HAWAII, 1859-63, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-E, Type III (Westerberg Position 1), ample to huge margins including top sheet margin and 6.5mm of righthand gutter margin, tied by red “Honolulu Hawaiian- Islands Aug. 1” (1860) circular datestamp on gray cover to Mrs. Gustav Reiners, Wailua Falls, Kauai, full clear strike of “Forwarded by Melchers & Co. Honolulu” oval handstamp, short sealed tear in cover at right, minor tropical stained spots on cover and stamp

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED NUMERAL ISSUE COVER WITH A HANDSTAMPED FORWARDER’S MARKING AND ONE OF TWO EXAMPLES OF THE MELCHERS & COMPANY OVAL.

According to Gregory, two German immigrants, Gustav C. Melchers and Gustav Reiners, established Melchers & Company in Hawaii in 1852. Melchers returned to Germany in the mid-1850s. Reiners returned to Germany in 1861, leaving the business in the hands of F. A. Schaefer, who bought out the other partners in 1867. Gregory records two examples of the Melchers & Co. oval: one on a newspaper wrapper to Europe and the other on the cover offered here.

Because mail-forwarders were entrusted primarily with letters sent between the islands and other countries, the use of inter-island stamps in conjunction with forwarder markings was extremely limited. We know of just two Numeral covers handled by forwarders, but only this cover received a handstamped forwarder’s marking before it was carried by inter-island schooner for Kauai. The other cover has a 2c Blue Numeral and manuscript notation on back indicating that Waterhouse & Co. forwarded the letter (ex Caspary).

Ex Honolulu Advertiser, Pietsch and Gross. With 1979 Friedl certificate

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