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U.S.S "Simpson". 1934 (May 7) Cover franked 2c cancelled by "U.S.S / SIMPSON / IN CRASH / MILWAUKEE" duplex, with cachet "U.S.S Simpson on course / 045 true speed 12 at 2159 / crash port bow LAT 16 39N / LON 74 32W". The U.S.S "Simpson" collided with the U.S.S "Milwaukee" and required repair at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. £60-70
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S.S "Uruguay". 1938 (Nov 7) Picture postcard from Buenos Ayres to Washington D.C, the stamp washed off and part of another card adhering to the front covering the picture, with a printed label applied "DAMAGED BY FIRE / IN MAIL TRAIN", the second line altered in manuscript to "On Ship". Enclosed within a New York Post Office ambulance cover with a New York machine (Dec. 1) and the cachet "UNADDRESSED / N.Y.P.O. - INQ. SECTION". A fire broke out in No.2 hold aboard the "Uruguay" whilst en route from Buenos Ayres to New York via Montevideo and Santos. This was soon extinguished by water, damaging some of the mail. Just three covers recorded from this incident, this being the only one with this altered 'Mail Train' label used. An interesting and unique item. (2). Photo on Page 46. £350-400
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S.S "West Kebar". 1940 (Dec 21) Cover from Monrovia to New York bearing three Liberia stamps, extensively stained by oil and water damaged, handstamped "Received in bad condition at" with a N.Y Wall St. c.d.s of January 22nd alongside, and an accompanying explanatory notice "The accompanying letter is one of a large number received from Monrovia, Liberia, per S.S West Kebar via Boston. The oil soaked condition of the letter was evidently caused by its having come into contact with a damaged parcel or cargo aboard the vessel, Respectfully, Albert Goldman, Postmaster". The "West Kebar" encountered a severe storm 400 miles east of New York on 13th January 1941, took on water and sent out an SOS, but was able to reach Boston unaided on the 15th, with extensive deck damage and a wrecked superstructure. Storm water entered the hold and evidently contaminated the mails and damaged the cargo. The only cover recorded from this incident. Photo on Page 46. £200-250
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S.S "Santa Elisa". 1942 (Jan 15) Stampless cover from Annapolis, Md., to U.S.S "Warrington" in New York, with the violet cachet "RECOVERED FROM / SS SANTA ELISA". The "Santa Elisa" left New York on January 16th for the Canal Zone but collided with S.S "San Jose" off Atlantic City the following day. The United Fruit Co. steamer "San Jose" sank whilst No. 1 hold on the "Santa Elisa" stove in and caught fire. This was extinguished and she put back to New York in tow, arriving on January 19th. A fine cover. Photo on Page 46. £180-220
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S.S "Santa Elisa". 1942 Window envelope with a New York meter mark and a similar "Santa Elisa" cachet in black. Photo on Page 46. £150-180
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S.S "Excalibur". 1950 (June 14) Long cover from St. Louis, MO., to Alexandria, Egypt, the stamp washed off and the edges stained, bearing the explanatory label "United States Post Office / Foreign Section - Morgan Station / Delay and condition of article caused / by collision of S/S Excalibur on June / 27, 1950 in New York Harbor", with an Egyptian censor cachet. The American Export Lines S.S "Excalibur" left Jersey City on a 43 day Mediterranean cruise on June 27th but collided with the Danish MV "Colombia" in the narrows of New York Harbour. The "Excalibur" beached in Brooklyn with a 15 foot hole in her side, from which some mail bags and cargo drifted; she was later refloated and repaired. Photo on Page 48. £150-180
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M.V "Celebes". 1953 (Apr 15) Window envelope with a Philadelphia meter mark and violet cachet "This Article Damaged by Fire / on board S.S CELEBES April 29/53 / Post Office, New York, N.Y.", minor edge singeing, the reverse with a USA Officially Sealed label tied by oval New York Foreign datestamp (June 17). The Dutch MV "Celebes" was en route from New Orleans to Sourabaya, Indonesia, via New York and Alexandria when she suffered a fire in the mail room at New York; this was extinguished but 25 mailbags were destroyed, 18 others damaged by fire, and many more by water. Photo on Page 48. £130-150
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S.S "Celebes". 1953 (Apr 9) Long cover with two differing 3c stamps tied by "U.S.S. / QUINCY" duplex, to H.M.S "Michael" c/o F.M.O Singapore, bearing a similar violet S.S "Celebes" cachet to the previous lot, but reading "Delayed by Fire" instead of "Damaged by Fire", very fine. Photo on Page 48. £150-180
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S.S "Mormacpine". 1964 (March) Stampless Brazilian Post Office cover to New York with an unclear Brazil Poste Restante c.d.s and the black cachet "MAIL INVOLVED IN FIRE ABOARD THE / SS MORMACPIN, MAIL RECEIVED IN / WET CONDITION. INSPECTORS CASE / NY30309", arrival backstamp of April 16th. The S.S "Mormacpine" was en route from Santos to Quebec when she reported a fire in No.4 hold on March 27th. The hold was flooded and she proceeded to Bermuda and then onto New York where the fire was found to still be smouldering; it was finally extinguished on April 2nd, the mails unloaded the following day found to be damaged by water. Photo on Page 48. £180-220
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S.V "Barbados". 1815 (June 20) Entire letter from Charleston to Scotland, extensively waterstained, the address panel also with a small hole and large tear (stuck together internally with a white label, which could easily be removed and the repair greatly improved), handstamped "LIVERPOOL / SHIP LETTER" with a red Edinburgh c.d.s (Aug 1). Carried on the S.V "Barbados" which sheltered off the Isle of Wight for repairs after being damaged and driven off course, some of its mail clearly being seriously damaged by seawater. A scarce early item. Photo on Page 48. £200-250
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S.V "Lewis". 1827 (Jan 25) Entire letter from Le Havre to Boston "p. Lewis" with red New York c.d.s (Mar 8) and "SHIP", charged 20 cents. The SV "Lewis" sailed from Le Havre bound for New York but was wrecked on 6th March near Sandy Hook, New Jersey. All passengers and crew were saved and the cargo unloaded in good order. The only item recorded from this wreck and the earliest recorded wreck cover from North America. A unique and important exhibition item. Photo on Page 48. £600-800
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P.S "Columbia". 1843 (June 5) Entire letter from Havana to London endorsed "Columbia", the reverse with the forwarding agent's endorsement "N. York Jun 26/29, yr. ot. sts, Crocker, Sale & Warren", carried on the Cunard Line paddle steamer from Boston, bound for Liverpool via Halifax on 1st July. The ship ran aground the following day on the Black Ledge reef off Seal Island, Nova Scotia, the weather fortunately calm with all passengers, crew and mails safely landed. News of the wreck reached Halifax on July 4th and the Cunard steamer "Margaret" left at once, collecting all passengers and mails and returning them to Halifax on July 7th and then on to Liverpool, arriving on July 23rd, this letter backstamped in London the following day and charged 1/-. The "Columbia" became a total loss, the first suffered by the Cunard Line, but its cargo and moveable parts were salvaged. Vertical file folds, otherwise fine, very few letters recorded from this wreck. Also an 1843 (July 10) letter from Boston to Huth & Co, carried on the Great Western with a Liverpool Ship datestamp, which tells of receiving a letter from Mr Meinhertzhagen reporting the loss of the "Columbia" upon which he and Mr Huth were passengers. (2). Photo on Page 48. £600-700
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S.S "Kestrel". 1849 (July 5) Cover prepaid 2/- in cash, from G.B. to St. Johns, Newfoundland with "SHEEPSHEAD" undated circle and blue Loughborough c.d.s, red London Paid and Liverpool lozenge datestamps, backstamped at St. Johns (July 26). Carried on Cunard Line S.S "Kestrel" which left Liverpool on July 6th, arriving at Halifax on the 19th and Sydney, Nova Scotia on the 21st, but was wrecked on the following day on the western head of the Bay of St. Shott's, Newfoundland, striking rocks when travelling at 10 knots. All passengers and mail were saved by being hauled up a cliff. The only item recorded from this wreck, discovered since the publication of "Maritime Disaster Mail" and therefore unlisted in that book. Photo on Page 51. £500-600
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S.S "Hungarian". 1860 (Feb 8) Cover from London to "Major Carter, 63 Regt, Fredericton, New Brunswick", water damaged resulting in the loss of the lower flap, the upper flap endorsed "Saved from "S.S Hungarian"". The Allan Line steamer "Hungarian" left Liverpool on February 8th bound for Portland, Maine via Queenstown with a valuable cargo and over 200 passengers and crew. It went ashore on Cape Lodge on the southernmost tip of Nova Scotia on the night of February 19th, probably a result of the nearby Barrington Lighthouse not having been lit that night. All passengers and crew drowned and the ship broke up, eight mail bags being found over the following days. Just two covers recorded from this wreck, as well as a printed ambulance envelope (see next lot). A unique cover with the wreck endorsement. Ex Woolfe. Photo on Page 51. £1,800-2,000
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S.S "Hungarian". 1860 (July 6) Ambulance envelope with the printed heading "SAVED FROM THE WRECK OF THE HUNGARIAN / RE-DIRECTED", addressed to Hamilton, N.Y with a USA 3c tied by blue Chicago c.d.s. The only example of this special printed ambulance cover recorded, a few faults to the reverse, the front fine. This was the first time an ambulance envelope was printed for mail from a specific wreck, such a practice only occurring on three further occasions. A remarkable item. Ex Woolfe. Photo Inside Front Cover. £2,000-2,400
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S.S "North Briton" - Civil War Blockade Runner. 1861 (Nov 1) Cover (letter enclosed) from Quebec to New Orleans directed "via Liverpool, England" in order to avoid the Northern blockade of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. Handstamped with Quebec and "PAID / LIVERPOOL / COL PACKET / 23 NO 61" datestamps, "PAID", "5/CENTS" and "6d Stg Paid 7½d Cy" all in red, the upper flap endorsed "From wreck of Nth Briton, WE". The cover sent to Liverpool on the Allan Line steamer "North Briton", which left Quebec on July 2nd. On July 5th the steamer was caught in a storm and lost on the rocks off Parroquet Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. All crew and passengers were saved and some mail salvaged and forwarded on the following Allan Line steamer "Anglo-Saxon". The flaps have all become detached from the cover, one side flap now missing, the other three flaps all now rejoined, the upper flap previously attached with a paper clip which has caused rust staining to the flap and front. The only recorded cover from this wreck, and an exceptional blockade runner routing. Photo on Page 51. £1,200-1,500
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S.S "Germania". 1869 (July 30) Stampless cover to Saxony with St. Louis MO. duplex and "NEW YORK / DIRECT" c.d.s (Aug 3), rated "6" in blue crayon, the reverse with the explanatory label "Aus dem untergegangenen Post-Dampf- / Schiffe Germania geborgen", tied by an arrival c.d.s (Aug 25), a further "2 Ausgabe" c.d.s alongside. Sent on the Hamburg-American Line steamer "Germania" which left New York on August 3rd bound for Hamburg via Plymouth and Cherbourg. The ship encountered dense fog on August 7th and ran onto a reef in Freshwater Cove, Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland. All passengers and crew were evacuated in eight boats and reached land safely, going on to Europe by the "Cimbria" which left St. John's on August 14th reaching Plymouth and Cherbourg a week later and Hamburg on the 23rd. The mail was salvaged and also sent on the "Cimbria", the labels applied upon arrival in Hamburg. A fine and scarce cover. Photo on Page 51. £1,000-1,200
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S.S "Germania". 1869 (Aug) 3c Postal stationery envelope from New York to Westphalia, further stamps washed off with red boxed "HAMBURG / AUG 24 / FRANCO" (date inverted) applied where they had been, a New York Paid All c.d.s below. The reverse with the German explanatory label and an "AUSG / No. 1" (Aug. 25) arrival c.d.s. A fine and scarce cover. Photo on Page 51. £1,000-1,200
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Mar.) Cunard S.S Co. envelope sent from Liverpool to New York, handstamped violet "Per OREGON / via Queenstown", the stamp washed off, endorsed "This envelope contained a letter taken from one of the pouches found floating at sea Ex S.S. Oregon wrecked & sunk off Fire Island, Sunday March 14, 1886", backstamped with violet circular "RECEIVED / IN BAD CONDITION / BRANCH / A", N.Y and New York Paid All datestamps (Mar. 19). The Cunard steamer "Oregon" left Liverpool on March 6th for New York via Queenstown, arriving at Sandy Hook, New York Bay, early on March 14th, but was then rammed by the schooner "Charles H. Morse". The "Charles Morse" sank with the loss of all hands whilst the "Oregon" flooded and settled in water off Fire Island, all 866 passengers and crew being rescued by small boats and taken to the Liner "Fulda", which took them to New York. The "Oregon" carried 598 bags of mail some of which were recovered before she sank, other bags were washed out to sea and recovered from the water or washed ashore whilst divers recovered further mail from the wreck between March and July. This cover is unusual in having the manuscript endorsement rather than a printed label, possibly because the Cunard cachet of the "Oregon" meant a further explanatory label was deemed unnecessary. Photo on Page 51. £100-120
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Mar.) Covers and cards recovered from the "Oregon", comprising a postcard from Switzerland, registered cover from the Netherlands and covers from G.B (4), Germany (2), Italy or France, all with explanatory labels applied by the New York P.O, the first a white label reading "P.O, NEW YORK, N.Y., Mar. 15th 1886. / This piece is a portion of the mail forwarded from / Queenstown, Ireland, per steamer OREGON. It was / damaged before being taken from that vessel which / was sunk off Fire Island on the 14th instant. / HENRY G. PEARSON, / Postmaster. / N.Y.P.O. PRINT.". The remainder bear labels on buff paper all with similar or identical wording but showing differing formats or varieties within the wording, or differing dates on the first line; these dates comprise Mar. 15th, 16th, Apr. 9th, 12th, 28th, 29th (2) or July 6th (3) and reflect the long period over which mails were being recovered and processed by the Post Office. An exceptional study comprising ten of the 13 differing types of N.Y labels recorded by Gwynn and Hoggarth in their fine book "Maritime Disaster Mail". (10). Photo on Page 51. £2,000-2,400
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Feb 12) Cover from New York to Pemberton Wilson & Co., publishers of the Philatelic Record in London, but marked "Gone Away" and therefore returned to the USA on the "Oregon", backstamps of London or the Returned Letter Office London (Feb 22-24). The stamps washed off, an explanatory label applied in the New York Dead Letter Office "This article was contained in the mail / matter recovered from the Steamship / "Oregon" wrecked near New York, / N.Y., March 14th, 1886, and sent to the / Dead Letter Office for identification and / delivery", with a triangular Dead Letter Office datestamp (Mar. 24). The explanatory label folded over the left edge of the cover, tear at base, otherwise fine, this DLO label very scarce. Photo on Page 51. £350-400
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Feb 8) Cover sent from Wilkes Barre, PA. to Stanley Gibbons in London with "T / 15 / CENTIMES / N.Y" and a "3d" charge mark, marked "Refused" with London and Returned Letter Office backstamps (Feb 19-20) and returned to the USA on the Oregon. The stamp washed off, with the very scarce Dead Letter Office explanatory label on the reverse. A fine and interesting cover, on the "Oregon" because Stanley Gibbons refused to pay a 3d postage due charge! Photo on Page 53. £450-500
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Mar 5) ½d Brown newspaper wrapper from London to Boston, the reverse covered by the large explanatory label "POST OFFICE, / Boston, Mass. / This mail has just / been recovered from the / Wreck of the Steamer / "Oregon." / E.S. TOBEY, / Postmaster.". Just two examples of this Boston label have been recorded. A rare item and an exceptional use on a newspaper wrapper. Photo on Page 53. £800-1,000
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Mar 4) 1d Postal stationery envelope from Ireland to Kamloops, British Columbia, bearing a 1d lilac with a further stamp washed off, cancelled at Greystones and backstamped at Newtown Mt Kennedy. The reverse bears the explanatory label "This letter is a portion of / the mail forwarded per steamer / OREGON. It was damaged be- / fore being taken from that vessel / which was sunk off Fire Island on / the 14th March, 1886. / H.N. CASE, / Postmaster. / Hamilton, Canada." with a printed circle alongside in which a Hamilton c.d.s (Mar 31) has been applied, the label tied by datestamps of Victoria (Apr. 7) and Kamloops (Apr. 11). The reverse with a piece torn from the upper right corner and replaced, otherwise fine and very rare, just two examples of this Canadian "Oregon" wreck label recorded. Photo on Page 53. £600-700
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S.S "Oregon". 1886 (Mar.) Cover from London to Middleville, Ontario, the stamp washed off, the reverse bearing the rare "Oregon" wreck explanatory label with Hamilton (Mar 31) c.d.s, the label tied by a Perth c.d.s (Apr. 1) with a Lanark c.d.s alongside. Fine and rare, just two examples of this Canadian "Oregon" wreck label recorded. Photo on Page 53. £600-700
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S.S "Eider". 1892 (Jan 20) Cover from Philadelphia to England, water stained with the stamp washed off, with a red "LONDON / PAID / 16 FE 92" c.d.s, the reverse with a "Found Open and Officially Sealed" label tied by a Bradford arrival c.d.s, and a further Philadelphia duplex. The German steamer "Eider" sailed from New York to Southampton but stranded on January 31st on the Atherfield Ledge near St. Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight. The passengers and some mail were landed the following evening, with the majority of the mails salvaged by February 8th. A further 15 sacks were salvaged on March 2nd, a final sack apparently being found in the "Eider" when she was refloated on March 29th. A fine cover, from the first mails recovered from the ship, apparently delivered before the explanatory handstamps were prepared. £80-100
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S.S "St Paul". 1897 (June 15) Cover from New York franked 5c, a front from New York with the stamp washed off and a 2c stationery envelope piece from Muncie, Ind. (June 14) with other stamps washed off, all with violet boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER" and a red London Paid c.d.s (June 24). All sent on the "St Paul" which left New York on June 16th arriving at Southampton on the 23rd, the mails having been water damaged, probably the result of flooding of the mail hold. (3). Photo on Page 53. £280-320
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S.S "Empress of Ireland". 1914 (May 26) Cover from Quebec to London, the stamp washed off, backstamped at the Ottawa Dead Letter Office (Sep. 14) and encdorsed "M.O for 67 cents, MOB 1 Oct. 1914", enclosed within an Ottawa DLO ambulance envelope with a 2c stamp from another wreck cover applied, the stamp tied by an Ottawa (Dec. 29) machine, the ambulance envelope and enclosed wreck cover both handstamped violet "Recovered by divers from wreck of S.S Empress of Ireland". Also a picture postcard of the ship. The Canadian Pacific Railway Co. steamer "Empress of Ireland" left Quebec for Liverpool with 1,467 passengers and crew. On the night of 28/29 May she encountered fog in the St. Lawrence River 20 miles from Rimouski, put her engines astern and signalled this, but was then struck by the Norwegian collier "Storstadt", tearing a huge hole in her side flooding the boiler rooms. The liner put out an SOS and managed to launch four boats, but sank within 15 minutes with the loss of over 1,000 lives. Some mail was salvaged by divers and processed over several months at Ottawa, the above cover being salvaged nearly four months after the wreck but then not forwarded from Ottawa for a further 3½ months. A fine cover with an ambulance envelope and an unusually clear cachet. (3). Photo on Page 53. £300-400
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S.S "Empress of Ireland". 1914 (May 23) Cover from Indian Head, Sask. to Blackpool, the stamps washed off, the explanatory cachet applied in green ink, with matching oval 'Branch Dead Letter Office, Ottawa' datestamp (Oct. 23) on the reverse. Photo on Page 53. £150-180
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S.S "Liberte". 1950 (Sep 2) Boston or New York to Cologne First Flight covers, addressed back to the USA, both with a New York P.O explanatory label attached, reading "The accompanying article was damaged by water / during a storm encountered at sea by the S.S. "Liberte", / which arrived at New York, September 12, 1950. / Albert Goldman, Postmaster.", the labels in differing formats. The S.S "Liberte" sailed from Le Havre to New York on September 6th, arriving on the 12th. Her cargo including 500 philatelic first flight covers which were storm damaged en route. (2). £50-60
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M.V "Stockholm". 1956 (July) Printed matter postcard with an undated New York 2c meter printed upon it, sent to Sweden, with the violet cachet "Forsandelsen skadad vid / m/s Stockholms kollision den 26/7 1956 / med m/s Andrea Doria", a recipients handstamp dated 29 August. Also a picture postcard of the ship. The MV "Stockholm" collided with the Italian liner "Andrea Doria" in dense fog off Nantucket Island when approaching New York just before midnight on 25th July. The "Andrea Doria" sank whilst the "Stockholm", though badly damaged, was able to assist with the rescue along with the "Ile de France" and several U.S Navy ships. 51 People from the "Andrea Doria" were drowned but another 1,660 were saved, the greatest maritime rescue ever. (2). Photo on Page 56. £200-250
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S.S "American Charger". Undated cover from Cutchogue, New York State, to England paid by a 6c meter mark, handstamped green boxed "DAMAGED BY / SEA-WATER / M.P / I.S" applied in the London Inland Section at Mount Pleasant. Believed to have been part of the mail aboard the "American Charger" which was damaged by fire at Havre on 8th September 1967 whilst en route from New York to London. £70-100
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S.S "Canada". 1860 (Aug 10) Stampless cover to Boston with a "10" charge mark and Halifax, Nova Scotia c.d.s., the enclosed letter written from Halifax harbour by a passenger on the S.S "Canada", who writes "We are lying upon a sandbank on which it pleased heaven and Capt. Lang to deposit us this morning ..... in order to give a clear berth to a buoy on one side of the channel, the said Lang ran his ship fast in the mud on the other. Now the question is how to lighten her. No benefit can be expected from the tide, as our trouble occurred nearly at high water .....". An unusual cover written from a wreck. £150-200
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S.S "Bruce". 1911 (Mar 19) Cover to Vermont with enclosed letter from Fraud Falls, Newfoundland, a partial N. & W. Railway T.P.O c.d.s, the stamp washed off the cover (a Newfoundland 2c from another cover applied) and severely water damaged resulting in the loss of much of the reverse. A printed green slip is enclosed, "OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER. / BOSTON, MASS. / The mutilation of this piece of mail matter was caused / by the burning of a mail car and its damaged condition is / greatly regretted. / POSTMASTER."; the words 'burning of a mail car' have been crossed out and the slip handstamped "WRECK OF S.S. BRUCE" in violet. The S.S "Bruce" was sailing from Port aux Basques to Louisberg, Nova Scotia, when it struck a submerged rock off Port Nova, near Scatterie, Cape Breton, at noon on March 23rd. Two passengers died but 128 people escaped in lifeboats and some mail was salvaged later that day. Only two covers recorded from this wreck, the other having a manuscript endorsement. A unique cover with this unusual altered mail car fire slip. Photo on Page 56. £700-1,000
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P.S "Prince Rupert". 1920 (Sep 27) Cover (letter enclosed) with Vancouver machine cancel and violet cachet "DAMAGED MAIL FROM / S.S. PRINCE RUPERT", water soaked causing the loss of the stamp whilst the letter and envelope address are both indecipherable, torn across the address panel and part of the reverse. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway steamer "Prince Rupert" was en route from Seattle to Prince Rupert when it struck rocks near Swanson Bay, British Columbia, on September 29th; the mails and passengers baggage were reported as landed by October 16th. Also five real photo postcards showing salvage work at the wreck. Very scarce only two covers recorded from this wreck. (6). Photo on Page 56. £700-800
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Loon Bay Robbery/possible Murder. 1924 (Apr 15) Cover to St. Johns, Newfoundland, with Boyd's Cove, Newf'd c.d.s, the stamp washed off, endorsed "Recovered recently from sea at Loon Bay when mail couriers were lost in May 1924, WB". On April 29th the dead body of mail courier Clair was found in a water logged boat in drift ice two miles from Loon Bay; the mails were missing as was the other courier. The only recorded cover from this apparent mail robbery and murder. Photo on Page 56. £350-450
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S.S "Nascopie". 1947 (Aug 1) Cover to England with partial oval "EASTERN ARCTIC PATROL / R.M.S / CANADA" datestamp, the stamp washed off, handstamped violet "SALVED FROM THE SEA", the reverse with an Officially Sealed label bearing the violet c.d.s of 'District Post Office Inspector, D.L.O, Winnipeg, Man.' (Aug 8). Also another cover with Canada 4c tied by Lake Harbour N.W.T c.d.s (July 16) with the "SALVED FROM THE SEA" cachet", bearing a blue label explaining it was salvaged from the R.M.S "Nascopie" lost at Cape Dorset, sent to Rev. Cole in Stirling, the label and cover both bearing Stirling, Ont. datestamps (Aug 13). The "Nascopie" sailed from Montreal but ran aground on a reef in the Hudson Straits, off Baffin Island, and was abandoned. All passengers and crew were rescued and the mail saved. The blue explanatory labels were manufactured by the Rev. Cole, in collusion with the Stirling Postmaster, who affixed the labels after the covers had been delivered. (2). Photo on Page 56. £150-180
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1967 (June 14) Window envelope from Montreal paid with a 5c meter mark, the reverse with an offset of an adjacent letter to Hong Kong (this item presumably therefore also addressed there), handstamped "DAMAGED BY FIRE / AT SEA", the vessel involved not yet identified. £70-80
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S.S "Curlew". 1856 (Feb 15) Entire letter from Robert Tucker & Co in London to Bermuda with London and Liverpool lozenge datestamps and a black "5d" charge mark, carried from Liverpool to Halifax on the Cunard steamer "America", arriving on February 29th. It was then conveyed by the Cunard steamer "Curlew" which left Halifax on March 14th bound for Bermuda and St. Thomas; approaching Bermuda four days later it struck a reef east of the North Rock, filled with water and settled down stern first before breaking in two and becoming a total wreck. The crew and passengers escaped, seven of the nine mail bags floating free. These were recovered over the next two days, some over two miles from the wreck, and were taken to St. Georges. A little water wear at upper edge, otherwise fine, the only letter recorded from this wreck. Ex Ludington. Photo on Page 56. £1,500-1,800
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S.S "Mary Bowers" - Civil War Blockade Runner. 1864 (Aug 24) Entire letter from St. Georges, Bermuda to Richmond, Virginia "p Mary Bowers" with Charleston, S.C c.d.s (Sep. 2) and oval framed "STEAM - SHIP", charged 22 cents. Carried on the Blockade Runner "Mary Bowers" which left St. Georges on August 25th with a cargo of coal, pretending to be bound for Halifax but actually made for Charleston. Approaching Charleston from the east she struck the wreck of an earlier Blockade Runner, the "Georgiana" off Long Island four miles east of Breach inlet, and sank. The passengers and crew escaped ashore and reached Charleston where they delivered the mailbag on September 2nd, but the cargo was lost. A boy, inadvertently left behind on the wreck, was picked up the following day by the USS "Wamsutta". A unique Blockade Runner cover from Bermuda, the ship wrecked upon another wreck! Ex Ludington. Photo Inside Front Cover. £2,400-2,800
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S.S "Fort Victoria". 1929 (Dec 14) Cover from Washington DC to Hamilton, Bermuda, the stamp washed off, the reverse bearing the explanatory label "Post Office, New York, N.Y. / This article (damaged by water) is part of / the contents of the mail sacks for Bermuda on / board the S.S. Fort Victoria, which vessel, in a / dense fog, was rammed by the S.S Algonquin / and sank in New York Harbor December 18, 1929. / J.J. KIELY, Postmaster. / N.Y.P.O. - 12-27-29-3000". The "Fort Victoria" stopped off Sandy Hook to land a pilot in thick fog and was rammed by the "Algonquin", sinking later that day. All passengers and crew landed safely, some of the mails being recovered over the following week. Photo on Page 56. £250-300
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SV "Ealing Grove". 1839 Entire letter to London (redirected to Lancaster) endorsed "Consignees letter per Ealing Grove" handstamped "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (Rob. S3) in black and an unusually fine "(crown) / EXEMPT SHIP LR" (Rob. Ex 1) of London in red, with London backstamps (Aug 10 and 12), charged 1/4, increased to 3/4 upon redirection with boxed "POSTAGE NOT PAID / TO LONDON" applied. The "Ealing Grove" sailed from Dominica to London via Antigua but stranded on the south side of Antigua on June 28th and took on water. She got off on July 1st after being lightened and reached Antigua on the 3rd but was condemned as unseaworthy on July 13th. The mails were then carried to England on the SV "Thos. Carty". An exceptional exempt ship letter involved in a ship wreck, a new discovery since the publication of "Maritime Disaster Mail" and therefore not listed in that book. An important item, being the earliest recorded West Indies wreck cover. Photo on Page 58. £900-1,200
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S.S "Bergenseren". 1890 (Feb 18) Cover from Kingston, Jamaica, to London endorsed "per s/s Bergenseren via America" bearing Jamaica 4d pair, a third stamp missing with red boxed "JAMAICA PAID / 22 PE 1870" applied below, the reverse with the explanatory label "This Postal-Packet was contained in the Mail / Bag from Kingston for New York via Port Maria, / Jamaica, for despatch per S.S "Bergenseren," / which Mail Bag was washed away in the "Haughton / River" near Annotto Bay, on the night of Tuesday / the 18th instant, and which was subsequently re- / covered. / FRED. SULLIVAN / Postmaster for Jamaica. / General Post Office, / 21st Feb., 1890", tied by a Kingston squared circle (Feb. 24), a London arrival c.d.s of March 15th. The Annotto Bay to Port Maria mule cart was washed away whilst crossing the Houghton river and one bag of letters intended for the S.S "Bergenseren" sailing to New York was submerged for nearly 24 hours; it was taken to Jamaica where the letters were dried, a number have lost some or all their stamps. Opened out to display the label, edge tear at base, otherwise fine. An interesting item, only about ten covers recorded. Photo on Page 58. £350-400
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S.S "Ailsa". 1896 (Feb 26) USA 1c Postcard from Springfield, Ohio, to Kingston, Jamaica, with an arrival c.d.s (Apr 20), a stamp washed off, bearing the explanatory label "This article of mail matter has / been recovered from the wreck of / S.S. "Ailsa" which sunk in New / York Harbour on 29th February, / 1896. / GEO. H. PEARCE, / P.M. Jamaica. / G.P.O. Jamaica, / 17th April, 1896." The "Ailsa" left New York on February 29th bound for Jamaica and Costa Rica, but was advised by the pilot to anchor an hour later near Fort Wadsworth; a further hour later the French steamer "La Bourgogne" collided with the "Ailsa" and cut almost halfway through its bow. The "Ailsa" weighed anchor and made for shore, crew and passengers taking to the rigging, and touched bottom 300 yards off Fort Hamilton. The crew and passengers (including the Jamaica Postmaster George Pearce) were taken off by the tug "Harold" and the mail subsequently salvaged. A fine and unusual use of this label on a postcard. Photo on Page 58. £350-400
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S.S "Cobequid". 1914 (Jan 1) Cover from Barbados to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the stamp washed off, with a superb cachet "FROM WRECK OF S.S "COBEQUID". The Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. S.S "Cobequid" was on her first return trip from the West Indies to her home port of Halifax when she struck the Trinity Ledge rocks, near the entrance of the Bay of Fundy on the Nova Scotia coast, during a gale and blizzard on January 13th. The passengers and crew stayed on the ship's superstructure which remained above water until rescued the following day. A fine cover. Photo on Page 58. £350-450
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S.S "Imperator"/"Maryland". 1919 (Nov 23) Cover from Gonaives to Le Havre, a little water stained and the stamp washed off, backstamped with a Port Au Prince c.d.s (Nov 26) and the violet cachet "ACCIDENT DE MER / Bureau du / HAVRE-PRINCIPAL". Either from the S.S "Imperator" which sailed from New York on December 11th for Southampton arriving on the 21st with storm damaged mails, or from the S.S "Maryland" which was bound from Canada to England when it collided with S.S "Carmania" 500 miles off Halifax on December 10th, but was able to proceed to England despite damage to the ship. An uncommon Haiti wreck cachet. Photo on Page 58. £180-220
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S.S "Imperator"/"Maryland". 1919 (Nov 18) Cover to London bearing St. Kitts 1½d War Stamp tied by St. Kitts A12 duplex with black boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", either from the "Imperator" or "Maryland". Very unusual and scarce from St. Kitts. Photo on Page 58. £250-300
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S.V. "Medora". 1837 (June 19) Entire from George Galbraith in Sydney to William Galbraith in Scotland, endorsed "Per Medora" with red oval "PAID SHIP LETTER / SYDNEY" datestamp and manuscript "3", carried on the "Medora" as far as Brazil. The "Medora" was wrecked on 25th September on the Brazilian coast 30 miles north of Bahia, the main top mast breaking, the ship being driven among the breakers, the crew of 13 being rescued by a schooner. The mails were then transferred to the Packet sailing from Bahia to Falmouth, handstamped upon arrival with two strikes of undated "BRAZIL / F" and the boxed "½" (Scottish additional ½d charge) all in the distinctive green ink of Falmouth, charged 7/6. A unique entire, still the only known item from this wreck, also an exceptional use of the Brazil F Packet handstamp on a letter from Australia, a result of the wreck causing the mail to be transferred to the Packet service. Vertical file fold, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 58. £1,800-2,000
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S.V "Belle". 1854 (Dec 19) Entire letter to London "P. Severn", the reverse with Bahia British P.O and London (JA 15 1855) datestamps, charged 1/-. The wax seal impressed "British Consulate, Bahia", the letter reading "The Brig Belle having been wrecked the inclosed letter is returned. British Consulate, Bahia 19 Decr. 1854". The SV "Belle" served as a survey ship in the U.S coast survey along the Gulf Coast when she sank in a gale late in 1853. An unusual lettersheet used as an ambulance cover, probably to return a letter sent to the S.V "Belle" via the British Consul. £250-300
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P.S "Bearn". 1865 (Feb 22) Entire letter from Rio de Janeiro to Paris bearing 1861 280 reis red (four large margins) tied by a vertical oval of bars, datestamps of Rio de Janeiro, "BRESIL / CALAIS" and Paris (both Apr 7) with red boxed "PD". Carried on the French paddle steamer "Bearn" which left Rio for Bahia on February 25th but was caught in a storm on the 27th, and stranded a mile off shore by strong currents 47 miles south of Bahia. The ship became a total loss but all crew, passengers and mails were rescued; the passengers and the postal agent with the mails went to Europe on the "Parana" which left Bahia on March 14th. A fine and rare cover, just two covers recorded from this wreck. Photo on Page 58. £1,200-1,500
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