The Steven Walske Collection of United States-France Transatlantic Mail

**Private Ship Letters: Stamped and Franked**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
501		New York to Cognac, France -- Maiden Voyage of Great Western. Folded letter datelined New York May 7, 1838, to Cognac, France, carried directly to mail bag at ship agent's office so no U.S. postal markings, clear strike of "Bristol/Ship-Letter" two-line boxed handstamp, manuscript "1/6" English debit to France for 8d ship rate fee plus 10d carriage from Bristol to London, red London May 23 backstamp, red "Angleterre par Calais" arrival datestamp, "32" decimes due and May 27 Cognac arrival backstamp, Very Fine, carried on the maiden voyage of the Great Western, which departed New York May 7 and arrived Bristol May 22, 1838, the freight money fee seen on later examples was not collected on this voyage, ex Winter (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $1,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
502		"The Sun" Newspaper and Foreign Letter Office, New-York, United States. 7-line black on pink label affixed to January 1844 folded cover to "Madame Chevalier (Veuve), au Vercher Maison des Frere Imbert. Charpeutiers - Rive de Gier, Loire, France", carried outside the mails from New York to France, red "Outre-Mer Le Havre" arrival datestamp ties label, manuscript "10" decimes due, blue Paris backstamp, Very Fine, extremely scarce forwarding label and remarkably tied on cover (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $2,400.00 Will close during Public Auction
503		Millard Fillmore Free Frank. Free frank "Free M. Fillmore M.C." as member of Congress on 1837 transatlantic folded letter to Paris, France, blue "Buffalo N.Y. Jul. 15" oval datestamp and matching "Free" in scroll, endorsed "To go by the first Packet from N York to Havre" and with Havre transits, blue receiving backstamp, manuscript "30" grams marking and "21" decimes due, fresh and Very Fine, free franks on transatlantic mail are extremely rare, ex Dr. LeBow (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $1,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
504		Daniel Webster Free Frank. Free frank "Danl. Webster U.S. Senate" on transatlantic folded letter from France to the United States, datelined Paris Oct. 28, 1839, to Daniel Fletcher Webster in LaSalle Ill., Paris circular datestamp, red "Paid Ship Letter London" oval and "Foreign Paid" in arc, red "New-York Ship Nov. 24" circular datestamp, sender's route instructions "pr. B. Queen via London", various rate markings, the last of which are crossed out and marked "f" for free, negligible wear along folds, Fine and outstanding use of Webster's free frank on an incoming letter from family in Europe, accompanied by thorough rate analysis by Richard Winter and Steven Walske, ex Dr. Robertson (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
505		U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Position 2L, large to huge margins including frameline of adjoining stamp at right, bright and fresh, tied by red "U.S." in frame, clear strike of matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Jan. 31 4 O'Clock" Type II circular datestamp on greenish Dec. 5, 1842 datelined folded letter from Paris, France, to New York, endorsed per Havre packet of 8 Decbr. and carried on private ship out of the mails, manuscript "1" credit to post office for drop rate, sealed backflap tear extends to front just clear of datestamp EXTREMELY FINE STAMP ON A REMARKABLE FOLDED LETTER SENT FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK VIA LE HAVRE, THEN DELIVERED BY THE UNITED STATES CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER DEPARTMENT. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS STAMP USED ON A COVER FROM ABROAD. A lengthy 1861 eulogy of the addressee, Dr. John W. Francis M.D., before the New York Medico-Chirurgical College, can be found at Google Books. Ex Caspary and Middendorf (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $5,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
506		Hale & Co., (5c) Blue, Street Address Omitted (75L5). Cut to shape with design elements fully intact, manuscript "NY" control mark, used in conjunction with red "H. T. Crofoot's Newburyport Letter Office" oval handstamp on Oct. 14, 1844 folded letter from Benjamin Perley Poore in Paris, France to New York, carried by private ship to Newburyport where it connected with Hale for transmittal to New York, ornately framed "Paid" handstamp, Very Fine, a rare and unusual conjunctive use originating in France, Poore (1820-87, born in Newburyport) was a prominent and popular American newspaper correspondent and editor, he was associated with the Whig and Republican parties and was the founder of Washington's Gridiron Club (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $1,400.00 Will close during Public Auction