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| Lot | Sym. | Lot Description | Est/Cat | Realized |
| 47 |  |
 Nicaragua Line In Advance of
the Mails. Clear strike of oval handstamp on blue folded letter
datelined "New York 19th December 1853" addressed to a ship captain
"on board Steamer Cortes, San Juan del Sud", small tear at bottom,
Very Fine, scarce usage, no indication that any postage was paid, this
Nicaragua Steamship Co. steamer plied the waters between San Juan del Sur
on the west coast of Nicaragua and San Francisco (Image Magnifier) |
E. 750-1,000 | 1,100.00 |
| 48 | |
 3c Dull Red (11).
Horizontal pair, margins to just in, tied by "New-York Ship Oct. 10"
circular datestamp on buff cover to Clinton N.Y., well-struck blue "VIA
NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS/LELAND" two-line framed handstamp, some
slight wear incl. light vertical file fold affecting right stamp, Very Fine
strike of the rare "Leland" handstamp (Image Magnifier) |
E. 750-1,000 | 1,000.00 |
| 49 | |
 3c Dull Red (11). Margins
to in, stamp with few flaws, tied by well-struck "New-York Ship Jun. 24"
(1853) circular datestamp on blue cover to Bangor Me., endorsed "Via
Nicaragua" and with blue "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" two-line
handstamp in small italic caps, marked "Due 4" in ms. for total of 7c
postage, some edgewearVERY FINE. A CHOICE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE COVER WITH ONE OF THE SCARCEST OF THE VARIOUS "VIA NICARAGUA" HANDSTAMPS. Based on the New York June 24 arrival date, this cover was carried on the Vanderbilt Line's Northern Light, which departed San Juan del Norte on June 16, 1853. It was carried between San Francisco and San Juan del Sur on the Vanderbilt Line's Brother Jonathan, which left San Francisco on June 1, 1853. (Image Magnifier) |
E. 1,500-2,000 | 4,000.00 |
| 50 | |
 12c Black (17). Horizontal
pair, large margins to clear incl. sheet margin at top, used with
horizontal pair of 3c Dull Red (11), tied by grids on Dec. 1853
folded letter to London, England, sender's routing "Via
Nicaragua", well-struck blue "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS"
two-line framed handstamp, red London transit datestamp (Feb. 7, 1854),
neatly pressed file fold affects right 12c stampVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE FRANKING FOR THE 29-CENT RATE FROM CALIFORNIA TO ENGLAND. ONE OF TWO SUCH COVERS REPORTED WITH THE "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" HANDSTAMP. Interestingly, the New York exchange office did not apply a credit or transit marking to this cover, but the stamps were cancelled on arrival by the New York 7-bar grid, and it was treated as fully prepaid by the British post office. Ex Piller (Image Magnifier) |
E. 4,000-5,000 | 4,000.00 |
| 51 | |
 12c Black, Diagonal Half Used
as 6c (17a). Bottom right half tied by "New-York Ship Sep. 25"
(ca. 1853-54) circular datestamp on cover to West Chester Pa., clear strike
of red "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" framed handstamp applied
in San Francisco, bold "6" due handstamp overstruck by New York datestamp,
also crossed out and re-rated "7" due in blue ms. (5c plus 2c ship fee),
some slight edgewear, stamp with negligible small tear at bottomVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE 1851 12-CENT BISECT IN COMBINATION WITH THE "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" HANDSTAMP AND NEW YORK SHIP-LETTER DATESTAMP. A FASCINATING COVER SHOWING CORRECTED RATING AS AN UNPAID SHIP LETTER. During the period from 1853 to April 1855, bisected 12c 1851 stamps were used on mail from San Francisco to prepay the 6c over-3,000 miles rate to the East Coast. Upon arrival in New York, the bisects were either accepted or rejected. In this case, the New York office did not accept the bisect, but incorrectly applied the 6c due marking for a letter received from a non-contract vessel addressed to the port of arrival. This was then corrected by applying the New York "Ship" datestamp and 7c rate for a non-contract ship letter to another post office (5c unpaid rate plus 2c ship fee). Ex Grunin (Image Magnifier) |
E. 7,500-10,000 | 5,250.00 |