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1818 Entire letter from Liverpool to Boston with an unusually fine strike of blue circular "SHIP MILO / Sail'd / Mar. 27 / G. BRONSON" and light red "SHIP / 6", scarce. Photo on Page 201. £300-350
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1819 Entire letter from Liverpool to Montreal "P. Telegraph" with "SHIP TELEGRAPH / H. COFFIN" handstamp in red, "SHIP" and a New York c.d.s, rated 20 1/2c, small paperclip mark, otherwise very fine and rare. Photo on Page 201. £350-450
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1819 Entire letter from Liverpool to Providence, R.I, "Pr Herald" with scarce circular "SHIP HERALD P. FOX / SAILD / JUNE / 3" and a light red Ship c.d.s, rated 22c, the ship name rather unclear in the cachet, otherwise fine. £180-220
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1821 Entire letter from Liverpool to Montreal "p. Atlantic" with fine red oval "SHIP ATLANTIC / SAILED / MAY 30 / W. MATLOCK", "SHIP" and a New York c.d.s, rated 20 1/2c or 1/7 currency, fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 201. £300-350
| Freight Money Letters | |
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1839 (July 3) Entire letter from Richmond, Va to France sent from New York to Liverpool on the pioneer steamship "Liverpool" with Richmond, New York, London and French datestamps and "LIVERPOOL / SHIP LETTER", prepaid 18 3/4c internal postage and 25c freight money, charged 1/6 in England and 27 decimes in France. Handstamped "PAID" alongside the 18 3/4 rate, and "STEAM / PAID" alongside the 25c freight money rate by steam, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 201. £200-250
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1844 (May 28) Entire letter from Philadelphia to the American Consul in London with a Philadelphia c.d.s and boxed "PAID" alongside the 50c charge, representing 25c internal postage and 25c freight money rate for a letter sent by steam, charged 8d upon arrival with a Liverpool Ship (June 22) backstamp. A fine freight money letter carried on the "Great Western". £150-180
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1840 (Jan 7) Entire from Quebec to London carried on the Black Ball Line "Columbus" from New York to Liverpool, prepaid 11d Cy to the US border, 18 3/4c internal US postage and 12 1/2c freight money rate for a letter carried by sailing ship, each of the three rates written separately with red "PAID" alongside and a red Quebec c.d.s. Backstamped "LIVERPOOL / SHIP LETTER" and in London, charged 8d. A fine freight money letter. Photo on Page 201. £160-200
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1840 (Feb 5) Entire letter to England sent on the Red Star Line "United States" from New York to Liverpool with double ring "DUNNVILLE / U.C" (manuscript date) and three "PAID" handstamps alongside rates of 4 1/2d Cy to US border, 25c internal US postage and 12 1/2c freight money rate by sailing ship, backstamped "LIVERPOOL / SHIP LETTER" and in London, charged 8d. Small corner faults, otherwise fine and a scarce freight money letter. Photo on Page 206. £200-250
| Liverpool Packet Letter Handstamps | |
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1840 (Oct 11) Entire letter from New York to Paris "Per Caledonia" backstamped with double ring "AMERICA / L" (Rob. P1) with red boxed "Packet Letter", charged 1/-. A superb strike of this very scarce America Packet handstamp, only used 1840-41 on letters carried by Cunard. Photo on Page 204. £250-300
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1841 Entire letter from London to Quebec with the very scarce dotted circle "L" c.d.s applied at Liverpool (Oct. 3, Rob. M22, only recorded 1841 on outgoing letters carried by Cunard Packets), rated 1/2, the red London Paid datestamp crossed out and a Canadian charge mark applied. A few small stain spots, otherwise fine and very scarce. £130-160
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1853 Stampless printed Tobacco Circular from New York to Bristol carried by the Collins steamer "Baltic" and endorsed "Open Circular", handstamped upon arrival at Liverpool with green oval "AMERICA" datestamp (Rob. P3) and a "2" charge mark. Small fault at left, otherwise fine. A scarce Packet Letter handstamp, very unusual on a circular charged at the 2d unpaid printed matter rate. £180-220
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1854 (Nov.) Entire letter from Buenos Ayres to France with British P.O backstamp and superb "SOUTH AMERN / A / LIVERPOOL / JA 4 / 1855 / PACKET" c.d.s in green (P27), "1/-" and "30" centime charge marks and French arrival datestamps. A scarce Packet Letter datestamp used on four sailings of the South American General Steam Navigation Co., this letter carried by the "Imperador" on the first of these sailings. The company got into financial difficulties and terminated their contract with the Post Office after these four voyages. Photo on Page 204. £350-400
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1852 Cover from Chicago to England endorsed "Circular" with red Chicago c.d.s and "PAID / 2", backstamped "AMERICA / LIVERPOOL" c.d.s (P5, June 6), the front with the very scarce "9 1/2d" charge mark (Rob. M54), very fine. Photo on Page 206. £240-280
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1857 (Sep 7) Stampless cover to Birmingham with Salt Lake City, Utah c.d.s, a Liverpool experimental pin c.d.s in green unusually obliterated by a green "466" numeral and a "1/2 1/2" charge mark (M68), backstamped by "AMERICA / LIVERPOOL" c.d.s (P5), "ART-5" (M7a) and "ART-5 / U.S PKT" (M8). A few edge faults and staining but a remarkable combination of handstamps (with M7a not recorded used by Tabeart); Article 5 of the 1849 Convention set a rate of 1/2 1/2 for single letters from Western U.S to G.B carried in closed bag across the USA. Photo on Page 206. £250-300
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1859 Entire letter from San Francisco to England "pr Sonora" with a San Francisco c.d.s and "1/2 1/2" charge mark (M68), backstamped "ART-5 / US PKT" (M8) and "LIVERPOOL / U.S PACKET / FE 26 / 59" c.d.s, very fine. Photo on Page 204. £200-250
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1858 Entire letter to Wales endorsed "Per mail via New York October 28/58", charged 52 cents and 2/5, backstamped with red New York Am Pkt c.d.s (Nov 6), "America / Liverpool" arrival c.d.s (Nov 22) and straight line "ART-2" (M11), used on mail sent in transit through the USA, mainly fine and scarce, the "ART-2" handstamp well displayed with the flap open. Photo on Page 204. £180-240
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1855 Stampless cover from Canada to England sent on the Collins Line steamer "Baltic" from New York with a "1/2" charge mark, backstamped at Hamilton and upon arrival with green "PKT LATTER / LIVERPOOL" (P9) and matching "CONVEYED BY / UNITED STATES / PACKET" (M5). A very scarce mark, used in 1855 on mail sent via the USA, and therefore charged higher postage, following the collapse of the Canadian Steam Navigation Co., and the reduction of the Cunard service due to the Crimean War. Ink stain at lower edge well away from the handstamp, otherwise largely fine and rare. Photo on Page 206. £250-300
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1855 Mourning cover from Toronto to Scotland prepaid 1/2 (1/4 Currency) with red Toronto Paid c.d.s and "PAID", "PKT LETTER / PAID / LIVERPOOL" arrival datestamp (P10) and "CONVEYED BY / UNITED STATES / PACKET" (M5). Light soiling at left and a small closed tear at base, otherwise fine and attractive. The only example of this rare handstamp we have seen applied in red ink to prepaid mail, carried on the Collins Line steamer "Atlantic" from New York. Photo on Page 206. £300-400
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1857-58 Stampless unpaid entire letter from Quebec with "6d stg" handstamp, and a cover endorsed "Paid 7 1/2" with "KIRKWALL / U.C" (manuscript date) and "DUNDAS / U.C" datestamps, both carried to Liverpool by Allan Line "North American" and handstamped "BY - CANADIAN / PACKET" (M10). The entire letter backstamped "PKT LETTER / LIVERPOOL" datestamp with the Canadian Packet handstamp in red on the front, the cover backstamped by the Canadian Packet handstamp in black with "PKT LETTER / PAID / LIVERPOOL" datestamp in red. The entire letter with the lower flap sliced off and rejoined to the upper flap to display the complete backstamp, otherwise both fine and an attractive pair. (2). Photo on Page 206. £200-250
| Liverpool Ship Letter Handstamps | |
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1815 (Apr 17) Printed letter concerning the re-establishment of commercial relations with the United States detailing the duties and regulations for produce imported from the USA, sent from Liverpool to Providence, R.I, on the ship "Milo" to Boston (the first ship to reach Liverpool from the USA following the cessation of hostilities, sent on the first return voyage), prepaid one third of the packet rate and then sent as a Withdrawn Ship Letter. Backstamped with red "POST PAID WITHDRAWN SHIP LETTER / LIVERPOOL" (Apr 19), the front handstamped "SHIP" and charged 9 cents (6c ship rate + 50% war surcharge). Possibly the finest known example of this scarce Post Paid Withdrawn Ship Letter datestamp of Liverpool. Photo on Page 204. £500-600
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1854 Entire from Santamarta to London endorsed "Consignee letter p. Henry Jones", backstamped with green boxed "LIVERPOOL / SHIP (S18), the front with an unusually fine strike of "(crown) / EXEMPT SHIP LR" in black (Rob. Ex2 of London, used here at Liverpool?), London arrival backstamp, charged 3d (2d Captain's gratuity + 1d inland postage). The finest example of this Exempt Ship Letter handstamp we have seen, clearly showing all the details of the crown. Photo on Page 204. £300-350
| Mails to Canada | |
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Underpaid Mail. 1855-65 Covers (3) and an entire letter comprising 1855-56 covers from York or Liverpool only franked 1d and handstamped "7d" and "10d Cy" or "1/-" and "1/4" (currency); 1857 stampless entire letter "per Persia" with "POSTED SINCE / LIVERPOOL / 8.30 LAST NIGHT" c.d.s and "10d Cy" handstamp, and 1865 cover from London franked 6d (Canadian Steamer rate) but sent by Cunard "Cuba" from Liverpool so handstamped "2d" in Liverpool and "UNPAID 5" in Canada. (4). £200-240
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1856 Cover from Hythe to Quebec bearing embossed 6d (cut square, two large margins, touched two sides but still an unusually fine example) and a 2d blue each cancelled "398", red "1d" (due to Canada) and datestamps of Hythe, London, Liverpool and Quebec. A fine cover carried on Cunard "Arabia". £150-180
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1857 Cover from Liverpool to Montreal "per Europa" franked 1d red + 1856 6d and 1/- paying the 1/4 double rate + 3d late fee, each cancelled "466", an attractive cover. Photo on Page 206. £200-250
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Soldiers Concession Rate. 1861 Cover from London to Quebec, headed "From Musician R. Morgan, Coldstream Gds" and franked at the soldiers concession rate by a 1d red, backstamped at Quebec. The enclosed letter is headed "Royal English Opera, Covent Garden" and includes "I am very busy here today rehearsing La Fille De Regiment for Miss L. Pynes benefit tonight". A little staining but otherwise fine and a scarce transatlantic soldiers cover accepted at the 1d rate despite not being countersigned by an Officer. Photo on Page 206. £400-500
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1862-66 Entires from Liverpool franked 8d + 6d late fee, both with Liverpool P.L.O backstamps, the first "p. Arabia" bearing 1856 6d + 2d blue plate 9 block of four, the other "p. Steamer Cuba" bearing 1865 6d pair + 2d blue plate 9 pair. The second item with one flap missing and laid down on thin card, the first very fine, two attractive 2d blue frankings. (2). £150-200
| Mails to & from USA | |
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1788-1829 Entire letters (3) and an entire to or from Philadelphia comprising 1788 and 1792 entire letters prepaid 1/- with "LIVERPOOL" handstamps, the second endorsed "Retnd to Joseph Birch Liverpool to pay Inland & Packet postage 1/6"; 1817 entire letter to Guernsey sent on the "Fame" to Liverpool and 1829 entire to London "p. Manchester" paid 25c to New York, with Liverpool Ship Letters (S8 & S10), all fine. (4). £120-150
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Pioneer Steamships. 1840-47 Entire letters comprising 1840 entire letter from Baltimore (Oct 31) to London paid 25c to New York and sent on the second voyage of the "President", charged 8d; 1840 (Sep 18) entire letter from Liverpool prepaid 1/-, sent on the maiden voyage of the Cunard "Caledonia" to Boston; 1844 cover to New York "p Great Western" prepaid with red "8" and a Liverpool Ship Letter datestamp; and 1847 entire to Philadelphia sent on the maiden voyage of the "Sarah Sands", prepaid with red "8", a Liverpool Ship Letter datestamp and red "NEW-YORK / SHIP / FEB 11 / 7" c.d.s, all fine. (4). £200-250
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1843 Entire letter from New York to Scotland with red "BOSTON" handstamp applied by the British Packet Agent, a "1/-" charge mark and oval "AMERICA / L" applied at Liverpool. A good example of this scarce British Packet Agent handstamp, which is shown in the British Post Office Proof Impressions book dated Sept. 1st 1842, and is recorded on mail carried by Cunard Packet from November 1842 until July 1844. Scarce, approx. 20 examples recorded. Photo on Page 206. £400-500
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1847 (Oct 2) Entire letter from Edinburgh to New York sent on the Cunard "Cambria" from Liverpool, the 1/- packet rate paid by a strip of six imperf 2d blues, PA-PF (PC-PE fine with full margins, the other three cut into), red "7" charge for delivery from Boston to New York, the two end stamps crossed by light vertical file folds, an attractive entire. Photo on Page 206. £300-350
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Retaliatory Rate / Pictorial Notepaper - Gloucester. 1848 (July 21) Entire letter on notepaper illustrated with a superb engraving of Gloucester Cathedral, written by Charles Marriott (tutor and sub-dean of Oriel College, Oxford), posted from Gloucester to New York prepaid 1/- in cash with Gloucester and Liverpool datestamps, red Boston Ship c.d.s and a "29" charge mark. An exceptional transatlantic use of illustrated notepaper, carried on the "Acadia" but posted during the Retaliatory Rate Period and so treated as unpaid by the USA who charged 24c sea postage + 5c inland postage. £150-180
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Retaliatory Rate. 1848 (Oct 20) Entire from London to New York franked embossed 1/- (cut square, three margins, just touched at top) carried on the Cunard "Hibernia". Posted during the retaliatory rate period, therefore treated as unpaid and charged 29 cents (24c transatlantic postage + 5c inland postage) upon arrival. Photo on Page 210. £280-350
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1855 (Dec 29) Entire from Liverpool to New York endorsed "Paid Late" bearing embossed 1/- (cut square, just touched at right, otherwise good margins) and three 1d reds, paying 1/- + 3d late fee, sent on the "Atlantic". Vertical file fold through one 1d stamp, otherwise fine. £120-150
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1857 (May 19) Entire letter from London to New York inscribed "per City of Washington from Liverpool", a non-contract voyage and therefore franked 1d, 2d + 6d, paying the 8d ship letter rate + 1d late fee, Liverpool transit datestamp and a circled "6" cents charge mark. A very scarce rate. £130-160
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1856-69 Entire letters all franked 1/- (one with an additional 1d paying a late fee) sent from Liverpool on the Cunard steamers "Africa", "Arabia", "Cuba" or "Canada", three bearing the 1856 1/-, two with Liverpool "Forwarded by" cachets of Baring Brothers or Geo. J. Cornish. One 1858 entire letter cancelled Newcastle-on-Tyne sideways duplex, endorsed "Above 1/2oz" with "38 / CENTS" and "48" handstamps and a "BR. PACKET / BOSTON" arrival c.d.s. (4). £200-250
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1860 Covers franked 1d to New York or Richmond handstamped "ADVERTISED" or "ADVERTISED /1 CENT", returned with red "SENT BACK TO ENGLAND / WITHOUT A REASON / FOR NON-DELIVERY" apparently applied in Liverpool, the cover to Richmond fine and attractive, the other with faults. (2). £140-160
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Wreck Mail. 1886 Complete copy of "The Somerset & Wilts Journal" for Feb. 27th, addressed to Freeland, Pennsylvania, water damaged, bearing a New York P.O label dated July 26 explaining that it was forwarded from Queenstown, Ireland, per steamer "Oregon" which sank off Fire Island on March 14th, and was recovered on July 1-4, tied by July 30th New York c.d.s. Also a letter from the recipient, sent with this newspaper, in which he writes "I send you as a relic a copy of the Somerset & Wilts Journal which went down in the mail steamer Oregon and which was at the bottom of the sea nearly four months and which I received a few days ago ..... soon after this old newspaper arrived here it was published in the local papers". A remarkable example of a newspaper recovered from a wreck, from the final mails to be salvaged from the "Oregon" with the scarce July 26 label, and an interesting accompanying letter. See online catalogue for illustration. £650-750
| Mail to & from South/Central America & the Caribbean | |
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1827-70 Stampless entire letters sent by packet from Liverpool to Buenos Ayres or Montevideo, or as ship letters via Liverpool, including 1842 entire letter from the assistant surgeon on H.M.S "Champion" at Valparaiso to the Admiralty telling them he has all the relevant certificates, 1854 letters from Liverpool to Buenos Ayres "p. Braziliera" or Antwerp to Rio Grande, Brazil, via the "Lusitania" from Liverpool, and 1870 entire letter from Ceara, Brazil, to London "p. Jerome", three with Liverpool Ship datestamps. (6). £140-160
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1860 (Oct 19) Cover from Glasgow to Mexico bearing 1d + 1856 4d and 1/-, red Liverpool transit datestamp and Mexican "4" charge, altered from "2". An attractive 1856 issue franking paying the 1/5 rate via USA. Photo on Page 210. £200-240
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1860-74 Consignees letters comprising stampless 1860 entire from Iquique, Peru, to London endorsed "consignees letter pr Kit Carson" with "LIVERPOOL / SHIP" datestamp (S18) charged 3d (2d Captain gratuity + 1d inland postage); 1864 entire letter from Liverpool to Buenos Ayres "Consignees per Paraguay S.S" bearing 1862 6d; and 1874 entire letter from Liverpool to Rio de Janeiro marked "consignees letter per Tycho Brahe" but franked at the normal 1/- packet rate by 1874 1/- plate 9. The 1864 entire letter with a couple of edge tears, otherwise fine. (3). £140-160
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1865 Stampless covers from Havana to Liverpool sent via New York, both charged 1/2 1/2, one with a handstruck charge mark (M68), one sent by the American Inman Line Packet "City of London" with a "26" accountancy mark, the other sent on the Cunard "China" so only with a "10" accountancy mark. One cover with small edge fault at left, otherwise fine. (2). £150-180
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1869 Entire letter from Liverpool to Montevideo endorsed "per Mail S.S Kepler, Consignees" bearing 2/- blue vertical pair, red oval "PAID / C" and Liverpool P.L.O backstamps. An attractive 2/- pair paying the 2oz Packet rate by Lambert & Holt steamer. Photo on Page 210. £240-300
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1877-78 Entire letters from Liverpool to Caracas, Venezuela, franked at the 1/- packet rate by West India & Pacific Steam Ship Co., one endorsed "Per Cuban" and bearing an additional 1d stamp to pay the late fee, both fine. (2). £100-120
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1887 Cover from Liverpool to St. Thomas "p. Australian" bearing G.B 1d lilac block of four each cancelled by "LIVERPOOL / 466" hooded circle datestamp, backstamped at St. Thomas, Christianstad and Frederiksstad. The envelope has "Forwarded by DAWSON BROS, Ship & Insurance Brokers & Forwarding Agents, 28 Chapel Street, Liverpool" printed under the flap. A fine and attractive cover. £90-110
| SCOTTISH STEAMER MAIL
The Graham Booth Collection
A fine collection featuring rare steamer cachets, Campbeltown Steam Boat mail, the Uist to Dunvegan Packet and Greenock & Ardrishaig Packet. These include "Iona" steamer datestamps actually used on the steamers "Grenadier" or "Chevalier" and scarce later named datestamps from these two steamers. | |
Literature, Ephemera & Postcards | |
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1831 280 Page Guide, "James Lumsden & Son's Steam-boat Companion or Strangers Guide to the Western Isles & Highlands of Scotland", third improved edition, red leather covers, containing three maps, illustrated descriptions of the routes and sights from Edinburgh to the Highlands and Islands, also the voyage from London to Leith with an excursion through the North of Ireland and a description of the Lakes of Cumberland. A four page appendix lists steam vessels employed in the Clyde and Forth, canal passage-boats and mail departures from Glasgow and Edinburgh by stage coach. An interesting volume. £100-150
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c.1890-1938 Books and pamphlets produced for tourists travelling by steamer in Scotland containing information on the sights and time-tables, comprising David MacBraynes "Summer Tours in Scotland, Glasgow to the Highlands" illustrated guide books with maps for 1892 and 1901 (each 110+ pages) and the smaller "Summer Tours in the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland" guide for 1908; "New Turbine Steamer King Edward" illustrated with adverts and map, 1901; c.1890 "Glasgow and the Highlands, Weekly Tours to the Western Isles by the favourite steamer Dunara Castle"; 1929-33 time-tables for the "Juno" or "Duchess of Hamilton", etc. (9). £100-150
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Various books on the history of Scottish Steamers including "The Caledonian Steam Packet Co. Ltd" by I. MacArthur, "The Victorian Summer of the Clyde Steamers 1864-1914" in two volumes by A. Paterson, "West Highland Steamers" by C. Duckworth & C. Langmuir, "The Clyde Passenger Steamers" by D. Davies, "Classic Scottish Paddle Steamers" by A. Paterson, "MacBrayne Steamers" by A. Deayton, etc. (20). £80-100
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"The Floating Post Offices of the Clyde" and "Scottish Islands Postal History Series" volumes 1-11 all by James Mackay. (12). £70-80
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c.1850-1979 Ephemera including c.1900 Printed sheet (37cm square) showing Loch Lomond and listing the steamers and their menu; 1928 time-table for the "King George V" with a superb illustration of the steamer and route around the Scottish Islands; c.1850 illustrated notepaper depicting Greenock harbour; c.1850 "Railway & Steamboat Passengers Guide"; David MacBrayne Motor Services parcel stamps (72); 1904 postcard from Russia to David MacBrayne ordering a steamer time-table; 1855 1/2d postcard posted at Campbeltown informing the addressee that a parcel has arrived by the Campbeltown & Glasgow Steam Packet for which 8d is due, etc. (100) £120-150
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c.1900-30 Picture Postcards (with a few more recent cards and some photos) depicting Scottish steamers (79) or ports and places in Western Scotland or the Islands (63), including eight fine coloured chrome-litho cards comprising Premier Series cards (3) of R.M.S "Columba" and the Firth of Clyde, "Ben Lomond" and Lock Lomond, or "Rob Roy" and The Trossachs, G.S & W.R cards (3) of the "Glen Sannox" (2 differing cards) or Brodick Bay, and Caledonian Steamer cards (2, one written on the "Ivanhoe"), real photo cards of the "Kylemore", "Koh-i-Nor", "Duchess of Fife", "Prince George", crowded deck of the "Albion", etc., also Iona, Staffa, Ailsa Craig (2, one with cachet), a map of "The Lady of the Lakes" and Trossachs tour, 1912 "Comet" centenary, etc. (143). £300-400
| Scottish Islands | |
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