Hawaii

Lot 549 Hawaii

Scott31

Description

1864, 2c Rose Vermilion (31). Horizontal strip of three overpaying 5c Hawaiian postage, cancelled by three-ring target struck three times (avoiding the U.S. stamps) on small cover to Miss Lucy Tillman in San Francisco, additionally stamped at origin with United States 1c Blue (63) and 3c Rose (65) tied by target cancels of San Francisco, paying the old 4c rate for mail addressed to San Francisco, bold red “Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid May 23” (1867) circular datestamp, part “San Francisco Cal. Jun. 6” double-circle with slug instead of yeardate, pencil “1864” on back possibly refers to issue date of Hawaiian stamps, strip with perf faults from placement at top including small piece out of right stamp, cover with very minor toning VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SPECTACULAR AND RARE FRANKING FROM HAWAII TO SAN FRANCISCO. ESPECIALLY RARE WITH THE ONE-CENT STAMP. This cover is illustrated and discussed in the Gregory book (Volume II, page 175). According to Gregory, it was carried from Honolulu to San Francisco on the American bark Comet (cleared May 23, 1867, arrived June 6). After the Act of March 1863 effectively reduced the city delivery rate in San Francisco from 2c to 1c, the correct prepaid U.S. postage should have been 3c (1c for local delivery plus 2c ship captain’s fee). However, surviving covers show that there was much confusion over the correct amount to prepay. Ex Knapp, Tows, Juhring, Honolulu Advertiser, Bailar and Ambassador Middendorf. With 1996 P.F. certificate