Winter 2025 Sale

Red New-York Dec 28 cds and red circled "10" on folded letter datelined 5th November 1846, from Logan Estate, St. James', Jamaica to Upper Canada. Forwarded in New York and charged ten cents United States' and sevenpence Canadian postage. It arrived in Newmarket on 1 January 1847.
The letter comments on unfair competition from slave colonies:
"The British Government may be passing Laws for the advantage of Canada, but their late...

10 December 1847 folded letter to St. John, New Brunswick to Boston, Massachusetts with red "X" postage due rate marking.
Letters from St. John, New Brunswick to the United States were sometimes carried privately to the United States (often by ship) and posted privately at the first port of call. This letter was carried to Eastport and placed in the post unpaid. 10 cents was the rate for a half ounce letter carried more than 300 miles...

Passengers travelling to Europe from the United States by the British packets had the luxury of being able to write letters during the first part of their journey from Boston and then place them in the post when the vessel called at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Such letters from Nova Scotia to the United States had to be prepaid to the border, United States postage could be prepaid or left unpaid.
S.S. 'Cambria' out of Boston to Sowell,...

Red Feb 3 New Orleans integral rate marking 5 cents, collect "Via Red River" on folded cover to Texas.
Contract Mail Steamboats carried Postal Department Route Agents, who took on-board mail, sorted, delivered to, and collected from, postal authorities along the way. This letter traveled from Alexandria, La. , overland to Jasper, Texas, to Zavala.
The Steamboat "Red River" ran from New Orleans to Shreveport, 1852 1857.
...

Blue "Fredk Loison's Printed Circular" handstamp with red New Orleans "PAID 2" handstamp on Feb 7 1855 unsealed printed circular from New Orleans, La. to Saulxures, France. Sent under the newspaper rate of 2c by British open mail, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Feb. 21 to Liverpool arriving Mar. 4, red manuscript "15" centimes postage due rating, Very Fine.
Rated 2 cents paid for circular rate by British open mail and...

Black Haverhill, Ms Nov 14 1859 cds and "U. States" exchange office arced handstamp on folded letter to Nova Scotia.
The envelope of a letter posted unpaid in Haverhill and charged ten cents, sixpence Currency, the cross-border rate at the time. It was passed to Boston and, judging by its journey time, was included in the mail carried by British coastal steamer to Halifax, arriving there on 19th November 1859. The dates coincide with...

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island to Sherbrooke, Canada Fast, 10 November 1859. The cover prepaid threepence currency at Charlottetown that travelled via Montreal, Canada Fast, marked by that office on 23" November 1859 (reverse); this suggests that it travelled overland, or was held for the Cunard feeder service for mails from the United.
Although Canada adopted decimal currency on 1 July 1859 Prince Edward Island did not change...

Brampton, Canada West, to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, 22 April 1860. A family letter (brother to sister) charged five cents. The letter travelled via Lennoxville and Montreal, 26 - 27 April 1860, and arrived in Charlottetown in May 1860. On the reverse, there is a large red arrival handstamp of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, dated 7th May 1860.
The letter reads:
"What are they getting the Rifle companies for, do you...

DUNNVILLE U.C. 4 July 1836 to New York folded letter with "Dunnville U.C." double-circle postmark with manuscript "Paid 6" and "Paid 25"

Estimate $300.00 - $500.00

FERRIAGE - "PAID 9 & 25"
Toronto, Canada to London, England via U.S.A. and Hastings - July 17th 1836
Postmarks: -
"CITY of TORONTO U.C. JY 17 1836" in red
"SHIP LETTER HASTINGS" Robertson type S4 only recorded in red 1837-40
"F 17 AU 17 1836" (London)
Transit time to London 31 days. The 'TOO LATE' mark shows late posting in the day.
Rate Markings: -
"PAID 9 & 25" (9d Cy & 25...

Montreal, Canada to Birmingham, England via Liverpool - June 26 1836
Postmarks: -
"MONTREAL L.C. JU 26 1836" in red
"LIVERPOOL SHIP LETTER" Robertson type S13 recorded 1834-38.
There is no arrival date.
Rate Markings: -
"PAID 6" (Cy) This is not in line with known rates
"PAID18 ¾" (U.S. Cents) 150 to 400 miles from Canadian border to U.S. port
"1/5" (Stg) - 8d ship letter and 9d inland...

Mersea, nr. Windsor, Canada to Chelsea, England via Liverpool - April 15 1836
Postmarks: -
"MERSEA U.C. 15" Apl 36" in red, date in manuscript
"LIVERPOOL SHIP LETTER" Robertson type S13 recorded 1834-38
"EX 6 JY 6 1836" (London)
"10 Fn 10 JY 7 1836" (London) in red
"10 Fn 10 JY 7 1836" (London Twopenny Post) in red
Transit time 83 days, confirmed by "Received July 7 1836".
Rate Markings...