Lot
99 
Hawaii, Gregory's U.S. and California Express, Thompson & Hitchcock, Agts., 149 Pearl St., N.Y., unusually clear strike of red three-line express handstamp on cover from Copenhagen, Denmark to "L.H. Anton, His Danish Majesty's Consul, Honolulu, Hawaii", manuscript "Care of E. A. Iüverkrop Esq., San Francisco" endorsement and red "K., T & H." oval handstamp; some light tone spots, Very Fine, ex-Van Dyke.Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A UNIQUE EARLY EXPRESS FORWARDING USAGE FROM DENMARK TO HONOLULU, HAWAII.
Realized: $1,250
Lot
100
Hawaii, Gregory's Express., San Francisco Office., clear and complete strike of blue three-line handstamp on folded cover to Honolulu, with matching "Not Paid" in blue oval below, sender's manuscript directive at top left "pr "Gazelle"", addressed to F. Rodz. Vida (F. Rodriguez Vida, ship chandler and Chilean Consul), with receipt docketing on inside "Answered Smith Bros. Augt. 11th, 1851"; couple of light file folds and minor age toning at edges, Very Fine.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Gregory's Express originated in San Francisco in January, 1850 and opened an office in Honolulu in December of that same year. In San Francisco, J.W. Gregory also acted as the mail agent for the Honolulu post office, collecting mail bags from the San Francisco post office and arranging for transport to Honolulu. By the end of May, 1853, Gregory's Express had closed their business operations in both cities.
The American schooner Gazelle departed San Francisco on July 6, 1851 and arrived at Honolulu on July 22.
Realized: $725
Lot
101
Hawaii, Gregory's, Express Office, San Francisco, three-line express company's handstamp in blue on 1851 cover with original 3-page letter datelined "City of Honolulu, Oahu, H.I. Nov. 13th 1851", matching double-lined oval "Paid" at right, manuscript at top right "Paid M. & Co. / 25", cracked but largely intact sender's red wax monogram seal "RASW" on reverse (Robert A.S. Wood), addressed to Mrs. Chauncy Walker, Bridgewater, Vt., the sender writing to his sister about his Honolulu-based carpentry business, the arrival of a second child, and life in Honolulu. Likely carried on the American ship Loo Choo (dep. Honolulu Nov. 21, 1851; arr. SF Dec. 6) with other Gregory's Express letters, cover with small repaired edge and corner tears., Very Fine, ex-Golden.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
VERY RARE GREGORY'S EXPRESS USE FROM HAWAII WITH THEIR BLUE SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE HANDSTAMP.
Gregory's Express began using their red oval Honolulu handstamp sometime in October, 1851, the earliest recorded use being Oct. 24. Why this cover did not receive the red oval handstamp in Honolulu is unclear.nnIsaac R. Mitchell, a prominent merchant in Honolulu during the early 1850's, acted as the agent for Gregory's Express in Honolulu. For the last nine months of 1851, he performed that function under the business name Mitchell & Co. Thus, the "M. & Co." refers to that company, which arranged for private transport to San Francisco, then via Panama to New York City, and ultimately Vermont.Selected images:
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Lot
102
Hawaii, Gregory's Express, Honolulu, red oval handstamp on folded letter (missing final page) written on board HMS Amphitrite in Honolulu Harbor datelined May 26, 1852, with matching red "Paid" oval handstamp at right, addressed to J.C. Wight in Nottingham, England; some splitting along folds, mended with archival tape in places, missing small piece at top middle of sheet, F.-V.F., ex-Golden.Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
ONE OF 6 RECORDED COVERS WITH THE "GREGORY'S EXPRESS, HONOLULU" OVAL MARK, AND THE ONLY ONE SENT TO A NON-U.S DESTINATION.
The HMS "Amphitrite" was one of three supply ships that played a role in sustaining the search for the missing sailors of the 1845 Sir John Franklin Expedition ships HMS "Erebus" and "Terror". After leaving Honolulu, the "Amphitrite" sailed for Port Clarence, Alaska on the Bering Strait to provision those searchers who were canvassing the western Arctic. The letter, written by one of the sailors to his parents, describes their voyage from Callao, Peru to Hawaii, the sight of Diamond Head and Punch Bowl craters, a description of native dress and dwellings, witnessing the Royal School examinations proctored by Alexander Lilholiho (future KKIV) and Lot Kamehameha (future KKV), and other anecdotes while in port.
Carried to San Francisco in Gregory & Co.'s letter bag on the Hawaiian schooner "John Young" (Keoni Ana) departing May 13, 1852, arriving at S.F. June 29. As discussed by Gregory (Ref. 1), the letter left San Francisco on the Vanderbilt Line steamer Pacific for San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. The Express mail bag was carried across the isthmus, down the San Juan river to the Atlantic side to connect with Vanderbilt's steamship Prometheus (dep. Puerto San Juan del Norte July 21, 1852; arr. NY July 29). From New York, Gregory's Express used their private arrangements for handling the letter to England.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's "Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870" as Fig. 19-3 on page II-351.
Realized: $2,100
Lot
103
Hawaii, Wells, Fargo & Co's, Honolulu, H.I., Express Paid., Well struck red oval handstamp (Shaffer 8-20, 1RRRR) on paste-up cover to San Francisco, Cal., with matching large "A" handstamp tying 1882, 5¢ ultramarine (39); cover with some light age spots and missing backflap, Very Fine, a wonderful and extremely rare Wells Fargo & Co. express mail usage from Honolulu, ex-Tows; with 1980 P.F. certificate.Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
ONE OF TWO WELLS FARGO HONOLULU "EXPRESS, PAID" OVALS ON COVER - ONE OF TWO RECORDED "A" HANDSTAMPS ON COVER.
This cover was sent during the so-called second period of the Wells Fargo Express office in Honolulu (Aug. 3, 1883 to Aug. 2, 1889). The addressee, Charles Yarick, was the son of a successful saddler and harness maker in downtown Honolulu on King St.
Realized: $4,750