Winter 2025 Sale

Black "SAVAN GA DEC 29" cds on folded cover to Louisville with manuscript "12 1/2", no contents or docketing.

Estimate $300.00 - $500.00

Black Trenton SEP 5 cds on folded letter to Bath, MA with red "FREE" manuscript from the Treasury Department. The letter is franked by Joseph Nourse, Register of the Treasury Department, datelined "Treasury Department/Register's Office (Trenton)/ Septr. 5, 1799."
During the time Philadelphia was the United States Capital, some of the executive departments would flee to other sites during that city's oppressive summer heat and...

Black "SAVAN GA JAN 19" cds on folded cover to Charleston
Manuscript "12 1/2", no contents or docketing. Very clear and sharp strike of this First Federal Handstamp indicates a very early strike of this handstamp.

Estimate $400.00 - $600.00

Pittsburgh, PA JUL 5 cds with unusual boxed, fancy "FREE" handstamp on folded letter to Philadelphia.
The letter includes a complaint of an employee to the Commissary General of Purchases, a Civilian Office Established in 1812 for Army Food Purchases

Estimate $600.00 - $800.00

Black ""NEWBt Ms MAY 2"" cds on 1810 folded letter to Salem with manuscript ""paid"" amd straightline "PAID"

Estimate $300.00 - $500.00

Red New York cds with red "SHIP" straightline on folded letter to New Jersey with manuscript "8" and "Ship Virginia."
In 1825, Postmaster General John McLean established a new way of treating letters carried by non-contract ships from New Orleans to New York, Philadelphia and Providence, Rhode Island. The Postmaster General created the fiction that such vessels were "Impliedly under contract" so that, unlike other non-contract vessels...

Red "New York Dec 10" with red "MAIL ROUTE" marking. Manuscript "24" and "Ship Illinois Capt. Waterman" on 1828 folded letter to Boston.
The "Mail Route" marking was applied from 1827 to 1830 to private ship letters that were not classified as "Ship Letters" under the "impliedly under contract" ruling by the Post Office Department. This allowed these letters to be treated as though they were part of official postal routes, resulting in...

Red "New York Jul 7" cds with red "MAIL ROUTE" marking. Manuscript "18 1/2" and "per Aretia" on 1828 folded letter to Boston.
The Mall Route fiction only applied to ships sailing from New Orleans to Boston, Philadelphia or Providence, not to vessels sailing from these ports to New Orleans.
Carried on a non-contract ship Aretia, the mail was taken off the vessel at the Belize, and turned Into the post office, at the entrance to...

By January 1827, two-line handstamps reading "SHIP/14 1/2" had been prepared. This was the ordinary Ship handstamp applied at The Belize at the mouth of the Mississippi River for Ship mail going to New Orleans, a distance of 102 miles up the Mississippi River.

Estimate $300.00 - $500.00

Red "New York Dec 3" cds with red "MAIL ROUTE" marking on 1828 folded cover datelined "At Sea Lattd. 38° 48' - Longd. 70° 26', Oct 10th 1828" to Boston Mass., red "New-York Dec 3" cds and red manuscript "37½" rating, cover endorsed "Pr. Azelia" at bottom left, Very Fine.
Joshua Smith began writing this letter on October 10, at sea. After two additions at sea, he wrote a following note on "OCT 24th off Tortuga Bank." The following note...

Faint "MAIL ROUTE" handstamp with manuscript "10", "P[er] Brig Laydon Chevy" on folded letter datelined "Charleston" July 14th 1829 to Philadelphia.
This letter is rated 10 cents for 30-80 miles (from the Atlantic to Philadelphia), which follows the regular postal fees.

Estimate $200.00 - $400.00