The rare PRIVATE SHIP LETTER RATE to England, Bermuda postal history 1883 private ship letter rate cover (opened at top, reduced at left) with QV 4d orange-red (SG.20) tied black K3 "2" ST. GEORGES A/DE 1 83 duplex to St. John Wood, London, landed with red LIVERPOOL/A/DE 24 83/SHIP cds clear of address. Only three Bermuda QV adhesive covers are currently known landed by LIVERPOOL SHIP cds. All from St. Georges, the other two arriving Liverpool A/JA 29 84 (carried by "Nubian"). Ludington (lot 752) mentions that on NO 30 1883 H.M.S. Northampton was driven onto Stagg Rock in violet weather. £350
BERMUDA postal history 1883 cover p. S.S. "Orinoco" to Troy, Ohio with QV ½d stone, pair QV 1d rose-red (SG.19,23) tied HAMILTON K3 "1" duplex dated A/DE 6 83 during the first blue ink period March 1882 to January 1884. This is a very rare combination as the few covers known in this band of use are normally made up with QV ½d, 2d franking. The OC 1 1876 USA-Bermuda postal convention set a 2d rate effective OC 3 1876 between the two countries but allowed Bermuda to charge 2½d per half ounce. Bermuda had no ½d adhesive until the ½d stone was issued MR 25 1880 and accepted the loss during the interim years. £375
PRIVATE SHIP "NUBIAN" (first voyage), BERMUDA postal history 1884 cover with strip of four QV 1d dull rose (SG.22) tied ST. GEORGES "2" numeral duplex dated A/JA 15 84 to St. John's Wood, London showing red LIVERPOOL/A/JA 29 84/SHIP arrival cds, reverse blue HAMILTON B/JA 15 84 and London JA 30 84 cds.
The "Nubian", in transit from Virginia, on an experimental new service for the Union Line, was announced in the local newspaper as calling at Hamilton on 10th January 1884. The ship arrived five days late and sender added this cover to the mailbag (having already written to same addressee with St. Georges B/JA 10 84 on 4 x QV 1d franking cover marked per "Nubian"). Only two covers are known - one dated JA 10 84 (expected arrival) and JA 15 84 (actual arrival) £725