HAWAII, 1853, 5c Blue, 13c Dark Red, Thick White Wove (5, 6). Each with large margins to just barely in, affixed at Hilo and left uncancelled on lady’s small embossed cover to Titus Munson Coan at Bridgeport, Connecticut, forwarded to New Haven, red “Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Jul. 26” (1856) circular datestamp, used with United States 1851 12c Black (17), large top right corner sheet margins to slightly in at left, affixed in Honolulu and left uncancelled, 5c and 12c tied by “San Francisco Cal. 5 Sep.” circular datestamp, 12c partly lifted to show 13c underneath, tiny lightened stain spot at top edge of cover, beautiful and fresh condition

VERY FINE. A PETITE AND REMARKABLY ATTRACTIVE DECORATIVE COVER WITH THE HAWAIIAN 5-CENT AND 13-CENT 1853 KAMEHAMEHA III FIRST PRINTING AND UNITED STATES 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE, WHICH WAS AFFIXED AT HONOLULU OVER THE 13-CENT HAWAIIAN STAMP.

This cover was carried on the American bark Fanny Major, which cleared Honolulu on July 26, 1856, and arrived in San Francisco on August 25. From there it was carried on the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s Golden Age, which departed September 5 and arrived in Panama City on September 18. After crossing the isthmus to Aspinwall, it was carried on the U.S. Mail Steamship Company’s Illinois, which departed on September 19 and arrived in New York on September 27.

Following the United States rate change, effective April 1, 1855, the 13c Kamehameha III stamp could no longer prepay the full rate from Hawaii to the U.S. East Coast, which increased from 13c to 17c. In consequence, the patrons of Hawaii’s postal system began using 5c stamps plus 12c U.S. stamps, or 13c stamps plus 4c cash, or, in this case, 5c and 13c stamps together, incurring a one-cent overpayment. During the period starting in April 1855, it was already a regular practice to affix U.S. postage stamps to outbound letters on which the U.S. rate had been prepaid.

Ex Krug, Middendorf, Rust, Pietsch and Gross. Illustrated in Gregory book (page II-49). Signed Ashbrook

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