The William H. Gross Collection: 1847 and 1851-56 Issues continued...

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE RAREST UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN CROSS-BORDER FRANKINGS, WITH PARTIAL PAYMENT ACCEPTED FOR THE NEW 10-CENT RATE TO CANADA.

The treaty rate of 10c U.S. or 6p Canadian began on April 6, 1851. The 1847 Issue was demonetized on July 1st, leaving a brief period in which 1847 stamps could be used to prepay the treaty rate. This cover is very unusual, because it shows the 5c 1847 prepaying U.S. postage with Canadian postage collected in cash. The treaty specified that letters had to be entirely prepaid or sent collect. The cover offered here is unusual because the part payment of 5c was accepted. The counterpart to this franking is the legitimate combination of a 5c 1847 and Canada 3p Beaver.

Illustrated and described in Chronicle 67. Ex Sampson, Hart and Hackmey. With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "TROY & NEW YORK STEAMBOAT" MARKING USED WITH THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON A COVER TO CANADA. ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES OF THIS MARKING ARE KNOWN USED WITH THE 10-CENT TO CANADA. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE TO QUEBEC, THE ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR WITHOUT A TOWN CIRCULAR DATESTAMP AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE FULLY PAID TO DESTINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES STAMP.

According to the Alexander book, the "TROY & NEW YORK STEAM BOAT" marking was used on letters carried by non-contract steamboats between New York City and Troy. The mail entered the U.S. postal system at the receiving office. The Troy receiving datestamp was used to cancel the stamps on the three recorded "TROY & NEW YORK STEAM BOAT" covers to Montreal, all of which are to David Torrance. It is therefore likely that all four were sent by the same person.

On the cover offered here, the Troy circular datestamp was not applied and the stamp is tied by the blue grid cancel. No Canadian rate is indicated. Effective April 6, 1851 a new rate was established between the United States and Canada. Mail was no longer prepaid just to the border, a rate of 10c (or 6 pence Canadian) was established to or from any place in Canada (except for the West Coast). This was used just three days after the rate went into effect.

Signed Ashbrook. Ex Ishikawa and Hackmey. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING 1847 ISSUE COVER, SHOWING ACCEPTANCE OF THE UNITED STATES 5-CENT STAMP ON MAIL FROM CANADA MONTHS AFTER THE ISSUE WAS DEMONETIZED. THIS REMARKABLE COVER FIRST CAME TO LIGHT IN 1989 AND RANKS AMONG THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLES OF THE 1847 ISSUE USED FROM CANADA EXTANT.

The U.S.-Canada postal treaty of April 1851 provided for prepayment of full postage from the country of origin to the destination, eliminating the need for "paid to the lines" part prepayment and collection. The 6p rate in Canada and the 10c rate in the United States are the standard April 1851 treaty rates. After the 1847 Issue was demonetized on July 1, 1851, post offices in Canada continued to accept the old issue on mail to the U.S., as evidenced by several covers with 1847 stamps used in Canada well after demonetization. These were also considered fully paid on arrival in the U.S. The cover offered here was mailed in December 1851, months after demonetization, and the postmaster at Chippawa cancelled the stamp. The red "Paid 10 Cts" marking was applied in Canada to indicate that the postage was prepaid, half by the U.S. stamp and presumably half in coin. There are no U.S. due markings, so the Canadian "Paid" was apparently sufficient.

Ex Boker. (Image)

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