Sale 1172 — United States Stamps and Hawaii
Sale Date — Tuesday, 19 December, 2017
Category — 1853-89 Kamehameha III Issues (Scott 5-7)
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Black, Trial Color Plate Proof on Thick Wove (5TC). Large and even margins all around, crisp impression, a few thin spotsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE 1853 5-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III BLACK TRIAL COLOR PROOF IS EXTREMELY RARE. ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN TO US.
We record only five examples of this rare trial color proof. Three were at one time in sets with the 13c. The five 5c proofs known to us are as follows: 1) ex Tows, Middendorf and Honolulu Advertiser; 2) ex Ishikawa; 3) ex Golden; 4) ex Crocker and Pietsch; and 5) ex Drucker, the example offered here. This example, with four margins, is superior to the last example we offered in the Golden collection.
Ex Drucker. With 1978 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove (5). Large part original gum, ample to large margins, just a hint of some gum toning at top, still Very Fine
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove, Line Thru "Honolulu" (5a). Position 2, part original gum, ample margins to just in at bottom, top corners with tiny areas of thinning, Fine appearing example of this variety, particularly rare unused
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove (5). Large margins to full at left with frameline of adjoining stamp at top and partial frameline of adjoining stamp at right, rich color on bright paper, unobtrusive strike of circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove, Line Thru "Honolulu" (5a). Position 2, large margins to in at bottom, neat strike of red "Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Apr. 1" circular datestamp and trace of black San Francisco circular datestamp at lower right, some thin spots, Fine appearing example of this scarce variety
HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove (5). Five stamps, three are unused and two are used, one with Honolulu and San Francisco cancels, other with San Francisco cancel, defective including one with small pieces out, still a scarce group
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HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, Thick White Wove (5). Large margins to in including sheet margin at left, used with United States 12c Black (17) and tied together by neat "San Francisco Cal. Dec. 21 1860" circular datestamp on cover to Edgartown Mass., clear strike of red "Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid Nov. 26" circular datestamp, stamps also cancelled by pen, 5c has tear at bottom and stains, cover has some mended faults and faint stainsFINE APPEARING MIXED FRANKING OF THE 1853 5-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUE AND UNITED STATES 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
Although the second 5c Kamehameha printing arrived in mid-1857, some of the First Printing stamps were used as late as 1860, including on the cover offered here. This was carried on the American bark Comet, which departed Honolulu Nov. 26 and arrived San Francisco Dec. 18. Overland mail from this arrival was postmarked at San Francisco on Dec. 21.
With 2010 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Large part original gum, four margins, dark shade, Very Fine
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Position 3 with major double transfer visible in the top label and to the right of "8", original gum, lightly hinged, large to full margins, color oxidized, Very Fine appearance, the only double transfer on the plate, with 1995 H.P.S. certificate, listed but unpriced in Scott, Scott Retail for normal
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Four unused stamps, each has four ample to clear margins, rich colors in a few different shades, few faults, appear Fine-Very Fine
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HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Large margins to full, clipped at top corners but clear of framelines, rich color, bold strike of large segmented grid cancel, Very Fine, with 1984 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Large margins to just in, bold strike of large segmented grid cancel, small thin spots, Fine
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Large margins all around including sheet margin at bottom, "tied" by vertical file fold, red "Honolulu*U.S. Postage Paid*May 13" (1854) circular datestamp on blue folded letter datelined "Hilo Oayhu April 23" and addressed to Wm. L. M. Phelps in Albany N.Y. (a prominent railroad executive), horizontal pair of United States 1851 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), large margins to slightly in, affixed over 13c and all stamps tied by "San Francisco Cal. 16 Jun." circular datestamp, San Francisco "Paid" handstamp at left, 3c pair with tear at top, right stamp has vertical crease where folded back to display Hawaiian stampFINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PASTE-OVER COMBINATION OF 1853 13-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUE AND UNITED STATES 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE. VERY DESIRABLE WITH THE HONOLULU POSTMARK AND SAN FRANCISCO "PAID".
This cover was carried on the bark Wavelet, which departed Honolulu on May 16, 1854, and arrived in San Francisco on June 8. From there it was sent to Panama on the Sonora, which departed on June 16 and arrived on June 29.
The 13c stamp prepaid the 5c Hawaiian postage, 2c ship captain's fee and 6c transcontinental rate. The short-lived practice of applying United States stamps (6c postage) over the 13c Hawaiian stamp was likely intended to avoid confusion over whether or not U.S. postage had been prepaid. The postmaster in Honolulu affixed the U.S. stamps to cover up the Hawaiian postage, and the letter was postmarked in San Francisco without applying a "Ship" or rate mark (although in this case it was marked "Paid"). The 2c ship fee was credited to San Francisco in the regular accounting.
Fred Gregory records eight such paste-over frankings (plus one earlier Missionary cover). Gregory Census No. 13-2. With 1978 P.F. certificate.
HAWAII, 1853, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (6). Large margins to just barely shaving frameline at left, cancelled by unusual segmented grid, red "Honolulu*U.S. Postage Paid* Oct. 3" (1854) circular datestamp on cover to Mr. William Lord at Hillingworth Conn., neat "PAID/8/SHIP" handstamp struck over Honolulu datestamp, "San Francisco Cal. 1 Nov." circular datestamp, some slight edgewear and light toningVERY FINE. A RARE SINGLE FRANKING OF THE 13-CENT 1853 ISSUE. ONLY FIVE COVERS ARE RECORDED WITH THE 1853 13-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III STAMP USED BY ITSELF PRIOR TO APRIL 1855, PAYING THE SHORT-LIVED RATE FOR WHICH IT WAS CREATED.
This cover was carried on the schooner E. L. Frost, which departed Honolulu on Oct. 4, 1854, and arrived in San Francisco on Oct. 28. From there it was sent to Panama on the John L. Stephens, which departed on Nov. 1 and arrived on Nov. 13.
The Gregory census contains just five examples of the 13c Kamehameha III stamp used by itself -- without any secondary franking -- on covers dated prior to the United States April 1855 rate change. This rate change effectively increased the Hawaiian rate to the U.S. East Coast from 13c to 17c, thereby destroying the purpose for which this stamp was originally created, which was to pay the 5c internal Hawaiian rate, 2c ship's fee and 6c of United States postage. During the period from May 1853 until April 1855, the practice of affixing United States stamps to Hawaiian mail became more regular.
Gregory Census No. 13-8. Ex Tows, Jessup, Krug, Rust, Pietsch and Golden. With 1960 Friedl, 1987 and 2011 P.F. certificates.
HAWAII, 1857, 5c on 13c Dark Red (7). Type I (Clark) numeral, unused (no gum), margins to touching framelines at sides, rich colorFINE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT ON 13-CENT PROVISIONAL SURCHARGE.
The 5c provisional surcharge was necessary due to a shortage of 5c stamps just after the transition from Postmaster Whitney to Jackson. Most were made by Jackson's clerk, Alvah Clark, around the start of 1857. New supplies of the 5c stamp (Scott No. 8) were received at the end of June 1857.
Small "W.H.C." backstamp (Warren H. Colson)
HAWAII, 1857, 5c on 13c Dark Red (7). Type I (Clark) numeral, unused (no gum), ample margins all around, large thin and slight rubbingVERY FINE APPEARING UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT ON 13-CENT PROVISIONAL SURCHARGE.
The 5c provisional surcharge was necessary due to a shortage of 5c stamps just after the transition from Postmaster Whitney to Jackson. Most were made by Jackson's clerk, Alvah Clark, around the start of 1857. New supplies of the 5c stamp (Scott No. 8) were received at the end of June 1857.
With 1981 P.F. certificate
HAWAII, 1857, 5c on 13c Dark Red (7). Type I (Clark) numeral, large margins to just in at bottom left, used on piece with United States 1851 12c Black (17), tied together by light strike of San Francisco circular datestamp, 12c stamp small corner crease at top rightFINE AND SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT ON 13-CENT PROVISIONAL SURCHARGE USED ON PIECE WITH THE UNITED STATES 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
The 5c provisional surcharge was necessary due to a shortage of 5c stamps just after the transition from Postmaster Whitney to Jackson. Most were made by Jackson's clerk, Alvah Clark, around the start of 1857. New supplies of the 5c stamp (Scott No. 8) were received at the end of June 1857. Only 18 complete covers bearing Scott No. 7 are recorded. This is an affordable substitute for a mixed franking cover with the U.S. 12c issue (Scott Retail for full cover is $45,000.00).
With 1983 Friedl certificate. Scott Retail as used without premium for the use with the U.S. stamp.