Sale 131: The Richard Malmgren Collection of Hawaii

Lot 42    

Hawaii, (Via Mexico) 1838 Oahu to Boston via Mexico, "Franco En, Guaimas" black two-line handstamp on folded letter datelined "Oahu, April 24, 1838", entered the U.S. mails at New York with red "New York, Nov 7" cds and matching "Ship" straightline handstamp, manuscript "39½" rate mark for 37½¢ distance rate New York to Boston plus 2¢ ship captain's fee, additional manuscript at top right ".25 paid L & Co." referring to the Mexican rate of postage (2 reales, or 25¢) for transit from the western port of Guaimas (Guaymas) to the eastern port of Vera Cruz, paid to Ladd & Co. who facilitated the connection with the various mail forwarders at both ports, Very Fine, Gregory Via Mexico - Eastward census no. 9, ex-Rust & Pietsch.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

ONE OF TWO RECORDED VIA GUAIMAS COVERS FROM THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND.

Carried on the Mexican schooner "Swallow" (dep. Honolulu Apr. 27, 1838). As surmised by Gregory in his discussion of this letter's nearly identical twin (carried in the same mail bag), it was likely given to the American vice-consul in Guaymas, Juan Robinson, who would have paid the Mexican postage and deposited the letter with the Guaymas post office where it was marked with their two-line handstamp. Civil conflict in the western Mexican states at the time, and the French blockade of the Vera Cruz port, resulted in one of the longest recorded via Mexico transit times (195 days). Upon reaching Vera Cruz, this letter (and its twin) were carried to Havana, and then transhipped to the William and Mary (dep. Havana Oct. 20; arr. NY Nov. 7).

References: Discussed in Fred Gregory's 'Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870' on pg. I-106-107.

Realized: $5,250

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Lot 43    

Hawaii, (Via Mexico) Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands, Augt. 5, '43, dateline on folded cover addressed to Thomas Clymer in Morrisville, Pa., blue "New Orleans, La., Oct 24" cds with matching "Ship" straight line and manuscript "52" double rate, interesting letter discussing "different ships, Constellation via Mazatlan, Pacific Squadron, 32 gun frigate", etc.; stain at center, Very Fine.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

A most unusual origin for New Orleans ship mail, carried to Mazatlan on Her British Majesty's Corvette "Hazard", sailing August 7th; the schooner "Amazon" arrived at New Orleans Oct. 24, 1843 in 15 days from Veracruz, written by George Clymer (1804-1881) who, at this time, was a surgeon assigned to the Pacific Squadron serving on the sloop USS "Cyane".

References: #38 in the Gregory Census of Via Mexico Covers.


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Realized: $1,350

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Lot 44    

Hawaii, (Via Mexico) U.S. Ship Cyane, Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islds, Oct 26, 1843, 10½ Oclock A.M., datelined on folded cover from Hawaii via Mexico, manuscript endorsement "Via Vera Cruz" at top left, postmarked blue "New Orleans, Jan 9" (1844) incoming cds and matching "Ship" with manuscript "27" rating, addressed Morrisville, Pa, interesting letter discussing "carrying Commissioner Brown to Island of Maui, on to California and Mazatlan", manuscript endorsement "Recd & forwarded Vera Cruz, Dec. 18, F.M. Dimond" on backflap, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

VERY RARE MEXICO FORWARDER AND USAGE SENT VIA VERA CRUZ ENTERING THE MAILS IN NEW ORLEANS.

The cover was carried to Mazatlan direct by Her British Majesty's Corvette "Hazard", sailing 28 Oct.; the schooner "Merchant" arrived at New Orleans 8 Jan. from Veracruz in 7 days.

References: #41 in the Gregory Census of Via Mexico Covers.


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Realized: $1,900

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Lot 45    

Hawaii, (Via Mexico) 1845 Northford, Conn. to Hawaii, "Dec. 31st 1845" dateline on folded letter to Rev. Dwight Baldwin "Missionary Sand^h Islands", blue "Northford Ct., Jany 5" manuscript postmark at top left, manuscript "Paid 10" indicating rate to Mexico, carried from New York to Vera Cruz on the regular monthly packet, black boxed "Vera Cruz, Febrero 2", faint large red oval, likely a Mazatlan forwarder's mark, with additional sender's instructions "Care of W.W. Scarborough, Mazatlan", and final directive at bottom "Via New York & Vera Cruz", carried on the USS Cyane from Mazatlan (dep. Feb. 22; arr. Honolulu Mar.13), then by interisland schooner to Lahaina with receipt docketing "Charles M. Fowler…Rcd at Lahaina, March 20th, 1846", F.-V.F., ex-Van Dyke & Golden.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

LATEST OF SEVEN RECORDED WESTBOUND VIA MEXICO COVERS TO HAWAII OUTSIDE OF INSTITUTIONS.

By the time this letter reached Mazatlan in February, 1846, William Woolsey Scarborough had already left Mexico (at the end of 1843) to return to the United States (Cincinnati) where he would marry Sarah van Buren in 1844 and found the Bank of the Ohio Valley in 1858, known now as the Fifth Third Bank.

References: #25 in the Gregory Westward Census of Via Mexico Covers.

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Lot 46    

Hawaii, (Via Mexico) 1848 Honolulu, Hawaii to Boston via Mexico and Royal Mail Packet, folded printed letter datelined Jan. 31, 1848 by S.H. Williams & Co. at Honolulu to James Hunnewell at Boston, with manuscript directive "Via Mexico" at lower left, black British Consular "Vera Cruz, Ap16, 1848" cds on reverse, with Royal Mail "Paid At Vera Cruz" crowned circle and red manuscript "1/-" on face, entered the U.S. mail with "New Orleans, La., Apr 22" cds, marked "12" with matching straightline "Ship" handstamps for the 10¢ U.S. distance rate plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine, ex-Advertiser.
Estimate    $5,000 - 7,500.

ONLY RECORDED LETTER FROM HAWAII WITH BRITISH CROWN CIRCLE HANDSTAMP.

The sender, S.H. Williams & Co, was headed by Stephen H. Williams and was the successor to the original C. Brewer & Co. business. The name would revert back to C. Brewer & Co. in 1859. The addressee, James Hunnewell, was the original founder, in 1817, of the mercantile business that would eventually become C. Brewer & Co. Interestingly, Hunnewell's second visit to the Islands was as First Officer on the Thaddeus, charged with bringing the First Company of American missionaries that landed at Kailua-Kona in 1820.nnReferences: #66 in the Gregory Eastward Census of Via Mexico CoversnnA unique example of Hawaiian 'via Mexico' mail handled by the British Royal Mail packet service between Vera Cruz and New Orleans.nnCarried by the Hawaiian brigantine "Wilhelmine" from Honolulu to Mazatlan (dep. Feb. 1; arr. Mar. 6) and by the Royal Mail steamer Avon from Veracruz to New Orleans (dep. Apr. 16; arr. Apr. 21).Complete images:
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Realized: $4,750

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