Lot 109 o
Hawaii, 1851-52, "Missionary" Issue, 2¢ blue, Type II, neat strike of "San Francisco, Cal., Apr 16" town cancellation, ample to mostly large margins all around, bold color, with only a small surface scrape at top, light creases and with no added restoration, mounted on tissue paper to strengthen and then onto card, Very Fine, Siegel Census No. 1-II-CAN-5, ex-William P. Brown, Ferrary, Hind, Atherton, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu Advertiser & Ishikawa; with 1996 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 1 $250,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THE HAWAIIAN 2¢ MISSIONARY ISSUE AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE CANCELED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO CIRCULAR DATE STAMP - A WONDERFUL FIRST CLASS HAWAIIAN RARITY OF WHICH ONLY TEN EXAMPLES ARE IN PRIVATE HANDS.
According to Meyer-Harris, when the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii, on June 18, 1851, passed an act reaffirming the Decree of the Privy Council of December 20, 1850, the postmaster was authorized to have stamps of appropriate denominations printed. Postmaster Whitney immediately took steps to put this directive into effect, and the first Hawaiian stamps, the so-called "Missionaries," were placed on sale October 1, 1851. The "Missionaries" are thus called because they are nearly always found on correspondence from American missionaries in Hawaii to their friends back in the States, either in California, or in New York, Connecticut, or Massachusetts.
The "Missionaries" were produced at the government printing office, where the government journal "The Polynesian" was printed. The printing form was composed of two subjects side by side, each set up out of materials from a job printer's case: characters, printer's rules, and ornaments, all locked in a small chase. All three denominations, including the 2 cent value, were printed from the same form by changing the large central figure of value and the words in the bottom line.
The 2¢ Missionary stamp, which was intended to paid the unit rate of postage on newspapers and other printed matter to the United States, ranks as one of the world's greatest rarities. It did not have an extremely large use in the first place, and the newspaper wrappers, having no sentimental or record value, were thrown away. These two facts probably account for its great rarity. Although the intention of this issue was that of paying printed matters rates, it is shown that it was used to prepay the 2¢ ship captain's fee in Honolulu. This is most notably demonstrated on the iconic Dawson cover and most likely was the same for this stamp offered here. Another example is also known on piece in combination with the first 13¢ Missionary issue (Scott #3), which bears a San Francisco circular datestamp, and appears to represent a combination paying the triple 5¢ Hawaiian postage.
Reverse:
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Realized: $370,000
Lot
111 
Hawaii, 1851-52, "Missionary" Issue, 5¢ blue, Type II, red crayon canceled on piece, in combination with manuscript canceled U.S. 1851, 3¢ dull red, vertical pair (11A), with portion of "Ms Maria W Pogue, Lahainaluna, Sandwich Islands" address, margins clear at right with large to huge margins around, slight wrinkling with tiny margin tear at upper left not affecting design, Extremely Fine, ex-Hind, Duveen, Harris, Amundsen & Ishikawa; with 1954 R.P.S.L. certificate.Scott No. 2 $45,000.
A CHOICE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 5¢ "HAWAIIAN POSTAGE" MISSIONARY ISSUE - ON PIECE WITH U.S. POSTAGE FROM THE MARIA WHITNEY POGUE CORRESPONDENCE TO LAHIANALUNA - THE SISTER OF POSTMASTER HENRY M. WHITNEY.
This Missionary stamps was affixed in Honolulu by postmaster Henry Whitney. The letter was sent from Auburn, Mass. to Whitney's sister, the wife of Rev. John Pogue, a missionary stationed at Lahainaluna. United States postage was fully paid to San Francisco by the U.S. 3¢ pair. Whitney paid Hawaii postage for his sister and in order to tell the Lahaina postmaster that Hawaii postage was already paid, Whitney affixed this 5¢ Missionary stamp.
The Scott Catalog notes that "values are for examples with minor damage that has been skillfully repaired."
Realized: $50,000
Lot 113 o
Hawaii, 1851-52, "Missionary" Issue, 13¢ blue, Type II, bold red "Sugar Cane" cancel (misc?(sponge), 1RR), margins huge showing portion of adjacent stamp at left, rich bright color, mounted on thin pelure-like paper with small expertly repaired area at lower left, Extremely Fine appearance, Siegel Census No. 3-II-CAN-105, ex-Ishikawa; with 1977 Jakubek certificate.Scott No. 3 $32,500.
ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLES OF THE 1851 13¢ "HAWAIIAN POSTAGE" MISSIONARY CANCELED BY A BRILLIANT RED DOTTED "SUGAR CANE" CANCELLATION.
The Missionary stamps were designed and printed by Henry Whitney at the Government Printing House on a small press used for business cards. A form of two subjects was made from available type and printed on fragile pelure paper, meaning the far majority of Missionary stamps are repaired to some degree. This stamp offered here was issued on October 1, 1851 to pay the 13¢ combined U.S. and Hawaiian postage for a single letter bound for an Eastern American destination.
Scott catalog value for examples with minor damage that has been skillfully repaired.
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Realized: $37,500
Lot 110 o
Hawaii, 1851-52, "Missionary" Issue, 5¢ blue, Type I, light segmented square cork cancel, margins large to just touching frameline at bottom right, small portion of adjacent stamp showing at upper right, two small tears and a very skillfully repaired corner, Very Fine appearance, ex-Ferrari, Lichtenstein & Ishikawa.Scott No. 2 $45,000.
AN ATTRACTIVE LIGHTLY CANCELED USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5¢ "HAWAIIAN POSTAGE" MISSIONARY ISSUE.
According to the Siegel census there are forty nine used copies recorded (of which 10 are on cover usages). The Scott Catalog notes that "values are for examples with minor damage that has been skillfully repaired".
Realized: $35,000
Lot
114
Hawaii, 1851-52, "Missionary" Issue, 13¢ blue, Type I, tied on small piece by blue numeral "8" in circle of San Francisco, Cal., margins full to just shaving frameline at left, bright color, minor flaws including sealed tear at lower left, Very Fine appearance, ex-Worthington & Caspary.Scott No. 4 $42,500.
A LOVELY USED EXAMPLE OF THE 13¢ "H.I. & U.S. POSTAGE" MISSIONARY ISSUE.
The second issue 13¢ Missionary's primary change in design of the upper tablet of the first issue "Hawaiian Postage" to read the more appropriate "H.I. & U.S. Postage" as the issue prepaid both the 5¢ Hawaiian and 6¢ United States rate plus 2¢ ship fee.
The Scott Catalog notes that "values are for examples with minor damage that has been skillfully repaired."
Realized: $27,000
Lot
17 
Hawaii, 1862 Boston, Mass. to Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, oversized cover franked with U.S. 1861, 90¢ blue (72) deep rich color and wide margins, tied by black "Paid" in oval, with red "Boston, Ms., Oct 28" cds alongside, addressed to "Hon. Elisha H. Allen, Honolulu, Sandwich Islands" with "Via San Francisco" manuscript directive at upper left, and "For Mrs. Allen" at lower left, Very Fine, ex-Adm. Harris, Meyers & Grassi; with 1980 & 2004 P.F. certificates.Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.
ONLY RECORDED USE OF US 90¢ 1861 ISSUE ON COVER TO HAWAII AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COVERS OF THE ENTIRE 1861 ISSUE.
Elisha Allen was the Chief Justice of the Hawaiian Supreme Court at the time this was mailed, either in 1861 or 1862. Since the 90¢ stamp was not issued until August of 1861, it is likely an 1862 usage. The cover would have been sent overland by rail to St. Louis, Missouri and then put on the Butterfield stage route to San Francisco via El Paso and Los Angeles. For an 1861 usage, this cover would have likely made the Nov. 24 sailing of the clipper ship "Carrington" assuming a 27-day transit time from Boston to San Francisco, arriving in Honolulu on Dec. 19. For a more likely 1862 usage, a 26-day rail/stage transit time to S.F. would have enabled a Nov. 22 departure sailing from San Francisco on the barque "Young Hector", which arrived in Honolulu Dec. 8, 1862 with a month's accumulation of both Eastern and California mails.
This cover is prepaid at nine-times the 10¢ rate per ½ ounce for a letter weighing between 4 and 4½ ounces. It was the subject of analysis by Richard B. Graham in P.F. Opinions, 1983. According to Graham, the use of a 90¢ stamp on a relatively small envelope indicates that the content must have been a small pamphlet or daguerreotype.
Realized: $45,000
Lot
70
Hawaii, (Oahu) Honolulu, Hawaiian Is., Jun. 14, 1851, bold straight line postmark on folded letter addressed to Mr. Bowman at Kings Cross, London, datelined "May 6, 1851" by John Thomas to his father in England, manuscript at lower left "For Mr. Thomas", magenta manuscript "Paid 59" at top right, red "San Francisco, Cal., Jul 15" cds with matching "Paid" and "25" rate handstamps, at New York, it received a red "3" handstamp indicating credit for the British inland postage rate, red Southampton "Paid, 1851, 4 Sp 4" circular handstamp, red octagonal London "Sep 4" receiver handstamp on backside, Very Fine, Gregory census no. 35, ex-Golden & Walske.Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
LATEST RECORDED USE OF THE HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE POSTMARK - ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS TO NON-U.S. DESTINATION AND ONE OF THREE HAWAII COVERS SHOWING THE SAN FRANCISCO "25 CENT" ERROR RATE.
The sender of this letter, John Thomas, writes about the return of the future Kings, King Kamehameha IV and King Kamehameha V, who had traveled to Europe and the US with Dr. Gerritt Judd, the Minister of Finance and Plenipotentiary Minister to England, France and the United States, as appointed by KKIII. He also references the earlier (Aug.-Sept. 1849) invasion by the French detachment led by Adm. Louis Tromelin, the so-called 'Tromelin affair', with further observations on the influx of people from Australia heading to the California gold fields hoping to 'strike it rich'.
The "59" rate paid by the sender was to cover the 40¢ East coast rate plus the 19¢ trans-Atlantic rate (16¢ for the crossing service plus 3¢ British inland postage) at the time of posting. On July 1, however, the total US-British treaty rate was reduced to 29¢ (6¢ reduced US transcontinental rate plus 23¢ increased trans-Atlantic rate). San Francisco erred by applying the "25" rate handstamp, and was notified in August of the correct rate. Note that the sender also paid 10¢ for the Hawaiian postage, and the 2¢ ship fee was likely absorbed by the Honolulu post office, as was often the case for prepaid letters.
Carried by the schooner J.K.S. "Mansfield" (dep. Honolulu June 16; arr. S.F. July 14), carried to Panama by the PMSC "Northerner" (dep. S.F. July 15; arr. Panama Aug. 5), crossing the isthmus to Chagres for transport to Havana on USMSC "Falcon" (dep. Aug.11; arr. Aug. 16). Transhipped to USMSC "Cherokee" (dep. Havana Aug 17; arr. N.Y. Aug. 21) then carried on the American Packet steamer "Humboldt" (dep. N.Y. Aug. 23; arr. Southampton Sept. 4).
Reverse:
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Realized: $16,000
Lot
124
Hawaii, 1857, King Kamehameha III, 5¢ manuscript surcharge on 13¢ dark red, Clark type I, margins all around except cut into frameline at bottom left and tiny scissors cut at right corner, tied to small 1857 cover in combination with U.S. 1851, 12¢ black (17) tied by "San Francisco, Cal., Mar 20" cds, red "Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid, Feb 16" cds (236.05, type III) at top right, addressed to Miss Gertrude Van Ingen in Buckland, Conn.; cover lightly cleaned, Very Fine, ex-Seybold & Caspary; signed Ashbrook.Scott No. 7 Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
SECOND EARLIEST RECORDED USAGE OF THE MANUSCRIPT SURCHARGE '5' ON THE 1853 13¢ STAMP.
The 5¢ provisional surcharge was necessary due to a shortage of 5¢ stamps just after the transition from Postmaster Whitney to Jackson in mid-1856. Most were made by Jackson's clerk, Alvah Clark, around the start of 1857. New supplies of the 5¢ stamp (Scott No. 8) were received at the end of June 1857.
Sent on the Bremen ship "Post" (dep. Honolulu Feb. 16, 1857; arr. SF Mar. 19), then on the PMSC steamer "Golden Gate" for Panama (dep. S.F. Mar. 20), but returned for repairs, sailed again Mar. 23, arriving at Panama City Apr. 4. After crossing the isthmus by rail, it departed Aspinwall Apr. 4, 1857 on the USMSC Steamer "George Law" arriving in New York Apr. 13.
References: Gregory census no. 2 of 18 recorded 1857 5¢ surcharge on 1853 13¢ (7) covers.
Realized: $19,000
Lot
31
Hawaii, 1844 San Francisco, Cal. via Hawaii to Boston, Mass., folded letter datelined "San Francisco July 30th 1844" written by Capt. James B. Hatch in San Francisco of the merchant ship Barnstable out of Boston, addressed to Wm. Appleton & Co. in Boston, Mass., endorsed at top left "Forwarded by Capt Fluz Barque Brothers" and "Care of Hiram Grimes Esq., Sandwich Islands" at lower left, entered the U.S. mails with "Stonington, Conn., Feb 27" cds, matching "Ship" straightline handstamp and manuscript "14½" rate marking (2¢ ship fee and 12½¢ forwarding charge to Boston); some minor edge wear and couple small edge tears at bottom, Very Fine, the second earliest cover from Alta California to the U.S. via Hawaii, ex-Risvold.Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A VERY EARLY AND SCARCE COVER OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO AND TRANSITING HAWAII.
In the letter, Capt. Hatch writes: "We have now at the house about 25,000 Hides and shall collect more than this ship will probably stow…We have a rumor of difficulties between Mexico and the U.S. and the probability of the declaration of war. As yet no American vessels of war have arrived, but are daily expected, as one had been ordered here before this news arrived. The Gen. (Micheltorena) has organized a militia composed of citizens between the ages of 15 and 60 years who are ordered to appear in their respective Pueblos weekly to receive instructions. Which order gives general dissatisfaction to the native Californians. I believe it to be the general wish that the Squadron (U.S. war ships) would take possession of the country, as they are convinced that California will never improve under Mexican government. The people are more afraid of the Gen's soldiers robbing them than the Americans. Although he endeavors to convince them that if the Americans take the country that they will lose their ranchos, cattle and be denied freedom of religious opinions…We have also about 50 Sea Otter and some of the Pueblo Gold".
Hiram Grimes, the forwarder specified by Capt. Hatch, was a merchant in Honolulu at E. & H. Grimes. Founded by his uncle Eliab Grimes, they both eventually moved to San Francisco to continue the business operation there.
Carried to Hawaii by the English barque "Brothers" (dep. S.F. Aug 1, arr. Honolulu Aug. 18), then on the whaling ship "Corvo" (dep. Honolulu Sep. 7, arr. Stonington, Ct. Feb. 26, 1845). Capt. Hatch notes "The English Barue Brothers about to leave for the Islands, I improve the opportunity of writing to you…The English Barque that this goes by is from the Columbia and put in here for water".
Reverse:
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Realized: $9,000
Lot
119
Hawaii, 1853, King Kamehameha III, 5¢ blue on thick white wove paper, margins large to just shaving frameline at top right, in combination with 1853, 13¢ dark red on thick white wove paper (6) on 1856 embossed ladies cover to New Haven, Ct. (originally addressed to Bridgeport), address panel in the hand of Mrs. Fidelia Church Coan, wife of Rev. Titus Coan in Hilo, Hawaii, bold red "Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid, Jul 26" cds (236.05, type III), received at San Francisco with U.S. 1851, 12¢ black (17) margins huge to slightly in at left, affixed over 13¢ and tied with 5¢ by "San Francisco, Cal., Sep 5" cds, Very Fine, signed on reverse by Stanley Ashbrook, with his note "In my opinion this use was July 1856, hence the 5c Hawaii is…#5", dated Oct. 15, 1957., ex-Krug, Middendorf, Rust, Pietsch, Gross & Przybyl.Scott No. 5 Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST EARLY MIXED FRANKING HAWAII "PASTE-OVER" COVERS KNOWN.
The Rev. Titus Coan and his wife Fidelia, as members of the 7th Company of American missionaries, arrived in Hawaii on June 6, 1835 and were stationed at the Hilo mission where they would remain for the rest of their lives. After Fidelia's passing in 1872, he married Lydia Bingham, the daughter of Rev. Hiram Bingham (from the 1st Company). Rev. Coan completed his autobiography in 1881, a year before he died.
Carried to San Francisco on the bark "Fanny Major" (dep. Honolulu July 26, 1856; arr. S.F. Aug. 25) where it received a black San Francisco postmark dated Sep. 5 for the departure of the PMSC "Golden Gate" to Panama City (dep. S.F. Sep. 5, 1856; arr. Panama City Sep. 18) tying both the U.S. and Hawaii 5¢ stamps, carried across the isthmus to Aspinwall for connection with the USMSC "Illinois" (dep. Aspinwall Sep. 19, 1856; arr. N.Y. Sep. 27); posted prepaid in Hilo with the Hawaii 5¢ and 13¢ stamps, resulting in a 1¢ overpayment of the 17¢ rate (5¢ Hawaii postage, 2¢ ship fee and 10¢ U.S. East coast rate). At the Honolulu post office, the 12¢ U.S. stamp was placed over the Hawaii 13¢ stamp, to save the burden of accounting to San Francisco for the U.S. postage, with stamp partially lifted at left to reveal the 13¢ stamp; a so-called "paste-over" cover, with ornate embossed ornamentation around the envelope's periphery, addressed to Titus Munson Coan, the oldest of four Coan children, who was attending Yale and would eventually earn his medical degree at Williams College. The cover likely held birthday wishes from the family (Titus would turn 20 on Sept. 27, 1856).
Realized: $13,500