Honolulu, Hawaiian Is./Jan. 29, 1851. Clear strike of italic-style two-line handstamp in black on cover to Dr. Noah A. Chapin in Newport N.H. and forwarded to Winchester N.H., orange-red “San Francisco Cal. 1 Mar.” circular datestamp and red crayon “42" rate (40c transcontinental rate plus 2c ship captain’s fee), manuscript “Ford” and “5”, totaled in manuscript to “47”, red “Newport N.H. Apr. 10” circular datestamp, manuscript “Overland" at lower left suggests the sender intended this to go via Mexico

VERY FINE STRIKE OF THE HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE, THE FIRST HANDSTAMPED POSTMARK OF HAWAII, USED BY HAWAII’S FIRST POSTMASTER, HENRY M. WHITNEY.

Fred Gregory records a total of 35 examples of this straightline marking. This letter was carried on the Corsair, which departed Honolulu January 31, 1851, and arrived in San Francisco on February 19. It was then carried on the PMSS California from San Francisco to Panama on March 5, 1851. After crossing the isthmus, it was carried on the USMSS Georgia, which departed Chagres around March 27, stopped at Havana on April 3, and arrived in New York on April 7.

Gregory census no. 14. Illustrated in Ashbrook, Vol. II, page 242. Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Goldberg.

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