July Internet Auction

1840 (May 15) New Orleans La. to London, England, "British Queen" New York Jun. 1st - Portsmouth Jun. 16th 1840

folded May 15 letter from New Orleans, La. to London, partial blue "New Orleans La. May 15" cds and red manuscript "25" rating, endorsed in care of Mess. Travers & Alexander with their manuscript forwarder's endorsement on reverse, red "Ship Letter/Portsmouth" framed backstamp and London (6.17) arrival backstamp, manuscript "8" pence due rating; fold toning, Fine, This was carried on the last voyage before the Cunard contract., ex-Robertson.

Estimate $75 - 100.

Realized: $55.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

1848-1850 Cuba to the United States via Charleston, four covers on two exhibit pages, covers, 1848 with red "Charleston S.C. Dec 26" cds and red ms. "12½" rating; 1849 prices current with red "Charleston S.C. Jan 25" cds and "12" cent rating h.s. as "12½" not available, 1849 on "Isabel" with red "Chalreston S.C. '12½' Mar 13" integral-rate cds, and circa 1850 on "Isabel" with bold red "Chalreston S.C. '12½' Mar 13" integral-rate cds, F.-V.F. group, ex-Booth .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1849 (Mar. 8) Havana, Cuba to Paris, France via Charleston S.C., folded letter with bold red "Forwarded by F.C. Black, Charleston S.C." oval handstamp with ms. "March 14" dating on flap, red "Charleston S.C. Mar 14" cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with red ms. rating, carried by Cunard Line America from Boston Mar. 21st to Liverpool arriving Apr. 3rd, red London (4.3) backstamp with "Colonies/&c.Art.13." framed handstamp, Boulonge (4.4) entry cds, various ms. ratings; large cover tear, Fine appearance, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

This was the first westbound sailing under the U.S.-G.B. Postal Convention of December 15, 1848.

1851 (Jul. 19) Cardenas, Cuba to Portland Me. via Charleston S.C., light blue datelined folded letter with bold "Forwarded By Storey Paloing & Co., Havana" forwarders oval on flap and endorsed " per 'Isabel' ", red "Charleston S.C. '10' Jul 26" integral-rate cds, Very Fine, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1852, 1853 Cuba to the United States via "Isabel" to Charleston, two folded letters, 1852 (Dec. 29) Havana to New York with blue "Charleston s.C. Jan 2" cds and ms. "20" rating for double the 10¢ steamship rate; 1853 (Jun. 6) Matanzas to Portland with blue "Charleston S.C. '10' Jun 11" integral-rate cds, F.-V.F. and scarce rating pair.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

1853 (Aug. 22) Cardenas, Cuba to New York N.Y. via Charleston, datelined folded letter from the Lanman & Kemp correspondence with blue "Cardenas, Isla de Cuba, 22 Ago, 1853" cds sent to Havana, carried by Pilot Schooner Eclipse to Charleston, blue "Charleston S.C. '10' Oct 3" integral-rate cds (Wierenga C4) for 10¢ steamship rate, Very Fine, ex-Hess, Booth .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

The long transit time was due to the "Isabel" being in New York for routine annual maintenance. The alternate Pilot Schooner "Eclipse" was a sailing vessel.

1855 c. (May 16) Havana, Cuba to Portland Me. via Charleston, gray folded cover with partial blue "Charleston S.C. May 16" cds and matching " Havana " straightline handstamp with manuscript "20" cent due rating; top edge fault, F.-V.F., only 6 recorded examples in blue of this scarce Charleston S.C. "Havana" straightline , ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

This Charleston "HAVANA" straightline is scarce with only nine recorded (six blue and three black). The article and census by Yamil Kouri in Chronicle 201, pp. 63-73, did not contain this example.

1855 (Jul. 9) Havana, Cuba to Boston Mass. via Charleston, bold strike of blue " Charleston S.C. 10 'Havana' 13 Jul " integral 10¢ rate cds on 1855 folded letter from Havana to Boston; also second cover with same marking in black on 1856 folded letter to New York, with bill of lading for Colon-Havana shipment, Very Fine pair with Charleston "Havana" datestamps in both colors, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $300 - 400.

1855 c. (Nov. 28) Havana, Cuba to Wilmington Del. via Charleston, blue folded cover with clear strike of " Charleston S.C. '10 Havana' Nov 28 " with "10 Havana" inverted, Very Fine strike and scarce, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $500 - 750.

ONE OF ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES RECORDED WITH THE "10 HAVANA" INVERTED.

1855 (Dec. 8) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y. via Charleston, blue datelined folded letter with " Charleston S.C. '10 Havana' Dec. 13 " integral 10¢ rate cds, manuscript " pr. Str. Isabel' via Charleston " at lower left, Very Fine, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1855 (Dec. 22) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y., gray folded letter with bold strike of "Charleston S.C., Dec 28" cds and matching " HAVANA " straightline handstamp, pencil " 60 " rating for six-times the 10¢ steamship rate, endorsed per " pr. 'Quaker City' ", actually carried on the Isabel that departed two days before the Quaker City; some wrinkling, Very Fine, ex-Kouri, Hess.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $300 - 400.

ONE OF ONLY 10 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS CHARLESTON "HAVANA" STRAIGHT (THREE IN BLACK). THE HIGHEST RATE USE KNOWN CARRIED BY STEAMSHIP.

In the same time period, 1854 to 1856, Charleston used a single-line postmark "Havana" (9.8x2.6 mm) struck on letters exceeding ½ ounce in weight. This letter likely contained several letters to be sent onwards, the recipient is a well-known forwarder.

Illustrated and described by Kouri in Chronicle 201, pp. 63-73. This Charleston "HAVANA" straightline is scarce with only ten recorded (seven blue and three black). The Karrer example was not in the census.

1857 (Feb. 25) Buffalo N.Y. to Havana, Cuba, amber cover bearing 10¢ green (14) , rich color with large margins to just touched, light corner crease, tied by neat strike of rimless "Buffalo N.Y. Feb 25" cds and red New-York, Mar 2, 1857" exchange cds, blue Havana (3.8) arrival backstamp with matching "NA" and "1" due ratings, prepaid for the 10¢ American packet rate, clean and Very Fine use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

1859 (Mar. 9) Havana, Cuba to London, England via Charleston, docketed folded cover, entered mails with " Steam-Ship " oval handstamp with blue crayon " 29 " cent due rating for 5¢ U.S. transit plus 24¢ transatlantic packet fee, manuscript "10" cent debit rating, carried by Cunard Line Europa from New York Mar. 16th to Liverpool arriving Mar. 28th, red London (3.29) backstamp with manuscript "1/2½" one shilling 2½ pence due rating, Very Fine, ex-Karrer .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $300 - 400.

1860 (Feb. 8) Havana, Cuba to San Francisco Cal., blu folded cover with sharp "San Francisco Cal. Mar 3, 1860" cds and blue crayon "40" rating for double the 20¢ per ½ oz. over 2,500 mile rate, endorsed "Via Apsinwall pr Danl Webster", Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

1866 (Feb. 17) St. Jago, Cuba to New York City via U.S. Mail Steamship "Fah Kee", flap with "U.S. Mail Steamship Fah Kee, Feb 17 1866, St. Jago" shield handstamp (Milgram 434) on flap of 1866 folded letter from Cuba to Lanman & Kemp, New York via Bermuda, New York "Steamship 10" in circle handstamp; light vertical file fold does not affect any markings, Very Fine, ex-Feldman ; with 2014 P.F. certificate.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

The "Fah Kee" was built in 1862 intended for the Chinese service, it was requisitioned by the U.S. Navy and sold after the war, the new owner contracted with Waydell & Co. to run a regular packet service. They applied a handstamp in 1866 for documentation purposes. She was sold in 1868.

1866 c. (Apr. 16) Trenton N.J. to Havana, Cuba, cover bearing 10¢ green (68), rich color, tied by bold quartered corks, matching "Trenton N.J. Apr 16" cds to Havana, Cuba , red "New York, Paid All" exchange cds, blue Havana arrival backstamp and matching blue "NA1" oval for North America 1 reales due; reduced slightly at right, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

1867 (Mar. 28) St. Jago, Cuba to New York via U.S. Mail Steamship "Fah Kee", flap with " U.S. Mail Steamship Fah Kee, Mar 28 1867, St. Jago " shield handstamp (Milgram 434) on flap of folded letter datelined "St. Jago de Cuba, 28th March 1867" from the Lanman & Kemp correspondence to New York City, Fah Kee arrived in New York on Apr. 6th, New York "Steamship 10" circular due rating; light file folds, Very Fine, ex-Booth .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

On August 10th 1865 Capt. John Sterling purchased for $65,000 the wooden screw steamer "Fah Kee" from the U.S. Quartermasters. He contracted with New York's Waydell & Co. to run a regular mail packet from New York to St. Jago de Cuba. The contract with Waydell was run under the provisions of the Foreign Mails act of 1845 but only lasted three years as opposed to the normal ten years of the Act. The vessel was sold to the Bermuda authorities in 1868.

1867 (Oct. 16) Havana, Cuba to New York N.Y., datelined folded letter from the Lanman & Kemp correspondence endorsed " P. Liberty by Baltimore ", clear strike of " Baltimore Am. Pkt., Oct 22, 1867 " exchange cds and slanted "10" due handstamp, Very Fine and scarce Baltimore exchange cds.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.