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| Scott Number | 1 2 |
|---|---|
| Date | May 31, 18xx |
| From City | Boston |
| From State | MA |
| To City | New York |
| To State | NY |
| Addressee | A. A. Low & Brother |
| Cert Author | PF |
| Cert # | 2998 |
| Fake | |
| Quantity 1 | 1 |
| Quantity 2 | 1 |
| Bisect | |
| Others |
Notes
Figure 1. Addressed to the prominent merchant firm A.A. Low &Brother(s), this front panel, sent from Boston, is marked "letters for the S. Russell" at lower left. Built in 1847, the Yankee Clipper Samuel Russell was the fastest ship in the Low fleet.
Chronicle 209
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 771 lot 353 realized 3500
Lot 2484 5c Brown, 10c Black (1, 2). Each with full margins, tied together by multiple strikes of red grid cancel, matching Boston Mass. May 31 circular datestamp on cover front only ” more likely part of wrapper containing letters as indicated ” addressed to Messrs. A. A. Low & Brother, New York, sender's manuscript directive letters for the S. Russell at bottom left, red crayon unpaid 5 and 15 at lower right, long sealed tear between stamps, small edge tears at top, one behind 5c and causing small thin
AN EXTRAORDINARY POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACT WITH A COMBINATION OF THE 5-CENT AND 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE PAYING PART OF THE POSTAGE FOR LETTERS ADDRESSED TO CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE CLIPPER SHIP SAMUEL RUSSELL, WHICH WAS ENGAGED IN THE CHINA TRADE.
The Samuel Russell was a 957-ton clipper ship built for the China Trade in 1847 by Brown & Bell of New York City. The ship was built for A. A. Low & Brother, to whom this package wrapper (front) is addressed. In 1849 the firm erected the A. A. Low building at 167- 171 John Street, now part of the historic South Street Seaport historic area in lower Manhattan. A. A. Low launched his own fleet of clippers, among which were the Houqua, the first streamlined ship, named after his Chinese business partner who had died in 1843, and the Samuel Russell, named after the founder of the mercantile company for which Low had worked as a clerk.
The following information is summarized from: In 1847 Captain N. B. Palmer, who supervised the building of the new ship, was given command. On Sep. 14, 1847, the Samuel Russell sailed from New York to Hong Kong in 114 days. In 1848 she sailed from Whampoa (China) to New York in 83 days. Also in 1848 Captain Theodore D. Palmer replaced his brother as master of the ship. From Jan. 15 to May 6, 1850, she sailed from New York to San Francisco in 109 days. On Oct. 29, 1850, she sailed from Whampoa to New York in 89 days.
There is no year date present to match with the May 31 postmark date or to correlate with the known voyage dates. The triple-rate franking and Unpaid 5 notation could be interpreted as evidence it was mailed in May 1849, shortly after the triple rate for the 1 to 1 1/2 ounce weight class had been eliminated. The new rate progression was ordered on March 15, 1849, to bring the domestic rate progression in line with the U.S.-Great Britain postal treaty, but it took some time for the regulation to become widely known. The 15c postage in stamps plus the unpaid 5c postage due adds up to 20c, the correct postage for a letter weighing 1 to 2 ounces sent under 300 miles. If the postage due was 15c (as indicated by the 15 marking), then the total of 30c corresponds to the 2-3 ounce weight class.
The sender's notation on this address panel (front only) indicates that it contained more than one letter intended for crew members. The 1847 Postal Regulations stated that letters addressed to different persons, enclosed in the same envelope or packet, cannot be sent through the mails, under penalty of ten dollars, unless addressed to foreign countries. Since the letters contained in this package were apparently intended to be sent to a vessel in a foreign port, the sender seems to have avoided breaking the law.
Ex Stollnitz. E. 4,000-5,000
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 1023 realized 4250
Alexander listed as 5/31/xx
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 363 lot 1558 realized 220
PF 2998 - genuine
Chronicle 209
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 771 lot 353 realized 3500
Lot 2484 5c Brown, 10c Black (1, 2). Each with full margins, tied together by multiple strikes of red grid cancel, matching Boston Mass. May 31 circular datestamp on cover front only ” more likely part of wrapper containing letters as indicated ” addressed to Messrs. A. A. Low & Brother, New York, sender's manuscript directive letters for the S. Russell at bottom left, red crayon unpaid 5 and 15 at lower right, long sealed tear between stamps, small edge tears at top, one behind 5c and causing small thin
AN EXTRAORDINARY POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACT WITH A COMBINATION OF THE 5-CENT AND 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE PAYING PART OF THE POSTAGE FOR LETTERS ADDRESSED TO CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE CLIPPER SHIP SAMUEL RUSSELL, WHICH WAS ENGAGED IN THE CHINA TRADE.
The Samuel Russell was a 957-ton clipper ship built for the China Trade in 1847 by Brown & Bell of New York City. The ship was built for A. A. Low & Brother, to whom this package wrapper (front) is addressed. In 1849 the firm erected the A. A. Low building at 167- 171 John Street, now part of the historic South Street Seaport historic area in lower Manhattan. A. A. Low launched his own fleet of clippers, among which were the Houqua, the first streamlined ship, named after his Chinese business partner who had died in 1843, and the Samuel Russell, named after the founder of the mercantile company for which Low had worked as a clerk.
The following information is summarized from: In 1847 Captain N. B. Palmer, who supervised the building of the new ship, was given command. On Sep. 14, 1847, the Samuel Russell sailed from New York to Hong Kong in 114 days. In 1848 she sailed from Whampoa (China) to New York in 83 days. Also in 1848 Captain Theodore D. Palmer replaced his brother as master of the ship. From Jan. 15 to May 6, 1850, she sailed from New York to San Francisco in 109 days. On Oct. 29, 1850, she sailed from Whampoa to New York in 89 days.
There is no year date present to match with the May 31 postmark date or to correlate with the known voyage dates. The triple-rate franking and Unpaid 5 notation could be interpreted as evidence it was mailed in May 1849, shortly after the triple rate for the 1 to 1 1/2 ounce weight class had been eliminated. The new rate progression was ordered on March 15, 1849, to bring the domestic rate progression in line with the U.S.-Great Britain postal treaty, but it took some time for the regulation to become widely known. The 15c postage in stamps plus the unpaid 5c postage due adds up to 20c, the correct postage for a letter weighing 1 to 2 ounces sent under 300 miles. If the postage due was 15c (as indicated by the 15 marking), then the total of 30c corresponds to the 2-3 ounce weight class.
The sender's notation on this address panel (front only) indicates that it contained more than one letter intended for crew members. The 1847 Postal Regulations stated that letters addressed to different persons, enclosed in the same envelope or packet, cannot be sent through the mails, under penalty of ten dollars, unless addressed to foreign countries. Since the letters contained in this package were apparently intended to be sent to a vessel in a foreign port, the sender seems to have avoided breaking the law.
Ex Stollnitz. E. 4,000-5,000
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 1023 realized 4250
Alexander listed as 5/31/xx
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 363 lot 1558 realized 220
PF 2998 - genuine
