Auction # 58 - Winter 2014 Auction

1853 (May 17) New York N.Y. to Cognac, France. Datelined folded letter, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York May 18th to Liverpool arriving May 28th, green "Pkt. Ltter, Liverpool, MY 28 1853" tombstone postmark with matching Inspector's Cross handstamp, red London (5.30) backstamp and matching "Colonies & Art. 13" framed accounting h.s., black "1/-" shilling debit h.s., red Calais (5.31) entry cds with "15" decimes due rating h.s., Cognac (6.1) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and attractive, a scarce strike of the Liverpool tombstone in green.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

During the period of 1852 to 1858, a 'tombstone' shaped cancel of Packet Letter Liverpool was used in incoming unpaid packet mail mainly from the British Colonies overseas. These handstamps had a code letter in the year that was associated with the shipping line. In this instance "E" signifies the Cunard Line.