Cartel Ship, "Fair American", 1814 Stampless Folded Letter from Liverpool to New York Very Scarce Cartel Ship Usage
Illustrated in Walske's North American Blockade Run Mail, 1775-1865 Exhibit
Stampless folded letter datelined at Liverpool on April 4, 1814, carried aboard the cartel ship Fair American, which sailed April 8 while transporting dispatches for the U.S. Secretary of State. The contents note that the “cartel now about to...
The Philatelic Icons Sale 2026 - Day 1
By: Americana Stamps
Aste Attive
Jun 26, 2026 America/Los_Angeles
Americana Stamps The Philatelic Icons Sale 2026 - Day 1
Friday Jun 26, 2026 19:00 to 23:00 America/Los_Angeles America/Los_Angeles
We are honored to present The Philatelic Icons Sale, the largest and most significant auction Americana Stamps has ever offered.
America's history lives in the letters that crossed goldfields and battle lines, in express covers that linked frontier towns to the outside world, and in the stamps that mark how a young country built its postal system from scratch. This sale brings together more than 1,500 lots that trace that story, including philatelic icons seldom offered to the public.
This auction is a natural fit for 2026, the 250th year of the United States, and for the Boston 2026 World Expo (May 23 to 30, Booth 141), the once-per-decade international exhibition where we are proud to open the sale. More than 750 lots are accompanied by Philatelic Foundation certifications, the largest concentration of certified material we have ever offered in a single sale.
As always, the sale is designed to serve both the collector and the researcher. Whenever available, you can expect:
✔ High-resolution imagery of all aspects of the item
✔ Links to reference articles and supporting research
✔ Links to philatelic certifications
✔ Census data and population insights
✔ Provenance details to trace notable histories
Whether you are pursuing a long-sought rarity or simply enjoy the chance to study material of this caliber, we invite you to explore the Philatelic Icons Sale and join us in Boston for our largest in-person preview to date.
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Showing 276 - 300 of 470
Lot #2126 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2127 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
American and Foreign Agency, Fancy Agent Cachet, on 1830 Printed Circular to England Superb and Scarce, Unlisted in ASCC
New York, NY printed circular to Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucester, England 10 Nov 1830. Superb & scarce "Office of the American & Foreign Agency" fancy forwarding agent cachet used as an advertising handstamp. Recorded by Rowe 1830-1840. "Bristol Ship Letter" transit & rated 1N5.
Price: $ 260.00
Lot #2128 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
Harnden's Express, Red Oval Handstamp on September 1839 Folded Letter from Boston to London Possibly Earliest Known Usage of Harnden's Oval Handstamp
Red oval "Forwarded by Harnden's Package Express and Foreign Letter Office, 5 Court St., Boston" on September 21, 1839 folded letter to London. Received March 17, 1841, possibly lost or mislaid, rated 1/-. The Philatelic Foundation notes this item as possibly the earliest sent.
Price: $ 500.00
Lot #2129 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
Harnden & Co., on 1843 Illustrated Harnden Letterhead, to Rothschild & Sons in London
Manuscript "per Acadia" and "H and Co."
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2130 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
1853 Stampless Cover from Alexandria, Egypt to Springfield, Ohio
New York Am Packet MAR 29 Black circular datestamp on front with manuscript "18", "50" and "71". Alexandria 1853 and orange GB circular datestamps on reverse. Addressed to Samuel Barnett, who was a prominent Ohio miller.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2131 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
1854 Stampless Cover from Alexandria, Egypt to Springfield, Ohio
Bold strike of New York AM Packet APR 6 Black circular datestamp on front. MAR 14 1854 circular datestamp and orange GB marking on reverse. Addressed to Samuel Barnett, who was a prominent Ohio miller.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2132 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
1854 Stampless Cover from Alexandria, Egypt to Springfield, Ohio
New York AM Packet 6 circular datestamp on front with Alexandria 24 1854 circular datestamp on reverse. Addressed to Samuel Barnett, who was a prominent Ohio miller.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2133 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
1855 Stampless Cover from Alexandria, Egypt to Springfield, Ohio
New York AM Packet APR 6 Black circular datestamp on front with Alexandria Blue circular datestamp MR24 1855 on reverse. Addressed to Samuel Barnett, who was a prominent Ohio miller.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2134 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1803 Diplomatic Intrigue, Letter Inspected for Hidden Message, France to Philadelphia Folded Letter Included in the George Kramer Exhibit
Black Nov 5 Boston, Ms circular datestamp with red manuscript "40" on 1803 folded letter to Philadelphia.
France and England were at war from 1793-1815. It was unclear to the French as to where official American sympathies would finally rest; as they suspected that our Post was opening certain...
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2135 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1836 Cross Border Ferriage, Dundas, Canada to Albany, NY, 18 3/4 Postage Due Included in the George Kramer Exhibit
1836 folded letter from Dundas, Canada to Albany, NY via Queenston. Red Dundas circular datestamp and blue Nov 2 Lewiston, NY circular datestamp. Red manuscript "6 1/2" rated for 4 1/2 pence Canadian postage to the border + 2 pence "Ferriage." Manuscript "18 3/4" US Postage due for 150-400 miles.
Mail between American...
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2136 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1846 Halifax "PAID" Tombstone, Folded Letter to New York, Kennedy Correspondence Included in the Malcom Montgomery Exhibit
Red "Halifax, PAID" tombstone handstamp on 2 November 1846 folded letter to New York.
Once the steam packet service between Halifax and Boston was established, correspondents could use the Cunard vessels for their letters. As this was not an item in the Cunard contract, the charge was the same as for the ocean...
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2137 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1847 Boston to Nova Scotia, via Halifax Unusual Use Written at Sea
Passengers travelling to Europe from the United States by the British packets had the luxury of being able to write letters during the first part of their journey from Boston and then place them in the post when the vessel called at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Such letters from Nova Scotia to the United States had to be prepaid to the border, United States postage could be...
Price: $ 150.00
Lot #2138 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1848 Folded Letter, Sydney Cape Breton Island to Halifax, Nova Scotia On Her Majesty's Service
31 May 1848 folded letter from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The letter was posted unpaid and sent overland to Halifax, charged elevenpence halfpenny Currency (tenpence Sterling) the rate for an half ounce letter carried 200-300 miles. The actual distance from Sydney to Halifax was calculated at 286 miles.
Letters...
Price: $ 150.00
Lot #2139 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1848 British Postal Treaty, New Orleans Printed Circular to Kingdom of Sardinia Exceedingly Scarce Example of the 4c Printed Matter Rate to the Kingdom of Sardinia
New Orleans, La. to Lesa, Kingdom of Sardinia, Nov 29 1853 printed circular with red "New Orleans Nov 29" circular datestamp and matching "Paid 4" rating handstamp. New York large red "2" credit handstamp. to Great Britain carried by Ocean Line Hermann from New York Dec. 4 to...
Price: $ 750.00
Lot #2140 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1855 "Fredk Loison's Printed Circular" Handstamp on Printer Circular from New Orleans to France Included in the Richard Winter Exhibit
Blue "Fredk Loison's Printed Circular" handstamp with red New Orleans "PAID 2" handstamp on Feb 7 1855 unsealed printed circular from New Orleans, La. to Saulxures, France. Sent under the newspaper rate of 2c by British open mail, carried by Collins Line Atlantic from New York Feb. 21 to Liverpool...
Price: $ 700.00
Lot #2141 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
Favor’s Express, Steamer Admiral, Red Circular Datestamp with Matching "Colonial Express" Circular Datestamp on 1856 Cover from New Brunswick to Massachusetts Very Fine and Scarce Marking in Red with "Steamer Admiral"
"Favor's Express, Steamer Admiral, Nov. 1856" red circular datestamp on backflap, with red "Colonial Express Mail, St. John N.B., Nov. 3" circular datestamp on cover to Watertown Massachusetts. The Name-of-Boat cachet and...
Price: $ 300.00
Lot #2142 - U.S. Stampless Eastern Seaboard
1859 Boston to Prince Edward Island, via Halifax Scarce Packet Mail to Prince Edward Island
Boston, Massachusetts to Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, via Halifax, 1 June 1859.
This folded letter prepaid five cents in Boston and carried by British packet, the Cunard Line 'Canada', to Halifax. At Halifax the sea postage of fourpence Sterling was raised to which twopence Sterling inter-Provincial postage was added for a total of...
Price: $ 200.00
Lot #2143 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Red "STEAM" Straightline on Stampless Cover with Manuscript "20" to Little Valley, N.Y. Unknown Marking, Unlisted in ASCC
Folded letter to Little Valley, New York, carried by steamboat and marked manuscript "20" due for double-rate postage over 300 miles.
It likely entered the mails in Stonington, Connecticut, where the "STEAM" marking was applied. The steamboat captain was paid 2 cents, and the cover was placed in a mail bag and...
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2144 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Albany, New York, Red "STEAM BOAT" Straightline on Stampless Folded Letter to New York via Hudson River, Rated 12 1/2c
Stampless folded letter with red "STEAM BOAT" straightline handstamp (Type II NYC Steam Boat) and manuscript "12½" rate at upper right. Albany to New York City via Hudson River, addressed to William E. Green, Esq., 88 Chamber Street, New York. Written by Estes Howe, nominated Judge of Albany County.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2145 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Erie Canal, 1825 Stampless Canal Boat Letter to Niagara Falls, Two Strikes of Blue "FREE" in Ornate Box, Manuscript "18 3/4" Rate Listing Copy for "FREE" Handstamp
Stampless folded letter datelined "Canal Boat near Lyons" July 23, 1825. This two page letter is addressed to Augustus Porter, Esq., Postmaster at Niagara Falls, New York, and was written by his son while traveling on the Erie Canal. Blue circular UTICA N.Y. JUL/25 postmark,...
Price: $ 200.00
Lot #2146 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Hudson, N.Y. "STEAM BOAT" in Red on 1832 Folded Letter to New York Listing Copy Example, Unique Marking
Folded letter from Hudson, New York to New York City, postmarked with black 28mm circular HUDSON/NOV/6/N.Y. handstamp and red straightline STEAM BOAT, rated "121/2 in manuscript. The letter concerning Sprague & Curtis's hoop iron.
This STEAM BOAT marking differs notably from similar markings used in New York City beginning in...
Price: $ 150.00
Lot #2147 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
1835 Ypsilanti, Michigan Territory, Folded Letter to New York
Stampless folded letter to New York with an APR 15 1835 Ypsilanti, Michigan Territorial postmark (Mic.T). Manuscript "25" for single letter rate to New York (400 miles).
Price: $ 200.00
Lot #2148 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
1837 Red "STEAMBOAT" Straightline, on Stampless Cover, Middletown, Conn. to New York City, Rated 12 1/2 C
Folded letter datelined September 7, 1837, from Middletown, Connecticut to New York City, rated "12 1/2" in manuscript for carriage between 80 and 150 miles.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2149 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Red "STEAMBOAT" Straightline, on 1838 Stampless Cover, Troy to NYC, Rated 12 1/2c
Folded letter datelined April 14, 1838, from Troy, New York to New York City. Marked “12½” in manuscript for the 80–150 mile rate. Carried on a non-contract steamboat on the Hudson River.
Used on distinctive green paper.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2150 - U.S. Stampless Packets/Inland Waterway
Hudson River Steamboat, Red U.S. Express Mail July 1, 1845 Circular Datestamp on Folded Letter to New York City First Day of 5c Rate - July 1, 1845
Folded letter datelined “Eagle Hotel Albany June 29, 1845,” addressed to Miss Ann Sprogle, care of Franklin Lee Esq., N W corner of 3rd & Pine St., Philadelphia. Clear red circular “U.S. EXPRESS MAIL / ALBANY N.Y. / JUL 1” (Hahn Type I) marking of the Hudson River Steamboat southbound...
Price: $ 50.00
