United States Postal History
Pioneer Steamships
| Lot |
Sym. |
Lot Description |
|
| 1001 |
 |
 S.S. Robert Fulton.
Two covers on well-annotated exhibit pages, each endorsed "Robert
Fulton": Jul. 6, 1821 from New Orleans to Boston entering mails with
red "New-York Jul. 24" circular datestamp, matching "Ship" handstamp and
ms. "20-1/2" rate, and May 1, 1822 from Balize (at the mouth of the
Mississippi River) to Portsmouth N.H. entering mails with red "New-York May
21" circular datestamp, matching "Ship" and ms. "20-1/2" rate, the long
voyages included stops at Havana and Charleston, both covers are Very Fine,
the Robert Fulton is described by historians as the first
coal-powered steamship (with auxiliary sails) designed for ocean voyages,
launched in 1820 she ran the New York-Charleston-Havana-New Orleans route,
making 18 voyages in five years, however, despite this activity, covers
carried on the Robert Fulton are very scarce
(Image) |
E. 500-750
SOLD for $1,600.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1002 |
|
 S.S. British Queen.
1841-42, specialized study of mail carried by the British Queen, one
of the first Cunard steamships to make transatlantic crossings, she sailed
under the British flag until August 1841, when she was sold to the Belgian
government in the first serious effort to establish a non-British steamship
service on the North Atlantic, comprises eleven covers on annotated exhibit
pages with copious notes, incl. four carried on the last outbound or
homebound voyages as a ship under the British flag, followed by covers from
the first, second and last voyages under Belgian flag (one originating in
Russia), Very Fine, an extremely scarce group of covers (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500
SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1003 |
|
 S.S. President.
1840-41, specialized study collection of this early Cunard steamship, which
completed only four transatlantic crossings before disappearing on the
return trip from New York to Liverpool in March 1841, comprising 13 covers
incl. three from the maiden outbound voyage, maiden return, second
outbound (3), second return (3, incl. one from New Orleans with 50c plus
50c Freight Money charge), last outbound voyage, also incl. 10/29/1840 from
Baltimore intended for the President but refused because Freight
Money charge had not been paid, and a remarkable cover from Charleston S.C.
8/27/1840 with two large "25" handstamps (25c plus 25c Freight Money)
intended for President sailing but handstamped "Too Late" in N.Y.
and sent on the Blue Swallowtail Line's Roscoe, all Very Fine, a
fascinating study of mail carried by this historic (and ill-fated)
Cunarder, all carefully described on exhibit pages with extensive detail
regarding sailings and markings, the maiden voyage covers are worth
$400-500 each, the two prepaid Freight Money covers $500-750 each, and the
others $200-300 each -- the opportunity to acquire this significant
collection in one lot is priceless
(Image) |
E. 3,000-4,000
SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1004 |
|
 S.S. Great Western.
Three covers carried in 1839 by this famous Cunard steamship, all with
Freight Money charges and "Bristol/Ship Letter" handstamp, sender's
ship designation "Great Western", incl. Philadelphia to London rated
37-1/2c (12-1/2c plus 25c Freight Money) on 6/13/1839 trip, another from
Philadelphia to London rated $1.50 (4x postage plus 4x 25c Freight Money)
on 8/1/1839 trip, last from Charleston S.C. to Scotland rated in ms. 25c
plus 25c (Freight Money) on 11/15/1839 trip, Very Fine, each cover is
described in detail on an exhibit page, these are the "Classics" of
transatlantic postal history (Image) |
E. 1,000-1,500
SOLD for $1,300.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1005 |
|
Pioneer Steamship and Sailing Packets. Approximately 300 covers on
annotated exhibit pages in nine albums, each volume identified by line or
vessel as follows: Falmouth Packets (1791-1836), Great Western Steamship
Co. (1838-46), S.S. Liverpool (1838-40), Blue and Red Swallowtail
Lines (1827-54), Pioneer Steamship Lines (two volumes, 1838-49), Sailing
Packets (1798-1854), and Black Ball Line (1818-47), an extraordinary array
of markings and usages incl. maiden and final voyages, Freight Money
letters, Harnden markings, U.S. Express Mail, Canada "U.S. Post Paid"
straightline, low-volume lines such as Cope's Philadelphia, Welsh, Red
Star, Black X Line, Dramatic Line, New Line, H & H, New York-Grennock
Immigrant Line, Red Cross, Boston Importing Co., N.O. & N.Y., several
"Consignee Letter" endorsements, British "Ship Letter" handstamps, all
described in meticulous detail with extensive background notes and letter
transcripts, excellent condition, this period of transatlantic mails is
filled with history and romance, and this collection represents a unique
opportunity to acquire a lifetime's work assembling a representative
collection of covers carried by pioneer steamships, sailing packets and
obscure early mail lines |
E. 5,000-7,500
SOLD for $22,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1006 |
|
 Cunard Line Maiden
Voyages. Three covers on annotated exhibit pages, incl. May 16, 1840
Inaugural Cunard Line voyage of the Unicorn, July 4, 1840 maiden
outbound voyage and Aug. 1 maiden return voyage of the Britannia,
each cover has ship name clearly designated, Very Fine, these are
significant artifacts from the inception of Cunard's transatlantic packet
service (Image) |
E. 750-1,000
SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 1007 |
|
 S.S. Unicorn. Mar.
18, 1846 folded prices current with "Per 'UNICORN' Steamer" printed in
heading (very unusual) and endorsed in ms. "per Unicorn" at top
left, from Liverpool to Silas Pierce & Co. in Boston, red "London Ship
Letter Paid 18 MR 1846" crown datestamp, red "Ship 6" handstamp applied at
Boston, Very Fine, this was carried on the second transatlantic voyage of
the Unicorn after the end of her service as a contract Cunard
steamer, at this point she was privately owned and not under Royal Mail
contract, examples of mail carried by the Unicorn during this period
are rare -- on annotated exhibit page and with related correspondence (Image) |
E. 200-300
SOLD for $1,050.00
Will close during Public Auction |
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