MAIDEN VOYAGE OF 1st COLLINS LINE CONTRACT MAIL STEAMER - RA...

Hammer

£220

MAIDEN VOYAGE OF 1st COLLINS LINE CONTRACT MAIL STEAMER - RARE NY "21" A/C MARK + RARE OVAL "AMERICA" DS; 16 Apr. 1850 EL letter from “AUGUSTA/Ga.” (faint red cds on front) to Ireland “P. Steam Packet from N. York to L’pool”; this letter was carried on the Maiden Voyage of the first Collins Line mail steamer S.S. ‘Atlantic’. It has the brown Augusta hs “24” (unpaid) charge-mark on the front along with the very rare New York Exchange Office large hs “21” (only 5 recorded; 21c due from G.B. to the U.S. - for internal U.S. postage plus the transatlantic rate by American ship) and the Liverpool hs “1/-“ (to pay on delivery) mark on the front. On the flap is the short-lived and rare oval Liverpool “AMERICA” ds (10 May) and Belfast arrival marks. Only a handful of covers from this important first Collins Line voyage is recorded. [Ex Brian Cropp, 2019] Cross Reference: TRANSATLANTIC MAIL, ACCOUNTANCY MARKS, LANCASHIRE - LIVERPOOL, SHIP LETTERS