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

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EXTREMELY FINE. A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 PAYING OVER-300 MILES RATE ON TRANSATLANTIC BRITISH PACKET MAIL LEAVING FROM BOSTON.

Ex Haas and Boker (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE PAYING THE OVER-300 MILES RATE ON TRANSATLANTIC MAIL LEAVING FROM NEW YORK. THE SENDER'S SHIP-NAME AND ROUTE DIRECTIVES NICELY DOCUMENT THE VESSELS AND LOCATIONS INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORT OF THIS LETTER TO ITS DESTINATION IN SCOTLAND.

Ex Walter Hubbard, Garrett and Boker (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A REMARKABLE AND RARE RETALIATORY RATE COVER FROM NEW ORLEANS TO SCOTLAND VIA BOSTON. ONLY TEN RETALIATORY RATE COVERS BEARING UNITED STATES STAMPS ARE RECORDED, OF WHICH JUST THREE ARE COMBINATION 5-CENT AND 10-CENT 1847 FRANKINGS.

The full history of the Retaliatory Rate period is told in our catalogue for the famous Rush cover, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/2006/912/912.pdf . The so-called Retaliatory Period resulted from Great Britain's effort to maintain its monopoly on transatlantic mail carriage through the subsidized Cunard steamship line, which operated without competition from 1840 through 1846. In response to the emergence of subsidized American packets in 1847 (the Ocean Line), the British issued an order (effective June 9, 1847) authorizing its receiving offices to collect the usual British packet postage on letters carried to England by American subsidized steamers. This effectively allowed England to collect 24c packet charges for every inbound letter, whether or not any service had been performed.

The United States vehemently protested the British order through diplomatic channels, but efforts to persuade the government to rescind the anti-American postal tariff were unsuccessful. In December 1847, U.S. Postmaster General Cave Johnson petitioned Congress for power to levy like charges on mail carried by British steamers to or from the United States, but he was not authorized to do so until June 1848. On all Cunard sailings from June 24, 1848 (the Caledonia from Liverpool) through December 31, 1848 (the Europa arriving at New York), American packet postage was required on all inbound and outbound mail to England whether or not one of the American vessels was used, creating the so-called Retaliatory Rate. Beginning with the departure of the Europa from New York on January 10, 1849, earlier rates were restored, and soon after the new U.S.-British treaty rate was effected.

This cover to Scotland reflects the dispute between Great Britain and the United States. The 35c in postage pays the U.S. 10c domestic rate for distances over 300 miles, plus a 1c overpayment of the 24c rate to England. It originated in New Orleans and entered the Mobile post office as unmarked way mail (see Van Koppersmith's article in Chronicle 215, pp. 198-198). It was carried on the Cunarder Cambria, which departed New York on December 6 and arrived in Liverpool on December 20. The 24c prepayment was ignored, and the letter was charged one shilling for sea postage and inland delivery.

Written up in Ashbrook's Special Service, Issue 45, 1954, photo 184. Noted in Chronicle 76 (p. 187). Illustrated in Chronicle 93 (p. 16). Signed Ashbrook. Ex Durham, Krug, Ishikawa and Hackmey. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE SHEET-MARGIN STRIP OF FIVE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE USED ON A COVER TO ENGLAND, OVERPAYING THE 24-CENT TREATY RATE BY ONE CENT. A PHENOMENAL POSTAL HISTORY AND PHILATELIC RARITY.

As of February 15, 1849, the new postal treaty between the United States and Britain commenced, officially ending the punitive Retaliatory Rate period. Both sides agreed to a reciprocal 24c rate (or one shilling). For letters to Great Britain, a credit of either 3c or 19c was given, depending on whether it was carried by a British (usually Cunard) or American steamer line. The cover offered here was carried aboard the Cunarder Caledonia, which departed Boston on August 1 and arrived in Liverpool on August 14.

Only three covers franked solely with the 5c 1847 Issue are known paying the 24c rate, including one from Charleston which was carried on the same trip from Boston. The third was also carried by British packet. Four combination covers are also known (see previous lot).

With 2007 P.F. certificate. Ex Hackmey. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE COMBINATION FRANKING OF THE 5-CENT AND 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON A COVER TO SCOTLAND, OVERPAYING BY ONE CENT THE 24-CENT TREATY RATE. A GREAT POSTAL HISTORY RARITY.

As of February 15, 1849, the new postal treaty between the United States and Britain commenced, officially ending the punitive Retaliatory Rate period. Both sides agreed to a reciprocal 24c rate (or one shilling). For letters to Great Britain, a credit of either 3c or 19c was given, depending on whether it was carried by a British (usually Cunard) or American steamer line. The cover offered here was carried aboard the American Ocean Line's Hermann, which departed New York on August 20 and arrived in Southampton on September 3.

Only four combination covers overpaying the 24c rate to England are recorded (two additional are known with replacement stamps and other serious defects). The other three were carried by British steamer and so have 19c credit handstamps.

Illustrated in the Simpson book on p. 357. Featured in America's First Stamp published in Smithsonian on March 2003, p. 52. Ex Craveri and Hackmey. (Image)

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