Lot
22 
"Care Messr. Cross. Hobson & Co, San Francisco", endorsement to forwarder on blue Dec. 29th 1849 folded letter from Boston Mass. to Messrs. Makee Anthon & Co., Honolulu, red "Boston Mass. Dec. 30" cds and matching "40" cent rating handstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $400
Lot
23
Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco, bold strike of brownish black oval handstamp on blue Jun. 11th 1852 cover from Honolulu to New Bedford Mass. addressed to Messr. Issac Howland & Co., carried by Hawaiian Schooner George Washington from Honolulu Jun. 13th to San Francisco arriving Jul. 26th, entered mails with "San Francisco Cal Jul 31" cds and two strikes of matching "10" due rating handstamps for the unpaid 10¢ rate for over 3,000 miles to New Bedford, ex-Pietsch. Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE G.B. POST & CO. OVAL HANDSTAMP.
The Hawaiian bark "George Washington" was consigned to G.B. Post and took this letter to San Francisco where it entered U.S. mails. It was then carried by PMSS "Oregon" from San Francisco Jul. 31st to Panama City arriving Aug. 15th. After crossing the isthmus, carried by USMSC "Ohio" departing Aspinwall Aug. 19th to New York arriving Aug. 26th.
References: Discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 on p. II-370.
The three recorded examples are:
1. 1852-06-11, Honolulu to New Bedford Mass. carried by Hawaiian brig "George Washington", the cover offered here.
2. 1852-09-11, Honolulu to Boston Mass. carried by American brig "Zoe", ex-Harry L. Fine.
3. 1852, to Hawaii by Hawaiian brig "Baltimore", Gross collection.
Realized: $6,250
Lot
24
Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco, clear strike of octagonal handstamp on buff cover from Honolulu to Holmes Hole Mass. bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair tied by partial "San Francisco Cal. 16" cds; some minor wear, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $300
Lot
25
Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco, clear strike of octagonal handstamp and matching partial strike of "PER BARK 'YANKEE.' " straightline handstamp (Gregory no. 23) on reverse of light gray June 20th 1855 folded letter from New York to Messrs. Krull & Moll, Honolulu endorsed "p Yankee" at top left, flap with manuscript "San Francisco August 6 1855 forwd by Mebius Duesenberg & Co." forwarders endorsement; light staining, F.-V.F. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE G.B. POST & CO. PER BARK 'YANKEE.' STRAIGHTLINE HANDSTAMP USED ON THE AUG. 7TH "YANKEE" SAILING.
Mebius, Duesenberg & Co. was a wholesale house in San Francisco Cal. that apparently also acted as a forwarder as shown by this cover.
This cover was carried by USMSC "Illinois" from New York Jun. 20th to Chagres arriving Jun. 30th. Then by PMSC "John L. Stephens" from Panama Jun. 30th to San Francisco arriving Jul. 13th. The cover was not forwarded until the American Bark "Yankee" departed San Francisco Aug. 7th to Honolulu arriving Aug. 20th.
The two recorded examples of the G.B. Post "PER BARK 'YANKEE.' " straightline:
1. 1855 May 4, Manila, Philippines to Honolulu via Aug. 7th "Yankee" sailing, Gregory fig. 20-24.
2. 1855 Jun. 20, New York to Honolulu via Aug. 7th "Yankee" sailing, the cover offered here.
Realized: $700
Lot
26
Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco, clear strike of octagon handstamp on blue folded letter datelined "Honolulu June 6th 1856" by Robert Janion to Messrs. White & Wilson, San Francisco, endorsed "p H.B.M. Ship 'Alarm' " at top, clear bold strike of red "Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands, Jun 6" cds (HON HI28III), entered U.S. mails with "San Francisco Cal. 30 Jun" cds and matching bold "Ship 6" clamshell due ship rating (double the 3¢ letter rate), Very Fine and choice, ex-Rust, Pietsch. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
AN EXCEPTIONAL COVER CARRIED BY BRITISH WARSHIP H.B.M. "ALARM" AND FORWARDED BY G.B. POST OF SAN FRANCISCO.
This cover was carried by Her British Majesty's "Alarm" from Honolulu Jun. 7th to San Francisco arriving Jun. 29th. This is the latest recorded example of the G.B. Post & Co. octagon forwarders handstamp. Soon after this cover was processed in San Francisco, G.B. Post & Co. sold its interest in the Regular Despatch Line (RDL) and withdrew from the Hawaii trade.
Robert Janion was a partner in the commission firm of Starkey & Janion, later to be a partner of Theo. H. Davies.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 on proof. II 401-402, fig. 20-15.
Realized: $5,750
Lot
27
PER "RESTLESS.", perfect bold strike of directional straightline and matching perfect strike of octagonal "Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco" handstamp on an immaculate blue folded letter datelined "Honolulu Oct. 16, 1854" to Charlestown Mass., carried as directed by Schooner Restless from Honolulu Oct. 28th 1854 to San Francisco arriving Nov. 17th, black "Via Nicaragua, In Advance of the Mails" oval handstamp, carried by Vanderbilt Line Uncle Sam from San Francisco Nov. 24th to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and then by Vanderbilt Line Northern Light from San Juan del Norte to New York arriving Dec. 15th, entered the mails with U.S. 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair tied by "New-York 'Ship' Dec 16" cds, Extremely Fine with extraordinary eye appeal., ex-Haas, Grunin, Jarrett, Pietsch. Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED STRIKE OF THE G.B. POST PER "RESTLESS" STRAIGHTLINE, WHICH IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED VESSEL NAME MARKING OF G.B. POST.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED VIA NICARAGUA COVERS ORIGINATING FROM HAWAII.
References: Illustrated in the American Philatelist (January 1943), Tracy Simpson's U.S. Postal Markings 1851-61 on p. 373, and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 20-2 on p. II-391.
Realized: $24,000
Lot
28
PER ' SPITFIRE APRIL 18, bold strike of directional straightline and matching sharp strike of octagonal "Forwarded by G.B. Post & Co., San Francisco" handstamp on an immaculate light blue 1855 folded cover from Havre, France to the French Consulate at Honolulu, Hawaii, blue "Winslow & Co., Havre" sender's cachet, cover was sent under cover or privately to San Francisco, carried as directed by American Ship Spitfire on Apr. 18th 1855 to Honolulu arriving May 1st, Extremely Fine, ex-Sharbaugh, Pietsch. Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED STRIKE OF THE G.B. POST PER "SPITFIRE" STRAIGHTLINE.
This cover was likely sent under cover or privately from France by transatlantic steamship to New York City, then by USMSC "Illinois" departing Mar. 20th to Aspinwall arriving Mar. 29th, After crossing the isthmus on the new railroad, the New York mail was loaded aboard the PMSS "Golden Gate" on Apr. 1st to San Francisco arriving Apr. 12th. Letter was turned over to G.B. Post who placed it on the only sailing of the American Clipper Ship "Spitfire" to Hawaii arriving May 1st. She sailed the following day, May 2nd, to Hong Kong and never returned to Hawaii. The American Clipper Ship "Spitfire" was listed at 1,549 tons and commanded by J.W. Arey.
References: Illustrated and discussed in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 as fig. 20-23 on p. II-391.
Realized: $23,000
Lot
29
Bandmann, Nielsen & Co., San Francisco, blue forwarders handstamp on Oct. 30th 1857 folded letter from San Francisco Cal. to Honolulu, endorsed "Pr. Yankee" at top left; some slight fold and bottom edge erosion, F.-V.F. Estimate $500 - 750.
Letter was carried as endorsed by American Bark "Yankee" from San Francisco Nov. 6th to Honolulu arriving Nov. 20th.
Realized: $400
Lot
30
Forwarded by Aldrich, Merrill & Co., San Francisco., forwarder's oval on reverse of 1866 cover bearing U.S. 3¢ rose (65), corner fault, cancelled by target and addressed to Capt. Benjamin Clough, Ship Northern Light at Lahaina, Maui, matching "Holmes Hole, Mass. Aug 6" cds, pencil 1866 docketing on back; small bit of flap missing and tear, Honolulu red crayon "7" due rating for 5¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine; with 1997 P.F. certificate. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $210
Lot
31
Williams. Diamond & Co., San Francisco, Cal. Jul 19 1894, purple forwarder's oval on reverse and purple BARK 'R. P. Rithet' straightline handstamp on United States 2¢ Columbian (U350) entire to Mess. Bishop & Co., Honolulu H.I., cancelled by four-ring cancel and reverse with matching "Honolulu, H.I. Aug 2, 1894" duplex, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $130