The C.A. Stillions Collection of Washington D.C. Postal History

1814 (May 16) Alexandria Va. Blockade Run to London, England, folded letter datelined " Alexandria 16 May 1814 ", carried through the Chesapeake Bay blockade, arrived in Deal, England with " Ship Letter, Deal " crown double-oval handstamp, manuscript " 1/- " shilling due (4p ship fee plus 8p to London), London (7.21) arrival backstamp; edge wear, Very Fine War of 1812 blockade-run cover.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $750 - 1,000.

A SCARCE WAR OF 1812 BLOCKADE-RUN COVER CARRIED THROUGH THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BLOCKADE.

1842 (Feb. 24) Washington D.C. to Paris, France, gray folded letter with red "Washington D.C. Feb 24" cds with matching sharp "Paid" handstamp and blue ms. "50" cent rating, carried by Cunard Unicorn from Boston Apr. 2nd to Halifax arriving Mar. 7th, then by Cunard Line Acadia from Halifax Mar. 8th to Liverpool arriving Mar. 25th, Liverpool "America, L" oval backstamp and matching "1/-" packet due rating, red London (3.26) backstamp and framed "Packet Letter" handstamp, red Calais (3.28) entry cds with "22" decimes due rating; some fold wear, F.-V.F. and scarce interrupted voyage.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

"Columbia" arrived at Halifax under canvas, having broken a shaft enroute about 450 miles from Halifax and never made it to Boston. Cunard sent branch line steamer "Unicorn" from Halifax to pick up Boston outgoing mails. Unicorn transferred mails to "Acadia" in Halifax. Unable to repair her shaft, "Columbia" returned to Liverpool under sail, arriving Apr. 20th.

(Retaliatory Rate) 1848 (Sep. 3) Washington D.C. to Broughty Ferry, Scotland, red cds on gray 1848 folded letter with red "Washington D.C. Sep 3" cds and "Paid" handstamp with ms. "34" cents rating, carried by Cunard Line Britania from Boston Sep. 6th to Liverpool arriving Sep. 20th, Liverpool America (9.20) backstamp with matching "1/-" due rating handstamp; bit of erosion, F.-V.F. and scarce retaliatory use from Washington D.C.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

1849 (Jul. 2) Washington D.C. to London, England, folded letter with red "Washington D.C. Jul 2" cds with matching "Paid" straightline and ms. "24" cent rating, ms. "charge box 65" notation, Boston red " credit handstamp, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Jul. 4th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 15th, red London Paid (7.16) arrival, fresh and Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $75 - 100.

1850 (Nov. 25) Washington D.C. to London, England, blue folded letter with partial red "Washington City D.C. Nov 25" cds and matching "40 cts." in circle rating handstamp, Boston "5" debit handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Boston Nov. 27th to Liverpool arriving Dec. 11th, red London (12.12) arrival backstamp and ms. " 1/ " schilling due rating, letter concerns the U.S.'s need for additional $50,000, Very Fine and scarce 40¢ rating handstamp, ex-Koppersmith .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

1854 (Jul. 9) Washington D.C. to Havre, France, cover with "Washington D.C. Jul 9" cds and red arc "Paid" with "20 cts" in circle handstamp, endorsed via "Liverpool", red "New-York, Jul 12" exchange cds, sent by Cunard Line Europa from New York Jul. 12th to Liverpool arriving Jul. 23rd, Calais (7.25) entry cds with "6" decimes due rating, Le Havre (7.25) arrival backstamp; refolded, small flaws, Fine and scarce 20¢ rating handstamp, ex-Karlin, Koppersmith .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $75 - 100.

1856 (Sep. 8) Washington D.C. to Spezzia, Sardinia, cover with neat "Washington City, D.C. Sep 8, 1856" cds with large red "Paid 5 rating handstamp, "Boston, Br. Pkt. 10 Sep" exchange backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Boston Sep 10th to Liverpool arriving Sep. 21st, red London (9.22) backstamp and Calais (9.22) transits, various ratings, Spezzia (9.26) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and unusual "Paid 5" rating handstamp.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1857 (c., Sep 27) Washington D.C. to Eisenburg, Germany, buff cover with neat "Washington D.C. Sep 27" cds with red "Paid 30" in circle rating handstamp, red "N. York '7 Paid' Am. Pkt., Sep 30" credit exchange cds, carried by Collins Line Baltic from New York Sep. 30th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 12th, red Aachen (10.12) backstamp and " FRANCO " handstamp, Eisenburg (10.12) arrival backstamp, F.-V.F. and scarce "Paid 30" use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $75 - 100.

1861 (Jul. 26) Washington D.C. to Hannover, Germany, buff cover with "J.P. Charmberlain, M.C." free frank as U.S. Representative, entered mails with "Washington D.C., Jul 26, 1861" cds, "N. York, Hamb. Pkt. '5' Jul 27" debit exchange cds, carried by HAPAG Saxonia from New York Jul. 27th to Hamburg arriving Aug. 10th, Hamburg (8.10) transit backstamp and blue "6½" sbr rating handstamp, Gottingen (8.11) arrival backstamp; tiny edge tear at bottom, otherwise Very Fine and scarce free frank use to Germany.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1862 (Sep 2) Washington D.C. to Darmstadt, Germany, yellow cover endorsed "Soldier Letter" at left with three strikes of "Washington D.C., Sep 2, 1862" cds with matching small "30" rating handstamp, partial "N.York, Hamb. Pkt. '5' Sep 6" debit exchange cds, carried by HAPAG Teutonia from New York Sep. 6th to Hamburg arriving Sep. 22nd, Hamburg (9.22) oval backstamp with matching "22" handstamps, blue "4½ Sgr./6 Xr." two-line handstamp, blue ms. "22/1" rating, Sep. 23rd arrival backstamp, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1864 (Apr. 5) Washington, D.C. to London, England, cds with matching "24" due rating on orange cover endorsed "Soldiers Letter 10th Mass Vols, Adjutant" and signed "Wm M Curtis" in red manuscript, black "N. York Br. Pkt. '5' Apr 6" debit exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line China from New York to Queenstown arriving Apr. 17th, London manuscript "1/-" shilling due rating for the transatlantic packet fee, docketed as received April 18th, Very Fine and rare transatlantic soldier's letter.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

1899 (Jan. 19) Frederiksted, Danish West Indies to Washington D.C., cover bearing Danish West Indies, 1874, 5¢ green & gray (8) , tied by "Frederiksted, 19/1, 1899", underpaid with "T" in circle handstamp and manuscript " 2/50 " due (10¢ cents), treated as an unpaid letter upon arrival with "Collect Postage/ .20 Cents" handstamp and U.S. 1¢ Postage Due , two blocks of 8 and 2 pairs affixed to front and reverse and canceled by oval handstamps; dues with overlap flaws, one pair removed from reverse and cover opened for display, F.-V.F., a unusual postage due cover from Danish West Indies.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $400 - 600.

1918 (Oct. 5) Munich, Germany to German POW, Fort McPherson, Ga., cover with "Munich, 5.10 18" cds to Prisoner of War, two strikes of purple "Pass by the Chief Military Censor, Washington" circular handstamp; no flap, Very Fine and rare incoming overseas to German POW.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.