373rd Auction

CUBA - ARGENTINA: 1874, Entire letter from Santiago to Buenos Aires, transported by forwarding agent "J. NEILS & Co. ST. THOMAS W.I." (blue oval on reverse), franked with US 10 c. brown and (most likely) GB 4 d. orange which came off either already at St. Thomas or in transit, mailed "ST. THOMAS ../10 1874", transported by United States and Brazil mail steamship company vessel to Montevideo with small blue "CORREOS MONTEVIDEO 1 DIC 74", applied over the empty space of the British stamp. A very interesting and scarce letter of the "Argentina Mail"

CUBA-FRANCE: 1861, Entire letter from Santiago to Bordeaux, handled by forwarding agents "H. GRAFFSTEDT & Co. ST.JAGO DE CUBA" and "HEISE SCHMIDT & Co. ST. THOMAS", posted at the British PO with date stamp "ST. THOMAS C FE .. 61". A fine and interesting entire with very rare code "C"

CUBA-FRANCE: 1861, Entire letter from Santiago to Nantes, showing on reverse blue oval forwarding agent mark "G. NUNES & GOMMEZ ST. THOMAS" and British PO "ST. THOMAS AU 13 1861". On arrival charged with "8 decimes" but cancelled and changed to "16" in manuscript

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-FRANCE: 1855, Entire letter from Santo Domingo to Le Havre, transported by St. Thomas forwarding agent M. Pretto & Co. with clear cachet on front and with British PO "ST.-THOMAS 1855" (without day and month) via London to France with red boxed "COLONIES & ART. 13", charged "90" centimes on arrival. The St. Thomas date stamp without day and month was used during a short period after a fire devastated the post office on March 11, 1855. A fine and scarce entire

GUADELOUPE-FRANCE: 1866 (?), Printed Matter (not quite complete inside) franked with French Colonies Eagle issue 1 centime olive in horitzontal pair with good to large margins together with 20 centimes brown, somewhat cut into at left, tied by Pointe à Pitre cds. with adjacent boxed "PD", sent by closed mail via St. Thomas and Southampton; a fine and very scarce franking

GUADELOUPE-UNITED STATES: 1863, Lettersheet franked with French Colonies 1859/65, 5 c. green and 40 c. orange in strip of 3, tied by diamond of dots and "STEAMSHIP 10" to lettersheet with adjacent "POINTE-A-PITRE 10 SEP 1863" to New York with adjacent crowned circle "PAID AT GUADELOUPE", transported via "ST. THOMAS SP .. 1863". A fine and scarce combination cover, signed Jakubek

GUATEMALA - FRANCE: 1858, Entire letter from "GUATEMALA 3 AGO 1858" with adjacent red boxed "Franco" to Paris, sent via British PO "BELIZE AU 16 1858" per closed mail via St. Thomas to England and with triangle accountancy mark "GB 2 F" to France, here re-directed, little unfresh

MARTINIQUE - UNITED STATES: 1860, Envelope from "FORT DE FRANCE MARTINIQUE 27 MARS 1860" via St. Pierre to St. Thomas, here handled by forwarding agent Koefoed, Whitmore & Co. (clear red oval on front) and handed over to the Danish PO, here posted with cds. "ST:-THOMAS 15 4 1860" by private ship to Boston with frontside arrival mark, "SHIP" and "5" (cents due), small marginal faults

PANAMA - GREAT BRITAIN: 1876, Small sailor's letter (envelope) from a member of HMS Albatros at Panama, the ocal countersigned by commanding officier, franked with GB 2 d. blue, cancelled in transit with "C51" of St. Thomas, addressed to Pocklington with transit and arrival marks, most part of upper backflap missing and the stamp negligible small corner fault. A stunning letter, certificate Paaskesen (1995)

PRUSSIA - UNITED STATES: 1851, Entire letter from "COELN 17/2", prepaid with "39½" silbergroschen addressed to a member of the German ship "Reform" at San Francisco, endorsed "via Panama", travelled via London, in closed package per "Trend" to St. Thomas (arrived March 19) and on March 24 per "Great Western" to Shagres and further via Panama to San Francisco, on reverse forwarding agent mark "Reynolds & Co. Express / San Francisco" and oval "NOT PAID", both in blue. A fine and extremely rare letter of the forwarding agent Reynolds & Co., who disappeared already in the fall of 1851

PUERTO RICO - GREAT BRITAIN: 1836, Entire letter with black "FORWARDED BY WHITMORE & Co. ST. THOMAS" to London with arrival mark of July 2, 1836 and red boxed "PACKET LETTER" on front, charged "2/2"

PUERTO RICO - GREAT BRITAIN: 1850, Entire letter from Guayama with red oval "FORWARDED BY WHITMORE & Co. ST. THOMAS" (oval in red), and British ST:-THOMAS MR 30 1850" to London with April 21 arrival mark, charged "2/2"

PUERTO RICO - GREAT BRITAIN: 1871, Entire letter from Guayanilla, endorsed "Roll Stmr. of Southampton", privately carried to St. Thomas, franked with 1 s. green, pl. 5, tied by single oval "C51", London arrival mark on front (SG Z29)

PUERTO RICO - SPAIN: 1852, Small envelope with crowned circle "PAID AT SAN JUAN PORTO RICO" and dispatch mark of July 29 1852, to Barcelona, transported in closed mail via St. Thomas to London and from here via France to Spain, prepaid to the Spanish border with "2/1", in Spain charged with additional "10 Rs" and "6 ms" at Barcelona, a special fee charged between 1848 and 1854

PUERTO RICO - UNITED STATES: 1863, Entire letter from Arecibo, transported by forwarding agent to San Juan and here posted at British PO with red "PORTO-RICO PAID" with manuscript "1/-" via "ST.-THOMAS JY 29 1863" via Spanish mail to Havana and from here to New York, charged "10" cents

PUERTO RICO - UNITED STATES: 1868, Entire letter from Mayaguez to New York, sent via "ST. THOMAS 14/9 1868" franked with 1861/67, 10 c. green, cancelled on arrival "NEW YORK SEP 21", faint filing creases not affecting the stamp

PUERTO RICO - UNITED STATES: 1872, Dated lettersheet from San Juan, franked with pair GB 4 d. vermilion, pl. 12, tied by "C61" with adjacent red "PORTO-RICO PAID MR 13 72", sent via closed mail to New York with frontside "M.Y. STEAMSHIP 10 / MAR 21" and sent to Philadelphia, few short perfs, otherwise fine (SG Z90)

UNITED STATES-GUADELOUPE: 1861, Entire letter from New York to Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, transported via forwarding agent "GEO SOLOMON & Co. KINGSTON, JAMAICA", here posted with 1860/70, 4 d. brown-orange, tied by clear "A01" and mailed from "KINGSTON JU 8 1861" via St. Thomas to Guadeloupe. A fine and rare entire (SG 4)

UNITED STATES-PUERTO RICO: 1873, yellow envelope from "NORTH ISLEBORO ME. MAR 10" franked with 1870, 2 c., 3 c. (2) and 10 c., addressed to Ponce, Puerto Rico, transported with the Red Ball line to St. Thomas and from here to Puerto Rico, where 2 stamps Cuba 1873, 25 c. and 50 c. (valid in Puerto Rico unti July 1873) where added as postage due; transit and arrival marks on front and reverse. The franking with small faults, the cover with small edge tears. An important item of Caribbean postal history; the only recorded DWI cover with US and Spanish colonial stamps. Certificate Philatelic Foundation (2013)

VENEZUELA - GREAT BRITAIN: 1850, Entire letter with clear "CORREO DE VENEZUELA / GUAYRA FRANCA" with adjacent "2" (reales) via "ST:-THOMAS SE 13 1850", Southampton and London (October 5) to Bordeaux, on front red boxed "COLONIES & c. ART.13", charged on arrival with "15" decimes

VENEZUELA TO MEXICO: 1871, Lettersheet dated "Maracaibo Deciembre 13" transported via forwarding agent "B. DE SOLA CURAÇAO" (blue marking on reverse) via "ST. THOMAS 30/12 1871" to Veracruc, franked with France Ceres 40 c. in strip of 3, tied by anchor mark with adjacent boxed "P.P.", signed Holcombe

VENEZUELA-MEXICO: 1873, Lettersheet from Maracaibo to Vera Cruz, privately carried to Curacao, showing on reverse forwarding agent mark "J. GAERSTE & Co. CURACAO / 21 MAI 73", forwarded to St. Thomas with frontside seal (CONSULAAT DER NEDERLANDEN TE ST. THOMAS" (acting as forwarding agent). Here the letter was delivered to the Danish post office with frontside "ST. THOMAS 6/6 1873" and sent on, franked with France Ceres 5 centimes green and 25 centimes blue, each in horizontal pair, tied by anchor handstamp with adjacent "ST. THOMAS PAQ. FR. B No.4". One 5 centimes affected by vertical crease and the lettersheet with some separation in the folds (fixed). A fascinating and most likely unique cover via the Dutch Consulate

VENEZUELA - UNITED STATES: 1874, Entire letter from La Guaira with frontside blue oval marking of forwarding agent F. de Aldeoca & Co. and cds. "ST. THOMAS 11/2 1874" to New York with adjacent "NEW YORK JU 11 U.S. CURRENCY"

CUBA: 1860, Lettersheet with Spanish West Indies 1857, 1 r. green in horizontal pair, tied by paria with adjacent "HABANA 31 EN. 60" (year inverted), endorsed "Vapor upt. Cuba", addressed to the exiled Spanish president Antonio de Santa Ana; upper right corner of the entire backed, otherwise a fine and interesting entire, delivered outside the Danish postal system

DENMARK: 1857, Double rate lettersheet with seal of High Court on reverse, sent from "KJØBENHAVN 21/2 1857" via "HAMBURG 24 FEB. 1857" and London to St. Croix with transit marks of the British and Danish PO at St. Thomas, charged with "2/9"; additional "8" cents inland fee was cancelled due to the official character of the letter; small ink erosion, otherwise fine, scarce

DENMARK: 1870, Lettersheet franked with 1864/70, coat of arms 2 sk. lilac, 4 sk. red and 16 sk. greenish-grey (3), tied by duplex "181/VSJ. JB. PB 3 TOG 23/2" to St. Croix with London transit mark on front; one 16 sk. missing corner perf and 3 sk. repaired at top, still fine and very attractive. Certificate Van der Linden BPP (1996)

FRANCE: 1870, Entire letter franked with Napoléon lauré 80 c. carmine from "ST. GERMAIN-EN-LAYE 12 MARS" via London to St. Croix; stamp with some short perfs, still fine and scarce

HOLY LAND: 1894, Cover franked with 1892, 1 pia. grey, tied by Jerusalem cds., via New York to St. Thomas with transit and arrival marks; the envelope transportation faults, stamp with small tear and affected by marginal creasing, very scarce

PUERTO RICO: 1868, Entire letter from Arecibo, franked with GB 4 d. orange (perforation faults), tied by clear "C61", addressed to St. Thomas with arrival of July 29, 1868, still fine and quite scarce

UNITED STATES: 1867, Envelope franked with 1861/67, 10 c. green and 24 c. lilac with faint adjacent "ESSEX JAN 24" to St. Thomas with faint arrival mark with red accountancy mark "8"; the 24 c. corner crease and franking with some short perfs, very scarce

USA: 1871, Lettersheet with 10 c. brown from "NEW YORK FEB 24" to St. Croix with frontside arrival mark "ST: THOMAS 28/2 1871" and charged "4" cents local postage, very fine

REVAL-TALLINN: 1839, lettersheet with 15 engraved city view with german inscription beneath, with full content dated 1839, few faults and minor imperfections, quite attractive

1923, Airmail 10 m. with Päevaleht perforation, unused, very fine, certificate Löbbering BPP (2019)

1891, Coat of arms 3,50-7rbl., unused, fine

1891, Coat of arms 3,50-7rbl., used, fine

1853/61, Napoléon 1 fr. carmine in nice fresh colour and with good to large margins, tied by star cancel to entire letter from "PARIS 18 AVRIL 54" to Brignolles; a fine and scarce single franking, sign. Calves and Roumet and 2 certificates Robineau (1995 and 1997)