Lot
479 
1851 (Oct. 2) Bremen to Honolulu, Hawaii, light blue cover with "Bremen 2/10" origin cds with red "Paid" framed h.s. and red manuscript "20" grote prepaid rating for all transit fees to San Francisco, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Bremerhaven to New York arriving Oct. 23, red "New-York Oct 24" exchange cds, F.-V.F., a scarce Bremen Treaty cover to Hawaii. Estimate $500 - 750.
Prepayment was rate from Bremen to anywhere in the U.S. including the West Coast. Letter sent to agent in San Francisco who forwarded it to Hawaii. Transit from New York to Chagres was by US Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Illinois" and from Panama to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "California". Based on shipping arrivals in Honolulu, it is believed letter carried from San Francisco by the British brig "Harley Inn", arriving in Honolulu on 31 December 1851. Based on absence of postage due letter probably carried "out of the mails" from San Francisco.
Realized: $675
Lot
480
1857 (Jun. 23) London, England to Honolulu, Hawaii, folded letter endorsed "via New York & San Francisco", bearing red "London Paid, 30 Jun 1857" datestamp and red manuscript "1/2½" paid 1s2½d for all transit fees to San Francisco, Fine, a scarce letter from England to Hawaii. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter carried across the Atlantic by N.Y. & Havre Line steamer "Arago" from Southampton to New York. U.S. Mail S.S. Co. "Central America" carried it from New York to Aspinwall, and Pacific Mail S.S. Co. "Sonora" carried it from Panama to San Francisco. Eight days after arrival in San Francisco, letter sent privately by San Francisco agent to Honolulu on the sailing vessel "John Land", which arrived in Honolulu on September 4, 1857, 66 days after letter posted in London.
Realized: $300
Lot
481
1857 (Dec. 10) Hamburg, Germany to Honolulu, Hawaii, folded letter with "Hamburg, 16 Dec 1856" postmark and pencil "81" Schillinge prepaid rating for all transit fees to San Francisco, red manuscript "4/9" Hamburg 4s9d cried to G.B., red London and Liverpool (12.18) transits, carried by Cunard Line Niagara from Liverpool Dec. 20 to Boston arriving Jan. 2; some file folds, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Letter prepaid triple rate to California by British Open Mail via Ostend and London to New York, 3x27 schillinge. Hamburg credited G.B. with 3x1/7d=4/9d. Letter carried from New York to Aspinwall by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Illinois" and from Panama to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Sonora". Forwarder in San Francisco sent letter privately to Honolulu on the American bark "Yankee".
Realized: $600
Lot
482
1859 (Jun. 30) Hamburg to Honolulu, Hawaii, folded letter with red "Hamburg Paid June 30 1859" cds with pencil "6" schillinge prepaid rating and partial "10" cents h.s., carried by HAPAG Borussia from Hamburg July 1 to New York arriving July 16, red "N. York Hamb. Pkt. 'Paid' Jul 16" exchange cds; couple erosion spots and light toning, Fine, a scarce Hamburg Treaty cover to Hawaii. Estimate $400 - 600.
Letter prepaid equivalent of 10¢ for all transit fees to San Francisco, where forwarding agent (Krull & Moll in San Francisco?) sent letter privately to Honolulu. Letter carried from New York to Aspinwall by U.S. Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Star of the West" and from Panama to San Francisco by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer "Golden Gate". Sailing schooner "Astoria" carried letter to Honolulu.
Realized: $650
Lot
483
1860 (Jun. 13) Bremen to Honolulu, Hawaii via Overland Mail, folded letter with "Bremen 13/6" framed postmark with matching "Franco" h.s., red "Aachen Paid 25 cts. 14/6" cds credit to U.S., various manuscript ratings, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Queenstown Jun. 17 to Boston arriving Jun. 28, red "Boston Br. Pkt. 'Paid 30' Jun 28" exchange cds, Very Fine, a very scarce Prussian closed mail cover to Sandwich Islands and a very unusual overland mail routing from New York. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Letter fully paid in cash to San Francisco, the furthest it could be paid by the Prussian closed mail. Aachen marked 11 silbergroschen "foreign" postage paid. When letter arrived at New York in late June 1860, Atlantic & Pacific Mail Steamship Co. owner Vanderbilt refused to carry mail on next voyage to Aspinwall by the steamer Ariel. Congress had just passed a law that PMG could not pay more than the cost of the postage on any contract mail, which would have been a serious financial loss to Vanderbilt who had an annual mail contract. "Ariel"'s mail for California was sent overland, arriving at San Francisco on 24 July 1860. San Francisco agent Frederick Iken forwarded letter by sailing barque "Comet" to Honolulu.
Realized: $3,500