Sale 1090 — United States, Possessions and Confederate States Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 17-19 December, 2014
Category — Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Ryukus
HAWAII, "Lahaina Dec. 23, 1848". Dateline on folded letter addressed to Stephen H. Lathrop in Oswego N.Y., bold strike of "San Francisco Cal. Nov. 1" (1849) circular datestamp, red manuscript "Ship 42" rate (40 postage plus 2 ship fee), includes Bill of Exchange for $500 for supplies for the ship Brighton, probably carried on the Privateer, which departed Honolulu Sep. 26, 1849, and arrived in San Francisco Oct. 29, small stain at top, still Very Fine, a rare early Hawaiian ship letter sent via San Francisco post office and rated 42, ex Pearce, Jessup and Walske, Gregory book Fig. 9-6
HAWAII, Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Nov. 20 (1852). Bold strike of red circular datestamp on buff cover to Mr. Joseph Huestes in Crown Point N.Y., bold strike of blue “San Francisco Cal. 16 Dec.” circular datestamp with matching “Paid” and “8” in circle handstamps, some slight cover wrinkles and wear, Very Fine and exceedingly rare, perhaps 15 covers are known from Hawaii with the San Francisco markings struck in blue, the Gregory book (Vol. 1, p. 255) notes that blue ink was introduced in the San Francisco office in September 1852, but that the earliest use on Hawaii-related mail is Dec. 1, when some prepaid covers were marked with blue ink and others in black, from Dec. 15, 1852, to Jan. 15, 1853, prepaid covers from Hawaii were marked in blue, while collect covers were marked in black, the exception is Jan. 15, when both collect and prepaid covers were marked in blue, ex Van Dyke, Pietsch and Walske
HAWAII, 1853-61, 5c Blue, 13c Red (5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10R, 10S, 11S). Part or full original gum except Nos. 8 and 9 no gum, full margin to just in, a few small faults, Fine-Very Fine appearance
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Part original gum, large even margins, intense color and impression, Extremely Fine
HAWAII, 1861, 5c Blue, Thin Bluish Wove (9). Large to huge margins incl. top right corner sheet margins, square grid cancel, fresh color, faint toned spot in top right margin, still Extremely Fine
HAWAII, 1868, 5c Blue, Re-Issue (10). Complete sheet of twenty, Mint N.H. except some gum disturbance in the top margin that affects one stamp, very faint toning, small internal gum crease, otherwise Very Fine, Scott Retail as hinged blocks and singles
HAWAII, 1868, 13c Dull Rose, Re-Issue (11). Original gum, h.r., sheet margin at left, other margins large and even, Extremely Fine
HAWAII, 1859, 1c Light Blue, Bluish White (12). Plate 2-A, Type V (Westerberg Position 5), unused (no gum), large margins to clear, bright color, thin spot at top breaks paperVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 ONE-CENT BLUE HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ISSUE.
"J.SCHL" (J. Schlesinger, European dealer) purple backstamp at bottom right barely shows thru
HAWAII, 1859, 2c Light Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 1-A, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), unused (no gum), full margins, thin spot and creaseVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL AND FRESH UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1859 2-CENT BLUE HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ISSUE.
This remarkably fresh stamp was acquired well before World War II and has not appeared in the market for the past 70+ years
HAWAII, 1862, 2c Black, Greenish Blue (14). Plate 3-Gx, Type III (Westerberg Position 1), margins to clear, pen cancels, small thin speck at top rightA FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE HAWAIIAN NUMERAL PRINTING ON THE DISTINCTIVE GREENISH BLUE PAPER.
This stamp also came from the pre-WWII collection and has not been on the market in 70+ years
HAWAII, 1863, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-D, Type IV (Westerberg Position 4), full margins, unobtrusive strike of red Honolulu circular datestamp, small corner crease and light thin, Very Fine appearance
HAWAII, 1863, 2c Black, "2" at Top (16a). Plate 3-E, Type IX (Westerberg Position 9), unused (no gum), margins to barely touched, slightly dry print causing weak lettering at upper left, small thin spot at bottom right and few tiny thin specks, some slight toning, Fine appearing example of this distinctive and rare variety
HAWAII, 1863, 2c Black, "NTER" (16c). Plate 3-F, Type IV (Westerberg Position 4), large margins to slightly in at top, neat part strike of red "Postage Paid" in oval handstamp leaves "NTER" variety unobscured, faint horizontal crease at bottomFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE EXTREMELY RARE "NTER" NUMERAL ISSUE PLATE VARIETY.
As an indication of rarity, the Honolulu Advertiser collection contained only two examples of the "NTER" variety on Grayish paper (both Position 4, Plates 3-E and 3-F), while the Pietsch collection contained one stamp from Plate 3-F (later offered by us in our Twigg-Smith sale, Sale 931, realized $5,500 hammer) and an enigmatic example from Position 7 on Plate 3-E. This stamp comes from the pre-WWII collection and has not been on the market in 70+ years.
"J.SCHL" (J. Schlesinger, European dealer) purple backstamp shows thru slightly.
HAWAII, 1863, 2c Black, Blue Gray (18). Plate 5-A, Type VIII (Westerberg Position 8), unused (no gum), large even marginsEXTREMELY FINE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 2-CENT BLACK FIFTH-SETTING NUMERAL ISSUE ON BLUISH GRAY PAPER.
Small red backstamp.
HAWAII, 1864, 1c Black (19). Plate 6-A, Type IX (Westerberg Position 9), unused (no gum), large margins, faint horizontal crease at top, Extremely Fine appearance
HAWAII, 1865, 5c Blue on Blue, "Hawaiian Postage" (21). Plate 9-A, Type I (Westerberg Position 9), original gum, h.r., light gum bends, Very Fine, rare with original gum, this stamp comes from a collection built before World War II
HAWAII, 1865, 5c Blue on Blue, "Hawaiian Postage" (21). Plate 9-A, Type V (Westerberg Position 5), unused (no gum), large even margins, light vertical crease confined to the margin, Very Fine, a beautiful stamp
HAWAII, 1865, 5c Blue on Blue, "Interisland" (22). Plate 12-A, Type II (Westerberg Position 6), original gum, h.r., full margins to ample, rich color, tiny thin spot, Very Fine appearance, rare with original gum
HAWAII, 1864, 1c Black, "HA" (23a). Plate 8-A, Type IX (Westerberg Position 10), unused (no gum), clear margins, small thin spot, some toning, otherwise Fine example of this scarce and distinctive variety
HAWAII, 1886, 2c Orange Vermilion, Reproduction, Plate Proof on India (50P3). Large balanced margins, brilliant color and impression, free of the defects that often plague this fragile paper, Extremely Fine, ex Golden
HAWAII, 1893, 2c Dull Violet, Category I Double Red Ovpt. (57d). Large part original gum, clearly applied second overprint, a Very Fine example of this scarce error
HAWAII, 1893, 12c Black, Category I Double Red Ovpt. (62d). Original gum with slight tropical toning, h.r., clearly printed second overprint, intense color and impression, a few small toned spots on gum, otherwise a Very Fine example of this rare error
HAWAII, 1893, 12c Black, Category I Double Red Ovpt. (62d). Original gum, lightly hinged, with left selvage, showing strong second overprint which is split horizontally, choice centering, Very Fine and scarce, with 2014 P.F. certificate which states "Disturbed O.G." which is utter nonsense -- the gum is exactly as it should be on this issue
HAWAII, 1893, 2c Rose, Category I Double Black Ovpt. (66d). Original gum, h.r., fresh color, strong second overprint just slightly displaced from firstFINE AND RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1893 2-CENT ROSE WITH STRONG DOUBLE BLACK PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OVERPRINT.
At least two sheets of the 2c Rose were doubly overprinted with Category I strength. A single with a skewed second impression is pictured at www.hawaiianstamps.com, where Fred Gregory notes it is the only one recorded. This stamp was acquired well before World War II and has not been seen in the market for 70+ years.
HAWAII, 1893-94, 1c Green, 2c Dull Violet, Red Ovpts., 5c Rose Lake, 12c Blue (55, 57, 76, 78). Tied by purple "Waimea Kauai" rimmed double-circle handstamp struck three times on registered cover to San Francisco, red "Honolulu Hawaii Aug. 21, 1897" double-circle datestamp and matching registry markings, reverse with two different San Francisco registry datestamps (double-circle and large rimmed oval Station D) and large name handstamp for O. I. Blackstad, "Butcher", opened to show both sides, Fine, ex Honolulu Advertiser
HAWAII, 1893, 12c Black, Red Lilac, Red Ovpts. (62, 63). Tied together by black target cancels on registered cover to Philadelphia, red "Honolulu Hawaii Apr. 24, 1894" double-circle datestamp with matching registry markings, reverse with purple San Francisco circular datestamp and red Philadelphia serrated double-circle, attractive handstamped corner card of the Hawaiian Stamp Co. explains the philatelic-inspired franking, No. 63 with three short perfs, otherwise Very Fine, ex Honolulu Advertiser
HAWAII, 1893, 2c Rose Vermilion, Black Ovpt. (65). Used with Nos. 55, 57 (two), 61 and 66, tied by three strikes of "Honolulu. H.I. Mar. 7, 1894 9 AM" duplex cancel on blue cover to Los Angeles with printed P.O. box for A. W. Dunning, San Francisco transit and Los Angeles receiving backstamps, Very Fine, a colorful combinations of stamps, A. W. Dunning was a prominent stamp dealer of the period
HAWAII, 1893, 2c Rose, 2c Vermilion, Black Ovpt. (65, 66). Used with 2c Brown, Red Ovpt. (56) and 5c Rose Lake (76) on 2c Provisional entire (U11), cancelled or tied by targets, red "Honolulu H.I. Apr. 24, 1894" double-circle datestamp on registered cover to Philadelphia, with clear purple Hawaiian Stamp Co. corner card handstamp at left, San Francisco and receiving backstamps, fresh and Very Fine, a colorful use correctly paying the 5c rate plus 8c registry fee
Hawaiian Cover Balance. Three covers, No. 33 horizontal pair, tied by negative "HI" oval, on 1872 cover to Bangor Me., couple small edge tears and bend thru left stamp, appears Very Fine, also No. 33 tied by segmented target, red "Honolulu H.I. Paid All Feb. 9, 1872" circular datestamp on cover to Cincinnati O. to a stamp dealer (the earliest reported use to a stamp dealer from Hawaii), Fine, finally No. 61 vertical pair, used on 5c Blue Provisional entire (U12) to New Mexico Stamp Co. in New Mexico, Very Fine
PUERTO RICO, Coamo Provisional, 1898, 5c Black, Ty. I-II-III-IV (201). Complete sheet of ten, tropicalized original gum described on accompanying certificate as original gum, F. Santiago control mark, top right stamp with tiny thin spot at topVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE COMPLETE SHEET OF THE PUERTO RICO 1898 COAMO ISSUE.
The Coamo stamps were created in August 1898 during the Spanish-American War, in response to the lack of a functioning postal service and the absence of stamps in the period between the retreat of Spanish forces and the full establishment of an American military postal system. Fifty sheets of ten stamps were typeset in black on unwatermarked paper, on which was applied a brownish gum. Four different types exist based on differences in the numeral "5". The violet "F Santiago" (mayor of Coamo) handstamp was applied as a control mark to avoid counterfeits. Few of the stamps were ultimately used and only 10 covers survive.
Approximately 30 of the unused sheets were purchased by Mr. Alfred O. Tittmann, a stamp collector, on Oct. 26, 1898. Tittmann brought the sheets to the United States and Charles E. Mekeel cut up and sold many of the stamps as singles. While various writers have estimated that between six and ten sheets survive, Dr. Ronald H. Gonzalez identifies 21 different full sheets in his census, though some are from old photos and may not be genuine or may have been cut apart.
Ex Laila. With 2005 P.F. certificate.
RYUKYU ISLANDS, 1952, 100y on 2y Rose Violet (17). Horizontal pair with top selvage, barely hinged, red chop at top in selvage, left stamp with trivial amount of gum loss from previous adhesion, Fine-Very Fine, scarce multiple