Forwarded by U.S. Consul, Kanagawa, Japan. Double-oval and stars handstamp with every letter and star boldly struck on blue folded letter to Gildemeister Muecke and Co. in San Francisco, stationery with Kniffler & Co. embossed crest, their Yokohama office blue oval handstamp on address side, sender's directive "Pr Ann Sanderson"--and notation "herewith 2 sample parcel w/address"--carried on the British brig Ann Sanderson, departing Yokohama June 7, 1866, and, after a delayed trip, arriving San Francisco September 16; after speculation that she was lost at sea, the September 17 Daily Alta California reported the Ann Sanderson had arrived, 98 days from Yokohama and 31 days from Honolulu--bold "San Francisco Cal. Sep. 16" (1866) double-circle datestamp and blue crayon "8" cents due, the letter is in German, receipt docketing on inside panel, file fold passes through marking without effect, some scattered rust-colored spots

VERY FINE OVERALL AND A MAGNIFICENT STRIKE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE KANAGAWA OVAL HANDSTAMP ON MAIL FORWARDED BY THE U.S. CONSUL BEFORE THE POST OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN JULY 1867.

The earliest recorded use of the Kanagawa U.S. Consulate oval as a mail-forwarding mark is on three covers sent in January 1866 during Col. George S. Fisher's term as U.S. Consul, which have San Francisco February 5, 1866, arrival datestamps (see lot 2076). Very few covers with the Kanagawa oval are recorded during the rest of Fisher's term, which ended December 31, 1866. In August 1867, during General Julius Stahel's term as Consul and the first U.S. postmaster in Yokohama, the first use of the Kanagawa oval as an official U.S. Post Office marking is found on five recorded covers carried on the August 24, 1867, trip of the PMSS Colorado (see lot 2075).

One other cover from this voyage of the British brig Ann Sanderson is recorded (Sale 966, lot 2139). That cover is addressed to Elmira, New York, and postmarked in San Francisco with a September 17 datestamp, the day of the eastbound mail departure. It is correctly rated "SHIP 6." The 4c rate for a ship letter addressed to the port of entry was free of any weight calculation. This letter to San Francisco was rated 8c due, twice the rate, which presumably was for two letters as noted at lower left.

Ex Lois Evans-de Violini.

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