VERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND HANDSOME 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE COVER WITH THE DISTINCTIVE WAUKEGAN GRID CANCEL.
The Waukegan post office has earned philatelic fame for the celebrated "Matching Waukegan Pair" of 1847 covers, which realized $105,000 hammer in our 1998 sale of the Sevenoaks 1847-56 collection.
Ex Kapiloff
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB STAMP AND COVER FROM THE ALSTORPHIUS & VON HEMERT CORRESPONDENCE. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN 1847 ISSUE COVERS TO HOLLAND.
This letter was carried on the Cunarder Niagara, departing Boston on Feb. 6, 1850, and arriving in Liverpool on Feb. 18. Some covers from Philadelphia to Boston have a single 5c 1847 stamp for the under-300 miles rate, while others have a 5c pair or single 10c 1847 for the over-300 miles rate (the straight-line distance is 267 miles).
Ex Ackerman and Armitage.
VERY FINE. A RARE USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE TO RHENISH PRUSSIA VIA ENGLAND AND FRANCE.
Coblenz is a historic city and fortress of Germany, capital of the Prussian Rhine Province, 57 miles southeast from Cologne by rail. It is located on the left bank of the Rhine at its confluence with the Mosel, from which its ancient name Confluentes was derived. This cover was carried on the Cunarder Niagara, departing Boston on May 14, arriving in Liverpool on May 25, 1851.
Ex Ring
VERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE AND BLOOD'S LOCAL-POST STAMP ON A RAILROAD COVER.
Ex Gibson and Kapiloff. Weill insignia on back. With 1974 P.F. certificate.
VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED GENUINE 10-CENT 1847 COVER TO HOLLAND IN THE ALEXANDER CENSUS. ONE OF THE "KEYS" TO A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF 1847 ISSUE COVERS TO FOREIGN DESTINATIONS.
The Cunarder Caledonia departed Boston on Jan. 15, 1848, and arrived in Liverpool on Jan. 29. Some covers from Philadelphia to Boston have a single 5c 1847 stamp for the under-300 miles rate, while others have a 5c pair or single 10c 1847 for the over-300 miles rate (the straight-line distance is 267 miles).
Illustrated in the Alexander book (p. 936). With 1981 P.F. certificate.
VERY FINE. AN IMPRESSIVE FRANKING AND EXTREMELY RARE 1847 ISSUE COVER MAILED TO ENGLAND DURING THE RETALIATORY-RATE PERIOD.
The so-called Retaliatory Period resulted from Great Britain's effort to maintain its monopoly on transatlantic mail carriage through the subsidized Cunard steamship line, which operated without competition from 1840 through 1846. In response to the emergence of subsidized American packets in 1847, the British issued an order (effective June 9, 1847) authorizing its receiving offices to collect the usual British packet postage on letters carried to England by American subsidized steamers. This effectively allowed England to collect 24c packet charges for every inbound letter, whether or not any service had been performed.
The United States vehemently protested the British order through diplomatic channels, but efforts to persuade the government to rescind the anti-American postal tariff were unsuccessful. In December 1847, U.S. Postmaster General Cave Johnson petitioned Congress for power to levy like charges on mail carried by British steamers to or from the United States, but he was not authorized to do so until June 1848. On all Cunard sailings from June 24, 1848 (the Caledonia from Liverpool) through December 31, 1848 (the Europa arriving at New York), American packet postage was required on all inbound and outbound mail to England whether or not one of the American vessels was used, creating the so-called Retaliatory Rate. Beginning with the departure of the Europa from New York on January 10, 1849, earlier rates were restored, and soon after the new U.S.-British treaty rate was effected.
This cover to England reflects the dispute between Great Britain and the United States. The sender paid 5c for U.S. postage from New York City to Boston (postmarked by the railroad route agent) and prepaid the 24c Retaliatory Rate (1c overpayment). The letter was carried on board the Cunarder Niagara, departing Boston on Nov. 1, 1848, and arriving in Liverpool on Nov. 13. At the Liverpool foreign-mail office, the 24c prepayment was ignored and the "1/-" due handstamp was applied, indicating the amount owed by the addressee to the British Post Office for sea postage. Only seven or eight 1847 Issue covers are known with retaliatory-rate charges.