373rd Auction

1887, 1 CENT on 7 c., 18 copies incl. 5 with inverted frame used on front and reverse of registered envelope from "ST. THOMAS 19 11 1890" to New York, 3 copies uncancelled (since overpaid), 2 further stamps missing on reverse, despite of that a very scarce and still attractive cover, certificate Møller BPP (2018) (Facit 23bv1, b)

4 c. blue/brown, diagonal bisect with left sheet margin, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 9/2 1903" to small envelope to Christiansted with arrival mark; little toned, still fine

1902, surcharge 2 CENTS on 3 c., proof with year "1901", unused o.g., fine and scarce (Facit 24v3)

1905, Christian IX, 2 bicoloured essays 5 c. green/black resp. red/black on ungummed paper, certificate Nielsen (2008)

1905, 10 bit, 2 composite photographic essay with head larger than issued with values in white on black square as issued stamps, 2 copies fixed on card in letter format

Similar item as before but with additional inscription ".CHR. .IX: :REX:DAN."

1905, Christian IX 5 bit, tied by mute 4 ring cancel to postcard with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 18 8 1906", used locally, little stained

Surcharge 5 BIT 1905 on 5 c. blue, block of 25, tied by cds. "FREDERISTED 9/5 1906" to piece; the 2 outer stamps in the bottom line with corner faults and one stamp missing corner perf, otherwise fine, a scarce multiple

1907/08, Frederik VIII 5 bit. in strip of 3 and 25 bit. tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 10/11 1908" on treasury department envelope to the chief quarantine officer at Ancon, Canal Zone with arrival mark, very unusual

1907/08, Frederik VIII 50 bit. brown/yellow, 2 horizontal pairs and single stamp tied to parcel card from "ST. THOMAS 24/12 1912" to Denmark; some creasing affecting 3 stamps, still fine and extremely scarce

1917, Official envelope "Postsag-Service des Postes" as registered letter from "ST. THOMAS 31.3.1917" to the Director General of the post in Copenhagen with arrival mark. An interesting item of the last day of Danish rule

POSTAGE DUE: 5 bit in horizontal pair and 50 c. uncancelled on reverse of commercial cover with New York return address and straight line "CONSIGNEES MAIL" to Frederiksted with arrival mark on front and reverse, taxed "60" in blue crayon

POSTAL STATIONERY: 1905, Double card 5+5 bit. green with additional franking 5 bit. from "CHRISTIANSTED 11 8 1906" to New York with St. Thomas transit mark on reverse (Facit BKd9)

1877, Die proof 3 c. in black for postal stationery envelope, printed on vertically laid paper, small ink spot at bottom, fine, certificate Møller (2013)

1877/78, Envelope 2 c. blue used as printed matter envelope from "ST. THOMAS 28/3 1879" to Liverpool with arrival mark on front; undeliverable with oval "RETOUR", on reverse "RETURNED LETTER OFFICE LIVERPOOL" and transit mark of Copenhagen; fine and interesting (Facit FK1)

Envelope 2 c. blue, used as printed matter envelope from "ST. THOMAS 25/5 1886" to Germany with frontside octagonal "ST. THOMAS PAQ. FR. B No. 2" (Facit FK1)

Envelope 2 c. blue with additional franking bi-coloured type 1 c. with inverted frame, single copy and horizontal pair and 5 c., used from "ST. THOMAS 25/11 1895" to the US with transit and arrival marks, some light staining (Facit FK7+5, 8)

1891/95, Envelope 3 c. red with additional franking 3 c. and 4 c. (both normal frame) from "ST. THOMAS 18/2 1891" via France to Hamburg, 4 c. rounded corner, otherwise very fine

EXPRESS LETTER OFFICE AND FORWARDING AGENTS: 1846, Entire letter from St. Thomas to Carupano, Venezuela, docketed inside by Schon Willink, showing on front double circle "CORREO DE VENEZUELA / CUMANA DEBE", rate mark "½ onz" and tax stamps "2½" and "½", signed Holcombe

1854, "FOREIGN LETTER OFFICE ST. THOMAS" on reverse of entire letter from Barranquilla to New York with frontside forwarding agen cachet "RECD & FORWD. ST. THOMAS / M. PRETTO & Co.", transported to Baltimore with blue arrial mark of July 12, blue "SHIP" and "7" (cents due), a fine and scarce combination letter

1854, "FOREIGN LETTER OFFICE ST. THOMAS" on reverse of entire letter from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico to New York, privately carried to St. Thomas and from here sent to Baltimore with frontside blue arrival mark of November 16, "SHIP" and "7" (cents due); a file fold on front with paper break and entire slightly stained

1860, "FOREIGN LETTER OFFICE ST. THOMAS", clear strike on reverse of entire letter from St. Thomas to Carupano, Venezuela

1861, red "FORWARDED BY KOEFOED WHITMORE & Co. ST. THOMAS" on reverse of entire letter to New York with frontside "5" cents due

1863, "ST. THOMAS EXPRESS OFFICE", double-oval in blue, clear strike on entire letter from St. Thomas to New York with adjacent 3 strikes of red "FORWARDED BY J. CAPPE'S SONS / ST. THOMAS W.I."; on front straight line "SHIP", boxed  "6" and Baltimore arrival mark, all in blue. A fine and rare letter

BRITISH MAIL: "PAID AT ST. THOMAS" (CC1), good strike on entire letter from "ST. THOMAS JA 3 1853" to San Francisco, prepaid with "4 d" and rated "20" cents at arrival. A fine and scarce letter to the west coast of the United States (just 4 recorded)

"PAID AT ST. THOMAS" (CC1) in black, good strike on lettersheet dated 17.4.1855 to Port au Prince; on reverse large double-line arch "ST:-THOMAS   1855" without day and month; little stained, still fine. An extremely rare entire, only few strikes of the crowned circle in black are recorded

"PAID AT ST. THOMAS" (CC2), good strike on entire letter from St. Croix with adjacent Danish "CHRISTIANSTED 12 5 1862" to South Zorra, West Canada, endorsed "Via Halifax", paid with 4 c. inland postage and "pd 4 d." British postage to Halifax, transported via "ST. GEORGES MY 18 1862", on reverse also transit mark of Quebec and arrival mark of May 31; on front marked "unpaid 5" which was applied to part paid letters. A very interesting and rare letter with light patina, one of the few recorded carried by open mail

"PAID AT ST. THOMAS", crowned circle (CC2), nice clear strike on entire letter 1859 via London and Hamburg to Tondern in the Danish duchy of Schleswig, fully paid, showing on front manuscript 2s/sd and clear Hamburg "Franco"; a fine and rare letter

1852, Entire letter from St. Croix, sent by British PO "ST.-THOMAS JU 15 1853" via England and Hamburg to Copenhagen, charged with a total of 87 skilling (noted on reverse); a fine and scarce letter to Denmark

1 d. rose-red, plate 186, tied by vertical barred oval "C51" on 'sailor's letter' envelope from a seaman on HMS "SHAH" to England with arrival mark of July 30, 1877. Part of reverse flap missing and small faults, still fine and extremely scarce (SG Z3)

1 d. rose-red, pl. 139, vertical pair, the lower stamp with clipped perforation, tied by vertical "C51" to small sailor's cover from a crew member of H.M.S. 'Reindeer', Arica, Pacific, addressed to Newton Abbot with arrival mark of February 12, 1872, usual slight transportation marks. A fine and rare cover (SG Z3), certificate RPS (1973) Provenance: J. Grant Glassco (Robson Lowe 1969)

4 d. vermilion, plate 12, tied by vertical barred oval "C51" with adjacent red "ST. THOMAS PAID MY 31 71" to entire letter to Jamaica with frontside handstamp "1"; fine and scarce

4 d. vermilion, pl. 12 and 4 copies 3 d. rose, pl. 6, tied by duplex "C51/ST. THOMAS JU 14 72" to lettersheet to Genua, taxed on arrival with "20" centesimi. The 3 d. at right with missing corner perf at top, otherwise fine; a very attractive and scarce 16 d.-rate cover (SG Z7, 10)

6 d. grey and 1 sh. green, pl. 8, tied by "C51" to envelope without dispatch mark to Portsmouth with arrival mark

1 sh. green, pl. 12 and 1½ d. lake-red, tied by duplex "C51/ST. THOMAS DE 11 76" to envelope via London to France with transit and arrival marks; a fine and quite scarce 13½ d. franking to France (SG Z30, 4)

1 s. green, pl. 12 and 2 d. blue, tied by duplex "C51/ST. THOMAS OC 30 75" to lettersheet to Marseille with transit and arrival marks, the entire with slight paper splits, still fine