383rd Auction

1876, James T. Abbott & Co’s Circular, franked with 1864 1d rose red, plate 170, tied to folded letter by neatly-struck St. Thomas PAID “A” C51 duplex (27 May), to St. Georges, Bermuda, vertical fold well clear of adhesive, a fresh and scarce entire.

Provenance:

Christie’s, 14 September, 1994, lot 2487

1865, folded letter to Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, J.F. Laferriere & Cie oval handstamp partially obscured by 1862-71 20c blue and 40c orange, paying the 60c letter rate for mail up to 7.5g, cancelled by dotted anchor, with St. Thomas c.d.s. of the Danish Post Office below (31 Dec), endorsed “pr Cacique”, indistinct backstamps, 20c adhesive with horizontal crease, 40c sulphurized, else a fine entire.

The firm of J.F. Laferriere & Cie also acted as forwarding agents. In this instance, however, the letter was despatched on their own account.

1866, folded cover to Marseilles, France, franked with 80c rose horizontal pair (partially separated), tied by dotted anchor cancel, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (12 Dec) of the D.W.I. Post Office, endorsed “p.p.” at lower left, “St. Thomas / Paq Fr. B. No 4” (27 Dec), Paris, Lyon a Marseille, and Marseille (Jan 13) backstamps, addressee’s name partially overwritten, piece excised from back from removal of wax seal, else a fine example of this double letter rate to France.

1867, folded letter to Bordeaux, France, handstruck “20” (decimes) rate marking, postmarked with La Guayra c.d.s. (4 Dec), endorsed “via St. Nazaire”, backstamped with “LIGNE A PAQ FR No 1” c.d.s. (9 Dec, one with apparent date slug error), Bordeaux c.d.s. receiver (24 Dec), some light toning.

1867, folded cover to Havana, Cuba, from the firm of Paulsen & Co, forwarding agents, franked with  1870-1 20c dull blue and 40c orange, cancelled by dotted anchor obliterator, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (30 Sep), handstamped with boxed PP in red, endorsed “per Louisiane” (of the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique), boxed Cuban “NE2” handstamp in blue, backstamped with St. Thomas PAW FR B No 3 sorter’s c.d.s. (30 Sep), blue Havana receiver (4 Oct), filing folds, one through 40c adhesive, else fine.

1868, folded letter to Havre, France, franked with 1863-70 80c rose horizontal pair (partially separated), cancelled with dotted anchor obliterator, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (23 Jul), endorsed “via Nazaire”, backstamped with “Ligne B / Paq Fr. No 3” sorter’s c.d.s. (24 Jul), Le Havre c.d.s. arrival backstamp (8 Aug), typical filing folds, right adhesive with diagonal crease, else a fine double-rate letter.

1869, folded cover to Cardiff, Wales, franked with 1872-5 80c rose horizontal pair, centrally-struck with dotted anchor cancellation, adjacent St. Thomas c.d.s. of the Danish West Indies (25 Jan), boxed red PD handstamps, St. Thomas PAQ FR B No 3 (26 Jan) ship marking on front, Cardiff (11 Feb) arrival backstamps, unobtrusive filing folds, one backstamp largely cutout from removal of wax seal, else fine.

1870, folded letter to Paris, datelined La Guayra [Venezuela], 3 August, struck with black “19” and endorsed “via St. Nazaire”, which traveled via St. Thomas, postmarked with neat “La Guayra / Paq. Fr. No. 1” c.d.s., a remarkably fresh entire; with 1988 Robineau certificate.

1870, folded letter datelined St. Thomas, 23 April, carried by French ship under the terms of the Anglo-French Postal Convention, postmarked with “St. Thomas Paq Fr B NO 1” c.d.s. (23 Apr), struck with oval “FR / 2F20c”, the only recorded example of this accountancy mark on mail from St. Thomas, red London split-ring arrival backstamp (10 May), an unusual example of unpaid mail to Great Britain carried via French packet; ex “Hogensborg”

1873, folded letter datelined Caracas, to Bordeaux, France, franked with 1870-1 40c orange and two 1872-5 30c brown, cancelled by dotted anchor and postmarked La Guayra (6 Dec), red boxed “PD” on front, endorsed in manuscript “via St. Nazaire”, backstamped Paris/Etranger (26 Apr), Paris a Bordeaux (26 Apr), and Bordeaux (27 Apr), filing folds, else fine.

1874, folded cover to Bordeaux, France, franked with 1872-5 30c brown pair, 40c orange single, tied by dotted anchor obliterator, endorsed “Steamer Francais” in manuscript, postmarked with neatly-struck St. Thomas “Consul” c.d.s. (26 Aug), boxed PD below, “Ligne B / Paq Fr B No 2” paquebot transit and Bordeaux (12 Sep) c.d.s. arrival backstamps, pressed filing folds, a fine illustration of the 1fr per 10g letter rate to France.

1875, folded letter to Bordeaux, France, datelined La Guayra [Venezuela], with commercial handstamp of the firm of C. Hellmund, rated “2” (reales) for inland postage, postmarked with undated double-circle Corres / La Guaira c.d.s., accepted by the French Post Office with octagonal La Guayra c.d.s. (11 Aug), “Ligne B / Paq Fr No. 1” (23 Aug) transit and Bordeaux (13 Sep) backstamps, “24” (centimes) due from recipient, trivial light wrinkles.

1875, folded letter dated 4 May, to Bordeaux, France, franked with 1875 1r vermilion, sheet margin single showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, into design at foot, tied by Correos / Guaira c.d.s., endorsed “via St. Nazaire” in manuscript, struck with La Guayra (7 May) French Consular c.d.s., “12” (decimes) due mark in black, “Ligne A Paq FR No 2” (7 May) c.d.s. and Bordeaux (26 May) backstamps, vertical fold clear of adhesive, else a fine and uncommon franking.

1876, folded cover, franked with 1870-5 40c orange and 80c rose, paying the double letter rate of 1fr20c, postmarked St. Thomas (5 Sep), endorsed “pr French Str,” stamps accordingly tied by “St. Thomas / Paq Fr. B Nr 4” c.d.s. (5 Sep), to Veracruz, Mexico, struck with “25c” in black for the Mexican inland portion, vertical fold, else a fine double rate cover.

1876, folded letter datelined La Guaira [Venezuela], to Malaga, Spain, conveyed to Saint Thomas by the forwarding agents Maturet-Hermanos & Co, franked upon arrival at the French Post Office with 1870-5 40c orange and 80c rose, tied by anchor in diamond of dots, postmarked with octagonal “St. Thomas / PAQ FR D NO 2” c.d.s. (9 Mar), blue Satander c.d.s. transit backstamp (26 Mar), 1P20 tax mark in same ink on front, partial c.d.s. arrival backstamp, horizontal fold well clear of adhesives, a scarce destination and markings, one of only two such combinations of postmarks recorded by Dubois; ex Schatkes, with 1990 Holcombe certificate.

1876, folded letter to New York, datelined Caracas, 30 June, presumably carried privately to St. Thomas where it was franked with two 1872-5 30c brown, tied by St. Thomas “Consular Type” c.d.s. (7 Jul), prepaid for conveyance to Havana, thence to New York via the American packet, this portion unpaid and accordingly struck with “New York / Due 5 Cts” c.d.s. (19 Jul), typical filing folds, fine.

1876, folded letter franked with strip of four 1874-6 25c ultramarine, tied by St. Thomas PAQ FR D No 1 c.d.s. (1 Nov), to Bordeaux, France, adjacent St. Thomas c.d.s. (1 Nov) of the D.W.I. Post Office, Bordeaux c.d.s. arrival backstamp (20 Nov), a lovely and fresh cover illustrating basic 1fr letter rate to France, particularly scarce with adhesives cancelled with the paquebot datestamp, signed.

1877, folded cover to Veracruz, Mexico, franked with two 1876 30c brown, paying the basic 60 centimes rate for a letter up to 15g, tied by  “St. Thomas / Paq Fr B No 4” c.d.s., same-day St. Thomas c.d.s. of the Danish West Indies Post Office below adhesives, a few trivial stains near adhesives, else a fine and scarce cover, one of three examples recorded by Dubois showing this combination of paquebot and DWI markings.

1877, unpaid folded letter, postmarked with St. Thomas (29 Sep) D.W.I. c.d.s., to Paris, France, manuscript “7” (decimes) and circular “T” due markings struck on front, “Ligne B / PAQ FR No 4” (29 Sep) ship sorter transit and Paris (17 Oct) c.d.s. backstamps, fresh and attractive.

1879, folded cover to Paris, franked with 1878 35c black on yellow, tied by “St. Thomas / Paq Fr. B No 2” c.d.s. (4 Nov), adjacent free strike, endorsed “voie Francaise” and struck with red “Ligne A / Paq Fr. No 2” c.d.s. (9 Nov), indicating the cover was carried onwards via Colon, Colombia to St. Nazaire, with blue Paris / Etranger c.d.s. arrival backstamp (26 Nov), roughly opened at back, a desirable example of this Paquebot cancel tying the adhesive, and an unusual solo franking, rarely seen.

1882, folded letter to Nantes, France, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (6 Oct) of the Danish West Indies Post Office, endorsed “par voie de St. Nazaire”, struck with “Ligne A PAQ FR No 1” c.d.s. (10 Oct), sent unpaid and struck “5”(decimes) in black with adjacent circular “T” postage due marking, Nantes c.d.s. arrival backstamp (23 Oct), light filing folds, else fine.

1847, folded letter datelined New Haven, 19 February [United States], to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, carried via St. Thomas where it was handled by forwarding agents F.A. Whitmore & Co, with their oval backstamp, “29” in blue manuscript at top, scarce red octagonal Spanish “S. TOMAS” and straight-line AGUADILLA in red struck on front, a likely entry strike as Aguadilla is a port city, light filing folds, else a fresh and rare entire.

1851, folded letter to St. Johns, Puerto Rico, datelined 14 May, with matching Barbadoes double-arc despatch backstamp, struck on front with red “Paid at Barbadoes” Crown Circle, routed via Danish West Indies, with British “St. Thomas” double-arc on reverse, transferred to the Spanish Post Office, denoted by blue octagonal “S TOMAS” mark on front, filing folds and light wrinkling, but a scarce example routed via the British and Spanish offices.

1865, 3c dark carmine, brownish gum, four even margins, tied to cover by black three-ring target, adjacent United States 10c green, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (20 Dec), to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, the 10c cancelled with two-line STEAM / SHIP in black, stamps have been removed and replaced, cover has been professionally repaired at lower right and cleaned, with some staining remaining, a rare franking; with 1975 Philatelic Foundation certificate, submitted by Louis Grunin.

The United States & Brazil Mail Steamship Company began operations in 1865, with the “Havana” departing New York on its first journey on September 29. This cover was carried on the USBMSC’s second northbound journey, on the “North America”, which called at St. Thomas on December 21, and arrived in New York on the 27th. Four other covers are recorded postmarked in St. Thomas on December 20, two others bearing 10c frankings, the others being unpaid. The 3c stamp paid the D.W.I. local charge, which the 10c adhesive paid the U.S. steamship and inland postage.

1870, folded letter to New York, datelined St. Thomas, 13 May, struck on front with blue oval of Hurtzig & Co, forwarding agents, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (14 May) of the D.W.I. Post Office, franked with United States 1869 10c yellow, prepaying the 10c per 1/2oz rate, endorsed “per North America,” of the U.S. & Brazil Mail Steamship Co, which departed St. Thomas that day, adhesive cancelled on arrival with N YORK STEAMSHIP c.d.s. (21 May), scattered toning spots, horizontal fold clear of adhesive, else a fine usage of the 10c 1869 Pictorial from St. Thomas.

1871 folded letter, datelined Havana, 16 October, from the firm of Sama, Sotolongo Y. Ca, to Buenos Ayres, Argentina, franked with combination 10c brown Bank Note issue of the United States and 1865 3d vermilion of Great Britain, carried privately to St. Thomas, postmarked there on 29 October, the 10c prepaying conveyance to Rio de Janeiro via the United States & Brazil Steamship Co, cancelled on receipt by the British Post Office in Rio with “C83” numeral grid, “2/4” due in blue manuscript, carried onwards to Buenos Aires via Pacific Steam Navigation Co. vessel, docketing indicating receipt on 25 November, horizontal fold well clear of adhesives, 4d franking with upper right corner fault, a remarkably scarce entire; with 2002 Philatelic Foundation certificate

Provenance:

Collection Everaldo Santos, 2020

1871, folded cover to Buenos Aires, Argentina, struck with blue two-line cachet of Francisco Aballi of Matanzas, Cuba, carried privately to St. Thomas, reverse with oval forwarding agent’s handstamp of J. Niles & Co, conveyed to D.W.I. Post Office and postmarked St. Thomas (30 Dec), domestic postage paid in cash, affixed with United States 10c brown and 4d vermilion of Great Britain (plate 12), handstamped with circular STEAMSHIP the former paying for conveyance to Rio de Janeiro via the United States & Brazil Mail Steamship Co, likely carried on the North America to Rio de Janeiro, where the 4d was cancelled with C83 oval, then carried onwards to Buenos Aires, internally docketed as received on 27 January, creases and toning, accompanying certificate notes “repaired”, but an extremely scarce combination of United States and Great Britain adhesives used on mail conveyed from Cuba to Argentina via St. Thomas; signed Alberto Diena, with 1986 APEX certificate.

Provenance:

Collection Reinhold Koester, Christie’s Zurich, 26 June 1985, lot 2375

David Feldman Rarities Auction, AMERIPEX ‘86, 30 May, 1986, lot 50077

1872, cover franked with 3c carmine rose, ample to large margins, cancelled with black target, used in combination with 10c brown Jefferson,  postmarked Christiansted (9 Apr), St. Thomas (13 Apr), and N York Steam Ship, the last tying the 10c United States adhesive, to New York, a rare and desirable mixed franking; with 1981 Philatelic Foundation and 1993 Moller certificates.

1873, folded letter to Portland, Maine, franked with 1871 30c brown horizontal pair, tied by dotted lozenge cancel, postmarked with Guadeloupe / Pointe a Pitre c.d.s. (10 Jul), passed to the British Post Office and cancelled on front with scarce “Guadeloupe / PAID” c.d.s. (11 Jul), and backstamped with “Guadeloupe / A” c.d.s. (11 Jul), manuscript “4” (pence) in red crayon for the journey to St. Thomas, endorsed “Per U.S. & Brazil Mail Str via St. Thomas”, the United States portion unpaid and thus struck with crisp “N.Y. STEAMSHIP / 10” entry mark (21 Jul), trivial light filing fold, an unusual and important entire conveyed from the French P.O. in Guadeloupe by the British Agency through the USBMSC via St. Thomas.

1873-5 (circa), large part folded letter to Bangor, Maine, franked with 1873 10c brown, tied by St. Thomas c.d.s. of the D.W.I. Post Office, oval handstamp of forwarding agents Lamb & Co at lower left, endorsed “pr Barque ‘Caracas’ via New York”, adhesive further cancelled with partial N. YORK STEAMSHIP c.d.s., vertical fold.

1876 (circa), cover from the Roche Brothers in St. Croix, struck on front with blue oval “Forwarded by / G.W. SMITH & CO / St. Thomas W.I.”, franked with 1875 5c blue in prepayment of the U.P.U. rate to Islesboro, Maine, tied by N.YORK STEAMSHIP c.d.s., cover opened on three sides, slightly reduced at left, yet a scarce usage following the dissolution of the United States & Brazil Mail Steamship Co.

1876, folded letter to New York, datelined St. Thomas, 9th of February, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (12 Feb) of the D.W.I. Post Office, struck with oval Lamb & Co (Forwarding Agents) anchor handstamp, affixed with two 1875 1c blue, cancelled with intaglio corks, paying the 10c rate for carriage on the King Line, whose King Richard called at St. Thomas on its final northbound journey on February 12, postmarked on arrival in Baltimore with two “BALT / PAID ALL” c.d.s., edge creasing and vertical filing folds, of trivial importance given the tremendous rarity of this cover, being the only recorded example carried on this final trip of the King Line.

Following the expiration of the United States Brazil Mail Steamship Co. contract in October, 1875, the King Line began advertising its service from Baltimore to Rio de Janeiro via St. Thomas. The King Line made only three apparent journeys, with a notice being published in January, 1876 indicating that their steamers would be withdrawing from service. There is no record of further journeys following the 12 February stop in St. Thomas.

1878, Wreck of the Metropolis, undenominated United States Postal Service / Post Office Department / Office of the Third Ass’t Postmaster General / Division of Dead Letters / Official Business penalty cover, postmarked Philadelphia (Feb 12), to Captain Amundsen, care of the Norwegian & Swedish Consul in St. Thomas, backstamped with St. Thomas receiver (23 Feb), imprint on back flap “The inclosed letter was recovered from the wreck of the / Steamer Metropolis, lost on Currituck Beach,/ North Carolina, January 31, 1878”, light adhesion marks on two back corners from prior mounting, a rare entire.

In January, 1878, the Steamer “Metropolis”, then owned by the Lunt Brothers shipping company, set sail for Brazil with over 700 tons of steel for the construction of a railroad, along with 248 passengers.  It began taking on water in Delaware Bay, and despite rising seas, the Captain pressed on, until water flooded the engine room, forcing him to ground the ship on a sandbar near Currituck Beach. A delay in arranging a rescue led to the deaths of 102 passengers.  Mail that was salvaged was forwarded on under official covers such as the example offered here.

1883, folded letter from the firm of Hellmund & Co, franked with 25c brown orange of Curacao, 10c brown Bank Note issue of the United States below, cancelled with St. Thomas c.d.s., the 10c paying for transit via the United States & Brazil Mail Steamship Co, to Bangor, Maine, endorsed in manuscript “per Steamer Valencia via NYork”, with New York PAID ALL and New York c.d.s. backstamps (23 Mar), vertical fold, a rare mixed franking.

1917, 10c ultramarine Registry stamp, with 2c Washington, tied by Christiansted c.d.s., to cover from the National Bank of the Danish West Indies, to Staten Island, New York, with “Christiansted / Registered” (19 May), “Charlotte Amalie, Saint-Thomas / Reg’d” (21 May), New York (28 May) and Staten Island (29 May) backstamps, some edge creasing and tone spots, but a scarce usage of the 10c registry stamp on mail from the Danish West Indies.

Brazil: 1893, 200reis postal stationery cover, postmarked with Rio de Janeiro double-circle (29 May), to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, endorsed “via N. Orleans & Belize”, with St. Thomas (10 Jul) and Tegucigalpa (1 Sep) c.d.s. transit, an unusual routing.