Auction Detail

position 11, margins large to grazing, blue pen cancels on February 16, 1846 folded letter to Hartford, Connecticut, red "New-York 16 Feb" datestamp and matching arced "Paid", very fine and attractive

red boxed handstamp on folded letter to Harwinton, Connecticut, entered the mails with red "Hartford Ct. Apr 19" datestamp, manuscript "5" rate, pencil mathematical figuring on reverse and inside, light file folds, very fine strike and cover, only two or three handstamps are known from the Hartford office of the New York and Boston Magnetic Telegraph Association, American Stampless Cover Catalogue #34, rarity 8, illustrated Vol. 3, page 27, ex-Born

19 covers and folded letters from Hartford's short-lived "blue period" during which postmaster Normand Lyman switched from the city's usual magenta ink to blue, includes the earliest blue ink postmark (May 24, 1847) and continues through December of that same year, handstamps include "5" and "10" numerals, pointing hand "Paid", and "Steam", generally fine to very fine, an interesting study of this seven month period

red integral rate datestamp and matching pointing hand "Paid" on folded letter to "Rev. Eli Smith, Beirut, Syria", endorsed "Care of Rev. R. Anderson, D.D., Mis'y House Pemb(erton) Sq., Boston", carried outside the mails to Beirut, disinfection slits for cholera on front and back, very fine and rare, Reverend Eli Smith was a lifelong missionary best known for translating the Bible into Arabic

red datestamp on cover to Brockport, New York, franked with horizontal pair of 1847 5c Dark brown (1a), large margins and pen cancel, large red "10" rate handstamp and matching pointing hand "Paid", very fine and attractive, one of just eight pairs of the 1847 5c issue known from Hartford, 1976 Philatelic Foundation certificate