Sale 1224 — 2020 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 30 June-1 July, 2020
Category — Hawaii
FORWARDED VIA PANAMA,/BY BUSH & CO.,/ LAHAINA. Beautifully clear strike of truncated box handstamp in red on March 10, 1850 datelined folded letter from Frederick A. Weld, captain of the whaling ship Italy of Greenport Long Island, written during a stop at Maui and addressed to his brother in Guilford Conn., includes a discussion of collecting 60 barrels of sperm whale oil and time in the Marquesas Islands, "San Francisco 40 15 May" 40c transcontinental rate circular datestamp in red, also clear strike of red "PER STR. ISTHMUS" straightline, absolutely fresh and choice conditionEXTREMELY FINE. FROM A NEW FIND, THIS IS THE FINEST CONDITION COVER OF ONLY THREE BEARING THE RARE BUSH & COMPANY, LAHAINA, "FORWARDED BY PANAMA" HANDSTAMP. AN EXCEPTIONAL HAWAII FORWARDER COVER FROM A WHALING SHIP CAPTAIN SOJOURNING AT MAUI.
All of the Hawaii forwarder markings from this period are scarce to rare. The Gregory census in Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 (Appendix III-C, No. 7) records only two examples of this Bush & Co. marking (there are also two others of a different and less desirable style, lacking the word "Panama"). This example becomes the third. They are as follows, listed chronologically:
1) Struck on front of March 10, 1850 folded letter to Guilford Conn., San Francisco May 15 and "PER STR. ISTHMUS" straightline, Extremely Fine condition, the cover offered here
2) Struck on front of March 27, 1850 folded letter to Lewiston Falls Maine, with the same markings and carried on same ships as the example offered here, some internal erosion and edge toning and wear, ex Ostheimer, Honolulu Advertiser (Siegel Sale 769, lot 2094, realized $9,500) and Peters
3) Struck on flap of July 1851 envelope addressed to Harrisburg Pa., forwarded to New Haven Conn, some erosion and age toning, ex Ishikawa (Sotheby Parke Bernet, 11/18/1980, lot 47)
Bush & Co. was formed in 1850 and dissolved in 1851 after Alfred Bush passed away. This Bush forwarder cover, along with the #2 cover listed above was picked up at Lahaina by the American bark Russell, which departed Honolulu on March 29. The letters from the Russell were transferred to either the Elizabeth or the Mariposa and arrived at San Francisco between May 10-12, with letters datestamped May 15 (Gregory pp. III-190). From San Francisco the covers were directed by the straightline handstamp to the Law's Pacific Line Isthmus, departing May 15 and arriving Panama June 16. After transiting to the Atlantic side they were carried by the USMSC Georgia, departing Chagres June 2 and arriving New York July 18. Although the Pacific Mail Steamship Company had an exclusive government contract to carry the mails, Law offered the San Francisco postmaster the use of his ships to convey mail. The postmaster agreed on condition that the senders had to indicate carriage by Law's steamers, thus the rare straightline seen on this cover and the #2 cover. This agreement was a breach of the government contract and was terminated after a few months. Only five Law's Line steamers carried mail to or from Panama during this brief period (Wierenga p. 328). In 1851 the Isthmus was sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and continued to ply the San Francisco-Panama route.
Honolulu, Hawaiian Is./Jan. 29, 1851. Clear strike of italic-style two-line handstamp in black on cover to Dr. Noah A. Chapin in Newport N.H. and forwarded to Winchester N.H., orange-red “San Francisco Cal. 1 Mar.” circular datestamp and red crayon “42" rate (40c transcontinental rate plus 2c ship captain’s fee), manuscript “Ford” and “5”, totaled in manuscript to “47”, red “Newport N.H. Apr. 10” circular datestamp, manuscript “Overland" at lower left suggests the sender intended this to go via MexicoVERY FINE STRIKE OF THE HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE, THE FIRST HANDSTAMPED POSTMARK OF HAWAII, USED BY HAWAII’S FIRST POSTMASTER, HENRY M. WHITNEY.
Fred Gregory records a total of 35 examples of this straightline marking. This letter was carried on the Corsair, which departed Honolulu January 31, 1851, and arrived in San Francisco on February 19. It was then carried on the PMSS California from San Francisco to Panama on March 5, 1851. After crossing the isthmus, it was carried on the USMSS Georgia, which departed Chagres around March 27, stopped at Havana on April 3, and arrived in New York on April 7.
Gregory census no. 14. Illustrated in Ashbrook, Vol. II, page 242. Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Goldberg.
Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * May 21 (1853). Bold strike of red circular datestamp on cover to Addafer, Russia (now Adavere, Estonia), addressed to “Madame C. de Ditmar, par St. Petersbourg, Dorpat et Oberpahlen a Addafer" with notation at top “Russie, Gouvernement Livonie”, “C.D.” seal on flap, manuscript “forwarded by H. Hackfeld Honolulu 21 May” on back, “San Francisco Cal. Jul. 5” circular datestamp and “PAID” handstamp, red crayon “28” rate (26c postage plus 2c ship fee), red “New York Aug. 10” transit datestamp on back and “PAID PART” straightline handstamp on front, red “AMERICA/UBER BREMEN” two-line handstamp, manuscript German transit fee in blue ink and pencil, Berlin transit (Aug. 30) and Russian receiving backstamps, receipt docketing on back “23 Marz 1853 P. P. Hafen”, light horizontal foldVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE COVER FROM THE EXPLORER CARL VON DITMAR ON HIS EXPEDITION TO THE REMOTE KAMCHATKA PENINSULA IN THE EASTERN SIBERIAN MARITIME PROVINCE. MAILED FROM HAWAII TO RUSSIA VIA SAN FRANCISCO, PANAMA, NEW YORK AND BY AMERICAN PACKET TO BREMEN.
We are aware of three covers from Hawaii to Russia. This cover and another (ex Honolulu Advertiser and William H. Gross) are addressed to Madame C(onde) von Ditmar in Addafer. The third cover is addressed to Y. L. Lortsch in Libau. The manuscript notation “P.P. Hafen” on the back of this cover and the other to Madame von Ditmar identify their origin. “P.P. Hafen” is an abbreviation for Petropavlovsk Hafen (Harbor), located in the Eastern Siberian peninsula of Kamchatka between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. From 1851 to 1855 this remote volcanic region was explored and mapped by Carl von Ditmar (the subject of his book, Reisen and Aufenthalt in Kamchatka in den Jahren 1851-1855). Von Ditmar wrote the letter once contained in this cover on March 23, 1853 (as per receipt docketing) and sent it to Honolulu, probably on a passing whaling vessel. At Honolulu the forwarders, Hackfeld & Co., placed it in the Hawaii-U.S. mail for Russia.
Once it entered the mail at Honolulu, the cover was carried by the British brig Gazelle, which departed Lahaina on June 4, 1853, and arrived in San Francisco on July 5. From there it was carried to Panama on the PMSS Brother Jonathan, which departed on July 15 and arrived around July 28. It crossed the isthmus and was carried from Aspinwall to New York by the USMSS Illinois, which departed on August 1 and arrived on August 10. At New York it was put on the Ocean Line’s Washington, which departed on August 13 and arrived at Bremen on August 29. The address lists “St. Petersbourg, Dorpat et Oberpahlen a Addafer” as transit points, which are today in Russia and Estonia. After a journey of more than five months, it reached Madame von Ditmar in early September.
From July 1, 1851, to August 15, 1853, the Bremen Convention rate to Russia was 20c (retained by the U.S.), regardless of the distance to New York. The 28c rate indicated on this cover apparently includes 6c for transcontinental postage (an error) and the 2c ship fee. Postage due to the German postal system was collected from the addressee.
In 1854, the French and British, who were battling Russian forces on the Crimean Peninsula, attacked Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. During the Siege of Petropavlovsk, 988 men with a mere 68 guns managed to defend the outpost against 6 ships with 206 guns and 2,540 French and British soldiers. Despite the heroic defense, Petropavlovsk was abandoned as a strategic liability after the Anglo-French forces withdrew. The next year when a second enemy force came to attack the port, they found it deserted. Frustrated, the ships bombarded the city and withdrew.
Illustrated in Richard F. Winter’s article, “United States-Russia Mail: 1840-1875, Part 1: Bremen Mail, British Mail, Prussian Closed Mail” (Chronicle 241), and Gregory’s Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 (Vol. I, p. 314). Ex Golden.
HAWAII, 1851, 5c Blue (2). Crocker Type I -- the lefthand position in the setting of two -- a sound example of this rarity, huge top sheet margin, large margins at right and bottom, slightly in at left showing about half of frameline, blue printing ink on back shows through at upper left, free of any faults or repairs, slight wrinkling typical of pelure paper and mentioned only to emphasize the extraordinarily choice condition of this stamp, tied by perfect strike of large segmented grid cancel, bold red “Honolulu * Hawaiian-Islands * Oct. 20” (1853) circular datestamp on buff cover from Admiral William Reynolds, U.S. Navy, to his brother, James L. Reynolds, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, clear strikes of “San Francisco Cal. 10 Nov.” circular datestamp with “SHIP” and “12” handstamps (10c U.S. collect rate plus 2c ship captain’s fee), parts of two backflaps missing, minor edgewearVERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY SOUND 5-CENT HAWAIIAN MISSIONARY STAMP ON COVER. TRULY ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING COVERS OF WORLDWIDE CLASSIC PHILATELY.
Ten 5c Missionary covers are recorded in our census and the Gregory census. Included in this total are the Dawson 2c/5c cover and the 5c cover acquired by the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in the Honolulu Advertiser sale, leaving eight 5c covers for collectors. Upon further analysis, however, only five of those have a 5c Missionary used without any other stamps, and of those five, one is a front and all but this cover have stamps with minor faults. For the collector who wishes to have a sound 5c Missionary stamp tied on cover, this is the sole cover meeting that criteria.
This cover was carried on the American brig Zoe, which cleared Honolulu on October 22, 1853, and arrived in San Francisco on November 9 (the datestamp was applied the next day). From San Francisco it was carried by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s John L. Stephens, departing on November 16 and arriving at Panama City on November 28. The mail was carried across the isthmus to Aspinwall, and from there it left on the U.S. Mail Steamship Company’s Empire City, departing December 1 and arriving in New York on December 12. The recipient, James L. Reynolds of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, paid the 12c United States postage, which included 10c for the unpaid transcontinental rate and 2c for the ship captain’s fee.
This envelope was addressed and mailed by Admiral William Reynolds (1815-1879), the older brother of James L. and John F. Reynolds, all of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As a midshipman, Admiral Reynolds participated in the Wilkes’ Exploring Expedition of 1838 to 1842. The journal he kept during the expedition was published in book form (The Private Journal of William Reynolds: United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842). As a captain, Reynolds served in the Pacific Squadron and was stationed for a time in Hawaii. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he returned to the mainland in 1861 and commanded the forces at Port Royal.
The Reynolds correspondence was first described in Mekeel’s August 19, 1923 issue. The Economist Stamp Company was noted as the buyer, and an unnamed individual identified his great uncle, a naval officer, as the source (Admiral Reynolds). Two recorded Missionary covers come from the Reynolds correspondence: this cover and a 13c cover.
Ex Gibson, Admiral Harris, Golden and Gross. Siegel census no. 2-I-COV-74. Illustrated in Gregory book (page 300). With 1994 and 2016 P.F. certificates. Scott value $90,000.00 on cover
HAWAII, 1851, 13c Blue, “Hawaiian Postage” (3). Crocker Type I -- the lefthand position in the setting of two -- huge margins at top and bottom, touching at sides but framelines intact, small skillful repair at bottom right corner with minor paper addition and small bit of frameline touched up, beautiful deep shade and impression on fresh paper, cancelled by blue “PAID” in italicized caps, impression of letters ties stamp to the envelope, addressed to Miss Gertrude Van Ingen, in care of Mrs. D. Crosby, East Hartford, Connecticut, sender’s notation “Paid through”, no Honolulu circular datestamp (the devices ordered by Postmaster Whitney did not arrive until early 1852), faint red San Francisco datestamp and matching “6” rate handstamp with bluish-black “PAID” handstamp, prepaid 8c U.S. but the ship fee is not reflected in the rate marking (consistent with San Francisco’s practice from July 1, 1851, to May 1, 1852), cover creased but not affecting stamp, faint waterstain at top right just touches corner of stampVERY FINE. ONE OF NINE RECORDED 13-CENT “HAWAIIAN POSTAGE” MISSIONARY COVERS, SEVEN OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED HAWAIIAN MISSIONARY COVER WITH AN INTACT STAMP OF ANY DENOMINATION OR TYPE. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY COVER WITH THE BLUE ITALIC “PAID” HANDSTAMP -- ONE OTHER EXAMPLE IS RECORDED ON AN OFF-COVER 13-CENT “HAWAIIAN POSTAGE” MISSIONARY.
There are nine recorded genuine covers with full 13c “Hawaiian Postage” Missionary stamps, of which this is the earliest. Not counted in the total of nine is a January 3, 1852, folded letter with a fragment of a 13c “Hawaiian Postage” Missionary. It is illustrated in the Gregory book (page 274) and described as “the first recorded cover franked with a Missionary stamp,” but despite its significance as a dated item, the missing three-quarters of the Missionary stamp limits its collector value. The strip of three on cover acquired by the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in our 1995 Honolulu Advertiser sale is also a very early use (February 20, 1852), but the cover offered here predates it, as we shall explain.
This cover is addressed to Miss Gertrude Van Ingen. There is no content or docketing to indicate the sender’s name, location or mailing date, but it is very likely that it was addressed by J. S. Van Ingen, a well-known merchant on the islands. His name is listed in advertisements for C. F. Hussey & Company, located at Kahului.
The dark brown paper makes it difficult to see the markings on this cover, but with simple digital enhancement, the red San Francisco circular datestamp and red “6” rate handstamp (to the right of the “Paid”) are visible. San Francisco marked prepaid covers from Hawaii with the “6” cent rate marking from July 1, 1851, to May 1, 1852. Starting then, the “8” cent marking, which reflected the 2c ship captain’s fee, was used on prepaid letters from Hawaii. Unfortunately, the date of the San Francisco marking is not readable on this cover. However, the digital enhancement shows that there are no other markings on the cover, a significant fact that allows us to date its origin to sometime prior to February 10, 1852. Postmaster Whitney ordered datestamps from the mainland in May 1851, but the devices were not received in Honolulu until several months later. The first recorded example is dated February 10, 1852. Whitney might have started using them even earlier.
The letter with the fragment might help narrow the date range. That letter was mailed at Kahului and carried overland to Lahaina, where the Lahaina postmaster, George Gower (Collector of Customs and the postmaster 1851-54) affixed the stamp to show that postage was fully prepaid (it is cancelled with pen marks). The Lahaina post office probably applied the distinctive “Paid” cancel in bold italicized capital letters. Lahaina had a tradition of using blue ink for postal markings, and loose type was readily available to create a temporary “Paid” handstamp. One other example of this cancellation is recorded, also struck on a 13c “Hawaiian Postage” Missionary (3-I-CAN-99).
The January 3, 1852, letter with the fragment has the same San Francisco markings -- red datestamp and “6” and bluish-black “Paid” -- and the San Francisco date is February 18 (1852). The Gregory book (page 274) provides sailing vessels and dates for the mail containing the January 3 letter. The combination of red and black ink for the markings applied at San Francisco is very unusual. It is possible that the cover offered here, with the same red and black combination, was in the Hawaiian mail that was postmarked at San Francisco on February 18. Based on the Van Ingen connection, there is also a strong possibility that this cover, like the other, originated in Kahului.
Ex Admiral Harris, Ishikawa, Golden and Gross. Siegel census no. 3-I-COV-136. Illustrated in Gregory book (page 397). With 1994 and 2016 P.F. certificates. Scott value $75,000.00 on cover
12c Black (17). Large margins to barely touched, tied by "San Francisco Cal. 20 May" (1856) circular datestamp on cover to Miss Abby Marshall in Charlestown Mass., bold strike of red "Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Apr. 14" circular datestamp, few cosmetic improvements around edges, stamp slightly affected from placement at edge of coverVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 USED FROM HAWAII, PAYING THE 10-CENT TRANSCONTINENTAL POSTAGE AND 2-CENT SHIP CAPTAIN'S FEE.
Carried on the American schooner Julius Pringle, which departed Honolulu April 14, 1856, and arrived in San Francisco on May 6 (the mail was not stamped until May 20 or 21). With 1988 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1859, 1c Light Blue, Bluish White (12). Plate 2-A, Type VI (Westerberg Position 6), unused (no gum), ample even marginsVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE SOUND UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 ONE-CENT BLUE HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ISSUE.
With 2003 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1859, 2c Dark Blue, Comma after “Cents” (13b). Plate 1-A, Type X (Westerberg Position 2), top sheet margin, other sides large to huge except where a bit irregular at left, dark shade and strong impression typical of First Printing, tied by manuscript “Kau” cancellation and brownish-black “Collector’s Office/Hilo. Hawaii” in oval handstamp on folded cover addressed with blue ink in Hawaiian to Levi Haalelea at Honolulu, pencil note inside indicates that the letter originated at Ninoles, slight toningVERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED FULL COVERS BEARING A NUMERAL ISSUE FROM PLATE 1-A, AS WELL AS THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE COMMA AFTER “CENTS” VARIETY ON COVER.
Before August 1859, Hawaiian inter-island mail was carried free of charge by schooners, and there was no charge for letters delivered locally. With the rise in inter-island correspondence came a greater need for collecting postage. In 1859 the postal laws were amended to include a 2c per half-ounce postage rate for inter-island letters (and 1c for printed matter), effective August 1. Drop letters left at and picked up at the same post office were not subject to postage, nor were consignee letters handled by ship captains, as long as they did not go through the post office.
The stamps available in 1859 were 5c and 13c denominations that were unsuitable for inter-island mail. In July 1859 the 1c and 2c Numeral stamps were put on sale through post offices. The stamps were printed from newspaper type on a small hand-operated Ruggles card press. The early printings were made at the offices of Henry M. Whitney’s newspaper, the Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Later printings were made by another private printer and at the Government Printing Office. The different settings of type are called “Plates” by collectors, but the correct printer’s terminology would be typeset “forms.”
The 1859 Numerals were printed in blue ink on bluish white paper. The 2c Blue was printed from Plate 1-A (and possibly two variations, 1-B and 1-C), Plate 3-A and 3-B. Each plate (or setting) comprised ten subjects, forming a complete pane. It is known that some, and possibly all, of the different Numeral stamps were issued in sheets of 50 (five impressions of the setting of ten).
The 1859 Blue Numeral Issue is quite rare on cover. No example of the 1c Blue has been found on cover, and it has been reported that approximately 15 covers exist with the 2c Blue (excluding fronts from the Catholic Mission correspondence).
This remarkable cover is an extremely early use of the Numeral issue. It is one of two complete covers known to us with a stamp from Plate 1-A and the only recorded example of the Comma after “Cents” variety on cover. The other full cover and a front with 2c stamps from Plate 1-A were in the Pietsch collection (Shreves Philatelic Galleries, September 27-28, 1996, lots 1066 and 1069). This stamp and the one on the front show the characteristics we attribute to the First Printing: the Dark Blue shade and strong impression, and, in this Type X position, the Comma after “Cents” variety. The other full cover is offered in this sale as lot 43, and the stamp on that cover shows a distinctly different shade and impression.
The five 2c Blue Numeral stamps with the Comma after “Cents” variety known to us are: 1) Plate 1-A, Ty. X (Pos. 2), tear at right, two holes repaired, ex Honolulu Advertiser; 2) Plate 1-A, Type X (Pos. 2), on cover from Hilo to Honolulu, ex Honolulu Advertiser and Gross, the cover offered here; 3) Plate 1-A, Type X (Pos. 2), off cover, pen cancel, ex Crocker, Pietsch and Steiner; 4) Plate 3-A, Type I (Pos. 3), ex Ishikawa and Golden; and 5) Plate 1-A, Type X (Pos. 2), 2017 Rarities sale.
The cover is also interesting from a postal history perspective. With the introduction of inter-island postage rates and adhesive stamps, postmasters were instructed to “cross the Hawaiian stamps...in ink” pending the distribution of cancelling devices. This is one of the few “Kau” post office markings and the only one on cover. The Kau postmaster, Rev. W. C. Shipman, routed his mail through Hilo from January 1856 to September 1860, after which time the post office sent mails directly between Honolulu and Kau. On this cover, the Hilo office cancelled the stamp a second time with its oval “Collector’s Office” handstamp.
The addressee, Liwai (Levi) Haalelea, was an important figure in Hawaiian history. His wife was Princess Kekauonohi, the granddaughter of Kamehameha I. She was one of the five wives of Kamehameha II and was present on the occasion of the famous meal at which the eating kapu was overturned and with it the entire kapu system in 1819. In 1828 she married Aaron Keliiahonui, son of Kaumualii, the last King of Kauai. One year after his death in 1849, she married Levi Haalelea. She died in Honolulu in June 1851.
Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1976 P.F. certificate. Scott value $12,500.00 on cover is the same as Scott 13, which is more common.
HAWAII, 1859, 2c Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 1-A, Type IV (Westerberg Position 8), ample margins all around, crisp shade, tied by red “Postage Paid” oval handstamp on brown cover to J. C. McLean at street address in Honolulu, probably carried on an inter-island schooner and cancelled on arrival at Honolulu, professionally restored with edges resealed and small edge faults mended, pressed creases, but none of this cosmetic work affects the stamp, the overall appearance is beautifulVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED FULL COVERS BEARING A NUMERAL ISSUE FROM PLATE 1-A, AND ONE OF THE FEW 1859 2-CENT BLUE NUMERAL COVERS EXTANT WITH THE RED HONOLULU “POSTAGE PAID” OVAL TYING THE STAMP.
It has been reported that approximately 15 covers are known with the 2c Blue Numeral Issue (the 1c Blue is not recorded on cover). This beautiful cover is one of two complete covers known to us with a 2c Numeral from Plate 1-A. The other full cover is offered in lot 288. The third use of a 2c stamp from Plate 1-A is a front that was in the Pietsch collection (Shreves Philatelic Galleries, September 27-28, 1996, lot 1066). This stamp differs from the others in shade and impression.
Ex Seybold (backstamps), Admiral Harris, Pietsch and Gross. Scott value $12,500.00 on cover.
HAWAII, 1859, 2c Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 3-A, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), ample margins to just touching frameline, deep shade, pen cancel with vertical line and two squiggles at sides, not tied but properly used on cover addressed in the hand of Lucy Goodale Thurston to Ellen R. Goodale, probably mailed from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, faint waterstainingVERY FINE. ONE OF AN ESTIMATED FIFTEEN COVERS EXTANT WITH THE 1859 2-CENT BLUE NUMERAL.
The addressee, Ellen Rebecca (Whitmore) Goodale, was married to Warren Goodale. She was a teacher at a Cherokee school in Oklahoma when she married. She died at age 33 on February 22, 1861, about one year after receiving this letter. The writing on this cover is in the hand of Lucy Goodale Thurston.
Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1967 and 1995 P.F. certificates. Scott value $12,500.00 on cover.
HAWAII, 1859-63, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-D, Type III (Westerberg Position 1) with raised "I" of "INTER", large margins, tied by red "Postage Paid" oval (applied on arrival) on cover to Bishop Maigret at the Catholic Mission in Honolulu, unusual lengthy address and European size envelope, cover tear at top and some edgewearVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1859-63 2-CENT HAWAIIAN NUMERAL TIED BY THE HONOLULU RED "POSTAGE PAID" OVAL ON COVER TO THE CATHOLIC BISHOP.
Louis Maigret (1804-82) served as the first vicar apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands, now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. Born in France, Maigret was ordained to the priesthood as a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in September 1828 at the age of 24. As part of his missionary work, Father Maigret sailed to the Kingdom of Hawaii to help build its Catholic community of native Hawaiians. When the Vicar Apostolic of Oriental Oceania, Etienne Jerome Rouchouze, was lost at sea on board the ill-fated Marie Joseph, the Holy See appointed Father Maigret as the first vicar apostolic of the Sandwich Islands in September 1846 at the age of 42. He was officially ordained as a bishop in November 1847. As bishop, Maigret oversaw the construction of what would become his most lasting legacy, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. After his death, Bishop Maigret was entombed in the crypt below the sanctuary (source: Wikipedia).
Ex Caspary, Burrus, Golden and Frajola. With 2011 P.F. certificate. Scott value $5,000.00 on cover.
HAWAII, 1859-63, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-C, Type II (Westerberg Position 2), a magnificent stamp with enormous margins showing large portion of sheet margins at top and right and part of frameline of adjoining stamp (Type IV) below, deep shade and impression, tied by red “Honolulu Hawaiian-Islands May 8” (1860) circular datestamp on buff cover to Miss Abbie C. Baldwin at Lahaina, from the Alexander correspondence, neat docketing at left, small opening nick at bottom neatly mended, stamp with small toned spot at extreme top left edge well away from design and not noted on accompanying certificateEXTREMELY FINE. THIS EXTRAORDINARY STAMP’S MASSIVE MARGINS, CAPTURING THE ADJOINING STAMP BELOW, ASSISTED WESTERBERG IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF PLATE 3-C.
Alvah Clark took over duties as Postmaster General after the death of Joseph Jackson on August 14, 1859. Before the end of the year, Clark turned over the printing of additional stamps to the Government Press, where The Polynesian was printed. Plate 3-C was used for the first printing of Numerals by the Government Printing Office. This outstanding example is illustrated in Westerberg (page 37).
Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott value $5,000.00 on cover.
HAWAII, 1859-63, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-E, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), large margins to clear, small tear at bottom right, tied by bold strike of blue Lahaina Customs House seal with full-rigged ship on cover to Rev. S. E. Bishop at Honolulu, June 7, 1860 docketing at left indicates this was mailed by Cornelia Ann Bishop to her husbandFINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE LATEST RECORDED USE OF THE LAHAINA CUSTOMS HOUSE SEAL ON COVER. FEWER THAN TEN FULL COVERS WITH THIS CANCEL ARE REPORTED.
This marking was used by Cornelius S. Bartow, the Lahaina postmaster, before he received cancelling devices ordered through the Honolulu post office. In a letter to the postmaster-general, he refers to this provisional cancellation: “Did you order a stamp for the department of this place? It seems to me to be very necessary, as I am now compelled to use the Custom House seal.” The marking was usually struck in an oily greenish-blue ink, which left very poor impressions.
The Rev. Sereno Edwards Bishop was the son of the Rev. Artema and Elizabeth Bishop, missionaries of the Second Company. Rev. Bishop was the Seaman’s Chaplain at Lahaina from 1853 to 1862, the period in which this cover was mailed, evidently while he was visiting Honolulu.
Ex Admiral Harris, Pietsch and Gross. Scott value $5,000.00 on cover.
HAWAII, 1859-63, 2c Black, "TAGE" (16g). Four stamps from Plate 3-F and 3-G, Type IX (Westerberg Position 9), the first shows full "HAWAIIAN POSTAGE" label (blue Lahaina datestamp, Very Good); the second shows "IA" beginning to drop out (red Honolulu datestamp, Fine); the third is the "TAGE" variety (Scott 16g, blue Lahaina datestamp, pinhole, Very Good appearance); the fourth has "HAWAIIAN POSTAGE" restored (Plate 3-G, unused, minor faults)FINE-VERY FINE. A WONDERFUL ASSEMBLAGE OF TYPE IX STAMPS SHOWING THE PROGRESSION OF THE "TAGE" VARIETY AND ITS RESTORATION.
Ex Wilcox, Atherton, Honolulu Advertiser and Steiner. One with 2001 H.P.S. certificate. Unpriced in Scott.
HAWAII, 1863, 2c Black, Blue Gray (18). Plate 5-A, Type VIII (Westerberg Position 8), unused (no gum), large even marginsEXTREMELY FINE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 2-CENT BLACK FIFTH-SETTING NUMERAL ISSUE ON BLUISH GRAY PAPER.
Small red backstamp. With 2015 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1865, 5c Blue on Blue, "Interisland", Tete-Beche (22a). Plate 12-A, Types VI/IV/II/III/I and I/III/II/IV/VI in a tete-beche pane of ten, (Westerberg Positions 2/4/6/8/10 for each vertical row), original gum, h.r., ample to large margins, fresh color on nicely blued paper, horizontal crease mostly in margin between stampsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE FINER OF THE TWO RECORDED TETE-BECHE PANES OF TEN OF THE 1865 5-CENT "INTERISLAND" NUMERAL ISSUE. AN OUTSTANDING RARITY.
Apart from the Post Office sheet of 25 offered in our Honolulu Advertiser sale, we record only two tete-beche panes of ten. The other pane, offered in the Honolulu Advertiser sale in 1995 and in our William H. Gross Sale in 2016, has similar margins with a thin speck and a few age bleach spots. This is the finer of the two.
Ex Tows, Aall and Steiner. With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott value $90,000.00 as five tete-beche pairs with no premium for the full pane
HAWAII, 1865, 5c Blue on Blue, “Interisland”, Tete-Beche (22a). Plate 12-A, Types IX-VI (Westerberg Positions 10/2), original gum, large and even margins, deep rich color, accompanying certificate notes light gum staining spot which is barely noticeableEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE 1865 5-CENT BLUE “INTERISLAND” NUMERAL ISSUE IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE.
Ex Mandel, Pietsch and Gross. With 1980 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1865, 1c Black, Tete-Beche (23b). Plate 8-A, Types III-VII/V-V (Westerberg Positions 4-8/6-6), unused (no gum), the block contains two tete-beche pairs, large margins, light diagonal crease affecting the top of the top right stamp and just touching the frameline of the top left stampEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL TETE-BECHE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1865 ONE-CENT HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ON LAID PAPER, SCOTT 23. ONLY FOUR BLOCK-SIZE TETE-BECHE MULTIPLES ARE KNOWN.
According to the Westerberg book, this is the first plate with the odd numbered types on the right side of the plates. This plate characteristic and others indicate that Plate 8-A was the last to be used before the type form was reset to print the first 5c Numeral. Chronologically, this follows the 2c, Scott 24, in the order of printing.
We are aware of only four tete-beche multiples larger than a pair, as follows:
1) Pane of ten, ex Caspary
2) Pane of ten, ex Lilly and Golden (Siegel Sale 1009, lot 514, realized $35,000 hammer)
3) Block of 19 (does not contain a complete pane), broken creases and toned, ex Honolulu Advertiser
4) The block of four offered here, ex Burrus and Honolulu Advertiser
Ex Burrus, Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1995 P.F. certificate. Unlisted as a block in Scott. Value as two tete-beche pairs has changed by only $500.00 since our 1995 Honolulu Advertiser sale. Scott value $12,000.00 as two tete-beche pairs.
HAWAII, 1865, 1c Black, Tete-Beche (23b). Plate 8-A, Types I-IXc (Westerberg Positions 2-10), unused (no gum), huge margins to full including wide sheet margin, bright shadeEXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLE TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE 1865 ONE-CENT HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ON LAID PAPER. THIS IS THE ONLY TETE-BECHE MULTIPLE CONTAINING THE RESET STATE OF TYPE IX.
The type at left, “Hawaiian Postage”, is known in three states on this plate. State A only shows the “Ha” and “e”. State B shows only the “Ha”, with the rest of the type dropped out. State C shows the type fixed so all letters are visible.
According to the Westerberg book, this was the first plate with the odd numbered types on the right side of the plates. This and other characteristics indicate it was the last plate used before the form was reset for the first 5c Numeral. In the order of printing, it follows the 2c, Scott 24.
Ex Ishikawa, Pietsch and Gross.
HAWAII, 1866, 5c Blue (32). Horizontal pair, tied by boldly struck large 7-bar grid cancels, used with United States 1861 10c Green (68), horizontal pair, straight edge at left, cancelled by cork and duplex "San Francisco Cal. Feb. 10" (1868) circular datestamp on cover to Mrs. Frederic Hobbs in Bangor Me., bold strike of red "Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid Jan. 20" circular datestamp, mostly readable strike of red "Hawaiian Steam Service" double-line oval handstamp, opening tear at upper right taking small piece of 10c margin with itFINE. A SPECTACULAR DOUBLE-RATE MIXED-FRANKING WITH THE "HAWAIIAN STEAM SERVICE" OVAL, APPLIED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO POST OFFICE TO CONTRACT STEAMSHIP MAIL FROM HAWAII.
According to www.hawaiianstamps.com , the "Hawaiian Steam Service" oval was applied regularly to contract letters from November 1867 to August 1869 (there are two later, irregular uses of the marking). This cover was carried on the COMSS Idaho, departing Honolulu on Jan. 20, 1868, and arriving in San Francisco on Feb. 2. Mail from this sailing was datestamped in San Francisco on Feb. 3 or 10.
Gregory census no. 22.
HAWAII, 1866, 5c Blue (32). Tied by large target and cancelled by pen strokes, used with United States 1863 5c Brown (76), slightly overlapping, on cover to Roxbury Mass. and forwarded to Haverhill Mass., red "Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid Jun. 4" (1867) circular datestamp, bold "San Francisco Cal. Jul. 29" double-circle datestamp and matching target ties Hawaiian stamp, U.S. 3c Rose (65) used for forwarding postage and cancelled by segmented cork, "Boston Mass. Jul. 24" circular datestamp, carried on the American Bark Cambridge, which departed Honolulu June 4 and arrived in San Francisco June 28, sender's routing instructions "Per Slia...from San Francisco" partly worn away, cover shows some slight edgewear, 3c stamp small corner flaw at bottom left, still a Very Fine and attractive three-color franking, ex Aall, with 1999 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1893, 2c Dull Violet, Inverted Red Ovpt. (57g). Large part original gum, clear impression of the inverted overprint, usual slight overall climatic toning, tiny thinVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE BEST CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE INVERTED PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OVERPRINT ERROR.
Only two sheets were printed upside down, and surviving examples with original gum show some degree of climatic toning.
Ex Middendorf and Golden
HAWAII, 1893, 5c Ultramarine, Inverted Red Ovpt. (59g). Block of four with sheet selvage at right, unused (no gum), radiant color, few tiny perf separationsFINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE UNUSED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 5-CENT WITH RED OVERPRINT INVERTED. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THIS ERROR AND POSSIBLY THE ONLY BLOCK EXTANT.
Only two sheets of the 5c Ultramarine were overprinted upside down. This is the only block known to us.
Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Golden. Bottom right stamp light purple backstamp. Scott value $6,000.00 as singles with original gum
HAWAII, 1893, 10c Red Brown, Red Overprint Error (61B). Block of four with full “AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY. NEW YORK” imprint selvage at right, Positions 24-25/29-30, original gum, top right and bottom left stamps h.r., bottom right stamp Mint N.H. and with trivial natural inclusionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE IMPRINT BLOCK OF THE 1893 10-CENT RED PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OVERPRINT ERROR. ONE OF THE GREATEST SHOWPIECES OF HAWAIIAN PHILATELY.
Two errors of the 1893 Provisional Government Overprint Issues were made. One sheet of the 10c Red Brown, normally overprinted in black, was overprinted in red (Scott 61B, offered here). One sheet of the 6c Green, normally overprinted in red, was overprinted in black (Scott 66C, offered in the following lot). According to an affidavit by Louis T. Kenake, clerk of the Stamp Division of the Republic of Hawaii, the 10c sheet was issued to the postmaster at Kahuka, Oahu (Meyer-Harris, p. 240). The 6c sheet was purchased by Postmaster Jos. M. Oat and sometime around 1901 most of it was sold to dealer J. H. Makins, probably on behalf of Henry J. Crocker. The San Francisco earthquake is said to have destroyed eight examples of the 10c.
Ex Atherton, Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott value is $65,000.00 as a block, but $70,000.00 as four singles with Mint N.H. premium for one
HAWAII, 1893, 6c Green, Black Overprint Error (66C). Block of four with “OKA” of Hawaiian imprint in left selvage, Positions 11-12/16-17, large part original gum, h.r., selvage with slip affixed with embossed seal and note, “Genuine, Jos. M. Oat., P.M. Genl.”, few perf separations between top left stamp and others (not mentioned on accompanying certificate)VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1893 6-CENT PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OVERPRINT ERROR. THIS IS THE ONLY MULTIPLE WITH IMPRINT SELVAGE OR THE POSTMASTER’S ATTESTATION.
Two errors of the 1893 Provisional Government Overprint Issues were made. One sheet of the 10c Red Brown, normally overprinted in black, was overprinted in red (Scott 61B, offered in the previous lot). One sheet of the 6c Green, normally overprinted in red, was overprinted in black (Scott 66C, offered here). According to an affidavit by Louis T. Kenake, clerk of the Stamp Division of the Republic of Hawaii, the 10c sheet was issued to the postmaster at Kahuka, Oahu (Meyer-Harris, p. 240). The 6c sheet was purchased by Postmaster Jos. M. Oat and sometime around 1901 most of it was sold to dealer J. H. Makins, probably on behalf of Henry J. Crocker. Six are reported used. The San Francisco earthquake is said to have destroyed a number of examples of both the overprint errors.
Our survey of major Hawaiian collections and auction sales produced only two blocks of this error: the ex-Tows, Ishikawa and Golden block, and this block with part imprint. Another interesting statistic is we have offered only one single with selvage (from the top, narrow selvage).
Ex Atherton, Honolulu Advertiser and Gross. With 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott value $65,000.00 as a block