Concord, New Hampshire: Rufus Merrill, 1852 on the cover and 1853 on the title page. Wraps. Complete with original buff cover and 24 pages. The title page features an illustration of the ship Essex. Wood engravings throughout. Tiny “VtHi discard” stamp at the bottom margin of the first text page... More
Liverpool: George Holt & Co., 1841. Unbound. This two-page folded letter and circular measures 15.5”” x 9.5” unfolded. It is addressed to A. Richards, Esq., New York and dated 4 June 1841. The cover has a manuscript annotation that reads, “Via Boston / Steamer Columbia.” There is a “Paid at... More
Mostly 1917. Unbound. The collection consists of: 1) A carbon copy of the Commanding Officer’s (Lieutenant A. S Carpenter) report, “Engagement with, and destruction of German Submarine S.M.U-58,” 17 November, 1917. 10 pages. Includes A) a hand-drawn chart of the engagement and a list of German prisoners and... More
Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Yachting Association, 1880. Envelope or Cover. The bi-fold, cardstock invitation is addressed to L. Lockwood Esquire of Sandusky. It includes a chart of the regatta course as well as the regatta rules and list of prizes. Also included are the cover letter and envelope used to forward... 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
Oregon, at sea, and in many ports of call: 1919-1926. Album. The album measures 15.5” x 9” and contains 100 pages with over 300 photographs (mostly 3” x 5”), several pieces of personal ephemera, about 15 newspaper or periodical clippings, and 46 different beer bottle labels. The photos are arranged... More
USAHS Louis A. Milne and Hawaii: 1945. Album. This comb-bound album measures 12” x 9” and contains approximately 225 images and several additional pieces of ephemera. About 170 of the images are vernacular photographs; the remainder are a mix of postcards, professional photographs, and half-tone prints. Most of the snap-shots... 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
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
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
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
San Francisco to Cette (today Sète), France: 1869. This three-page folded letter, in French, measures 16.5” x 10.5” unfolded. It is dated “Sn Francisco le 7 Yuillet 1869” and franked with a 15-cent black Lincoln stamp (Scott #77) canceled with a ‘fancy’ black circle-of-wedges. Three postmarks are on the front..... 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
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
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
Greencock, [Scotland]: 1849. Unbound. Four-page letter. In nice shape with mailing folds and minor soiling. Transcript included. In this letter, a ship captain’s attorney, Jonathon Macdougall, requests information from his client, Captain James Welsh, in order to pursue a legal action in Scotland against a ship owner named Cairnie. It..... 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
At sea and Bombay, India: 1817-1818. Unbound. Four-page folded folio-sized sheet to Betsy Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts signed by E. S. Nichols. Three separately dated letters are on the sheet: 31 Dec 1817, On board the Ship Saco; 2 Feb 1818, Off the coast of Ceylon; 30 Apr 1818, Bombay... 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
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
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
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
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
Vicksburg: [1876]. 8.5” x 14” and contains 14 handwritten pages. The document is in nice shape with a storage fold and docketing that reads, “699 Shelley Law / J. F. Hicks v. G. W. Truehart / Opinion / Sneed J”. It is in nice shape with some minor soiling. In... 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
