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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 130

(x) Packet Letters
The Cunard Line, 1833-1886
The last Admiralty packet left Falmouth on 6 June 1840, Thereafter Cunard steamers assumed the transatlantic route under contract to the Admiralty, using Liverpool as their home base. From January 1848, Cunard's transatlantic service altered weekly between Boston and New York, however after July 1848 the New York steamers did not stop at Halifax. There are five different routes
Route 4, July 1854-December 1867
At this time Cunard stopped at Halifax on its bi-weekly run to New York, its bi-weekly service to Boston stopped at Halifax on the return trip only. Therefore, Bermuda received its mail by Cunard steamer from Halifax only once a month. Depending on the connection, mail on the "regular" New York-bound trip arrived in about 18 days while mail brought by the "intermediate" Boston-bound trip had to wait two weeks at Halifax and took 33 days.
The "regular" route was G.B.-Halifax-Bermuda-St. Thomas-Bermuda-Halifax-G.B.
The "intermediate" route was G.B.-Boston-Halifax-Bermuda-Halifax-G.B.
There was no direct organised service from the United States to Bermuda from 1854 until 1868. Mail was carried on an ad hoc basis from New York depending on availability. Some was carried through Halifax or St. Thomas. Direct services began on a private contract basis in 1868.
Route 4 North of Bermuda not involving St. Thomas
Mail Between Bermuda and the United States
1856 (29 Dec.) 3c. red on buff Nesbitt stationery envelope, uprated with 1856 1c. blue Type IV (2) and 5c. red-brown, from Georgetown, South Carolina to Mr. Henry B. Brown, United States Consul at. St. George's, twice neatly cancelled with datestamp and showing framed "not paid" additionally tying one of the 1c. values, manuscript "4" due marking at right, the Not Paid handstamp likely applied in error in New York, though this may have gone as a private outbound ship letter; 1c. with small tear at top right, 5c. with tiny margin tear at top left and small diagonal crease at top right, the envelope missing top flap and with small margin repair. An important imperforate period postal history rarity franked to pay the 10c. direct rate by American packet., and a remarkable adhesive and postal stationery combination franking. Very fine appearance and the only recorded use of the 1856 5c. value on cover to Bermuda. Philatelic Foundation Certificate (2006). Sc. 9, 12, U10. See also lot 134. Photo



Note: Henry B. Brown worked as a portrait artist and engraver, and in 1861 travelled to San Francisco with his friend, Jacob Bailey Moore. Brown worked for Moore for several months, gathering specimens and making drawings in the Californian countryside. In March 1852 he was commissioned by John Russell Bartlett, head of the U.S.-Mexico Boundary Commission, and a friend of Moore's, to draw views of landscapes and Indians in northern California, assist with collecting Indian vocabularies, and make maps of the area. From 1856 to 1859 he served as U.S. Consul for Bermuda. He resigned in 1859 due to poor health

provenance:
Krug
Mayer
Joseph Hackmey

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Sold for
£9,500