New South Wales
Lot 218 New South Wales
Description
1851 undated part-entire to California "per Walter Claxton" with fine 'SAN FRANCISCO/14/FEB/Cal' arrival cds (Valentine's Day) and very fine "clamshell" 'SHIP/ 6 ' handstamp for postage due form the recipient, light ironed-out filing folds. Ex Dale Forster. Trans-Pacific carriage by private ship direct to San Francisco. Terrific letter speaks of ships going to the Philippines & Brazil to acquire cargoes of sugar. Also "...Seamens wages are high at £6 per month. A very large quantity of Gold came in to town by yesterday's escort some 10,000 ounces being double the [previous amount]...nearly the same quantity has been recd at Port Philip...A lump of Gold weighing 27½ lbs was received yesterday..." [Fun fact: 20,000oz of gold has a current value of A$69,500,000! 27½ lbs @ 14oz to the pound = 385oz so the "lump" alone has a current value of A$1,337,500]
Bid on this lot
Lot 218 New South Wales
Description
1851 undated part-entire to California "per Walter Claxton" with fine 'SAN FRANCISCO/14/FEB/Cal' arrival cds (Valentine's Day) and very fine "clamshell" 'SHIP/ 6 ' handstamp for postage due form the recipient, light ironed-out filing folds. Ex Dale Forster. Trans-Pacific carriage by private ship direct to San Francisco. Terrific letter speaks of ships going to the Philippines & Brazil to acquire cargoes of sugar. Also "...Seamens wages are high at £6 per month. A very large quantity of Gold came in to town by yesterday's escort some 10,000 ounces being double the [previous amount]...nearly the same quantity has been recd at Port Philip...A lump of Gold weighing 27½ lbs was received yesterday..." [Fun fact: 20,000oz of gold has a current value of A$69,500,000! 27½ lbs @ 14oz to the pound = 385oz so the "lump" alone has a current value of A$1,337,500]
