VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM FRANCE WITH THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING, WHICH WAS USED BY THE UNITED STATES TO RETURN MAIL FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES ADDRESSED TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES.
The U.S closed all postal communications with the seceded Confederate States in May-June 1861. Sometime in 1862 the "Sent Back to England" marking was discontinued, and the "Mails Suspended" oval was used on mail from foreign countries to the Confederate States. This 1864 usage might have been inspired by the resumption of flag-of-truce mail in July 1863.
VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE TRANS-ATLANTIC COVER ADDRESSED TO THE BLOCKADE-RUNNING FIRM OF FRASER & COMPANY IN CHARLESTON VIA NEW YORK LONG AFTER THE SUSPENSION OF MAIL SERVICE TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES.
Sometime in 1862 the "Sent Back to England" marking was discontinued, and the "Mails Suspended" oval was used on mail from foreign countries to the Confederate States. The marking was applied at the Washington D.C. Dead Letter Office.
With 1974 C.S.A. certificate
EXTREMELY FINE. A MARVELOUS EXHIBITION ITEM, COMPRISING A COVER TO KENTUCKY WITH THE RARE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING AND ITS ORIGINAL DEAD LETTER OFFICE RETURN ENVELOPE.
Glasgow lies about 33 miles east of Bowling Green, which became the Confederate seat of government in Kentucky after the state's declared neutrality was broken in September 1861. This cover was mailed on November 22, before Kentucky was admitted to the Confederate States on December 10, but the Federal mails to this region of Kentucky were suspended.
Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 19).
A FINE AND VERY RARE USE OF THE "MAILS SUSPENDED" MARKING ON A LETTER INTENDED TO REACH CONFEDERATE TEXAS VIA THE FEDERAL-OCCUPIED CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Ex Seacrest and from our 1980 and 1988 Rarities of the World sales. With 1980 P.F. certificate