Letters Stamped Covers 1842-1889 London Eng. Phili. (05/24/2011)...

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Letters Stamped Covers 1842-1889 London Eng. Phili. OH.

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Letters Stamped Covers 1842-1889 London Eng. Phili. OH.

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Sold Date: 05/24/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Stamps

This auction is for a mixed lot of well over 200 pieces of correspondence and envelopes with most of the covers having the stamps. The postmarks that are legible are from 1842 to 1889. There are also rent receipts from 1876 to 1878 for an art studio and an apartment in London. England.
Ever wonder, or do you remember, what it was like before Email? How about those days before Internet viewing of banking, stocks, utilities, work schedules, catalog shopping and ordering details on every product imaginable? Or maybe you just like to snoop into the private lives of people from the 1800's. (I did) and here is your chance to see some of the past.
This is what I can tell you about the letters:
Some of the letters are in their original envelopes with the original stamps.
A few letters are folded to make an envelope and were sealed with wax. (Only one has the wax remaining, the others have dried wax that has flaked off).
Most of them were to and from families with the surnames of Bennett, Gibson, or Thomas.
The earliest date that I noted is 1842 and the most recent date I saw was 1889.
Most of the envelopes and stamps were protected for many years in glassine envelopes, for the sole purpose of protecting the stamps. I have removed the covers and stamps from the old crumbly glassine and placed them in newer glassine envelopes.
I think I have succeeded in putting the correct letter with the corresponding envelope if there was one. Many of the letters and the envelopes are still separate because the postmark was not legible on the envelope, and some of the letters have the date but not the year. As mentioned, the envelopes were kept alone and separate for the stamps, not the correspondence.
More than half of the letters and covers are like new, some good and a very few are poor. Remember, they are between 122 and 159 years old.
Most of the envelopes still have their original stamps, but the gum has dried on many of them, and they have fallen off the letter into the glassine envelopes.
Most of the covers have a legible postmark, not only from where it was mailed, but also another one at the destination.
The denominations on the stamps are mostly from 1 cent to 3 cent. The only foreign stamps are from London, England.
Some have elaborate return addresses on the envelopes as well as printed advertising on the letterhead.
A lot of these letters are personal correspondence giving general family news, political thoughts, civil war news, crop prices, diseases, deaths, travel, work conditions, wages, etc.
It is possible that you may be able to match more of the loose letters to the empty envelopes. (I've spent enough time on them) I marked the glassine envelopes with who they were to and from and the place they were mailed to and from along with the postal date. As I read every letter, I placed them in the proper cover if it was available.
Please view the first picture and the remaining 11 scans very carefully. I was only allowed 12 views, so hopefully, I have taken enough views of them randomly to show you the tears, soil and any flaws I could see, as well as the dates and types of material enclosed. Please ask any questions before bidding accordingly. If sold, I will ship this listing between heavy cardboard, in a USPS Priority Legal Size Flat Rate Envelope to any U.S.A. ONLY Zone for $6.00 and any foreign country for $15.00.
I am not a dealer or a collector, just someone trying to place family memorabilia with those who can enjoy it before our children or grand children put it all into a dumpster.
Thank you for viewing and good luck on all of your bidding.