Lot
53 
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Nov 14, bold strike of cds on cover to Alfred Russel, Onondaga P.O., Ontario, Canada, bearing 5¢ blue (32) tied by circular grid cancel in combination with U.S. 5¢ brown (76) and three 10¢ green, grilled (96) singles, all tied by matching strikes circle of wedges cancel, "San Francisco Cal. Nov 25" cds at right, red "Hawaiian Steam Service" oval handstamp, docketed as "acknowledge Feb 5 '69"; partial Onondaga (12.15.68) arrival backstamp; some cover flaws and soiling, stamp flaws from edge placement, F.-V.F. Gregory No. HON HI35 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED HAWAIIAN STEAM SERVICE USE SENT DURING THE FOURTH TREATY PERIOD TO POST-CONFEDERATION CANADA.
Cover carried on 12th contract trip by American steamer "Idaho" from Honolulu Nov. 14th to San Francisco arriving Nov. 25th. Cover was double-weight with 10¢ Hawaiian postage paid by 5¢ stamp plus 5¢ in cash, and the 35¢ U.S. postage overpaying two-times the 10¢ contract steamship rate plus two-times the 6¢ cross-border rate.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 17-150 on p. II-290, and Census #55 on p. III-18.
Realized: $2,100
Lot
54
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Nov 14, bold strike of cds on light buff cover to Amesbury Mills Mass. with red "Hawaiian Steam Service" oval handstamp and bearing 5¢ blue (32) tied by six-section grid (Gregory sqgrid18-2 X 3) fancy cancel and U.S. 10¢ green, E. grill (89), unusual dry print at right, tied by circle of wedges duplexed with "San Francisco Cal Nov 26" cds; cover corner flaw lower right, Very Fine. Gregory No. HON HI35 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A SCARCE HAWAIIAN STEAM SERVICE COVER WITH HAWAII-U.S. COMBINATION FRANKING.
Cover carried on 12th contract trip by American steamer "Idaho" from Honolulu Nov. 14th to San Francisco arriving Nov. 25th. Entered the mails with San Francisco Nov. 26th cds for forwarding by overland mail. The six-section grid (Gregory sqgrid18-2 X 3) fancy cancel is known only on a handful of covers from the Nov. 14th or Dec. 5th, 1868 foreign mail covers.
References: Illustrated in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 17-100 on p. II-241 and listed as census no. 62 on p. III-20.
Realized: $1,050
Lot
55
(Honolulu, Mar. 17, 1869), yellow cover addressed to Isaac White, Philadelphia Pa. with red "Hawaiian Steam Service" oval handstamp and bearing 5¢ blue (32), faulty, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Mar 29" cds duplexed with circle of Vs that ties U.S. 10¢ green, E. grill (89), well centered within large margins, manuscript "ships letter" at top left, reverse with "Philada. Pa. Received Apr. 23" arrival cds; light soiling, F.-V.F., ex-Advertiser; signed by Ashbrook on reverse. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Cover carried on 17th contract trip by American steamer "Idaho" from Honolulu Mar. 17th to San Francisco arriving Mar. 28th. Entered mails with San Francisco Mar. 29th postmark for transmittal via overland mail. The lack of Honolulu markings and the ship letter endorsement indicates that this cover was mailed at the wharf.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 17-102 on p. II-242, and Census #77 on p. III-28.
Realized: $700
Lot
56
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Aug 7, black cds on cover to Springfield Vt. originating in Hawaii with blue "Wailuku Post Office, Hawaiian Islands, Aug. 2, 1869" double-oval ribbon-marker datestamp (No. 215, Rarity 1RRR) on reverse, red "Hawaiian Steam - Service" oval handstamp, bearing 10¢ yellow green, F. grill (96) tied by circle of wedges duplexed with "San Francisco Cal Aug 19" cds, docketed "Received Aug 28/69" at left; small faults, Fine, ex-Advertiser. Gregory No. HON HI35 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF ONLY EIGHT RECORDED COVERS WITH THE RARE WAILUKU DOUBLE-OVAL RIBBON-MARKER DATESTAMP.
Cover carried on 21st contract trip by American steamer "Idaho" from Honolulu Aug. 7th to San Francisco arriving Aug. 19th. Entered mails with San Francisco Aug. 19th postmark for transmittal via the transcontinental railroad. The Hawaiian postage of 5¢ was apparently paid in cash at Wailuku. We note another similar use from the same correspondence to John L. Chase at Springfield Vt. dated Oct. 18th 1869 (ex Twigg-Smith).
References: Illustrated as census #91 in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 on p. III-91.
Realized: $1,050
Lot
57
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Nov 10, black cds on light buff cover to Salem Mass. bearing 5¢ blue (32) cancelled by negative "HI" fancy cancel and U.S. 10¢ green (68) cancelled by cork cancel duplexed with "San Francisco Cal. Dec 8" cds; couple tiny edge tears, fresh and Very Fine, ex-Weissman; with 1976 P.F. certificate. Gregory No. HON HI35 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A CHOICE COMBINATION USE OF THE 5¢ KAMEHAMEHA V ISSUE AND U.S. 10¢ GREEN 1861 ISSUE.
Lot
58
Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid, Nov 2, black cds on "Medical Department, U.S.S. 'Mohican' " corner card cover to New London Pa., bearing 5¢ blue (32), cancelled by cork, and United States 10¢ green, E. grill (89), each cancelled by matching quartered cork cancel duplexed with "San Francisco Cal Nov 20" cds, endorsed "Per Barque Ethan Allen" at left, original letter datelined "U.S.S. 'Mohican' off San Francisco, Oct. 10th 1869" with some interesting content, "We expected to remain here but a few days, but as the admiral is aboard our departure was determined only by his pleasure…it was the intention that we should make a cruise down the coast, but our destination had been changed to the Sandwich Islands. The Flag Ship being under repair at Mare Island and the Admiral not wishing to remain here transferred his flag to this vessel for a short cruise…" and notes to direct mail "Care of Navy Agent. San Francisco Cal…" and "… he sends the mail only by regular steamers"; couple small stamp flaws, Very Fine; with 2015 P.F. certificate. Gregory No. HON US34 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A REMARKABLE HAWAII-U.S. COMBINATION USE FROM THE U.S.S. "MOHICAN" BY PRIVATE SHIP FROM HONOLULU TO THE UNITED STATES.
The U.S.S. "Mohican" left San Francisco Oct. 12th for Honolulu arriving Oct. 31st 1869. This cover was mailed upon arrival prepaid for contract service, but actually sent by private ship American bark "Ethan Allen" from Honolulu Nov. 2nd to San Francisco arriving Nov. 19th. Postmarked at San Francisco Nov. 20th for the transcontinental railroad.
Realized: $1,900
Lot
59
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Mar 16, black cds on light buff cover to Tioga Pa. bearing 5¢ blue (32) tied by crude two-ring canceller and two U.S. 5¢ brown (76) singles tied by two strikes of "San Francisco Cal. Mar 30" cds duplex with multi-point star cancels, endorsed "Per Steamer "Idaho", Mch. 16. 1870" at bottom left, reduced slightly at left, F.-V.F., a scarce combination use. Gregory No. HON HI35 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THE ONLY RECORDED COVER CARRIED ON THE 27TH CONTRACT TRIP FROM HONOLULU TO SAN FRANCISCO.
Cover carried on 27th contract trip by NPTC "Idaho" from Honolulu Feb. 27th to San Francisco arriving Mar. 29th. The U.S. postage paying the 10¢ contract rate. Entered the mails with San Francisco Mar. 30th for forwarding by transcontinental railroad.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 17-110 on p. II-248.
Realized: $800
Lot
60
(Honolulu, Apr. 7), cover to A. L. Sturges at Woodburn Ill. bearing 5¢ blue (32) cancelled by Honolulu negative "HI" fancy cancel and U.S. 5¢ brown, F. grill (95) tied by quartered cork duplexed with "San Francisco Cal. Apr 26" cds, docketed received from Honolulu May 4, 1870; some light soiling and stamps with tiny margin flaws, a Very Fine use, ex-Gibson; with 1999 P.F. certificate. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A RARE NON-CONTRACT SAILING WITH A HAWAII-U.S. COMBINATION FRANKING OF THE 5¢ KAMEHAMEHA V ISSUE AND U.S. 5¢ 1867 GRILLED ISSUE.
Cover was carried by American bark "Comet" from Honolulu Apr. 7th to San Francisco arriving Apr. 25th. Entered mails with San Francisco Apr. 26th cds for transcontinental railroad. Letter was possibly mailed at the wharf as the Hawaiian cds was not struck.
Realized: $700
Lot
61
G.P.O. Honolulu, H.I. Paid All Aug 21, 1RR, orange-red cds on 1870 lady's cover with blue flap monogram bearing 2¢ vermilion, diagonal bisect (31b) and 5¢ blue (32), both tied by two strikes of ring3-21 patent cancel to Albany N.Y., reverse with "San Francisco Cal. Sep 6" transit backstamp; Honolulu postmark enhanced, Very Fine appearance; with 2015 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 31b $7,500. Meyer-Harris No. 245.02.
A RARE BISECT OF THE 2¢ 1864 KAMEHAMEHA IV ISSUE USED ON COVER WITH THE 5¢ KAMEHAMEHA V ISSUE.
Mail exchanged between Hawaii and the United States was greatly simplified by the Postal Convention signed May 4, 1870, effective July 1, 1870, which established the 6¢ single-letter rate to the United States. The 6¢ stamps were not available until late Spring 1871, and so the rate was made up using three 2c stamps. As the supply of 2c stamps dwindled, the post office permitted some bisects to be used with 5¢ stamps for the 6¢ rate. The first Honolulu convention period "Paid All" cds (MH 245.02) is recorded from July 22, 1870 until September 5, 1870.
Realized: $6,000
Lot
62
G.P.O. Honolulu, Paid All, Jul 8, red double-circle cds on 1873 cover to England bearing combination franking of 6¢ yellow green (33) tied by patent ring cancel (Gregory ring4-24) and United States 3¢ green (147) horizontal pair, tied by San Francisco cross-road cancels, magenta red "San Francisco Cal. 'Paid' Jul 22" cds, red London Paid (8.11) arrival cds, docketed "Honolulu, June 26, 1873" at top left, Very Fine, A scarce combination franking to England. Meyer-Harris No. 277.12 Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $700