in recognition of his service. Pierce’s long residence abroad connected him to diplomatic, industrial, and scientific circles: following the termination of the Winans contract in 1870, he relocated to London, where he became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Zoological Societies, and remained active in Anglo-American intellectual and cultural life.

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(71) 1861 30c orange Franklin tied by black target cancel on New York June 9, 1863 datelined folded letter to Messrs. B. Tagliaferro & Figli, Malta. Red “New York Jun. 9” exchange cds at lower right with manuscript “1/-” (one shilling) credit to Great Britain, red oval “Forwarded by Weston & Gray, New York” forwarder’s handstamp on reverse, and red London July 22 transit and black Malta receiving backstamps.

The 30c franking pays the single-weight French mail rate to Malta by British packet via Southampton, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870. Carried by British mail steamer across the Atlantic, with forwarding via London and onward routing to Malta through the Mediterranean.

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Current Opening Price...$2,000.00
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(71) 1861 30c orange Franklin canceled by the famous Hingham, Mass. “bat” fancy cancel with matching “Hingham, Ms. Apr. 23” origin cds and red “Boston Br. Pkt. Paid 27 Apr. 26” (1867) cds at right on tissue-paper cover to Rev. John H. Hill, Athens, Greece. Manuscript “French Mail” endorsement at upper left, red boxed “P.D.” handstamp, and black French May 7 transit cds at center.

The 30c franking prepays the single-weight French mail rate to Greece by British packet, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870. Backflap missing, though still a fine and scarce destination usage of the 30c 1861 Issue to Greece, showing especially clean strikes of the Boston exchange marking and the distinctive Hingham “bat” fancy cancel.

The addressee, Reverend John Henry Hill (1791–1882), was a prominent American missionary and educator who, with his wife Frances Maria Hill, founded the Hill Memorial School in Athens in 1831. Supported by the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Hill School became one of the earliest and most respected educational institutions in the newly independent Greek state, educating generations of Greek women and serving as a model for modern education in Greece. Hill maintained close ties with American and European supporters, and his correspondence reflects a remarkable cross-cultural exchange during the formative decades of the modern Greek nation.

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Current Opening Price...$2,000.00
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(68,71) 1861 10c green Washington and 30c orange Franklin tied by bold black crossroads cancels with partial strike of red “New York Br. Pkt.” cds dated November (1864) on cover to Syra, Greece. Manuscript “Per Canada” directive at top, corresponding to the Cunard Line Canada sailing of November 9, 1864, from New York to Queenstown, arriving November 21. Magenta manuscript “17” credit to Great Britain, magenta boxed “Aachen Franco” transit handstamp at center, blue manuscript “15” due marking at left and faint Triest backstamp showing date “26/11” consistent with that voyage.

The 40c franking pays the single-weight Prussian Closed Mail rate via Triest (Austrian exchange office for the Levant) to Greece, established in May 1863 and continuing through March 1867. Mail to Greece during this period is exceptionally scarce, with very few recorded examples carried by this route. 30c with tiny corner crease, but still a very attractive and rare 30c and 10c 1861 Issue combination usage paying the 40c PCM rate to Greece, with full markings neatly confirming carriage by the Cunard Canada.

With 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$5,000.00
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1861-68 Issues

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(71) 1861 30c orange Franklin tied by segmented cork cancel with matching red “Boston Br. Pkt. 27 Paid Sep 16 (1863)" cds on cover to Smyrna, Turkey. Manuscript endorsement “per Prussian or French Closed Mail” at upper left, ultimately carried by French mail with red boxed “P.D.” handstamp at right and French transit cds at center, faint Smyrna October 9, 1863 backstamp. Upon arrival, the letter was forwarded back to Boston, completing a rare round-trip transatlantic journey.

The 30c franking prepaid the single-weight rate to Turkey via French mails, in effect from April 1857 to January 1870. A very fine and highly unusual postal history artifact - a complete double-direction usage of the 30c 1861 Issue to the Ottoman Empire and back.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(65,71) 1861 3c rose Washington and 30c orange Franklin tied by bold Boston “PAID” cancel on cover endorsed “Per Asia” at top, addressed to Capt. A. M. Berry, Care P. C. Grant Esq., Cape Coast Castle, West Coast Africa. Clear red “28” credit handstamp at left and "1" credit at top. Slightly reduced at left, otherwise very fine and attractive.

The 33c franking prepays the single-weight British mail rate to Cape Coast Castle (present-day Ghana), in effect from July 1857 to January 1868. Carried by British packet via England and through to the British trading and administrative post at Cape Coast Castle, then a key outpost of the Gold Coast Colony. A rare and desirable 30c 1861 Issue usage to West Africa.

Ex Judd and Herzog.

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1861-68 30c Issue

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(70a,71,72) 1861 24c brown lilac Washington, 30c orange Franklin horizontal pair and 90c blue Washington horizontal pair, all tied by segmented cork cancels with red “New York Am. Pkt. Paid Mar 4” exchange cds on cover to Rev. James L. Mackey, Corisco, West Africa. Magenta “192/8” manuscript credit marking at left, "London MR 17 65 PAID" transit cds at center and manuscript routing notation “via Fernando Po” at lower left.

The $2.64 total franking pays eight times (weight between 3.5 - 4oz) the 33c British mail rate via American packet, effective May 1854 - January 1868. Carried via the American packet to England, then down the west coast of Africa via Fernando Po (now Bioko) and onward to Corisco Island, a small Presbyterian mission station located 18 miles southwest of the Río Muni estuary on the coast of what is today Equatorial Guinea.

A visually stunning and historically important high-value multiple-rate usage - the only recorded example of the 90c 1861 Issue on cover to a West African destination and the largest recorded postage franking incorporating the 90c 1861 Issue to any overseas destination. The addressee, Reverend James Leighton Mackey, was a leading figure of the American Protestant Church's missionary network who established and oversaw the Corisco Mission around 1850.

Cover lightly cleaned with minor edge restoration, otherwise fine and attractive - top exhibition-level rarity demonstrating the geographic reach of the classic U.S. 1861 Issue into West Africa.

The Herzog-Starnes census of 90c 1861-68 Issue usages published Chronicle 140, Nov. 1988 records only four covers to an African destination, three to Zanzibar off the East African coast and this one to Corisco, West Africa. Recorded as #57 in the Herzog-Starnes census.

Ex Munroe, Brook, Richie & Krug, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$20,000.00
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(65,71) 1861 3c rose Washington and 30c orange Franklin used by bold “PAID” handstamps with matching “Nantucket, Ms. Apr 21” (1862) cds on cover to Capt. George Gifford, St. Helena via England, Care of American Consul. Red “28” credit handstamp at right and clear red “Boston Br. Pkt. Paid Apr. 22” exchange cds on reverse.

The 33c franking pays the single-weight British mail rate to St. Helena via England, in effect from May 1854 to June 1863. Carried by British packet through Southampton and onward via Cape of Good Hope to St. Helena, a vital coaling and resupply station in the South Atlantic used by American whaling and merchant vessels. Cover barely reduced at right, small piece out at bottom but still a fine and rare destination usage of the 30c 1861 Issue to St. Helena.

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Current Opening Price...$750.00
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(63,71,75) 1861 1c blue Franklin, 5c red brown Jefferson, and 30c orange Franklin pair, all tied by bold strikes of the large Boston “PAID” grid cancels on blue folded letter to Mr. Edwin Howland, Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope. Sender’s directive “Via England p. Persia” at top left, with red “Boston Br. Pkt. Paid Oct. 21” (1862) exchange cds on reverse, red London transit cds (Nov. 1) at right and repeated in blue on reverse, large red crayon “2” for double British Colonial credit. Red crayon “52” credit marking crossed out and restated “56.” Partial red fancy Port Elizabeth receiving backstamp visible.

The 66c franking pays the double 33c British mail rate via England to the Cape of Good Hope, in effect from July 1857 to January 1868. The letter was carried on the Persia of the Cunard Line from Boston to Liverpool, then by British packet southward to the Cape. Stamps with a few trivial faults and light vertical bleach streak crossing left 30c stamp, otherwise a very fine appearing and colorful double-rate usage.

A wonderful and extremely rare three-color 1861 Issue combination to South Africa - among the most visually striking covers from the famous Howland correspondence, whose surviving letters document Boston–Cape mercantile connections during the Civil War period.

Ex Born.

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Current Opening Price...$4,000.00
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(68,71,75) 1861 10c green Washington, 30c orange Franklin, and 5c red brown Jefferson, all used by black grid cancels with matching "New London, Con Feb 15 1864" cds on cover to Capt. E. D. Rogers, Port Natal, Cape Colony (actually Colony of Natal), via England. Red “Boston Br. Pkt. 40 Feb 17” (1864) exchange cds on front and reverse with manuscript “2” credit at center, and red “London Paid MR 1 64” transit cds at right.

The 45c franking pays the single-weight British mail rate to Natal via Plymouth, effective May 1863 to January 1868. The letter was carried by British packet from Boston to London, then routed through the Cape mail service to Port Natal in present-day South Africa.

All stamps with small faults from edge placement along with cover slightly reduced at left. Most covers from this period are addressed to Cape Colony on the western side of southern Africa. Mail to the Colony of Natal on the eastern side as seen here is significantly rarer, fine appearing tri-color franking to Port Natal.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(71,88) 1861 30c orange Franklin and 1868 3c rose Washington E Grill horizontal pair used by black shield-type grid cancels with matching “Salem, Mass Jul 14” (1868) cds on blue cover with printed address to Mr. Albert P. Goodhue, Zanzibar, East Coast Africa. Printed “Via Marseilles” directive at upper left and “Care of Adumally Sultanally, Esq., Merchant, Aden, Arabia.” at lower left. Red “New York Br. Transit Jul 15” exchange cds on reverse, red "London Paid 27 JY 69" transit cds alongside red “26” British Colonial credit handstamp, partial red receiving backstamp and manuscript Recd Aden Aug 21".

The 36c franking pays the single-weight British mail rate to Zanzibar via Marseilles and Aden, in effect from March 1868 to January 1870. Carried by British packet to London and forwarded by the Peninsular & Oriental (P&O) service through the Suez route to Aden, where local forwarding arrangements carried the cover to Zanzibar.

This cover is part of the celebrated Goodhue correspondence, documenting the commercial reach of Salem, Massachusetts, into the western Indian Ocean. Albert P. Goodhue managed his family’s trading operations in Zanzibar between 1866 and 1872, coordinating the export of ivory, copal, and cloves through a network of intermediaries across the Arabian and African coasts. His firm’s partnerships included Adumally Sultanally & Co., a leading Indo-Arab mercantile house based in Aden that handled transit trade throughout the Red Sea and East African ports.

Cover slightly reduced at left with some additional wear around edges, still a fine and colorful 1861–68 Issue usage carried by British packet via Marseilles and privately forwarded through Aden to Zanzibar - one of the latest known covers from the Goodhue correspondence.

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Current Opening Price...$1,000.00
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1861-68 Issues

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(71,77) 1861 30c orange Franklin and 1866 15c black Lincoln used by black grid cancels with matching “Salem, Mass. Nov 6” (1867) cds on blue cover with printed address to Mr. Albert P. Goodhue, Zanzibar, East Coast Africa. “Via Marseilles” directive at upper left and “Care of” caption with affixed printed label reading “Dr. Brooks, Seychelle Isles.” Red “Boston Br. Pkt 40 Nov 7” exchange cds at left and repeated on reverse, red London Paid transit cds alongside red “4½d” British Colonial credit handstamp, and blue “Mauritius DE 31 66” backstamp.

The 45c franking pays the British mail rate via Marseilles for letters up to ½ ounce to Zanzibar, effective from April 1857 to January 1868. Routed by British packet through the Indian Ocean, the letter was privately forwarded through the Seychelles by Dr. James Henry Brooks - the chief medical officer and German consul at Mahé, who served there from 1858 to 1879.

Albert P. Goodhue, a ship chandler and businessman from Salem, Massachusetts, conducted extensive mercantile operations from Zanzibar during the mid-19th century, when the island was a vital trading hub for ivory and cloves under Omani rule. The Goodhue family’s commercial legacy extended back to early American history - Benjamin Goodhue, a Massachusetts senator and member of the First U.S. Congress.

Cover slightly reduced at left and stamps with tiny perf stains, but still a fine and historically rich 1861–68 Issue usage to East Africa, combining the 15c and 30c values on a printed-address cover with the distinctive “Dr. Brooks, Seychelle Isles” forwarding label - a wonderful representative cover from the Goodhue correspondence.

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1861-68 30c Issue

LotNo.

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

(71) 1861 30c orange Franklin horizontal pair tied by segmented cork cancels with matching “New Bedford, Mass Jan 18” (1869) cds on cover to the Seychelle Islands. Partial French transit cds ties the 30c pair, red and blue boxed “PD” handstamps, "New York Jan 20 Paid All" transit backstamp.

The 60c franking correctly pays the double 30c British mail rate via Marseilles to the Seychelles, effective January 1868 to January 1870. Mail to the Seychelles - an isolated Indian Ocean archipelago then administered as part of the British colony of Mauritius - is among the rarest African destinations for 19th century U.S. postal history.

Cover with wear including small tears, scarce double-rate usage to the Seychelles, representing one of the few recorded 1861–68 Issue covers to this remote destination.

With 1989 Royal Philatelic Society London certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$500.00
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(100,114) 1868 30c orange Franklin F Grill and 1869 3c ultramarine Pictorial, two singles, one with natural straight edge at left, all tied by black target cancels with matching “Plymouth, Mass. Nov. 30” (1869) cds on cover to Bombay, India. Red straight-line “PAID” handstamp at upper left, red crayon “26” credit to Great Britain (reflecting the additional 8c French transit fee for the Marseilles route), faint red exchange office cds tying stamps, and clear red London Paid “9 DE 69” transit cds with red manuscript “1” (1 penny) Colonial credit. Manuscript receipt docketing “Jany 9, 70” at left. Reverse with bold dark blue Sea Post Office oval dated “26 12 69”.

The 36c franking pays the single-weight British mail rate to India via Brindisi and Marseilles, in effect from March 1868 to January 1870. Carried by British packet through the Mediterranean and onward to Bombay. This mixed-issue franking, combining the 30c 1868 F Grill with two 3c 1869 Pictorials, represents one of the most visually striking and well-documented examples of late-1860s trans-Asian mail. A fine and rare mixed-issue franking to India, properly paying the 36c British mail rate via Marseilles.

Ex White and Ishikawa, with 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Current Opening Price...$5,000.00
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100

(99,100) 1868 24c gray lilac Washington F Grill and 30c orange Franklin F Grill horizontal pair, all tied by black circle-of-wedges cancels with red “Boston Paid Aug. 17” (1869) cds on cover to Rev. L. Bissell, Ahmednuggur, India. Red crayon “54/3” credit for the triple 28c British mail rate via Southampton, red London “Paid 28 AU 69” transit cds, and matching red manuscript “3” triple-rate notation. Reverse with clear Sea Post Office oval handstamp (dated 9 21 69) and October 2, 1869 Ahmednuggur receiving cds. Small tear at top center, otherwise very fine and attractive.

The 84c franking pays three times the 28c rate per ½ oz. for mail to India via Southampton, in effect from March 1868 to January 1870. Carried by British packet through London and onward by sea from Suez to Bombay. The letter’s addressee, Reverend Luther Bissell, was an American missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions stationed at Ahmednuggur, a key center of Protestant missionary activity in western India during the 19th century.

A remarkable high-franking usage of the 1868 grilled issues showing both the 24c and 30c denominations, paying a triple-weight rate to India. Very few examples are recorded with this combination of grilled stamps and full postal markings.

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Current Opening Price...$1,500.00
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