The NAPEX Sale

New Orleans La. "Steam 7", intense bold strike and sharp "New Orleans La. Aug. 19, 1861" double-circle cds on 3¢ red (U10) Nesbitt buff entire from unknown origin with manuscript " Paid 5 " prepaid rating to Carroll Hoy & Co. in New Orleans; usual small filing holes, Extremely Fine strikes, scarce Confederate steamboat usage, Extremely Fine strikes, ex-Gunter, Roth (private sale) .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $3,000 - 4,000.

A REMARKABLE CONFEDERATE NEW ORLEANS STEAMBOAT USE, ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED PREPAID "STEAM 7" USES.

New Orleans La. "Steam 7", clear straightline (5¢ postage plus 2¢ ship captain's fee) and matching "New Orleans La. Jan. 16, 1862" double-circle datestamp on fresh cover to Carroll Hoy & Co. at New Orleans, docketed "With one Bucket of Butter" at top; usual filing pinholes, Extremely Fine, Extremely Fine and choice, Raymond Weill & Co. backstamp, ex-Felton, Kilbourne .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $2,000 - 3,000.

AN EXCEPTIONAL NEW ORLEANS MISSISSIPPI RIVER STEAMBOAT USE.

1861 (Sep. 4) Richmond Va. to Natchez, Miss. "Steam", orange cover carried by the James River to Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Coast to the Mississippi River, Natchez " STEAM " and " 6 " rating handstamps (CSA type G), pencil " Richmond, Sept. 4 -61, Gen. C. & Staff Ordered to Report to J.E. Johnson at Manassas " at left; some edge flaws and wear, F.-V.F., ex-Roth (private sale) .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $1,500 - 2,000.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CONFEDERATE NATCHEZ STEAMBOAT USE.

The endorsement on the cover indicates that the sender, who was in Richmond, had been ordered to report to General Joseph E. Johnson at Manassas (Bull Run), Virginia.

The CSA adopted 1859 PL&R provisions relating to steamboat and ship mail. Unpaid letters addressed to the port of entry carried by inland waterway steamboats, transatlantic ships, and coastal ships were treated as ship letters and charged a compound rate of 6¢, which included a 2¢ ship fee paid to captains. The one exception was New Orleans La., which treated them as steamboat letters and rated them 7¢, rather than ship letters addressed to port of entry.