Sale 1230 U.S. and Hawaii Stamps and Postal History

St. John, New Brunswick, to New York City via Eastport Me. and Boston. Folded letter datelined "St. John 25th November 1844" to New York City street address, red "Forwarded by Hale & Co.'s Great Eastern Mail" oval handstamp (Ty. F41) and Collect box (Ty. C4) struck twice -- re-rated with pencil thru "Six" and "2", then blue manuscript "12-1/2" for the Hale rate from St. John -- probably carried by Gunnison on the Herald from St. John to Eastport and then by the Portland from Eastport to Boston, where it was given to Hale for the southbound trip to New York City, Fine and extremely rare -- Joseph G. Gunnison's express operated between Boston, Calais and Eastport Me., and St. John N.B., he linked with Hale to provide Independent Mail service along a wider area -- Hale announced service to Eastport Me., St. John and St. Andrews N.B. in an advertisement in the July 4, 1844, Morning Courier and New York Enquirer; another advertisement dated July 25, 1844, named Thomas Simes as the Hale agent in St. Andrews and J. D. Andrews as the agent in St. John (Gutman Hale book, p. 229); the rate to St. John was advertised as 12-1/2c -- only a few Hale covers to or from the British Maritime provinces are recorded by Gutman (Image Magnifier)