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 24c Red Lilac (70). Radiant color, used with 12c Black (69), s.e. at left, tied by circle of V's cancel, "Rockland Me. Nov. 23" (1864) double-circle datestamp on buff cover to Captain Henry A.
Starrett of the ship Lizzie Southard (misnamed "T.J." Southard, a vessel that sank years earlier), in care of a merchant firm in Rangoon, Burma, sender's original routing "Prussian Closed Mail via Trieste" at lower left, red "N.
York Am. Pkt. Paid 7 Nov. 26" credit datestamp crossed out in pencil, blue boxed "Aachen Franco" handstamp, blue manuscript "Ret. for postage", red "New York Br. Pkt. Paid Dec 28" datestamp struck alongside, red London transit, red Bombay
transit at left, Calcutta and Rangoon backstamps, slightly reduced at leftVERY FINE. A TRULY REMARKABLE COVER WITH A FASCINATING STORY OF ITS JOURNEY TO RANGOON, BURMA -- IT LEFT NEW YORK TO GO VIA PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL AND TRAVELLED AS FAR AS
GERMANY, BUT WAS RETURNED TO NEW YORK DUE TO INSUFFICIENT POSTAGE. THE STAMPS WERE THEN AFFIXED IN NEW YORK AND IT WAS RE-POSTED, BUT THIS TIME BY BRITISH MAIL VIA SOUTHAMPTON. We were generously assisted in the analysis of the story of this
cover by the pre-eminent transatlantic mail specialist, Richard F. Winter. It seems likely that the original postage of 28c was paid in cash. Beneath the stamps is manuscript that appears to confirm this, and payment using stamps was not compulsory
for foreign-bound letters at this time. The letter was then routed through New York and carried aboard the HAPAG Borussia to Southampton and then by closed mail to Aachen. At this point the letter was returned to New York because full
prepayment of the 36c Prussian Closed Mail rate was compulsory. After receiving the returned letter, the New York office applied 36c in stamps, probably after receiving additional postage from Rockland. However, the New York office changed the route
to the more frequently used British Mail via Southampton. The letter then left New York for the second time on the Cunarder Cuba, which departed December 29. It passed through Southampton, London, Alexandria, Suez, Bombay and Calcutta before
making its way to Burma. In his analysis, Richard Winter also notes that he has never seen a Prussian Closed Mail cover sent via Trieste to the East Indies. Neither have we, and this partly-completed trip may be the closest one will ever get. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com |
E. 5,000-7,500
SOLD for $18,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
