Lancasterville, South Carolina: 1849. Envelope or Cover. This three-page stampless folded letter measures 15” x 10” unfolded. It is datelined “Lancasterville March 26th 1849. It was sent from 18-year-old “S A B” (Sarah Amelia Bonner) to her 22-year old aunt in “Rocky Mount [vicinity of Great Falls] So Ca”. It..... More
![“INTEMPERANCE IS THE CURSE OF THE WORLD [AND] THE BANE OF SOCIETY” – Two different,...](/pictures/thumb/009766.jpg?v=1629944405)
One “published and sold by George D. Jewett”, the other by “Wm. C. Hale”, both of Hartford, Connecticut: 1853. Envelope or Cover. Both envelopes are postally used and measure approximately 5” x 3”. One features five morose workmen passing a bottle within a scroll that reads “Intemperance is..... More
Columbus, Ohio: M. C. Lilley & Co., circa 1890. Envelope or Cover. This advertising package consists of an illustrated advertising envelope, an illustrated handbill, and a 32-page illustrated catalog. The envelope is franked with a 1c blue Franklin stamp (Scott #219) which was placed in use in 1890; its cancellation..... More
On board the Euterpe: January 5, 1865. 1865. Unbound. Lightly soiled with some doodling at the upper corner of the first page. In this letter, Goddard expresses heartfelt sorrow to “Eva” that he would not be able to take leave for a visit. The reason he explains as follows... More
U.S.S. Independence at New York: 1843. Envelope or Cover. This three-page stampless folded letter, measuring 16.5” x 9.5”, is datelined “U. S. Ship Independence / New York, Nov. 21st. 1843.” It bears a manuscript “12½” rate mark (the cost to send a letter from 80 to 150 miles) and a...... More
![“THERE IS AN OBJECT WHICH STRONGLY OPERATES AGAINST YOUR ISLAND [and] OUR SHIPMENTS WILL BE...](/pictures/thumb/009787.jpg?v=1636340533)
Norfolk, Virginia via the ship Jolly Tan to Madeira: 27 March 1791. Unbound. This two-page stampless folded letter was carried to Madeira off the coast of northwest Africa at a privately-determined rate by the ship captain. It measures 16” x 10” unfolded and bears a manuscript annotation reading “P The..... More
Dumfries, Virginia to Geneva, New York: 1815. Unbound. This three-page stampless letter measures 12.5” x 7.5”. It is dated “Elm Wood 19th Sept 1815” and bears a manuscript “Dumfr 19 Sept” postmark applied at Dumfries, Virginia along with a “37½” postal rate mark, the cost to send a letter over..... More
Camp Lucas (St. Louis), Missouri to Warren Court House, Pennsylvania: 1847. This one-page stampless folded letter measures 15.5” x 10” unfolded. It is dated “Camp Lucas May 30th 1847.” The cover must have been delivered by hand, outside of the postal system, as it is unfranked and bears no postmarks..... More
![“HE WILL MAKE THIRTY BROOMS FOR A DAYS WORK [AND] WANTS TWENTY DOLLARS PER MONTH AND BOARD OR...](/pictures/thumb/009707.jpg?v=1623072135)
Kingston, Pennsylvania to Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania: 1854. Envelope or Cover. One-page stampless folded letter from a hiring agent informing a client that he has located and tentatively procured the services of a broom maker. The letter shows a circular Kingston postmark dated “Mar/21” as well as a straightline..... More
San Francisco: June 12, 1861. Envelope or Cover. California politics had long been dominated by pro-slavery Democrats until the presidential campaign of 1860 when their party split into two factions, one led by Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas and the other by Vice-President John C. Breckinridge. This schism allowed the..... More
Fort Towson, Arkansas in the Choctaw Nation (now Oklahoma): 1838. Envelope or Cover. This four-page stampless folded letter was written and mailed on April 8, 1838, by the Commanding Officer of Fort Towson, Arkansas in the Choctaw Nation (now Oklahoma), Lieutenant Colonel Josiah H. Vose, to his sister in Boston..... More
St. Louis, Missouri: Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company, 1892. Envelope or Cover. This illustrated advertising cover is franked with a carmine 2-cent Washington stamp (Scott #220) canceled by a duplex St. Louis, Missouri postmark dated December 20, 1892. The decorative corner card reads, “Chicago & St. Louis Electric Railroad..... More
Salem, New York: March 4th 1815. Envelope or Cover. This four-page stampless folded letter measures 15.5”x9” unfolded. It is datelined “March 4th 1815”. It bears a manuscript Salem, New York postmark of the same date and a “25½” rate mark which includes a 50% surcharge added to the normal rate..... More
Stalag IIB (Hammerstein, Germany): 17 June 1944. Unbound. This German Kriegsfangenenpost Postkarte (prisoner of war mail postcard) is addressed to Jodice’s girlfriend in Watertown, Massachusetts. It bears an indistinct German town postmark and purple handstamp from Stalag IIB. A U.S. censor’s handstamp that was applied before delivery is in the..... More
San Francisco, California to Liverpool, England: April 23, 1869. Envelope or Cover. This one-page folded letter is franked with a 12-cent black Washington stamp embossed with an E-grill for postal security (Scott # 90). The stamp is canceled by a fancy radial cork handstamp. It bears a magenta San Francisco..... More
Washington, DC: 1857. Envelope or Cover. This handbill advertisement measures approximately 8” x 10 and is printed on light blue paper. Its accompanying mailing envelope is addressed “To the Heirs of Mrs. Ruth Bullard.” The envelope is franked with a straddle copy of a one-cent blue Franklin stamp (Scott #24)..... More
New York City to Warwick, Rhode Island via Providence: 1802. This stampless folded letter has no rate marking but bears a relatively scarce New York City “clamshell” postmark dated “OCT/11”. There is a stain at the top center of the letter, however, the address and text are quite legible. A...... More
1944-1945. Envelope only, no letter. The envelope was addressed to Private First Class Walter Mikucki at the Osaka Yodogawa Bunsho POW Camp in Japan. It has a typed “Prisoner of War Postage Free” free frank in the upper right corner and has received a Chicago “War Savings machine postmark dated..... More
Saratoga Springs to Clinton, New York: March 1868. Envelope or Cover. This two-page handbill measures 6” x 9.75” and is illustrated with an image of the Congress and Columbian Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York. An addendum identifying the “Discounts for 1869” is attached to the reverse. The handbill is..... More
San Francisco, California to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 20 December [1856] to 4 August 4, 1857. Leather. This hand-sewn leather pouch measures 4” x 3.75”. The original stitching remains intact on two edges; it has been removed along the other two edges, no doubt to empty its contents. The pouch is franked..... More
From Posen, Prussia (today Poznan, Poland) to PWE #2 (Prisoner of War Enclosure #2) at [Souilly], France: 20 October 1918. Unbound. This postcard was sent to Unterofficier Friedlaender, who was held captive at the U.S. Prisoner of War Enclosure #2 in Souilly, France, from Posen, Prussia via the American Central..... More
St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Independent Packing Co., 1917. Envelope or Cover. An attractive advertising cover featuring a large illustration of the St. Louis Independent Packing Company with two enclosed invoices. The illustrated envelope is franked with a two-cent red Washington stamp (Scott #487) and posted with a 1917 machine..... More
Various locations, primarily Connecticut and New York: 1794-1827. Unbound. This archive contains 46 manuscript and partially-printed receipts, invoices, ship registrations, letters, and similar items. It begins with a 1794 letter from an agent in London to the family patriarch, Samuel Watkinson Sr., concerning the purchase of property in the United..... More
Richmond, Virginia: 26 July 1861. Envelope or Cover. This 5.5" x 3.25" envelope has two Richmond, Virginia postal markings: a circular city postmark dated "Jul 26 1861" and a circular "Paid 10" handstamp. There is also a bold strike of an "Adams Ex. Co. * Louisville, Ky. * Jul 31..... More
Hope Factory to Franklin, Tennessee: April 24th 1844. Unbound. This two-page stampless folded letter measures 15” x 12” unfolded. It was hand-carried by a slave between two brothers who owned a textile-grist mill complex and is annotated “Per boy Will” in the lower left corner of the address panel. In..... More
