Terms of SaleBid IncrementsGradingLinksContact

Sale 93: The Dale Forster Collection of Australian - United States Mails

Previous ChapterTable of ContentsNext Chapter

Via San Francisco Pre-1870

Lots 4047-4056 Lots 4057-4066 Lots 4067-4070

Lot 4047    

Australian States: Tasmania, 1850 (Jul. 12) Hobart, Tasmania to San Francisco Cal., gray folded letter datelined "Hobart Town, Can D Land, July the 12th/50" carried by private ship Rebecca Jul. 16th to San Francisco, red "San Francisco, Recd, 21 Oct" cds and matching "Ship 6" clamshell handstamp for 6¢ ship fee to port, some edge toning and wear, Very Fine and early use from Tasmania.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Sender is captain of the "Deucalian" and tells his San Francisco partners he is taking advantage of the sailing of the "Rebecca" to send a letter. He tells of his sale of the California gold and cargo he has brought from San Francisco and the status of purchase of a return cargo in Sydney. Gold would be discovered in Australia the following year.

Realized: $700

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4048    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1850 (Dec.) Sydney, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal. via Honolulu, light gray cover from the Aaron correspondence endorsed "Fav'd by Chas. Mackellar Esqr." by Sydney merchant, carried by British ship Louisa Baille from Sydney Dec. 11th to Honolulu arriving Feb. 12th, entered mails with perfect strike of "Honolulu, Hawaiian Is. / Feb. 26, 1851." two-line postmark and loaded in official mail bag, carried by same ship Louisa Baille from Honolulu Feb. 26th to San Francisco arriving Mar. 25th, red "San Francisco Cal., 25 Mar" cds and two matching partial "Ship 6" clamshell due handstamps, letter was advertised looking for addressee with "Adv 4" rating, forwarded four months later to foothill gold rush town of Sonora with "San Francisco, Cal., Aug. 23" postmark, manuscript "Ford 5" rating totalled to "15" cent due at right; small nick bottom right, a Very Fine use with a choice strike of the Honolulu straightline.
Estimate    $10,000 - 15,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE COVER ORIGINATING OUTSIDE OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. A REMARKABLE STRIKE AND IN OUR OPINION, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COVER BEARING THE HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE EXISTENT.

Honolulu's straight-line postmark was manufactured by postmaster H.M. Whitney out of italic type from his print shop. Device was used from December 7, 1850 to June 14, 1851.

Illustrated and Described in Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870, pp. 227-28, fig. 14-7.

Realized: $10,000

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4049    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1850 (Dec. 16) Newcastle, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal., gray folded letter datelined "Newcastle Decbr 16 - 1850" and endorsed "Per Albatross, Capt Knowles", carried as endorsed directly to San Francisco, entered mails with red "San Francisco Cal., 17 Mar" cds and matching "2" handstamp for 2¢ drop rate; some light age spots and small edge tear, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Ship captains were required to turn over ship letters to the United States post office officials, but in this case Captain Knowles mailed the letter, saving the addressee 4¢.

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4050    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1851 (Feb. 25) Sydney, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal., gray folded letter datelined "Sydney NSW Feb 25th 1851", carried by private ship Robert Borone to San Francisco, red "San Francisco Cal. 18 Aug" cds and black "Ship 6" clamshell handstamp for 6¢ ship letter rate to port, some interesting content "…I leave tomorrow for San Francisco with 180 passengers (wind and weather permitting), 600 tons coal & about 500 bushels barley - hope to be with you soon, after if not before the receipt of this…", fresh and Very Fine.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

AN UNUSUAL USE OF A RED SAN FRANCISCO CDS AND BLACK "SHIP 6" CLAMSHELL DUE HANDSTAMP.

Realized: $525

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4051    

Australian States: Tasmania, 1851 (Aug. 30) Hobart, Tasmania to Salem Mass. via San Francisco, datelined folded letter carried as endorsed by Brig Pryde to San Francisco, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal., 13 Nov" cds and matching "Ship 6" clamshell due handstamp with "6" obliterated by grid cancel, "12" handstamp struck for the 10¢ transcontinental rate plus 2¢ ship fee, carried by PNSC Northerner from San Francisco Nov. 15th to Panama arriving Dec. 2nd, then USMSS Philadelphia from Chagres Dec. 10th to New York, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

In a 1968 article in "Western Express", Scott Polland opined that this "6" clamshell handstamp was applied in error. We believe that it was purposely struck to satisfy postal requirements to mark ship letters with a "Ship" marking, and then the "6" rating obliterated.

Realized: $2,250

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4052 ()   

Australian States: New South Wales, 1851 (Dec. 10) Sydney, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal., slight reduced cover front bearing New South Wales, 3d yellow green (8), large margins all around, creased from fold, tied by barred oval, red "Paid Shp Letter, Sydney, DE 10, 1851" rimless datestamp, carried as endorsed by ship Sophia to San Francisco, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal. 24 Mar." cds and matching "Ship 6" clamshell due handstamp, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED SYDNEY VIEW USES TO THE UNITED STATES.

The 3d Sydney View prepays the three pence private ship rate.

Realized: $2,000

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4053    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1852 (Apr. 27) Sydney, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal., blue folded cover with red "Paid Ship Letter, Sydney, AP 27, 1852" crown cds and red manuscript rating, carried as endorsed by Bark Jessie Byne from Sydney Apr. 27th via Honolulu to San Francisco, "San Francisco Cal. 2 Aug" cds and matching "Ship 6" clamshell due handstamp; horizontal fold, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $575

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4054    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1852 (Apr. 30) Sydney, New South Wales to Boston Mass. via San Francisco, blue docketed folded cover sent out of mails by ship Lalla Rookh via Honolulu to San Francisco, brownish "Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco" forwarder's oval, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal., 1 Oct" cds and matching "20" due rating handstamp for double the 10¢ rate via Panama to Boston, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $725

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4055    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1852 (Aug. 2) Sydney, New South Wales to Boston Mass. via San Francisco, blue folded letter sent out of mails by ship Abyssinia via Tahiti to San Francisco, sharp "Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco" forwarder's oval, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal., 15 Jan" cds and matching "10" due rating handstamp for 10¢ rate via Panama to Boston; small erosion spot, Very Fine, ex-Clifford.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

G.B. Post was a San Francisco forwarder of mail to and from Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. Post Street in San Francisco was named for him.

Realized: $725

email this lot to a friend

Lot 4056    

Australian States: New South Wales, 1852 (Dec. 29) Sydney, New South Wales to San Francisco Cal. via Newcastle, datelined folded letter carried out of mails to Newcastle forwarder, red "Forwarded by Mitchell & Tully, Newcastle" framed handstamp, entered mails with New South Wales, 3d yellow green (8), four margins, tied by "55" barred numeral oval, matching "Newcastle, New S. Wales, DE * 30, 1852" crown oval, carried by private ship Salem via Kauai to San Francisco, "San Francisco Cal., Jun 17" cds and matching partial "Ship 6" clamshell due handstamp; file fold creases 3d, some edge splitting with tape stains, Fine and rare.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED SYDNEY VIEW USES TO THE UNITED STATES. THE ONLY RECORDED MITCHELL & TULLY FORWARDER'S HANDSTAMP.

Realized: $2,700

email this lot to a friend

Lots 4047-4056 Lots 4057-4066 Lots 4067-4070

Previous ChapterTable of ContentsNext Chapter