1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Two horizontal strips of three, left strip Positions 83-85R1E, right strip Positions 86-88R1E, large margins, each with one margin clear to slightly in, right strip small scissors-cut between right stamps, cancelled by penstrokes, blue "New Bedford Ms. Aug 23" circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Honolulu, Hawaii, addressed to "Capt. Joseph Diaz, Ship 'Pocahontas', care of Messrs. Makee Anthon & Co. Honolulu, Sandwich Islands", sender's directive instructions "Via California"

VERY FINE. A PHENOMENAL USE OF SIX ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE STAMPS ON A COVER TO HAWAII. BELIEVED TO BE A UNIQUE FRANKING, AND QUITE LIKELY THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF A UNITED STATES ADHESIVE STAMP TO OR FROM HAWAII.

The ship Pocahontas, a whaling vessel built at Wareham, Massachusetts, in 1821, was lost in 1857. There are several pieces of information we can use to narrow down the year of use of this cover. The United States stamps on this cover paid the 6c rate for distances over 3,000 miles. The rate was in effect from July 1851 thru April 1855. Hawaiian postage would have been paid in cash. Makee Anthon & Co. was a prominent forwarder who would hold mail for arriving ships, but the business was dissolved in 1852. That would narrow the period of use to 1851 or 1852. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is in possession of Captain Diaz's log books, from a voyage to the North Pacific from 1850-1853. According to the Dennis Woods abstracts, an exhaustive collection of voyage abstracts of Yankee whalers compiled from the newspaper The Whalemen’s Shipping List and Merchants’ Transcript (1843-1917), the Pocahontas was at Honolulu October 1851, which is positive proof that this August cover was mailed in 1851, within the first two months of the 1851 Issue's release.

Ex Haas and "Tito". With 1973 P.F. certificate

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 1E, horizontal strip of six, full margins to in along bottom at right, tied by red grid cancels and matching "St. Louis Mo. Jul. 18" (1851) circular datestamp with additional clear strike below on folded cover to Nassau Street address in New York City, July 19, 1851 docketing at bottom, fifth stamp with crease from file fold and small fault at top, file fold is slightly toned, Fine appearing and rare first-month use of a strip of six to pay double the 3c rate

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1c Blue, Type II (7). Plate 2, horizontal strip of five, large margin at bottom, just in at top on three right stamps, deep rich color, tied by multiple strikes of "New Orleans La. Aug. 19" (1856) circular datestamp on bluish gray lengthy folded letter written in French to Paris, France, sender's directive "per Boston Steamer" at top, red "New-York Br. Pkt. Aug. 26" circular datestamp, carried on the Cunarder Canada, departing Boston Aug. 27, 1856, arriving Liverpool Sep. 7, red London transit backstamp, "26" decimes due handstamp and Sep. 8 Calais entry datestamp also ties strip, fresh and Very Fine, a scarce strip of five of the 1c 1851 Imperforate issue paying the shore-to-ship rate for British Open Mail to France

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 1E, large margins to just in including part of adjoining stamp at bottom, cancelled by red grid, matching "Cincinnati O. Jul. 8" (1851) circular datestamp on folded printed circular dated June 30, 1851 to Hanging Rock O., circular notes dissolution of a partnership and formation of new firm of Moore & Anderson, publishers, booksellers and stationers, end with the missive "The rates of postage, under the new law, renders it desirable that communications by mail should be pre-paid. Please pay all letters to us, and we will reciprocate", fresh and Very Fine, a desirable early example of the 1c used for its intended purpose of paying the circular rate, ex Cipolla, with 1988 P.F. certificate

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 71L2 and 81-82L2, single and horizontal pair, large margins to just in, rich color, tied by two strikes of "Canton Ga. Apr. 9" (1863) Confederate post office circular datestamp on blue folded letter with 1863 docketing to Spring Place Ga., written on behalf of a Confederate widow, no indication of postage due, vertical file fold not affecting stamps which have some foxing, left stamp small tear at bottom left, center stamp diagonal crease (breaks paper) at top left, erased pencil notes

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS CONFEDERATE STATE USE OF THE ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE, LONG AFTER DEMONETIZATION, IS PROBABLY UNIQUE.

The unearthing and use of obsolete United States stamps in the Confederate States was not unheard of, but this appears to be an extreme example of antebellum stamps accepted not only for Confederate postage, but also for the old pre-war 3c rate.

Ex Bailar. With 1992 and 2015 P.F. certificates

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Two covers bearing strips of three, first vertical strip tied by red grid cancels with "Portland Me. Aug. 9" (1857) circular datestamp on folded letter to Brunswick Me., light file fold affects top stamp, appears Very Fine, second with horizontal strip tied by indistinct circular datestamp on buff cover to Sterling Mass., strip with some puckering from application and cover with corner nicks, otherwise Fine

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 98-100R1E, horizontal strip of three, margins to just into design in places, beautiful bright early Robin’s Egg shade, tied by vivid red grid cancels, matching “Cleveland O. Jul. 16” (1851) first month circular datestamp on blue folded letter to New York City, light file fold affects right stamp, still Very Fine, a colorful and scarce first-month use from Cleveland, the righthand position on later impressions yields a Type IIIA stamp, it is only known as Type II from early impressions, ex Hackmey and Gross, signed Ashbrook, with 2005 P.F. certificate

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1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 68-69R2, two singles, used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. I (11), tied by “New Orleans La. Mar. 24, 1857” circular datestamps on blue folded letter to Bordeaux, France, neat strike of “GB/1F60c” Anglo-French accountancy handstamp, “8” decimes due handstamp, Boston, London and Bordeaux backstamps, some light spots of toning not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Very Fine, a choice “Three Months” cover to France, ex Judd and Vogel, with 2011 P.F. certificate

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1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Position 51L3, large margins to just into plumes at bottom including left sheet margin with “ENGRAVERS, Phila. New York. Bo(ston)” portion of imprint, deep luxuriant color distinctive to stamps from Plate 3, tied by blue “Montpelier Vt. Sep. 14, 1857” circular datestamp on buff cover to Ripton Vt.

VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ONE-CENT 1851 STAMP FROM PLATE 3 SHOWING A PORTION OF THE IMPRINT. ONLY ONE OTHER ON-COVER EXAMPLE IS RECORDED.

Any example of a 1c stamp from Plate 3 showing a portion of the imprint is rare. The Neinken book states that only one stamp is known showing any portion of the actual “3” plate number (ex Wagshal, offered in this sale as lot 67). This on-cover part imprint example is especially rare, and is reportedly one of only two recorded.

Ex Cipolla

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1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 4 (7). Position 10L4, full to large margins, dark Plate 4 shade, tied by “West Waterville Me. Aug. 29” balloon-style circular datestamp on buff cover to Barton Vt., Extremely Fine, a gorgeous cover with the scarce Type II from the top row of Plate 4, ex Vogel, with 2011 P.F. certificate

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