10c Dark Blue, Hoyer & Ludwig (2b). Huge margins to just in at bottom, small corner crease and small insignificant tear at top, tied by "Kings Ferry Fla. Jan. 27" (1863) double-line circular datestamp (Collins device) on oatmeal cover addressed to "Mr. John F. Lows, Bahama Pilot, on board of Steamer Herald, Care of John Fraser Esq., Charleston S.C.", upon arrival in Charleston the Antonica (the new name for the Herald as of September 1862) had already sailed to Savannah before returning to Nassau, Fraser placed the cover aboard the blockade-runner Calypso, which departed Charleston on February 5 and arrived at Nassau February 9, backstamped with "Nassau New Providence FE 9, 1863" circular datestamp and with clear strike of "BAHAMAS/SHIP LETTER" two-line handstamp, blue crayon "4" (pence) ship rate marking, addressee could not be found so marked "Unclaimed" in red crayon, pencil "759" likely indicates the cover entered the dead letter office at Nassau, slight irregular opening at bottom

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR BLOCKADE-RUN COVER ORIGINATING IN FLORIDA, MAILED TO CHARLESTON WITH THE 10-CENT DARK BLUE LITHOGRAPH AND THEN FORWARDED TO THE BAHAMAS ON A BLOCKADE-RUNNER, WHERE IT RECEIVED THE EXTREMELY RARE "BAHAMAS/SHIP LETTER" HANDSTAMP. A WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF RARE ELEMENTS AND ONE OF THE PREMIER BLOCKADE-RUN COVERS OF THE CIVIL WAR.

This cover combines numerous extremely rare elements. It is one of two recorded outgoing blockade-run covers from Florida (Walske census). It is one of fewer than five blockade-run covers with an outgoing Confederate postmark. The King's Ferry datestamp from a Collins device with double-line circle is rare in its own right, with only five known (Dr. Briggs census). The 10c Jefferson Lithograph stamp is one of two recorded used on a blockade cover. The address to the pilot of the blockade-runner Antonica and carriage on a different blockade-runner in the Calypso add historical interest. Finally, the "BAHAMAS/SHIP LETTER" handstamp is extremely rare on a blockade-run cover, with only two other examples recorded (one in the Walske collection and one offered in the following lot).

Special Routes census no. BO-Nas-15. Discussed in Linn's Stamp News (Nov. 17, 2003) when the cover was discovered in the Bahamas and sold on eBay. Illustrated in Steven Walske's Chronicle article about the blockade-runner Antonica (No. 262, p. 143). Illustrated in Florida Postal History During the Civil War (p. 112). With 2003 P.F. certificate.

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