Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Elliott H. Coulter Collection of The United States 1869 Pictorial Issue continued...

**Mail to France (Interim Period After Dec. 31, 1869)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
227		1c Buff (112). Two horizontal pairs, bright color, well-centered, both with s.e. at left, one also has part of guide arrow, tied by segmented cork cancel and "Boston Jan. 18" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to Paris, France, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, Calais transit (Jan. 31) and "5" decimes due handstamp, red London transit and Munroe & Co.'s "Short Paid" straightline on back, slightly reduced at right VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL FRANKING FOR THE 4-CENT BRITISH OPEN MAIL RATE TO FRANCE. The "Short Paid" marking was applied by Munroe & Co. in Paris to help justify charging its client the five decimes postage due. This is one of the finest of the few 1c 1869 covers franked for the 4c British Open Mail rate. Illustrated in color in 1869 PRA Census (p. 123). Ex Krug, Baker and Grunin. Signed Ashbrook. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000
228		2c Brown (113). Horizontal pair, s.e. and perf toning, tied by large segmented cork cancels, red "New York Mar. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on small narrow cover to Paris, France, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, London and Paris backstamps, Calais transit, "5" decimes due handstamp crossed out upon forwarding to another local address with France 10c Napoleon Laureated (32) tied by dotted star, Paris datestamp, part of backflap missing, numerous edge tears, none seriously affecting appearance, otherwise Fine, an enormously rare cover from the perspective of rates and franking, the combination of the 4c British Open Mail rate to France and the 5-centimes local rate for forwarding is singularly represented by this cover, which is specifically described in Forster's 1982 Register article on 1869 mixed frankings (p. 91) where he notes at the time "only two covers in the 2c 1869 mixed franking listing show a usage of the foreign stamp necessary to forward the letter to its ultimate destination", with 1981 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000
229		2c Brown (113). Two, one with s.e., tied by grid in circle cancels, "Quaker Hill N.Y. Aug. 18" (1870) double-circle datestamp on small cover with printed address to Paris, France, red New York transit datestamp ties one stamp, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, Calais transit and "5" decimes due handstamp, red London transit and Munroe & Co. "Short Paid" straightline on back, Very Fine, the Munroe & Co. "Short Paid" marking helped justify charging its client the five decimes postage due (Image)	E. 750-1,000
230		2c Brown (113). Two horizontal pairs, cancelled or tied by circular cork, "Pittsburgh Pa. Feb. 26" (1870) circular datestamp on buff cover to Paris, France, red "New York Mar. 2" transit, red London transit backstamp, "GB/40c" overstruck by Calais transit, "8" (cents) in ms., ms. "15" decimes due (15-22.5 grams), blue straightline "Paid by Drexel Harjes & Co. Paris" handstamp, stamps have faults along top from placement at edge of cover (not seriously affecting appearance), small mended corner at bottom right of cover, otherwise Fine, 1869 Pictorial covers prepaid for the double 4c British Open Mail rate (over one-half ounce) are extremely rare (Image)	E. 750-1,000
231		2c Brown, 3c Ultramarine (113, 114). 2c and 3c pair tied by 6-Point Star fancy cancel, red "New York Jan. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Bordeaux, France, sender's blue datestamp and ms. ship-name endorsement "p. Minnesota", red "2" indicating double 4c British Open Mail rate, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp overstruck by "Paid-Only/to England" two-line transit, Calais transit (Jan. 26), ms. "15" decimes due (15-22.5 grams), receiving backstamps, vertical file folds, one passing thru 2c (lifted and reaffixed), still Fine, double-rate covers to France via British Open Mail are rare, this was carried on the Guion Line's second sailing from New York, ex Juhring (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500
232		10c Yellow (116). Vibrant color, well-centered, tied by quartered cork in segmented circle fancy cancel with duplex "San Francisco Cal. Aug. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to Paris, France, red "New York Aug. 20" transit datestamp, "GB/40c" accountancy handstamp and red London transit backstamp, Calais transit and "15" decimes due handstamp, small piece of backflap removed and short tear at top EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL COVERS SENT DURING THE INTER-TREATY PERIOD OF UNITED STATES AND FRENCH MAILS. The 10c stamp paid the double 4c British Open Mail rate to France (overpaid by 2c). In France, the letter's weight required three times the usual 5 decimes postage due (5 decimes per 7.5 grams, so this must have weighed between 15 and 20 grams). This rare usage with the San Francisco fancy cancel has drawn keen collector interest for many years, for example, Marc Haas paid $2,200 for this cover in the 1978 Siegel sale of the J. David Baker collection. Ex Krug and Baker. With Ashbrook notes. (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000
233		10c Yellow (116). Intense shade and impression, well-centered, tied by circle of wedges cancel on 1870 folded cover to Paris, France, sender's blue oval datestamp and routing "p America via England", mistakenly marked with red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Jan. 8" circular datestamp, carried on NGL America (Jan. 8 from New York), upon arrival in England it was treated as a 4c British Open Mail rate letter and appropriately handstamped with "Paid-Only/to England" and "GB/40c" oval accountancy mark, red London backstamp (Jan. 19), Calais transit and "5" decimes due handstamp, Extremely Fine, a beautiful cover and interesting example of the confusion during the inter-treaty U.S.-French mail period that began January 1, 1870, ex Baker and Haas (Image)	E. 750-1,000
234		10c Yellow (116). Intense shade and perfectly centered, barely noticeable sealed tear at right, tied by bold circle of V's cancel and red "New York Apr. 5" (1870) circular datestamp with matching "Too Late" straightline handstamp on small cover to Paris, France, sender's routing "Per Stm. Lafayette via Brest", blue Cherbourg transit (Apr. 17) and "8" decimes due handstamp, receiving backstamp, Extremely Fine appearance, only three 1869 Pictorial covers are reported with the "Too Late" handstamp (Chronicle 88 and 91), which was used to indicate that the letter missed the designated sailing, the Lafayette sailed Apr. 2, this was carried on ther HAPAG's Hammonia II, illustrated in North Atlantic Mail Sailings 1840-75 (p. 186), ex Haas (Image)	E. 750-1,000
235		10c Yellow (116). Bright shade, tied by circle of wedges cancel, red "New York Mar. 8" circular datestamp and matching "Too Late" straightline handstamp on small cover to Paris, France, sender's routing "p. Str. St. Laurent", blue Cherbourg transit (Mar. 20), "8" decimes due handstamp, slightly reduced at right, Fine, the "Too Late" is rare on 1869 Pictorial covers (only three reported in Chronicle 88 and 91), it indicates that the letter missed the designated sailing, the St. Laurent departed N.Y. on Mar. 5, docketing indicates Feb. 28 origin date, so it is unclear why this was held for the HAPAG Holsatia sailing on Mar. 8, ex Hubbard, illustrated in Chapman article in 1869 Times (No. 13) (Image)	E. 500-750
236		10c Yellow (116). Well-centered, deep shade, tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington D.C. Feb. 7" (1870) circular datestamp on small cover addressed to Clara Barton at Ajaccio on the Island of Corsica, red New York (Feb. 8) and blue Cherbourg (Feb. 21) transits, over the 10-gram weight limit and marked with "16" decimes due handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, some arithmetic notes on back and front, still Very Fine, in 1869 Clara Barton travelled to Europe and worked with the International Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000
237		10c Yellow (116). Tied by segmented cork cancel, red "new York Jan. 22" (1870) circular datestamp on baker's buff corner card cover to Strasbourg, France, no French entry datestamp but "16" decimes due handstamp for double rate (letter weight 10-15 grams), Strasbourg receiving datestamp, Very Fine, the Alsatian capital of Strasbourg was ceded to Germany in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War (Image)	E. 400-500

Mail to France (Interim Period After Dec. 31, 1869)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

227

1c Buff (112). Two horizontal pairs, bright color, well-centered, both with s.e. at left, one also has part of guide arrow, tied by segmented cork cancel and "Boston Jan. 18" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to Paris, France, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, Calais transit (Jan. 31) and "5" decimes due handstamp, red London transit and Munroe & Co.'s "Short Paid" straightline on back, slightly reduced at right

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL FRANKING FOR THE 4-CENT BRITISH OPEN MAIL RATE TO FRANCE.

The "Short Paid" marking was applied by Munroe & Co. in Paris to help justify charging its client the five decimes postage due. This is one of the finest of the few 1c 1869 covers franked for the 4c British Open Mail rate.

Illustrated in color in 1869 PRA Census (p. 123). Ex Krug, Baker and Grunin. Signed Ashbrook. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

228

2c Brown (113). Horizontal pair, s.e. and perf toning, tied by large segmented cork cancels, red "New York Mar. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on small narrow cover to Paris, France, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, London and Paris backstamps, Calais transit, "5" decimes due handstamp crossed out upon forwarding to another local address with France 10c Napoleon Laureated (32) tied by dotted star, Paris datestamp, part of backflap missing, numerous edge tears, none seriously affecting appearance, otherwise Fine, an enormously rare cover from the perspective of rates and franking, the combination of the 4c British Open Mail rate to France and the 5-centimes local rate for forwarding is singularly represented by this cover, which is specifically described in Forster's 1982 Register article on 1869 mixed frankings (p. 91) where he notes at the time "only two covers in the 2c 1869 mixed franking listing show a usage of the foreign stamp necessary to forward the letter to its ultimate destination", with 1981 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

229

2c Brown (113). Two, one with s.e., tied by grid in circle cancels, "Quaker Hill N.Y. Aug. 18" (1870) double-circle datestamp on small cover with printed address to Paris, France, red New York transit datestamp ties one stamp, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp, Calais transit and "5" decimes due handstamp, red London transit and Munroe & Co. "Short Paid" straightline on back, Very Fine, the Munroe & Co. "Short Paid" marking helped justify charging its client the five decimes postage due (Image)

E. 750-1,000

230

2c Brown (113). Two horizontal pairs, cancelled or tied by circular cork, "Pittsburgh Pa. Feb. 26" (1870) circular datestamp on buff cover to Paris, France, red "New York Mar. 2" transit, red London transit backstamp, "GB/40c" overstruck by Calais transit, "8" (cents) in ms., ms. "15" decimes due (15-22.5 grams), blue straightline "Paid by Drexel Harjes & Co. Paris" handstamp, stamps have faults along top from placement at edge of cover (not seriously affecting appearance), small mended corner at bottom right of cover, otherwise Fine, 1869 Pictorial covers prepaid for the double 4c British Open Mail rate (over one-half ounce) are extremely rare (Image)

E. 750-1,000

231

2c Brown, 3c Ultramarine (113, 114). 2c and 3c pair tied by 6-Point Star fancy cancel, red "New York Jan. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Bordeaux, France, sender's blue datestamp and ms. ship-name endorsement "p. Minnesota", red "2" indicating double 4c British Open Mail rate, "GB/40c" oval accountancy handstamp overstruck by "Paid-Only/to England" two-line transit, Calais transit (Jan. 26), ms. "15" decimes due (15-22.5 grams), receiving backstamps, vertical file folds, one passing thru 2c (lifted and reaffixed), still Fine, double-rate covers to France via British Open Mail are rare, this was carried on the Guion Line's second sailing from New York, ex Juhring (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

232

10c Yellow (116). Vibrant color, well-centered, tied by quartered cork in segmented circle fancy cancel with duplex "San Francisco Cal. Aug. 12" (1870) circular datestamp on cover to Paris, France, red "New York Aug. 20" transit datestamp, "GB/40c" accountancy handstamp and red London transit backstamp, Calais transit and "15" decimes due handstamp, small piece of backflap removed and short tear at top

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL COVERS SENT DURING THE INTER-TREATY PERIOD OF UNITED STATES AND FRENCH MAILS.

The 10c stamp paid the double 4c British Open Mail rate to France (overpaid by 2c). In France, the letter's weight required three times the usual 5 decimes postage due (5 decimes per 7.5 grams, so this must have weighed between 15 and 20 grams). This rare usage with the San Francisco fancy cancel has drawn keen collector interest for many years, for example, Marc Haas paid $2,200 for this cover in the 1978 Siegel sale of the J. David Baker collection.

Ex Krug and Baker. With Ashbrook notes. (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

233

10c Yellow (116). Intense shade and impression, well-centered, tied by circle of wedges cancel on 1870 folded cover to Paris, France, sender's blue oval datestamp and routing "p America via England", mistakenly marked with red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Jan. 8" circular datestamp, carried on NGL America (Jan. 8 from New York), upon arrival in England it was treated as a 4c British Open Mail rate letter and appropriately handstamped with "Paid-Only/to England" and "GB/40c" oval accountancy mark, red London backstamp (Jan. 19), Calais transit and "5" decimes due handstamp, Extremely Fine, a beautiful cover and interesting example of the confusion during the inter-treaty U.S.-French mail period that began January 1, 1870, ex Baker and Haas (Image)

E. 750-1,000

234

10c Yellow (116). Intense shade and perfectly centered, barely noticeable sealed tear at right, tied by bold circle of V's cancel and red "New York Apr. 5" (1870) circular datestamp with matching "Too Late" straightline handstamp on small cover to Paris, France, sender's routing "Per Stm. Lafayette via Brest", blue Cherbourg transit (Apr. 17) and "8" decimes due handstamp, receiving backstamp, Extremely Fine appearance, only three 1869 Pictorial covers are reported with the "Too Late" handstamp (Chronicle 88 and 91), which was used to indicate that the letter missed the designated sailing, the Lafayette sailed Apr. 2, this was carried on ther HAPAG's Hammonia II, illustrated in North Atlantic Mail Sailings 1840-75 (p. 186), ex Haas (Image)

E. 750-1,000

235

10c Yellow (116). Bright shade, tied by circle of wedges cancel, red "New York Mar. 8" circular datestamp and matching "Too Late" straightline handstamp on small cover to Paris, France, sender's routing "p. Str. St. Laurent", blue Cherbourg transit (Mar. 20), "8" decimes due handstamp, slightly reduced at right, Fine, the "Too Late" is rare on 1869 Pictorial covers (only three reported in Chronicle 88 and 91), it indicates that the letter missed the designated sailing, the St. Laurent departed N.Y. on Mar. 5, docketing indicates Feb. 28 origin date, so it is unclear why this was held for the HAPAG Holsatia sailing on Mar. 8, ex Hubbard, illustrated in Chapman article in 1869 Times (No. 13) (Image)

E. 500-750

236

10c Yellow (116). Well-centered, deep shade, tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington D.C. Feb. 7" (1870) circular datestamp on small cover addressed to Clara Barton at Ajaccio on the Island of Corsica, red New York (Feb. 8) and blue Cherbourg (Feb. 21) transits, over the 10-gram weight limit and marked with "16" decimes due handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, some arithmetic notes on back and front, still Very Fine, in 1869 Clara Barton travelled to Europe and worked with the International Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

237

10c Yellow (116). Tied by segmented cork cancel, red "new York Jan. 22" (1870) circular datestamp on baker's buff corner card cover to Strasbourg, France, no French entry datestamp but "16" decimes due handstamp for double rate (letter weight 10-15 grams), Strasbourg receiving datestamp, Very Fine, the Alsatian capital of Strasbourg was ceded to Germany in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War (Image)

E. 400-500