Lot
7 
Forwarded via Panama. By Bush & Co., Lahaina., bold strike of chamfered framed handstamp on gray folded letter datelined "Lahaina, Maui, Sand. Isls. March 27, 1850" to Lewiston Falls Me., carried by American Bark Russell that sailed from Honolulu Mar. 29th via Lahaina (Apr. 31) to take on the Bush & Co. mail bag to San Francisco, red "San Francisco '40' 15 May" integral due rating cds with matching red "PER STr. ISTHMUS" straightline, carried as directed by Law's Line Isthmus from San Francisco May 15th to Panama arriving Jun. 16th, then by U.S.M.S.C. Georgia departing Chagres Jun. 2th to New York arriving Jul. 8th, affectionate contents from a "bachelor cousin" writing to his female cousins that sheds some light on mailings: "When you write to me you need not mind about the postage as I can pay the postage here. But you will have to pay the postage on the letter I send to you as there are no arrangements so that I can pay the postage in advance. Perhaps you had better seal and direct the letters to me then enclose in an envelope directed to Messr. S.N. Williams, San Francisco, then they will receive them with their own and forward them to me."; minor edge toning and wear, a Very Fine use, ex-Ostheimer, Advertiser; with 1996 P.F. certificate. Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED STRIKES OF THE BUSH & CO. LAHAINA VIA PANAMA FORWARDERS HANDSTAMP.
A RARE HAWAII USE CARRIED ON THE FIRST SAILING OF LAW'S LINE NON-CONTRACT STEAMER "ISTHMUS" FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO PANAMA.
Alfred Bush and Charles Robinson formed the firm Bush & Co. in 1850. It was dissolved in 1851 when Bush died.
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. On May 14, 1850 the postmaster agreed only on condition that the sender's had to indicate carriage by Law's steamers. This agreement was a breech on the government contract and was eventually terminated after five months.
References: Marking illustrated as listing example in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 on p. III-66.
The two recorded strikes of the Bush & Co. Lahaina "Via Panama" handstamp:
1. 1850 Mar. 27, Lahaina, Hawaii to Lewiston Falls. Me., ex-Advertiser, the cover offered here.
2. 1851 July, ex-Ishikawa.
Realized: $9,000