Detroit, Michigan: The Lincoln Highway Association. Unbound. This certificate measures 12.5” x 8.5”. It features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and recognizes a five dollar contribution by Sammons. The certificate is dated January 13, 1913. Three pressed-out mailing folds. In nice shape. The certificate identifies the object of... More
Port Byron, New York: 1839. Envelope or Cover. This one-page stampless letter measures 7.75” x 12.75” unfolded. It is dated April 25th, 1819 and signed by E. A. King. The front of the cover bears circular Port Byron postmark and a manuscript “18½”, the charge for sending a letter a.... More
San Francisco, California: 1849. Envelope or Cover. This three-page, stampless folded letter—in English—is dated “San Francisco 3th July 1849 and addressed to Aristide Servan via “Charle Legaut, Employee des Postes, Paris” Sent "via Panama" from San Francisco, it arrived in Avers (Antwerp), Belgium on 6 September as indicated by a...... More
Washington, DC: 1865-1869. Unbound. This lot consists of one approved prize money claim and two letters regarding disallowed prize money claims. All three documents are in nice shape. The approved claim has some minor edgewear. Naval records identify John C. Hamlin as first a mate and then... More
Apalachicola, Florida: 1843. This one-page letter is dated “Apalachicola Janry 15th 18,43”. It bears a circular, red “Apalachicola FTy” postmark with a bold red “25” rate stamp. It is in nice shape. A transcript will be provided. In this letter, Russell, the Captain of the lighter Ida replies..... More
New York: 1857. Envelope or Cover. This invoice was sent by Joseph Greenleaf, the Treasurer of Sailors’ Snug Harbor on Staten Island to Caleb Swan at 126 Ninth Street. It is dated 28 October 1857 and bills Swan $100 for “Six Months Ground Rent”. It bears a somewhat blurred Boyd’s... More
Bilbao, Spain: 1831. Envelope or Cover. This three-page stampless, folded letter is datelined “Bilbao 5th Augt 1831.” Although it references an enclosed invoice, the invoice is no longer present. The letter was no doubt favor-carried to Le Havre in France as it bears a faint forwarding agent cachet on the... More
Flushing, New York to Edinburg, Scotland: 1846. Envelope or Cover. This stampless folded invoice-letter was prepared on January 20, 1846. It was privately carried on the Ship Gondola to the Scottish port at Greenock, and it bears a scarce “Greenock / Ship Letter” receiving hand stamp and a May 10th... More
Liverpool, England to Petersburg, Virginia: 1825. Envelope or Cover. This one-page stampless letter was written in Liverpool on January 15, 1825 and carried to the Black Ball Line’s agent. It was dispatched on the packet ship, James Cropper, which departed on January 22 and arrived in New York City on... More
Liverpool: 1818. Envelope or Cover. This two-page letter was sent from Liverpool to New York on 30 July 1818. After delivery to a ship’s agent, it was dispatched on the second voyage the Black Ball Line ship, the Amity, which departed Liverpool on 2 August and arrived at New York... More
Baltimore: 1833. Envelope or Cover. This one-page folded letter was written on March 20, 1833 and privately carried to the New York forwarding agents DeRham, Islen, and Moore who placed it aboard the Old Line’s packet ship, Henri IV. (The envelope bears ab oval “De Rham Iseling & Moore” forwarding..... More
New York to Cognac, France: 1836. Envelope or Cover. This two-page folded letter was written on December 31, 1836 and sent to Cognac, France via the Havre-Whitlock Line’s packet ship Albany. It arrived at Le Havre on February 1, 1827 where a “Bureau Maritime” receipt stamp was applied along with... More
St. Joseph, Calhoun (now Gulf) County, Territory of Florida: 1838. Unbound. This manuscript certificate of seaworthiness measures 775” x 9.7”. It is in nice shape. Certificates of seaworthiness were—and still are—issued before owners could obtain maritime insurance for their ships and cargo. This certificate reads in part... More
Liverpool to Richmond via the Black Ball Line: 1830-1831. Envelope or Cover. These stampless folded letters both measure 16” x 10” unfolded. The 1830 letter discusses the market for American tobacco in Liverpool, and the 1831 letter discusses the market for other products, specifically butter, oats, flour and cotton. One... More
Mid-1860s to 1871: Various locations including Copenhagen, La Spezia, Naples, Portsmouth, Trieste, etc. Envelope or Cover. These covers (none include content) span six or seven years in the career of Lieutenant S. P. (Simon P.) from the mid-1860s until 1871 when he left the U. S. Navy to pursue a.... More
Yokohama to New York: 1905. Envelope or Cover. This train wreck cover was salvaged from the mail car of the Twentieth Century Limited that occurred on June 21, 1905 at Mentor, Ohio. It shows water, fire, and smoke damage along its edges and bears a label reading “Post Office, New... More
Vera Cruz to Massachusetts via Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana: 1847-1848. Envelope or Cover. These two one-page and one two-page folded letters, each measuring 15” x 10”, were written by a civilian ship captain to his wife while transporting soldiers and supplies to Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Two... More
London to Boston: 1807. Envelope or Cover. This two-page stampless folded letter measures 14.5” x 9”. It is datelined “London 7th Jany. 1807" with a manuscript annotation, “per Enterprise via New York” in the lower left corner. There is “36” rate marking along with a circular postmark in red that..... More
Ship Burgundy to Middletown, Connecticut: August 14, 1837. Envelope or Cover. This two-page folded letter measures 16” x 10” unfolded. It bears a circular red New York “Ship” postmark dated August 16 and is in nice shape. The ship Burgundy regularly brought immigrants from Europe to the United States. On... More
Newport, [Rhode Island]: October 15, 1767. Unbound. This manuscript receipt from James Tanner to Ann Rhodes (received on her behalf by Edward Rhodes) measures 7.5” x 3”. Minor edgewear including two small chips that do not affect any text. The receipt reads in part: “For 4 Days work... More
