371st Auction

1687, "A map of The WESTERN ISLAND S" by R. Morden, London (ca. 125:145 mm)

1768, Entire letter, docketed "St. Croix April 4th" to William Vernon at Rhode Island, a well-known merchant who sold slaves to the West Indies, endorsed "Favour of Capt. Robertson". The earliest recorded letter from the Danish West Indies to the United States

1773, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix 21 May", addressed to the president of council of the city of Copenhagen, endorsed "med Captn. Jansen". A very fine and rare letter, one of the earliest recorded to Denmark from the Danish West Indies

1780, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix 1st May 1780" to Arbroath, Scottland, struck with 2 bishop marks on reverse. Charged with a total of "8 d". a Very fine and rare early letter to Europe

1781, The first Danish West Indies postal regulation for official and private letters within, to and from the islands. Complete leaflet of 16 pages; loose binding, otherwise very fine and fresh. Extremely rare, supposed to be the only recorded in private hands

1789, Entire letter dated "St. Jan February 19" to the captain of the fregate 'Hertug Ferdinand' at St. Croix, endorsed on front "frit" (free of charge), very fine and scarce; the 2nd earliest recorded local letter of the Danish West Indies

1801, Entire letter, docketed "St. Thomas 20th January 1801" from a captain to Philadelphia with clear frontside landing mark "NLondon Feb 10" and manuscript "Sh19" (2 cents shipletter rate + 17 cents overland to Philadelphia); 2 filing creases, otherwise very fine and fresh. A rare letter just before the first British occupation

1801, Entire letter, docketed "St. Thomas 31st July 1801" to Demerara (Dutch Guiana). In the inside few split folds, otherwise fine and fresh. A scarce letter during the first British occupation and earliest recorded letter from the Danish West Indies to Southamerica

1804, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas le 8 Juin 1804" to Philadelphia with frontside oval "NEW HAVEN JULY 3" and manuscript "Sh19"

1805, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix. Westend. Feb. 12th 1805" to Philadelphia with handstamp "6" in circle

1806, Entire letter, docketed "St. Thomas 15 Decb. 1806" to Havana, very fine. The only recorded letter to any other Caribbean Island but Tortola during the 5 years between first and second British occupation

1808, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix 19 June 1808" to London, showing on front clear transit mark "TORTOLA 17 JUL 1808, taxed on arrival with "4/". Slight file folds, otherwise very fine and fresh. A scarce letter during the 2nd British occupation

1810, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix 18th March 1810" to Aberdeen, endorsed "via Liverpool" but sent via Ireland with frontside "COVE SHIP LE." and manuscript "Ship Letter Office Cove June 8th 1810" with adjacent Scottish exchange office mark in red, charged with a total of "2/6" on arrival; a tear in the upper part of the entire fixed with tape, still fine and interesting

1810, Entire letter dated "St. Croix 27th Feby 1810" with frontside clear blue "LEEWARD ISLAND F / AP 3 1810" to Aberdeen with frontside Scottish exchange mark "APR./W 8 M/1810", charged on arrival with "4/10"; very fine and rare, just one other letter recorded with this postmark in blue (of the same day and also struck on the front instead of the backside as usual)

"ST. CROIX DE 6 1811", the fleuron postmark, perfect strike on entire letter, dated the day before to Aberdeen with red Scottish exchange mark "JAN/W 25 M/1812" on front, charged on arrival with "4/8". A very fine and rare early letter with the illusive fleuron marking

1813, Lettersheet docketed "8 December 1813 E. Sarguy", addressed to N.M. Rothschild at London, showing on front oval "SHIP LETTER / PORTSMOUTH", charged on arrival "2/-". The only recorded letter sent with a naval ship from DWI in private hands; a similar letter is recorded in the Geill collection at the Danish postal museum

1814, "ST:THOMAS NOV 29 1814", large fleuron, nice strike on unpaid double rate lettersheet to London, charged on arrival with "4/4". Slightly stained on reverse, otherwise fine and very scarce

1818, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas fevr. 18 1818" with black straight line "St. THOMAS" to London, charged "4/2" on arrival, very fine

1822, Entire letter, dated "St. Thomas le 9 juillet 1822" to Bordeaux with frontside clear "COLONIES PAR BAYONNE", charged "6" decimes on arrival; desinfection slits and corresponding light stains, very fine and scarce

1825, Entire letter dated "St. Croix 18th Oct. 1825", sent via forwarding agent in London to Madeira with red boxed "PACKET LETTER" on reverse. The letter was charged in England with "2/7" and in Madeira with "40" reis; a fine and interesting item

1833 (ca.), Lettersheet endorsed "G.Gouverneuren" to captain Christian Zahrtmann, chief of the brigg. 'Allart' at Vest Ende Rhed (Christansted harbour). Zahrtmann was stationed in the Danish West Indies 1833/34 to conduct a map of the waters around the islands. An interesting and scarce item

1835, Entire letter dated "St. Tomas y Mayo 22 1835" to the Isle of Corse with frontside "MARSEILLE 25 JUIL 1835", boxed "PAYS D'OUTREMER" and oval "1 d." (shipletter fee); charged on arrival with "5" decimes. Small tear at bottom, otherwise very fine

1836, Entire letter, dated "St. Croix Dec. 24th 1836" to Toronto, Canada, showing on front large oval "FORWARDED BY A.J. HILL & PENISTON ST. THOMAS" with adjacent red "NEW-YORK SHIP FEB 1" charged on arrival with a total of "2/1½" Canadian currency; also a letter from the same correspondence, 4 weeks later without forwarding agent mark, but with green exchance point handstamp "QUEENSTON MA 1 1837" on front

1840, "LEEWARD ISLAND F" in green, clear strike on reverse of entire letter (the contents proving that it is coming from St. Thomas) to Edinburgh with clear London arrival mark of June 18, charged on arrival with "6/-"; some vertical folds, still fine and very scarce

1841, Entire letter dated "St. Croix 20th March 1841" to Arbroath, Scotland, showing on front excellent strike of green "ST. THOMAS" with "S" reversed. Very fine and extremely rare, just 3 letters recorded

1842, "St. THOMAS", small straight line in green, superb strike on lettersheet with part of contents, docketed "St. Croix 25 Aug. 1842", endorsed "per Steamer" to Aberdeen with arrival mark of October 7. A fine and very rare entire Provenance: J.G. Glassco (Robson Lowe, 1965)

1842, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas 29. X 1842", sent as shipletter to London forwarding agent, here re-addressed to Bridgwater, franked with 1841, 1 d. red-brown, somewhat touched at bottom, otherwise good margins, cancelled by black MC. Fine and rare redirected letter from the Danish West Indies.

1845, Lettersheet with belonging 4 pages letter, dated "Christiansfort paa St. Thomas 8 Juli 1845" to Copenhagen, privately conveyed with manuscript "Ved Godhed af Peter Drewsen", interesting contents from a Danish soldier to his brother, also a military person

1845, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas 30 September 1845" addressed to Herrnhut in Saxony, transported via Bremen with frontside clear boxed handstamp with adjacent "See-Brief"; several taxes with a total of "268" neupfennige charged to the recipient for a weight of "1 3/4" lot. A fine and rare letter

1849, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas 13 9bre 1849" to Paris, showing on front clear blue "PACKET LETTER SOUTHAMPTON" and "SOUTHAMPTON F DE 2 1849" and red French "ANGL. CALAIS 2". In France charged with "15" decimes. A very fine and scarce packet letter

1856, Entire letter from St. Croix with clear black "CHRISTIANSTED 28 6 1856" and rare blue "ST. THOMAS 30 6 1856" via the British PO, London and Hamburg to Copenhagen, charged with a total of "219" skilling on reverse. A fine and rare letter, the blue ink is recorded only in early 1856

1857, Lettersheet of official correspondence, endorsed "K.T." (Kongelig Tjeneste) with clear "FREDERIKSTED 29/4 1857", send locally and dispite the official character charged "4" cents, very fine

1857, Entire letter from "FREDERIKSTED 13 1 1857" via St. Thomas Danish and British PO, Southampton and Hamburg to Copenhagen, charged with a total of 119 skilling, very fine

1859, Entire letter from "CHRISTIANSTED 29 7 1859" via St. Thomas Danish and British PO (single semi-circle), London and Hamburg to Copenhagen, charged with a total of "60" skilling on front

1859, Entire letter from "CHRISTIANSTED 14/10 1859" via St. Thomas, London and Hamburg to Copenhagen, charged with a total of "60" skilling on front

1866, "PORTO", good strike an entire letter from "ST. THOMAS 4/7 1866" to St. Croix, charged "4" cents; fine and scarce