EMBOSSED ISSUES

 

 

 

A unique Irish and English item combining Philately and Military History

 

 

153883. 

 

A flimsy envelope from Dublin to Cambridge, Massachusetts, no markings on reverse, the top flap is missing. The 1/-  ie Die2, SG55, has virtually full margins, and tied by a very fine strike of a very scarce Dublin spoon, Arundel, 79, Type BxX for December 27th 1856. An unusual Dublin Diamond Spoon having a letter rather than a number as the primary code. He records code E without an X and gives it a premium of 50% and notes its usage only on the contemporary 1d.  

This letter was carried on the Cunarder ‘America’ which sailed from Liverpool on January 3rd 1857 arriving in New York /Boston on January 21st.

 

The contents are a signed letter from Robert Mallet FRS.  He is writing to Professor Daniel Treadwell and refers to the latter’s pamphlet on ‘Constructing cannons of great calibre’. The reason Mallet he was writing to Treadwell is mentioned in the letter ie 'I have been authorised by the British Government to design and have constructed two mortars of 36 inches calibre capable of throwing shells of nearly a ton and a half each in weight. These mortars are now almost completed.’

 

He wants to show them to Treadwell when he is in England and requests a copy of his pamphlet. The reason Mallet is approaching Treadwell is that Treadwell was an American Engineer and an inventor of making cannons from wrought iron and steel. He patented the process and received Government Contracts. It was however a very expensive process and the demand was small.

 

The Internet has a great deal of information about Mallet and Treadwell.  Mallet was an Irish Engineer who in 1849 built the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse. However, he became especially distinguished for his researches on earthquakes.

 

Treadwell developed a new form of printing press and a power-press and developed several other devises and machines eg a system of turnouts for railway transportation; a machine for spinning hemp for cordage. Biopics of Treadwell and Mallet and his son William are provided with this item.

 

NB: Both Mallet mortars are still in existence: one is on display in the grounds of Woolwich Arsenal, London and the other is near the entrance to Chelsea Hospital which we have seen.

 

The 1/- Die 2 on cover is priced by Gibbons at £2000 before a premium is added for the spoon cancellation and letter.   

 

A remarkable combination of Philately and Military History in the one item which would make  a superb Exhibition display page when fully presented: a significant English and Irish rarity.   

 

Price: £995.00

.

 

 

The 5th sailing in the Retaliatory Period with a very rare Dublin Late Fee on reverse

 

 

 

153859. 

 

Part letter with a 1/- SG55, uneven margins, cancelled by the ‘186’ of Dublin, sent to New York.

 

On the reverse top flap is a very fine strike of  MacKay Fig 1071.

 

He comments that this is a very rare type

 

and believed to indicate posting after the normal hour of dispatch (the earlier time stated)

 

 but before the dispatch of the mail (the second time stated) so that,

 

on payment of a Late Fee the letter could be sent forward that evening.

 

This was struck in Dublin: also on the reverse top flap is a fine date for Dublin of July 21st 1848

 

and a Liverpool transit mark of the following day.

 

These all display well when the rear flap is raised. 

 

The letter was carried on the Cunarder ‘America’, which sailed on July 22nd 1848

 

from Liverpool arriving in Ney York on August 4th 1848.

 

This letter was carried during the Retaliatory Period which started on 24th June 1848:

 

the sailing on July 22nd was only the 5th in this tense postal period of Transatlantic Mail and the first for ‘America’.

 

The red 24(cents)on the front, applied in the USA, was the fee the recipient had to pay. 

 

A very rare combination of features: the first example of retaliatory mail that

 

has the very rare Late Fee mark we have seen or been able to offer. 

 

SG55 priced on cover by Gibbons at £1,900. 

 

A fine Display item.

 

Price: £485.00

 

 

An exceptionally rare/unique Christmas Day Sailing with the F.R.H. date sttamp.

 

          

 

153882.  

 

Handwritten letter, from Liverpool to New York, regarding prices of various commodities and their shipping.

 

On the reverse top flap is a Liverpool F.R.H. date for CHRISTMAS DAY 1852.

 

The postage has been paid by two 1/- green embossed stamps, SG55, cancelled by ‘466’ of Liverpool.  

 

On the front is in m/s ‘America’: this Cunarder sailed on Christmas Day 1852 arriving in Boston on January 10th 1853.

 

The FRH was applied at a small hut at the Steamer Floating Landing Stage where the ship was moored.

 

For an additional 1/- the item of mail was accepted for the next sailing ie it was a form of Late Fee.

 

It was opened on August 25th 1849 and closed in October 1864. 

 

The rarity of a Christmas Day sailing to America from Liverpool is indicated by the fact that

 

during the time the ‘Hut’ was opened between the dates above,

 

only two Cunarder Christmas sailing occurred: in 1852 ‘America’ and ‘Africa’ in 1858.

 

No way of knowing if an item of mail was posted at the ‘Hut’ in 1858 as we have not seen an example.

 

In fact no Christmas sailings other than these two took place throughout the time the

 

Cunard Line operated the transatlantic service from Liverpool ie May 1840 to December 1875.

 

The other Lines that operated from Liverpool ie: Collins, Allan, Inman, Guion and  White Star

 

only had  the following Christmas Day sailings:

 

Collins in 1856, ‘Ericsson’; Allan in 1862 ‘Nova Scotian’ and ‘Prussia’ in 1873; Inman in 1861 ‘Kangaroo’; Guion in 1872 ‘Wyomimg’ and White Star ‘Oceanic’.

 

In other words a total of only EIGHT Christmas Day sailings over a 35 year period made by six transatlantic Shipping Lines.

 

The item offered here is hence an exceptionally rare example of a sailing on December 25th. and may be unique with the F.H.R. strike.

 

Gibbons prices a single 1/- SG55 at £1,900 on cover: the embossing on both stamps is very fine. 

 

A superb Display/Exhibition item. Price: £1,175.00

 

NB: we have been unable to trace another example, carried on a sailing to America, on Christmas Day from Liverpool.

 

The sailing dates and ship names have been taken from ‘North Atlantic Sailings 1840-75’ by Hubbard and Winter.  

 

 

Pair of 1/- on entire to New York carried on the Cunarder  CAMBRIA with F.R.H. on reverse

 

 

 

153860. 

 

A very fine pair of 1/- SG55 on a Shipping Letter from Liverpool to New York, dated September 20th 1850. 

 

On the front of the letter is in m/s ‘P Cambria’.

 

On the reverse top flap is a fine strike of the Liverpool F.R.H. for September 21st 1850.

 

The extra 1/- was charged for very late posting and was applied in a small hut

 

at the Steamer Floating Landing Stage and letters struck with the F.R.H.

 

The Cunarder ‘Cambria’ left Liverpool on September 21st 1850 and arrived in Boston on the 5th of October. 

 

The embossing on the pair of 1/-‘s is very fine/superb.

 

It has margins all around the left stamp and almost so on the right stamp.

 

A single on cover is priced by Gibbons at £1,900.

 

An attractive display item a with a rare combination of the stamps,

 

the quality of their embossing and the F.R.H. on the reverse. 

 

Price: £ 685.00

 

 

Shrewsbury Spoon: on a rare franking

 

 

 

153759. 

 

A dated piece franked by cut to shape embossed 1/- and 10d.

 

Tied by the first type of SHREWSBURY spoon for March 8th 1855.

 

Arundel, revised edition, note that this cancellation is also recorded on the

 

1d imperf as well as on the contemporary 1d perforated.

 

However, no mention is made of it being recorded on any of the Embossed issue.

 

This is a rare usage, albeit cut to shape, of these two embossed value.

 

An even rarer franking with the 10d value. 

 

A display item. 

 

Price: £95.00

 

To the Royal Observatory Cape Town in 1855 from Bedford

 

153760. 

 

A neat envelope from Bedford to the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, June 2nd 1855.

 

The postage paid by a 1/- Embossed, deep green, and a

 

2d perf 14 small crown watermark, ‘MC’, SG23, SE corner blunt.

 

Both stamps tied by the ‘61’ of Bedford.

 

The address ‘Royal Observatory, Cape Town, would be worth researching

 

and could enhance the writing up of this item.

 

If Mrs Maclear was an Astronomer it would be very unusual

 

for a woman to hold such a position at that time.

 

Gibbons prices a 1- embossed on cover, with margins, at  £1900 and SG23 at £375.

 

An unusual item that could make an interesting display page when researched. 

 

Price: £55.00

 

NB: the browning on the front and reverse are much fainter than the scan suggests.

 

 

6d Embossed with a1d Late Fee

 

 

153814. 

 

Legal entire from London, September 29th 1854 to Memel.

 

Franked by a 1d star, perf 14, and a 6d Embossed:

 

the latter just touched on three sides and into at the top. M/s ‘Via Ostende’

 

and with an Aus England Per Aachen dated September 30th.

 

A horizontal filing crease well away from the postage stamps.

 

The 1d may have been added to pay for a Late Fee posting.

 

Gibbons prices a 6d embossed on cover at £1900. 

 

Price: £135.00

 

 

Trasatlantic Mail: carried on EUROPA of the Cunard Line

 

153761. 

 

A tired envelope, roughly opened, to the USA from Lombard Street, October 30th 1856.

 

The postage paid by a 1/- embossed, almost 4-margins, the threads are very visible.

 

The 1d would have been added as a Late Fee payment.

 

From Hubbard and Winter, ‘North Atlantic Mail Sailings 1840-1875’, it seems very likely

 

that this letter was carried on the Cunarder’s  ‘EUROPA’ which left Liverpool on November 1st 1856

 

and arrived in New York/Boston on November 13th. 

 

Gibbons prices the 1/- embossed at £1900 on cover. 

 

Price:  £85.00

 

 

6d SG60: internal UK usage

 

 

153188.

 

 6d embossed SG 60: tied to a long wrapper, some creasing as per scan, with three seals on reverse.

 

London to Daventry with a Daventry date stamp on reverse for June 15th 1856.  

 

Not full margins but an example of internal GB usage and priced by Gibbons on cover at £1900. 

 

Price:  £75.00

 

 

 

1/- SG56 Deep Green one thread?

 

     

 

153170. 

 

1/- embossed, SG56, a very clean vertical pair in the scarcer Deep Green.

 

It appears to have only one thread:

 

the contrast in the scan of the reverse has been adjusted to show the thread.

 

It has clean back without the adjusted scan.

 

Gibbons lists a single thread, Spec H1ca, but unpriced.

 

As a basic stamp a single is priced at £1200. 

 

An attractive and interesting item. 

 

Price: £225.00

 

 

1/- SG55 Liverpool Spoon

 

 

153171. 

 

1/- embossed, SG55, margins on three sides with a light vertical crease into the design at the left.

 

Cancelled by a Liverpool spoon Type B2 for 1st September 1855 which is usually found on the contemporary

 

 1d and is very scarce/rare on the 1/- embossed. 

 

Gibbons prices SG55 at £1000 without a premium for the spoon cancellation.

 

Price: £75.00

 

 

An unusual multiple with a rare cancellation

 

 

 

153056. 

 

1/- embossed, SG55: an unusual multiple cancelled

 

by the ‘51’ in oval of bars of the London District Post Registration Clerks Office. 

 

Parmenter grades this cancellation as Rare which is our experience. 

 

This is rarely found on the embossed issues and particularly so with multiple usage

 

Gibbons prices a single 1/- at £1,000. 

 

An impressive item which displays well. 

 

Price: £350.00 

 

NB: This item shows the irregular embossing with the two right stamps

 

virtually touching unlike those at the left.

 

Items 153054 and 153055 in the 1d Line engraved Section and 153056,

 

would make a very fine and rare display grouping

 

 

 

Very Rare Leith Experimental Duplex

 

 

152607. 

 

10d embossed, cut to shape, rub at the top, cancelled by a fine strike

 

of the LEITH Experimental duplex Type 1.

 

The EKD for this very rare type is July 18th 1855. 

 

The Scottish Postal History Group (SPHG) Publication, notes that the first proof strike

 

in June 1855 shows a long break in the lower of the three bars below LEITH.

 

The proof strike for 2nd August 1855 shows this bar complete.

 

The example offered here is dated August 1855 with the bar complete.

 

The SPHG list this as the 16th rarest of the 18 types of Scottish Experimental Duplexes.

 

We have not previously seen this Type cancelling a 10d embossed. 

 

A very rare/unique combination. 

 

Price: £120.00 SOLD

 

 

 

Belfast Spoon on entire to USA

152285.  1/-, SG55, three good margins:

tied to a clean entire to the USA, by a very fine BELFAST spoon, English Type b, for May 10th 1855,

Reference is made in the letter to goods being bleached in a chemical process. 

Arundel in 'Irish Spoon Cancels' does NOT record this spoon on any of the Embossed issue. 

The letter is marked 'per America': this Cunard Liner sailed on May 12th 1855 arriving in Boston on May 24th.

On the reverse is a Liverpool maritime transit mark, unusually in GREEN, for the date of sailing. 

Gibbons prices this 1/- embossed at £1,900 on cover not allowing for the cancellation. 

A rare and very fine Exhibition item. 

Price:  £675.00

NB: The earliest Irish spoon from any location is the Belfast English Type a used on March 26th 1855.

The example offered here used on May 10th 1855,

is believed to be the earliest known usage of any Irish spoon on an Embossed issue.

 

 

Irish Spoon on 1/- SG55.


 
15006.  1/- SG55, almost full margined, on envelope (age marks) addressed to the Stockport Post Office, State of Ohio,

tied by a dirt - filled English type Belfast spoon type b, for May 25th 1855.

On the reverse is an Irish transit date stamp for May 26th 1855 and a Liverpool maritime receiver for May 27th. 

This item just missed by one day being carried on the Cunarder 'Africa' which sailed on May 26th 1855.

The next Cunarder sailing was the 'Asia' leaving on June 9th 1855.

This item could have been kept back for this sailing but the COLLINS Line had a sailing of the  'Atlantic'

which left Liverpool on June 2nd 1855 and arrived in New York on June 13th.

On the front is a red receiving Packet Paid '24 cents' date stamp for JUNE 13th confirming this item was carried on the 'Atlantic'.

This Irish spoon is unrecorded by Arundel on any of the Embossed values.

The example offered here is

one of the earliest known Irish usages of a spoon cancellation on the Embossed issue.

The earliest known is Item 152285 listed above.

It is very difficult to find Irish spoons on cover with any Embossed stamps. 

Priced by Gibbons at a minimum of £1,900 without allowing for the Irish usage.

A very rare item. 

Price:  £395.00

NB: Items of mail carried by the Collins LIne are far less frequently found than those carried by the Cunard LIne. 

 

 

DUBLIN spoon with 1/- embossed

152286. 

1/- SG55, cut to shape but with clear margins all around the design:

tied to a neat envelope to the USA by a fine DUBLIN spoon, Type A4, for June 13th 1856.

Arundel in 'Irish Spoon Cancels' does NOT record this spoon on any of the embossed issue.  

On the reverse is a Liverpool Maritime date stamp inthe usual  black for June 14th. 

The letter would have been carried on the Cunard LIner 'Asia'

which sailed on June 14th 1856 arriving in Boston on June 27th. 

The letter was redirected and there is a transit date stamp for July 3rd which ties the 1/-. 

The rear top flap is missing but the paper seal is sufficiently intact to show an embossed

Stevenson's Rocket type of steam engine - very unusual. 

A rare item with a very rare combination of features. 

Price:  £375.00

 

 

1/- and 10d Embossed with strikes of the 38 duplex with indented corners

152169.  Entire from London to Calcutta via Marseille: the 1/10d charge for a 1/4oz letter going via France has been paid by a 1/- SG55, Die 1 and a 10d SG57,

both are cut to shape but the design of the 1/- is not touched and the 10d design is almost totally intact. 

Both stamps are neatly tied by the 38 duplex with indented corners.  

Parmenter, 'London Late Fee and Too Late Mail', records the square variety of the 38 duplex without indentations in use to August 8th 1853 and

the EKD for the indented corners variety as August 19th 1853: the example offered here is 16 days earlier than this.

Parmenter notes that only approx 10% of mail cancelled by this type of 38 duplex went overseas.

The item offered here is believed to be the earliest known usage of this duplex on mail to an overseas location. 

Parmenter from the dates of recorded usage of the two types of 38 duplex,

suggests that the indented corners variety was used after the end of the squared corners variety. 

This example clearly shows that both types of duplex were in use at the same time at least for some period.

The 10d has been affected by a light vertical filing crease. 

A very attractive and very rare usage which would make a fine Exhibition item. 

Price:  £490.00  SOLD

NB: these 38 duplex types have been considered as possibly used on Late Fee mail.

However in this example, and in 152168, there is no indication that a late fee has been paid.

This item and the next one,152168, would make a remarkable and unique Exhibition pairing.

 

 

1d with double strike 38 duplex with indented corners

152168.  1d red 'TA', 2 plus margins, on a Medical Insurance Annual Statement, from London to the ISLE OF WIGHT. 

On the front is a partial strike, but legible, of the udc from GODSHILL, Isle of Wight, County Cat. IW51: this is recorded in magenta (1841) and black (1846-47).

The strike here is in BLUE, unrecorded as such and used some 6 years later than previously recorded in black: it may be an isolated usage of an old canceller.

The stamp is tied by a double strike, barely overlapping, of the duplex 38 with indented corners for August 9th 1853: Contrary to PO Regulations. 

Parmenter, 'London Late Fee and Too Late Mail', records the square variety of the 38 duplex without indentations in use to August 8th 1853 and

the EKD for the indented corners variety as August 19th 1853: the example offered here is 10 days earlier than this. 

Used on August 9th 1853, one might consider this its first day of usage

after the variety without indented corners ended on August 8th 1853; however, see the previous item 152169. 

A rare/unique combination of features.

Price: £185.00  SOLD

 

 

1/- SG55 Die 2

151932.  1/- Die 2 SG55: an almost full margined example,

just into along the top, with two unusually large margins.

Cancelled by a variant of the LIVERPOOL '466' numeral. 

The Die 2 at the base of QV' head is visible under the cancellation. 

The scarcer Die 2 is priced by Gibbons at £1,100. 

An attractive and very scarce example. 

Price:  £275.00  SOLD

 

 

6d SG60: one of the earliest usages known

151895.  6d SG60, three large to huge margins but into at the base of the fourth.

Tied to a printed insurance entire from London to Huddersfield. 

Dated inside March 10th 1854 and a very fine Lombard Street date stamp for the same date

on the top flap which displays well when the flap is raised. 

This 6d was issued on March 1st 1854 and In the GBPS publication of March/April 2020,

ie 'The GB Journal', a survey of more than 1,500 Embossed covers is reported, and the

Earliest Recorded Date reported for the 6d on cover is March 4th 1854.

The example offered here at March 10th 1854, is the earliest we have been able to offer

and from our researches it is one of the earliest usages known. 

SG60 is priced by Gibbons at £1,900 on cover. 

A very rare early date of usage and an excellent Display item.  

Price:  £495.00

NB: the entire is in a cleaner condition than the scan suggests.

 

 

1/- embossed to Harpers Building, New York

                                                   

                                                     151608.

                                            1/- embossed tied to a neat family letter to Brooklyn, written by both

                                                a brother and an aunt of the addressee, June 19th 1855 London cds on reverse.

                                   Stamp not full margined but not cut to shape:

                                  tied by the barred '19' of London, the red 'AM Packet Paid 24'

                                                Exchange Office date stamp with the '21 cents' credit for the American Packet adjacent.

                                           Forwarded handstamp to Brooklyn, New york with the Brooklyn date stamp and a handstruck 'Due 3'.

                                      At the top left is in pencil 'Harper Building' and due '5ct' indicating an additional carrier fee.

                                    An attractive re-addressed item with an interesting variety of transit markings.

                                            Price: £245.00

                                NB:  the original Harper Brothers building in Pearl Street was destroyed by fire in 1853

                               but rebuilt on the original site facing Franklin Square.

                                     A fine line engraved drawing of the new building is available on the iternet.

 

 

10d SG57 on small entire to France.

151403.  10d very fine SG57, almost full margined:

on entire to Dunkirque from London, April 1852.

Rarely is this 10d found on such a small neat entire. 

Gibbons prices it on cover at £3,200. 

An attractive item.

Price:  £735.00

 

Rare combination with a Scots Local Cancellation.

 

15005. 

1/- SG55, Die 2, full margined, very slight buckling, priced by Gibbons at £1,100:

used in combination with a fine 4d SG63, priced by SG at £575. 

Tied to piece by a fine strike of Scots local SAUCHIHALL, Type X111 with a hand written 1856 date. 

Very rare to find this cancellation on either of these two stamps

and possibly unique in combination.

Price:  £425.00

 

 

Carried on the 'Atlantic' of the Collins Line

151368.  1/- SG55: an almost 4-margined example

tied to envelope, by the '21 Cents', which is much cleaner than the scan suggests,

from HADDINGTON to New York, Haddington cds on reverse for August 6th 1852. 

Received in Liverpool on Sunday August 8th 1852.

As there was no indication on the front as to which boat it was to be carried by,

the next one going to New York would have been chosen. 

The Cunarder 'Canada' had left on August 7th and so the letter would have been carried by

the American Collins Line 'ATLANTIC' which left Liverpool on August 11th

arriving in New York on August 22nd 1852.

Items of mail carried by the Collins LIne are less frequently found than those carried by the Cunard LIne. 

1/- SG55 priced by Gibbons at £1,900 on cover. 

Price:  £175.00  SOLD

NB: item is in cleaner condition than the scan suggests.

 

 

Floating Receiving House: Liverpool.

15002.  1/- pair, almost full margined, left hand stamp lightly creased, SG56

on commercial entire to Boston, USA.

Very fine embossing and in a rich shade of the scarcer deep green. 

On top flap, which when raised displays well, is a FRH date stamp for May 21st 1853: 

the Liverpool Floating Receiving Housewas a very small hut at the end of the jetty

which for a fee of one shilling, late letters were accepted to be carried on the ship soon to sail.

Top left is in m/s ‘Arabia’ which left Liverpool for Boston on May 21st 1853. 

The Cunard ship ‘Arabia’ began its Atlantic service on January 1st 1853 and the sailing

on which this letter was carried was only its 4th sailing out of a total of 70 Atlantic crossing up to September 4th 1864.  

Single SG56 on cover priced by Gibbons in excess of £2,000. 

A rare combination of features.  

Price: £390.00

 

 

Rare SUNDAY Usage

15001.  1/- pair, almost full margins, SG 55, on entire to Mexico:

with 1d red and 2d blue plate 3, large margins,

with parts of four other stamps, but small defect at left and tied by very fine ’503’ strikes of Mansfield. 

On reverse top flap a Mansfield cds for January 2nd 1853 – a rare SUNDAY usage,

and London transit date stamp for the following day. 

The rear flap when raised displays the Sunday date to advantage.

A single one shilling priced by Gibbons on cover at £1,900. 

A rare item made rarer by the Sunday usage – the first we have seen for this stamp.  

Price:  £575.00

 

The next series of FOUR items is from the RETALIATORY RATE PERIOD of postal conflict between Britain and the US.

Each item was carried on a different Cunard Ship and would make a very fine Display.

 


 
15003.  1/- SG55, almost full margins, on envelope to Vermont, USA from Liverpool.

Carried by the Cunard’s ship ‘Hibernia’, leaving Liverpool on July 8th 1848. On arrival the stamp was further cancelled

by a red ‘29cts’ in New York.  This item was carried to the USA during the Retaliatory RATE Period,

24th June 1848 to 16th December 1848 and the 29 cents was the reprisal rate to be charged to the addressee

on delivery for up to 300 miles radius of New York. 

This sailing on July 8th 1848 was only the THIRD of the 25 crossings made during this period of conflict

between GB and the US postal authorities. SG55 priced by Gibbons on cover at £1,900. 

Rare item.  

Price: £475.00  SOLD

 

151369.  1/- embossed SG55: an almost 4-margined example,

crossed by a bend and filing crease, on a very clean wrapper from Glasgow to Philadelphia.

Glasgow heptagonal date stamp for July 28th 1848 - unusual abbreviation for July, 'JUY' and not 'JUL'.

Liverpool maritime receiving date stamp for July 29th 1848.

This item sent during the RETALIATORY RATE PERIOD and would have been carried on Cunard's 'ARCADIA',

leaving Liverpool on July 28th 1848, and arriving in Boston/NY on August 13th.   

The 1/- embossed is tied by the red handstruck 34 (cents) due on this item of mail

as a consequence of the postal 'war' between Britain and the USA. 

This sailing of ARCADIA was its first during the Retaliatory Rate Period and

the 6th out of a total of 25 sailings during this time of tension. 

The ONLY example we have seen sent from Scotland during

this period of postal conflict between the two countries. 

SG55 priced by Gibbons at £1,900 on cover.  

Price:  £295.00  SOLD

 

151370.  1/- SG54, a cut to shape example: tied by the '930' of YORK

on a well written interesting family letter from a very small village, BILBOROUGH, to Hudson, New York dated inside August 11th 1848. 

Bilborough UDC on the reverse top flap - unrecorded in the Yorkshire County Catalogue.

The letter is from one farming family to another and refers to the sales of butter, wheat and beef.

Reference is made to the Tax on Corn and how next year (1849) with the commencement of FREE TRADE things should improve.

The Corn Law and the Navigation Act were repealed when the Free Trade Act came into force: more information on the Internet. 

The letter was received in Liverpool on August 12th 1848 and would have been carried on the Cunarder 'BRITANNIA'

sailing to the US on August 12th arriving in Boston/NY on August 26th 1848.

The handstruck 29 cents in red was the postage due as a consequence of the postal rate conflict between Britain and the US:

the RETALIATORY RATE PERIOD. This was the FIRST sailing of 'Britannia' in this period of conflict.

Rare item from a very small Yorkshire location but effectively:

from OLD YORK to NEW YORK!  

Price:  £250.00  SOLD

 



 

15004.  1/- SG55, cut to shape on a letter from Upper Mill, Yorkshire to a Post Office in New York. 

Very fine Upper Mill udc in red on the front, County Catalogue YK3008, tied by Manchester 498. 

Clear indication on the front in m/s of the letter to be carried on Cunard’s ‘Europa’. 

On the reverse - see scan – Liverpool shipping date stamp for December 16th 1848. Europa sailed on that day for New York. 

This was the LAST SAILING during the RETALIATORY RATE PERIOD.  

The red ‘24’ on the front was the reprisal rate in cents payable by the addressee on delivery;

the very last time such a rate was applied as the conflict between GB and the US postal authorities came to an end.

A very rare item. 

Price:  £430.00  SOLD
 

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