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Sale 97: The Westpex Sale

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Danish West Indies - Postal History

Lots 2111-2120 Lots 2121-2126

Lot 2111    

Danish West Indies, 1796 (Jul. 22) St. Thomas, D.W.I. to Philadelphia Pa., gray folded letter endorsed "fav'd by Captn. Lawson, Schooner Betsy", entered mails with Philadelphia "4" cent due rating for 4¢ local ship rate, docketed as received Aug. 13th, Very Fine and rare early incoming use.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Philadelphia was the earliest, and only U.S. port to employ a Ship "4" due handstamp for the 4¢ ship rate for delivery at port of entry.

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Lot 2112    

Danish West Indies, 1811 (Feb. 21) St. Kitts to Glasgow, Scotland via St. Thomas, datelined folded letter with small "St. Thomas, FE 27, 1811" fleuron postmark to Glasgow, Scotland, carried by Falmouth packet to Great Britain, manuscript "2/3" due rating for 1s1d packet fee plus 1s2d inland postage, faint strike of ½d Scottish toll road surcharge handstamp; some soiling, Fine.
Estimate    $5,000 - 7,500.

ONE OF ONLY SIX RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE SMALL "ST. THOMAS" FLEURON.

The small "St. Thomas" fleuron measures 29mm in diameter and was used only 1809 until 1811.

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Lot 2113    

Danish West Indies, 1844 (Jul. 14) St. Thomas to Bordeaux, France, datelined folded letter carried by RMSP Thames to Bermuda by RMSP Thames arriving Jul. 21st, then by RMSP Medway departing Jul. 22nd to Southampton arriving Aug. 5th, red London (8.6) transit backstamp and "Colonies / &. Art. 12." framed accounting handstamp, Bordeaux (8.10) arrival backstamp and manuscript "20" décimes due rating, Very Fine and scarce Article 12 accounting use.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The First Convention Stage I was effective June 1843 to December 1845. Great Britain received 3s 4d per ounce (equivalent to 10 décimes per ¼ oz.).

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Lot 2114    

Danish West Indies, 1846 (Feb. 4) Philadelphia Pa. to St. Croix, Danish West Indies, gray datelined folded letter addressed "Care of J.F. Peniston & Co., St. Thomas", carried by private ship, reverse with red "Forwarded by Whitmore & Co., St. Thomas" oval across flaps, endorsed received "Feb. 25th, -46" at bottom left; some edge toning and wear, Fine and scarce early United States inbound use from a new find.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 2115    

Danish West Indies, 1857 (Aug. 13) Christiansted, D.W.I. to Copenhagen, Denmark, blue folded cover with sharp "Christiansted, 13/8, 1857" cds, red "Paid at St. Thomas" crown mark (SG CC2 £500) and magenta "Pd 1/4½" prepaid 1s4½d rating, St. Thomas (8.14) transit backstamps, carried by Royal Mail steamer to G.B., red London Paid (8.31) transit cds and oval "P." handstamp, script "franco" handstamp and red crayon "2" credit rating, additional "6½" rating, Copenhagen (9.2) arrival backstamp, fresh and Very Fine use.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $240

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Lot 2116    

Danish West Indies, 1860 (Oct. 29) St. Thomas, D.W.I. to Barcelona, Spain, gray folded letter with "St. Thomas, OC 29, 1860" double-arc backstamp and bold red "Paid at St. Thomas" crown mark (CC2 £500) and red manuscript "1/5" 1s5d prepaid rating, carried by RMSP La Platta from St. Thomas Oct. 30th to Southampton arriving Nov. 15th, red London "PD" in circle handstamp and red manuscript "4" pence credit, Barcelona arrival backstamp; small edge tear and some wear, F.-V.F. and scarce early crown mark use to Spain.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

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Lot 2117    

Danish West Indies, 1865 (May 1) Le Havre, France to Haiti via St. Thomas, blue folded cover bearing France, 80c carmine, small nick, tied by "Le Havre, 1 Mai 65" cds, carried as endorsed by RMSP Atrato from Southampton May 2nd to St. Thomas arriving May 16th, scarce "St. Thomas, MY 16 65" single-arc arrival backstamp, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $80

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Lot 2118    

Danish West Indies, 1866 (Jan. 24) Caracas, Venezuela to Pamplona, Spain via St. Thomas and London, folded cover bearing La Guaira 1864, 2r green private ship stamp, rough separation, prepaying 2r packet fee to St. Thomas, tied by sharp "Correos, Caracas" double-circle postmark,carried by Puerto Cabello Steamship Co. Robert Todd to St. Thomas, then by RMSP Atrato on Main Line departing St. Thomas Jan. 31st to Plymouth arriving Feb. 17th, red London (2.18) transit backstamp, Barcelona arrival backstamp and blue "8R." reales due handstamp for double-weight inland postage, Very Fine.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $800

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Lot 2119    

Danish West Indies, 1866 (Jun. 14) Hamburg, Germany to St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, gray folded letter with blue "Hamburg St. P., 14/6, 66" double-circle datestamps and magenta "1/2" rating for 1s2d credit to G.B., red crayon "19" rating, endorsed "via Southampton, p West India Mail Steamer" at top and "Paid", Very Fine and scarce inbound use from Germany.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 2120    

Danish West Indies, 1871 (Sep. 15) Matanzas, Cuba to Buenos Aires, Argentina via St. Thomas, blue docketed folded letter with blue "Francisco Aballi, Matanzas" sender's oval, flap with blue "Forwarded by J. Niles & Co., St. Thomas W.I." double-oval and U.S. 10¢ brown (150), well centered with part of adjacent stamp at right, lightly tied by circle of wedges cancel, "St. Thomas, 1/10, 1871" cds, carried by U.S. Brazil Line South America from St. Thomas Oct. 14th to Rio de Janeiro arriving Oct. 21st, then by packet to Buenos Aires, blue crayon "2/11" due rating of 3 pesos 11 reales, Very Fine and choice use.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE USE OF A UNITED STATES STAMP USED ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THE MAILS TO PREPAY POSTAGE FROM ST. THOMAS TO ARGENTINA.

There are only three recorded examples of this solo 10¢ Bank Note use from Cuba to Buenos Aires via St. Thomas. There are a greater number of G.B.-U.S. combination uses prepaying the British packet postage from Rio to Buenos Aires.

Realized: $800

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Lots 2111-2120 Lots 2121-2126

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