March 16 1798 datelined folded letter to Philadelphia with manuscript "Sh 24."

Rated : Sh 24 for 10 x 2 for the distance from NYC to Philadelphia + 4c Ship captain's fee. Rates calculated under the Act of February 20, 1792.

Excerpt from "The New York Clamshells and Ovals by Calvet M. Hahn":

The earliest recorded clamshell is the orange item illustrated below on a domestic letter from New York to Philadelphia with a manuscript 10c rate, dated March 10, 1798....The color of the red New York clamshells changed very early in their existence. A cover from April 9, 1798 with a manuscript Sh 14 for an incoming ship charge of 4c plus the 10c New York-Philadelphia rate is illustrated below.

Orange New York City Clam Shell, Jul 13, Dot Variety, on
13 July 1798 docketed folded cover to Albany, NY with manuscript "15."

Black New York City Clam Shell, Jun 21, Dot Variety with Olde English Lettering, on folded letter datelined Savannah June 3d 1799 to Philadelphia. Manuscript "Sh 14"

Rated : Sh 14 (12c for the distance from NYC to Philadelphia + 2c Ship captain's fee. Notes the Ship fee was reduced from 4c to 2c under the Act of March 2, 1799.) This letter contained one enclosure (a banknote) according to the text so that postage was double the single rate.

The Olde English lettering in the month and day was only used for 8 weeks, from 6/13 - 7/7 1799.

Black New York City Clam Shell, Nov 4, Dot Variety, on folded letter datelined Bristol Sept 8, 1800, to Troy. Manuscript "Sh 19."

Black New York City Clam Shell, Jun 40, Dot Variety, on folded letter datelined New York 30th June 1800 to Troy with manuscript "17"

Rated 17 cents for regular mail from New York to Troy for 150 - 300 miles.

Letter reads..."The schooner got in last eve'g and we shall get her discharged tomorrow...Shall come up with the schooner."

Letter pages are separated in half.

Black New York City Clam Shell, Mar 17, Dot Variety, on folded ship letter datelined St. Petersburg 16th November 1800, to Newbury Port. Manuscript "Sh 36"

New York City stampless folded letter to Troy. Mostly clear black clamshell fancy handstamp, 17 rate in manuscript. Letter discusses interesting business content and mentions Alexander Hamilton's Pamphlet concerning the Conduct of John Adams, which was written 2 days prior:

"General Hamilton has wrote another book which I would have forwarded but for the High Postage - John Adams is the theme, much his folly or rather foolish conduct "

Black New York City clamshell, Feb 27, dash variety. 17 rate in manuscript. Addressed to Samuel Jones.

Samuel Jones (1734–1819), known as the "Father of the New York Bar," was a prominent lawyer, legislator, and public servant in early New York State. He served as a delegate at the New York State Constitutional Convention in Poughkeepsie in 1788, where he supported the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. As a Federalist, he advocated for a balanced government structure and contributed significantly to New York’s legal and financial systems. Later, he became New York’s first Comptroller, overseeing the state’s finances and laying the groundwork for future fiscal policies. Jones’s work had a lasting impact on the development of New York’s legal framework and governance.

Very Fragile, Faults, 3 total pieces, see images

Black New York City Clam Shell, Feb 8, Dot Variety, on folded letter datelined "Bordeax le 29 Novembre 1801" on folded letter to Philadelphia. Manuscript "Sh 14 1/2,"

Carried privately by ship to New York, rated Ship 14 1/2 for 12 1/2 c to Philadelphia + 2c ship fee.

Received on Feb 10, 71 days later. Letter is in French

Black New York City Clam Shell, Aug 20, Dot Variety, on folded letter docketed August 20, 1801 to Alexandria, Virginia. Large red manuscript "17"

Black New York City Clam Shell, Mar 6, Dot Variety, on folded letter datelined New Orleans 10th Feb 1802, to Philadelphia.

Orange New York City Clam Shell, Mar 27, dash variety on 1802 folded cover to Portsmouth, NH. Manuscript " Sh 42" and "P. Two Friends via New York"

Black New York City Clam Shell, Feb 18, Dot Variety, on folded letter to Connecticut. Manuscript "36 1/2"

The letter appears to have been carried from the Southeast Coast (possibly the Carolinas) to New York where it was put in the mail. The distance from New York to New Haven is about 80 miles. This was rated as a triple rate letter.

Letter from a husband about a business trip to his wife.

Black New York City Clam Shell, Oct 5, dash variety, on 1802 folded letter from New York to Philadelphia. Manuscript "Insurances William Wallis Spring 1802" docketing.

Black New York City Clam Shell, Oct 25, on 1802 folded letter addressed to William Meredith, Esq., Counsellor at Law, Philadelphia. No contents.

The letter is rated 12½ cent rate for a distance of 50-100 miles

Black New York City Clam Shell, Mar 18, Dash Variety
on 1803 folded letter to Massachusetts with manuscript red "12" rate.

Black New York City Clam Shell, Apr 4, dash variety, on folded letter datelined Amsterdam Jan 18th, 1803.

The cover originated Jan 18 in London and is docketed Feb 2nd.
It entered mails at New York as a Ship Letter with manuscript "Sh" (Ship) and 2c added to the 17c distance rate for a total due of 19c.

The cover was carried privately outside of any mails from England to arrive in New York probably April 4th. This practice was relatively common up to about 1870 when the postal rate became low enough to not make it worth anyone's effort to avoid.

The Falmouth Packet's Lady Arabella was scheduled to sail on 20 January 1804. Its anchor chain broke the same day and the ship was driven ashore; therefore no departure to New York. When this letter was written the writer probably knew this as sailing dates were known to most.

The Falmouth Packet ship Prince Adolphus, carrying the previous mail and its own, departed 7 February 1804 but had to put back into port on the 8th. The Prince Adolphus finally got off to New York on 12 February arriving 6 April 1804.....two days after this cover's arrival mark, taking 7 weeks to cross.

Since this April 4 date is before the arrival of the packet it had to go on a private ship.

This letter was carried on the "Two Friends" that was reported on April 4, 1803 (in New York Daily Advertiser) as having arrived from London in 29 days.

Red New York City Clam Shell, Mar 17, dash variety, on folded letter docketed March 15th, 1804 from "East Chester" to Attica, NY.

This is a very late usage of the red clam shell. Calvet Hahn records latest use as March 22, 1804, only 5 days later.

New York City stampless folded letter to Troy. 17 rate; toned vertical file fold; business conten

Red New York City clamshell on stampless cover to Philadephia. 12 1/2 rate, No Contents

Very Fragile, Faults, taped together, 3 total pieces, see images