The Steven Walske Collection of North American Blockade Run Mail

**Revolutionary War, American Blockade of British Enclaves, Inbound**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
2301		London to Boston, 1775, American Blockade Run. Folded letter datelined London Apr. 5, 1775 to Boston, "5/AP" Bishop's mark on back, manuscript "p the Packet" and carried by Falmouth packet Mercury, departing Falmouth Apr. 13 and arriving New York May 28 after running the American privateer blockade, rated "1N10" for postage to Boston, converted to "18/4d" in Massachusetts Old Tenor currency on flap VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING BLOCKADE-RUN COVER FROM LONDON TO BOSTON, CARRIED BY THE FIRST FALMOUTH PACKET THROUGH THE AMERICAN PRIVATEER BLOCKADE AND RATED IN OLD TENOR CURRENCY IN BOSTON. Shortly after Revolutionary War hostilities began in April 1775, American privateers began attacking British supply ships and Falmouth packets. The interception of supply ships and Falmouth packets by American privateers constituted a commercial blockade of those enclaves. This cover was carried on the first Falmouth packet that sailed through the American blockade. The "1/10" due in Boston was derived from the one-shilling packet charge plus 10p (3.8 dwt) from New York to Boston. Old Tenor was inflated by a factor of 10, so 1sh10p=22p; 22p x 10= 220p Old Tenor, or 18sh4p. This is one of only a handful of covers known rated in Old Tenor. Finley (British Asst. PM) reported that he took the Mercury’s mail in an armed schooner (Capt. Davenport) from New York to Boston, enroute to Quebec. He was responding to numerous reports of armed American privateers in the area. John Foxcroft (Deputy British PM at New York) reported that 60 resolute fellows well-armed” were sent down to cruize off Sandy Hook” to intercept the Mercury. Accordingly, the Mercury anchored under the guns of the HMS Asia in New York harbor. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 4,000-5,000 SOLD for $4,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
2302		London to Philadelphia via British-Occupied Boston, 1775, American Blockade Run. Folded letter datelined London, Oct. 4, 1775, bold "4/OC" Bishop's mark on flap, addressed to Philadelphia, rated "3N" for triple-weight packet postage, carried on the Falmouth packet Lord Hyde, departing Oct. 16 and arriving at occupied Boston Jan. 3, 1776, exchanged through American siege lines for transport by American Constitutional Post to Philadelphia, no additional postage charges noted at Philadelphia VERY FINE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER CARRIED BY FALMOUTH PACKET DIRECTLY TO BRITISH-OCCUPIED BOSTON, THROUGH THE AMERICAN PRIVATEER BLOCKADE. The British Admiralty ordered the October 1775 Falmouth packet, which carried this cover, to sail directly to the besieged British forces in Boston, rather than to New York. This Lord Hyde trip was the last Post Office packet. After this, the Admiralty took over the scheduling and protections of the packets (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 3,000-4,000 SOLD for $3,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
2303		Thirsk, England to Philadelphia, 1775, American Blockade Run. Light strike of "THIRSK" straightline handstamp and manuscript "Paid 4d" for postage to London, red "Post Paid" in circle, re-rated in London "To pay 1N" for packet postage, bold "25/DE" Bishop's mark, carried on Falmouth packet Swallow on Jan. 9, 1776, arriving New York Mar. 9, advertised in New York for Philadelphia recipient VERY FINE COVER FROM ENGLAND TO PHILADELPHIA, SENT THROUGH THE AMERICAN PRIVATEER BLOCKADE AND THEN HELD IN BRITISH-OCCUPIED NEW YORK. The British post office in New York stopped giving mails to the American Constitutional Post for transmittal to Philadelphia on Dec. 25, 1775 -- shortly before this cover arrived in New York. Packet letters were advertised and recipients had to make arrangements to pick them up. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 3,000-4,000 SOLD for $2,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
2304		London to Boston via New York, 1779, American Blockade Run. Folded letter datelined Aug. 4, 1779 in London, addressed to Thomas Greenough in Boston, sent under cover to Francis Dashwood in New York, carried by Falmouth packet Anna Theresa on Sep. 9, arriving New York Oct. 23, then sent under flag-of-truce to Boston without postal markings, Very Fine use to Boston through the American privateer blockade, following the departure of the British from Boston in March 1776, the only communications with occupied New York were by flag-of-truce (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $1,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
2305		Westminster, England to New York, 1782, American Blockade Run. Folded letter datelined Westminster, England Jul. 3, 1782, "3/IY" Bishop's mark on flap and manuscript "1N" packet rate, addressed to Captain Richard Callcott "of His Majesty's Sloop Albacore" at New York, carried by Falmouth packet Sandwich on Jul. 20, through the American privateer blockade and arriving New York on Sep. 4, excellent War-related content VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING COVER AND LETTER FROM ENGLAND, THROUGH THE AMERICAN BLOCKADE TO THE CAPTAIN OF A BRITISH NAVAL VESSEL AT NEW YORK. The Albacore, to which this letter is addressed, was formerly the American privateer Royal Louis, which was captured as a prize in 1781 by the British frigates Amphion and Nymph (itself a prize and a former French frigate). This fascinating letter includes references to Guy Carleton and to Lord Howe being sent to sea to fight the combined fleets, ships of the Newfoundland fleet falling into enemy hands, also discussions of peace negotiations and reference to the recent death of pro-peace British Prime Minister the Marquess of Rockingham. Ex Barrie Jay (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $2,600.00 Will close during Public Auction
2306		Exeter, England to Philadelphia, 1775, American Blockade Run. Folded cover posted with bold "EXETER" straightline handstamp and part of Sep. Bishop's mark on flap, addressed to Philadelphia, rated "In all 1N/4" for 1 shilling 4 pence due, carried on the armed Falmouth packet Mercury, departing Sep. 15 and arriving New York Nov. 10, re-rated "1N10" including 6p charge to Philadelphia, carried by American Constitutional Post to Philadelphia where rated "3/1" in local currency (22p x 1.67 inflation factor=37p, or 3 shillings 1p), skillfully treated to remove toning and improve appearance VERY FINE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER CARRIED BY ARMED FALMOUTH PACKET TO NEW YORK THROUGH THE AMERICAN PRIVATEER BLOCKADE. The British Parliamentary post in America dismissed its post riders in May 1775, so the new American Constitutional Post had to carry the mails. The Constitutional Post began operations from New York in October 1775, and carried some Falmouth packet mail to Philadelphia. The British Admiralty began arming the Falmouth packets in September 1775 to protect them from privateers, and took control of them in January 1776. Ex Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 3,000-4,000 SOLD for $3,750.00 Will close during Public Auction
2307		Bristol, England to Philadelphia via British-Occupied New York, 1776, American Blockade Run. Folded letter datelined "Bristol 5th March 1776" to Philadelphia, manuscript "p packet QDC", "1N" packet postage rate and bold "11/IV" Bishop's mark (June 11) on flap, carried by Falmouth packet departing June 12 and arriving New York Aug. 11, then privately carried across the lines to American-controlled Philadelphia VERY FINE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER FROM ENGLAND THROUGH BRITISH-OCCUPIED NEW YORK, TO AMERICAN-CONTROLLED PHILADELPHIA. Ex Siskin (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $3,750.00 Will close during Public Auction