Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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The "Andromeda" Collection of U.S. Bank Note Issue Covers continued...

German Mail to Other Countries

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

2198

2c Red Brown (146). Horizontal pair, used with 10c Yellow (116) and tied by New York Foreign Mail Circle of V's cancel (Weiss TR-W4e), red "New York 4 Sep. 21" (1870) credit datestamp on cover to Rome, Italy and forwarded to Albaino, Italy, red "Wfr. 1-1/2" German credit handstamp (re-stated 1-1/2 sgr), "P.D." handstamp, Italian receiving backstamps (Oct. 9 and 10, 1870)

FRESH AND VERY FINE. A SCARCE AND ATTRACTIVE COMBINATION OF THE 2-CENT BANK NOTE ISSUE AND THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE ON COVER TO ITALY.

The 14c postage paid the rate to Italy via North German Union Closed Mail, which was effective starting July 1, 1870.

Ex Albert. With 2006 P.F. certificate (Image)

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E. 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $6,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

2199

10c Brown (161). Horizontal pair tied by red New York Foreign Mail cancel (too blurry to identify type, possibly Weiss GE-C7), matching "New York Supplementary Jan. 24" Type D Supplementary Mail circular datestamp on blue 1874 folded cover to Palermo, Italy, red "P.D." framed handstamp applied at New York and red crayon "4" credit indicating that this was treated as a 10c NGU Direct Mail cover (the 4c credit applied to the base rate, not the Supplementary Mail fee), Palermo receiving backstamp, fresh and Very Fine, scarce Supplementary Mail use, probably carried on the June 24, 1874, sailing of the NGL's Frankfurt (Image)

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E. 750-1,000

SOLD for $800.00
Will close during Public Auction

2200

10c Brown (161). Two, one with s.e., tied by New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel (Weiss GE-EN3), red "New York Paid Dec. 24 Sup." Type E Supplementary Mail circular datestamp on blue 1874 folded cover to Naples, Italy, sender's routing "p Str. 'Frisia' Direct Closed Mail via England", the HAPAG Frisia departed Dec. 24 (1874), arriving at Plymouth on Jan. 3 (1875), red crayon "4" credit indicating that this was treated as a 10c NGU Direct Mail cover (the 4c credit applied to the base rate, not the Supplementary Mail fee), red crayon "f1-1/2" German credit (re-stated in silbergroschen), "IV" oval and receiving backstamps, file fold thru bottom 10c stamp, not very noticeable and otherwise Very Fine, scarce Supplementary Mail use (Image)

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E. 300-400

SOLD for $1,100.00
Will close during Public Auction

2201

12c Blackish Violet (162). Rich color, tied by New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel (Weiss GE-C7), red "New York 5 Apr. ?" credit datestamp on 1875 folded letter to Yviza, Spain, sender's blue oval backstamp, red "PD" and "Wfr" handstamps, light file folds, Very Fine, 12c North German Union Closed Mail rate via England, the destination is in the Balearic Islands off the eastern coast of Spain, probably carried aboard the Cunarder Bothnia (Image)

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E. 300-400

SOLD for $200.00
Will close during Public Auction

2202

12c Blackish Violet (162). Rich color, tied by well-struck New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel (Weiss GE-EN3), red "New York 5 Nov. 7" (1874) credit datestamp on folded cover to Yviza, Spain, faint boxed "PD" handstamp, red "Wfco 2" German credit handstamp (re-statement of credit in silbergroschen), horizontal file fold well clear of stamp and part of back panel removed, stamp has short perf at top right, Very Fine, 12c North German Union Closed Mail rate via England, the destination is in the Balearic Islands off the eastern coast of Spain, probably carried aboard the Cunarder Batavia (Image)

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E. 300-400

SOLD for $250.00
Will close during Public Auction

2203

1c Ultramarine, 12c Dull Violet (145, 151). Rich colors and sharp early impressions, both stamps tied by single strike of red "New York Paid All Direct Jun. 24" circular datestamp with second strike on "Office Second Ave. R.R. Co." corner card cover (1870 or 1871) addressed to "Ezekiel. 33.15. Copenhagen. Denmark", red "2-1/2" cents credit handstamp, red "Bremen/Franco/7 7 (70 or 71)" framed transit datestamp and "Weiterfr. 1 Sgr." framed handstamp restating credit in silbergroschen, backstamped with Copenhagen receiving datestamps in black and blue, manuscript "PR" (Poste Restante) and "159" indicating that the cover was held for claim

EXTREMELY FINE. A COLORFUL AND REMARKABLE BANK NOTE ISSUE COVER TO DENMARK. PREPAID FOR THE 13-CENT NORTH GERMAN UNION DIRECT RATE WITH BOTH STAMPS CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE NEW YORK FOREIGN-MAIL EXCHANGE OFFICE DATESTAMP IN RED. THE ADDRESS REFERS TO A BIBLICAL QUOTATION -- "IF THE WICKED WISHES TO LIVE, THE FIRST THING HE MUST DO IS TO RESTORE THAT WHICH HE HAS STOLEN."

The 13c Direct Mail rate to Denmark via Bremen or Hamburg was based on the 10c Direct Mail rate to Germany, to which the fractional "2-1/2" cents credit to the North German Union was added for postage to Denmark (re-stated as 1 sgr in Germany). When the Direct Mail rate to Germany was reduced from 10c to 7c, effective July 1, 1870, the corresponding rate to Denmark was reduced by an equal amount (from 13c to 10c).

It is difficult to year-date this cover, because the only marking with a year stated (Bremen boxed transit) is blurry, and the sailing data is inconclusive. In 1870 the North German Lloyd Rhein sailed from New York on June 25, arriving at Southampton on July 5, leaving two days to reach Bremen on July 7 (the Bremen receiving postmark date). However, in 1871 the NGL Hermann departed New York on June 24, arriving at Southampton on July 4. Therefore, this cover might have been correctly prepaid at 13c on June 24, 1870, or it might be overpaid 3c in 1871 (at which point the 10c rate prevailed).

The address is quite peculiar: "Ezekial. 33.15. Copenhagen. Denmark". Our theory is that a disgruntled resident of Copenhagen wrote to the office of the Second Avenue Rail Road Company in New York City, expressing anger over the railroad scandals of the day and signing his letter "Ezekial 33.15", a biblical reference to a passage which states "If the wicked wishes to live, the first thing he must do is to restore that which he has stolen." The railroad employee who answered the letter used "Ezekiel 33.15" as the address and mailed his reply to Copenhagen. The "PR" represents "Poste Restante", an international term for mail that is held until called for. The use of the "New York Paid All Direct" datestamp to cancel stamps is also very unusual. Black killer cancellations were almost always used at this time.

We regard this cover as one of the most captivating and unusual Bank Note Issue covers extant. (Image)

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E. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $4,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

2204

$3c Green, 10c Brown (147, 150).> Tied by quartered cork cancels, Bangor Me. Apr. 10 (1871) circular datestamp on cover addressed in violet <to Copenhagen, Denmark,> red New York Paid All Apr. 12 circular datestamp, red 2-12 cents fractional cr$ 3c Green, 10c Brown (147, 150). Tied by quartered cork cancels, "Bangor Me. Apr. 10" (1871) circular datestamp on cover addressed in violet to Copenhagen, Denmark, red "New York Paid All Apr. 12" circular datestamp, red "2-1/2" cents fractional credit handstamp, stamps tied by red "Wfco 1" German credit handstamp, receiving backstamp, 1871 docketing at top, missing top flap, 3c corner crease at top right, otherwise Fine, prepaid for the 13c NGU Direct rate but the rate had been reduced to 10c in July 1870 (Image)

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E. 400-500

SOLD for $450.00
Will close during Public Auction

2205

1c Ultramarine, 3c Green, 6c Carmine (145, 147, 148). Beautiful three-color franking tied by "Providence R. I. Feb. 20" (ca. 1871-72) duplex datestamp and quartered cork cancel on State of Rhode Island Secretary's Office illustrated corner card cover to Copenhagen, Denmark, engraving of state seal with fouled anchor and "Hope", red "New York Paid All Feb. 21" transit datestamp and "2-1/2" cents fractional credit handstamp, red "Wfco 1" German credit handstamp, Copenhagen receiving backstamp, 6c perfs trimmed at left, otherwise Extremely Fine, a very scarce correctly prepaid 10c NGU Direct rate cover to Denmark (Image)

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E. 500-750

SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction

2206

1c Ultramarine, 6c Dull Pink (156, 159). 1c pair with single 6c, cork cancels and faint "Galveston Tex. Feb. 7" (ca. 1874) circular datestamp on 6c Red on White entire (U181) to Holbok, Denmark, printed corner card, red "New York Paid All Via Bremen Feb. 13" transit datestamp (scarce type), blue crayon "2" indicating double rate, receiving backstamps, lightly cleaned and some minor cosmetic edge improvements, Very Fine appearance, colorful and scarce franking for double 7c Danish Closed Mail rate via Bremen, ex Ainsworth (Image)

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E. 300-400

SOLD for $800.00
Will close during Public Auction

2207

2c Red Brown, 12c Dull Violet (146, 151). Rich colors, cancelled by circular corks with "Council Bluffs Ioa. Jun. 9." (1871) circular datestamp on cover addressed in violet to Lund, Sweden, red "New York 4 Jun. 13" credit datestamp, red "Wfr. 1-1/2" German credit handstamp (re-stated in silbergroschen), receiving backstamp, small pieces of backflap missing and tiny nick at top left, still Very Fine, an attractive example of the 14c NGU rate to Sweden (Image)

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E. 400-500

SOLD for $300.00
Will close during Public Auction

2208

2c Red Brown, 10c Brown (146, 150). 2c horizontal pair, tied by bold strikes of New York Foreign Mail Crossroads cancel (Weiss TR-C3) on cover to Hornosand, Sweden, red "New York Paid All Direct Br. Transit Jul. " backstamp overstruck with "New York Paid All Direct" datestamp, red "4" credit handstamp, pair tied by red boxed "Bremen/23 6 70/Franco" datestamp, "Weiterfr. 1-1/2 Sgr." framed German credit handstamp (re-stated in silbergroschen), receiving backstamp, small perf faults, cover has light diagonal bend and minor wear, otherwise Fine, very scarce New York Foreign Mail cancel and an attractive 14c NGU Direct rate cover to Sweden via Bremen, ex Albert (Image)

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E. 400-500

SOLD for $600.00
Will close during Public Auction