Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025

Single tied by "NEW YORK MAR. 12, (1878)" duplex cancel, forwarded by U.S. Despatch Agent B.F. Stevens. The stamp with a corner crease at top left.

NYFM cancel on May 29, 1875 folded letter to Italy via England, red New York paid all transit mark. The stamp with gum stained perfs at right.

This letter was addressed to a naval lieutenant aboard the USS Gettysburg, a survey steamer operating in the Mediterranean Sea from 1877 through 1879.

"OXFORD, MASS. APR. 1, (1878) datestamp with red London transit mark.

This letter is part of a well-known numbered correspondence to an American naval officer, F.G. Hyde.

"SAN FRANCISCO CAL. JAN. 19, (1875)" datestamp. The cover roughly opened at right.

Matching "NEW ORLEANS, LA. FEB. 24, 1875" postmark with red "NEW YORK PAID ALL" transit mark. Both stamps with perf tip gum stains.

Stamp tied by blue target cancel with matching "STOCKTON, ME. AUG. 2, (1875)" on cover to Cuba via New York on steamer "City of Merion", black "NA1" in oval.

The Havana post office applied this large oval NA1 marking which denotes the single rate 1 real (equivalent to 12.5 US cents) internal postage due. The postage rate only paid for carriage to the Cuban frontier, with internal Cuban postage to be paid by addressee upon delivery. The overpayment of U.S. postage by the sender was likely a consequence of the previous month’s rate reduction for American packet mail service to Cuba from 10 cents to 5 cents per half oz, with this letter being franked for the old higher rate.

Advertising corner card for Alfred P. Sawyer Attorney and Counselor At Law in Lowell, Mass.

10c single tied by "SPRINGFIELD MASS. JUN. 21" circle of wedges duplex cancel on locally addressed cover addressed to the U.S. Armory, with "DUE 2" in circle handstamp. Postage due paid by 2c with manuscript cancel, and manuscript "PROPOSALS FOR ORDINANCE SUPPLIES". The 10c stamp damaged at top left, the 2c stamp oxidized, the cover stained and with spindle holes.

Stamps tied by "BOSTON, MASS. MAR. 7, 1882" duplex cancels on large "The Youth's Companion" corner cover to Tonawanda, Penn., paying 9x the 3c rate. The 2c stamp with perfs clipped at bottom the cover with wrinkles.

Both stamps tied by cork cancels with matching "BOSTON, MASS. REG. OCT 6" rimless registry cancel on Union Pacific Railway Co. envelope to McAlisterville, Penn. The 10c stamp with a corner crease at top left, the 3c stamp with a scuff at right center.

Stamps tied by "MARBLEHEAD, MASS. MAY 3,1881" quartered cork duplex cancels on registered illustrated advertising cover to Windham Center, Maine.

Stamps all tied by cork cancels with matching "FREEPORT, ILL JUN 25, 1880" on registered "Stover Wind Engine Company" advertising cover to Greencastle, PA.

Stamps tied by "NEW YORK MAR. 14, 1881" duplex cancel. The cover with . "VIA SAN FRANCISCO" and "TO BE FORWARDED" manuscript. Both stamps with faults.

Stamps tied by Philadelphia double oval registry cancels on May 4, 1926 cover to philatelic expert Dr. Emilio Diena in Rome, Italy.
This cover shows a very late usage of the 10 cent Jefferson of the Issue of 1879 both without and with secret mark.

Single tied by "SUPPLEMENTARY MAIL N.Y. MAR 24, 1880 PAID" duplex cancel.

Matching "WALPOLE, N.H. JUL 20 (1874)" postmark on cover to France, with red "PD" in oval, and New York and London transit marks, plus black French transit mark. The left stamp with faults at top due to placement over the cover edge.

Stamps tied by New York double oval machine cancel on registered cover to Des Moines, Iowa.

Stamps tied by "BOSTON, MASS." oval on Dec. 19, 1884 R. & E. Boris & Co. cover to Paris, France, with manuscript "PER STEAMER BRITANIC" and blue Paris receiving mark.

Stamps tied by "BOSTON, MASS." oval on R.& E. Boris & Co. cover to Paris, France, with manuscript "VIA ENGLAND", and blue Paris receiving mark. The 10c stamp with a puncture.

"FALMOUTH, MAINE MAY 9, 1887" duplex cancel on registered cover to Laibach (Ljubljana), Province of Carniola, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire with FXNY1a(IV) registry label. The 5c stamp damaged at right, the 10c stamp with stained perforations.
This is a scarce destination for that period, especially for registered mail. Ljubljana is the capital of modern, independent Slovenia of the former Yugoslavia.

New York double oval registry cancels on Scott Stamp & Coin, Co. corner card cover to France, with purple "REGISTERED RETURN RECEIPT" handstamp and type FXNY1a(III) registry label, and French receiving mark. The 5cstamp with gum stained perforations.

This cover is not only a registered letter but also displays a magenta handstamp REGISTERED RETURN RECEIPT requiring this more rarely used service in the foreign mails. Also, the addressee is the noted French motor engineer Edouard Delamare-DeBouteville (1856-1901), an early pioneer in the development of the automobile using a 4-stroke gasoline engine, and presumably an early stamp collector.

Stamps tied by "NEW YORK SEP. 30, 1885" duplex cancel on cover to British Burma, with manuscript "VIA ENGLAND" and via Brindisi. The 5c stamp faulty the 10c stamp with pieces missing at top the cover roughly opened at right.

Matching "KINEO, MAINE JUN. 23, 1885" postmark, forwarded by U.S. Despatch Post B.F. Stevens. The cover opened roughly at right and affecting the stamp.

Cover from Galesburg, ILL. to Amsterdam via New York on Aug. 19, 1884. The stamps with a horizontal crease, the cover with a hole at upper left.

"CORTLAND, N.Y. NOV. 9, 1886" cork duplex cancel on registered Second National Bank corner card cover to Marathon, N.Y.