The March United States Postal History Sale - Day 2

red ornamental datestamp and manuscript "20" restored rate on folded letter to Canandaigua, New York, filefolds, very fine and attractive, the 1799 rates were restored after the 1815-16 war rate for just 31 days before new rates went into effect May 1, 1816, after that date this latter would have cost only 18½c rather than 20c, ex-Frajola

25 folded letters with a wide variety of handstamps and markings including various "Free" and "Paid", 1823 use of the pointing hand "Paid", postmaster free franks, double and triple weight covers, 1817 incoming cover to Somers, Connecticut "to be left at Hartford office" (Somers would not have an office until 1821), generally fine to very fine, a wonderful selection with contents from many of the city's prominent early residents, worth a...

manuscript notation on incoming folded letter to Hartford postmarked "New Orleans La. Dec 21", matching straightline "Paid" and manuscript "150" express mail rate, light toning along filefold, very fine and scarce, express mail postage was triple the normal letter rate, so this double letter (usually 50c) was rated $1.50, Smith & Co. was a well-regarded tanner specializing in saddles and harnesses

red datestamp with matching "Paid" pointing hand and manuscript "25" rate on folded letter to "Dr. Ashbel Smith, Surgeon General of the Texan Army, City of Houston, Texas", endorsed "Care of Smith, Hubbard & Co, New Orleans", black "Sam. Ricker Jr., New Orleans, Agent of the Texian Post Office" oval handstamp and two-line "Steam Packet Columbia", very fine, no Texas postage necessary as army officers had franking privilege, Smith was born...

red datestamp with matching pointing hand "Paid" on folded letter to Lyon, France, manuscript "12½" rate, red "New-York May 25" transit, carried via Union Line's Charles Carroll, June 25 Havre entry, very fine

11 folded letters from 1826 to 1848 demonstrating a wide variety of different handstamps, generally fine to very fine, an interesting and worthwhile group with several markings not listed in the American Stampless Cover Catalogue, worth a close inspection for the specialist

red oval (type F3) and black boxed "Collect 6 Cents for Boston Office" (Type C9) on folded letter to Boston dated July 19, 1844, contents datelined Hartford, manuscript "8c" for local delivery in Boston, fine, if this letter actually originated in Hartford and was not carried privately to Boston it is the earliest Hale's cover from Hartford

die cut, magenta manuscript "H" (Hartford) control mark, on August 1, 1844 folded letter from Hartford to New York City, vertical filefold, very fine, the Hartford control mark is very rate, ex-Gutman

horizontal pair cut to shape at left and right, manuscript "T" control mark and "C" cancel on each, on August 27, 1844 folded letter from Conway, Massachusetts to Hartford, Connecticut, perfect strike of red "Forwarded by Hale & Co. from Northampton" oval (Type F32), manuscript "2" local delivery charge, very fine and rare, the only Hale cover from Conway (15 miles north of Northampton), ex-Gutman

full to large margins with portion of adjoining stamp at left, manuscript "X" cancel, on folded letter datelined "Hartford, Con., Sept. 3, 1844", endorsed "Hale's mail paid", light soiling along file folds, very fine, covers from Hartford with Hale's adhesives are rare and Gutman records this as the only 5c Red originating from Hartford, ex-Gutman

red boxed handstamp (Type C6) with manuscript "18¾" and "6" rates on November 5, 1844 folded letter from Liverpool, England to Hartford via New York City, carried via Queen of the West, very fine, a rare Hale cover servicing forwarded transatlantic mail, the 6c represents the ship fee and 18¾ triple inland postage, the absence of postal markings suggests this cover was carried into the United States outside of the regular mails, illustrated...

red oval handstamp on large part folded letter to Boston dated December 23, 1844, additional black boxed "Collect Six Cents for Hale & Co.", separated along filefolds, very fine appearance, ex-Fay