383rd Auction

1814, Second British Occupation, folded letter datelined 18 November, with choice strike of ST CROIX Fleuron (24 Nov), to Armagh, Ireland, rated 2/6 in red, crossed-out and re-rated 3/2, denoting the packet charge, inland rate from Falmouth to Holyhead, and inland Irish postage, reverse with partial January receiver, a remarkably fresh entire and a lovely strike of this rare marking.

1817, folded letter dateline St. Croix, 9 September, to Aberdeen, North Britain, rated “5/2” in black, further struck with boxed “ADD 1/2” Scottish tax mark, endorsed in manuscript “per packet”, received at Falmouth and struck with fair unframed LEEWARD ISLAND F datestamp (24 Oct), with adjacent red OCT 29 c.d.s., light filing folds, else a fine entire displaying a higher rate than often seen, scarce, with Dubois recording only seven such Leeward Island strikes between 1808-20.

1818, folded letter datelined Guayra, November 20, to the firm of Huth & Co in London, conveyed privately to St. Thomas where it was “received an forwarded” by R. Drysdal per docketing on reverse, rated 2/2 and struck with fine strike of ST. THOMAS straight-line in black, with double-circle c.d.s. backstamp (22 Jan), a most unusual usage.

1820, folded letter datelined St. Croix, February 16, to Philadelphia, endorsed “per Thacher”, struck on arrival with octagonal “6” due from recipient, a fine early letter.

1838, folded letter datelined St. Croix, 30 June, carried via St. Thomas to Arborath, Scotland, rated 2/6 for the single letter rate, backstamped with undated LEEWARD ISLANDS F in green boxed “1/2” on front denoting amount due for the Scottish Wheel Tax, Aug 6 c.d.s. arrival backstamp, filing folds and small stain at top, else fine and scarce, with DuBois recording only ten examples with “Leeward Islands” strikes between 1821-41.

1844, folded letter to Bordeaux, France, datelined Caracas [Venezuela], 9 September, presumably carried privately to St. Thomas where struck with St. Thomas double-arc despatch (15 Oct) of the British Post Office, endorsed “par le Paquet”, red London transit backstamp (9 Nov), rated “20” (decimes) in manuscript, struck with red boxed “COLONIES / & ART12” and smudged red entry c.d.s., partial c.d.s. receiver, light filing folds, else fine.

1845, large part entire datelined St. Thomas, 30 September, to Herrnhut, Saxony, endorsed “Per Adelgunde via Bremen”, neatly-struck with boxed “See-Brief” and “BREMEN / 6-8”,  via Bremen with frontside clear boxed handstamp with adjacent "See-Brief", multiple manuscript rate and accountancy marks, fresh and scarce.

1857, stampless folded cover, postmarked on reverse with St. Thomas despatch c.d.s. (28 Jan), neatly-struck on front with FRANCO in circle, to Judge A. Sorgensen in St. John’s, a fine and scarce strike, with only nine examples recored; with 1989 Nielsen certificate.

1861, folded letter, datelined St. Thomas, 28 September, to Carupano [Venezuela],  with oval “Gruner & Co” (forwarding agents) sender’s handstamp, ship endorsement at lower left, reverse with fine strike of large oval “ST. THOMAS / EXPRESS / OFFICE”, horizontal fold and small stain on back clear of postmark, a rare marking, with only seven examples recorded on mail originating in St. Thomas.

1862, folded letter datelined October 26, struck on reverse with St. Thomas double split-ring despatch in black (28 Oct), to Lubeck, front with blue oval handstamp of forwarding agents Schon, Willink & Co, carried via London (14 Nov), Ostende, and Aachen (15 Nov), British “10” in black at upper left, Prussian “12” (silbergroschen) converted to “16” (schilling) in Lubeck, some light edge wrinkling and crease to back, but a scarce entire.

1863, folded letter to New York, datelined Caracas, 7 September, struck on reverse with oval ST THOMAS EXPRESS OFFICE, “New York Ship Letter / 4” c.d.s. on front (27 Apr), adhesive removed, portion of front with datestamp cut to allow for display with reverse of cover; approximately 29 covers are recorded with this Express marking, many of which are unclear strikes.

1863, folded letter to New York, with printed contents from Charles Bennett, Surveyor, General Post Office, indicating to the recipient that a parcel is awaiting shipment but can only be carried onwards upon payment of 24c due, suggesting to the recipient that one of his “correspondents in this Island to call at my Office between the hours of 10 o’clock and 3 o’clock, and pay the above postage,”postmarked on reverse with St. Thomas c.d.s. (12 Jan), filing folds, an unusual entire.

1864, folded letter datelined St. Croix, November 5, to Madeira, endorsed “via Lisbon / p. Brazil mail”, prepaid 1/4 to London and struck with “Lombard Street PAID” c.d.s. upon arrival (8 Jun), Lisbon boxed transit backstamp (13 Jun), struck “320” (reis) in black indicating postage due from the recipient, filing folds an light edge creasing, an uncommon destination.

1872, folded entire, dated 27 April, to Copenhagen, Denmark, postmarked with black St. Thomas despatch c.d.s., endorsed “p. Steamer via Bremen” and struck with boxed “Aus Westindien / uber Bremen”, manuscript “6” (silbergroschen) in red converted in Denmark to “34” (skillinge) due from recipient, backstamped Bremen (15 May), Copenhagen (17 May) and Copenhagen - Christiansh (17 May), fresh and fine.

1860, 3c carmine, two singles, margins generally close to into, tied to folded cover by black target cancels, to Norfolk, England, endorsed “p. Steamer” and struck with crisp Frederiksted c.d.s. (11 Sep), “2/-“ United Kingdom tax mark in manuscript on front, reverse with St. Thomas c.d.s. (12 Sep), same-day St. Thomas double arc of the British Post Office, London (27 Sep) split-ring transit and next-day Thetford c.d.s. receiver in blue, an attractive and rare cover, being one of only a small number of examples franked with multiple 3c Arms adhesives; with 1996 Paaskesen and 1996 Nielsen certificates.

Provenance:

Collection “Hogensborg”, Heinrich Kohler, 25 September, 2019, lot 6034.

1860, 3c dark carmine, clear to very large margins, showing portion of adjoining stamp at left, tied to folded letter to the Burgher Council in Christiansted by five-ring target cancel, postmarked with neatly-struck Frederiksted c.d.s. (6 May), a striking franking and fresh letter; with 1979 Arno Debo certificate. 

1860, 3c carmine, four ample to large margins, tied to folded cover by clear target cancel,  postmarked Frederiksted (20 Apr), to the Burgher Council at Christiansted, the odd trivial spot, else very fine and scarce.

1866, 3c rose, four good to large margins, tied to folded letter, datelined “St. Thomas, 16 November, 1866”, to Christiansted, St. Croix, horizontal filing fold well clear of adhesive, fine and scarce, believed to be the earliest recorded example on cover, pre-dating the 21 November, 1866 recorded by Engstrom; with 1978 Copenhagen Philatelic Society certificate.

1868, 3c rose, three large margins, tied by target cancel to folded letter docketed “Mayaguez, 10 April” (Puerto Rico), carried to St. Thomas via forwarding agents George A. Phillips & Co, twice struck on reverse with their oval marking in blue, postmarked with St. Thomas c.d.s. (11 Apr 1868), endorsed “per Steamer” in manuscript and addressed to New York, unpaid and struck with “New York / U.S. 10 Notes” c.d.s. (21 Apr), light horizontal filing fold, adhesive creased, small piece from reverse torn due to removal of wax seal, but a scarce forwarding agent’s marking and rare entire, with only eight examples recorded to the United States with the domestic West Indies portion paid with the 3c adhesive.

1876, 3c carmine rose, margins largely close to into, large at top, cancelled with black target, postmarked St. Thomas (6 Apr), to New York, endorsed “via Havana”, the domestic rate only prepaid, thus struck with “New-York / Due 5 CTS” c.d.s. (17 Apr), a fresh and fine entire.

1930, 3c black Coat of Arms, horizontal plate proof pair for the 1930 Hagermann reprint, on ungummed, unwatermarked paper, four even margins, plate positions “85” and “86” in small pencil notations on reverse, an infrequently-offered proof, taken prior to the creation of the official reprints for the 1930 publication “Stamps of the Danish West Indies” by G.A. Hagermann.

1930, 3c black Coat of Arms, horizontal plate proof pair for the 1930 Hagermann reprint, on ungummed, unwatermarked paper, four balanced margins, manuscript “Thiele’s” in ink on reverse, with plate positions “27” and “28” in small pencil notations, a scarce proof taken prior to the creation of the official reprints for the 1930 publication “Stamps of the Danish West Indies” by G.A. Hagermann.

1872, 4c blue, imperforate vertically, horizontal pair, original gum with hinge remnants, nicely-centered and with pleasing pastel-like shade, fine-very fine; with 1977 Helge Witt certificate.

1902, 2c on 3c light blue and carmine, upper right corner block of twenty five, lower right stamp showing the normal frameline, the balance inverted, hinged in corners and reinforcing perf separation in places, leaving ten examples never hinged, normal frameline example hinged, bright and fresh color, several positions showing small varieties, a fine and scarce large multiple, ideal for plating study.

c. 1904, King Christian IX, 5c essay for unissued design, in black on thick carton paper, four large even margins, scarce and very fine.

c. 1904, King Christian IX, 5c essay for unissued design, in black on thick carton paper, approx. 110mm x 114mm, trace of fingerprint clear of design, scarce and unusual.

c. 1904, 5c King Christian IX, eight essays for unissued design, two impressions struck on cream-colored, gummed wove paper, hinged, with range of colors including light blue, two shades of violet/lilac, orange, black, red, brown, and olive-grey, hinged, the occasional corner crease, tone spot at top of darker violet example, else fine and most unusual group, believed to have been prepared by Alfred Jacobsen.

1905, 5bit light green to 5fr yellow & brown, perforated 12 or 12-3/4, watermark new crown, unused, several with part original gum, overprinted SPECIMEN in black by the receiving postal administration, various flaws, including small thins, 2fr with upper corner tear, many with heavily toned gum, a scarce set; with 1977 British Philatelic Association certificate.

1905, 5bit on 4c brown & blue to 4bit on 8c brown, part original gum, overprinted SPECIMEN in black by the receiving postal administration, the 5bit on 4c value with feathered perfs at left, all with heavily toned gum, yet a scarce set of very good appearance; with 1977 British Philatelic Association certificate.

1915/6, 5bit light green to 50bit yellow & brown, most with part or large part original gum, overprinted SPECIMEN diagonally in black by the receiving postal administration, various small faults, 10bit with rounded corner, 20bit with thin, 40 bit horizontal crease and crayon mark, yet a scarce set; with 1977 British Philatelic Association certificate.

1877, folded letter franked with 1c lilac-purple & green, 4c ultramarine & brown, and 7c yellow & lilac, cancelled with black target cancels, postmarked St. Thomas (17 Sep), to St. Johns (San Juan), Puerto Rico, neatly-struck oval datestamp of St. Thomas forwarding agents J.F.D. Jurgens & Co, indistinct c.d.s. backstamp, light horizontal fold, a scarce and pleasing three-colour franking; with 1988 Nielsen certificate.

1877, folded letter franked with 5c light green & grey and 7c lilac & yellow horizontal pairs, paying the 24c UPU double rate, each cancelled by black target, postmarked with Christiansted c.d.s. (2 Sep), to Copenhagen, Denmark, red London Paid transit in red struck on front (13 Oct), St. Thomas transit and Copenhagen receiver on reverse, vertical fold crossing one 5c adhesive, discolored portion on reverse, a visually appealing and rare franking; with 2001 Moller certificate.

1878, 3c light blue & carmine, tied to folded cover by crisp St. Thomas c.d.s. (23 Nov), further free strike beside, adjacent “Frederiksted / 24/ 11 78 / L K” manuscript cancellation, to St. Croix, “Christiansted” written in blue above, light horizontal fold clear of markings, the odd toning spot and small wormhole at upper right, else a fine and rare cover, believed the only known example of the Frederiksted emergency manuscript marking; with 2000 Moller certificate.

Note: During a riot in October, 1878, a fire broke out at the Frederiksted post office, resulting in the loss of the handstamp. As a result, the manuscript “Frederiksted” notation was used, and the cover cancelled in transit at the St. Thomas post office.

Provenance: Collection “Hogensborg”, Heinrich Kohler, 25 September, 2019, lot 6055.

1879, folded cover, franked with 7c lilac & yellow horizontal pair, tied by bold St. Thomas c.d.s. (17 Feb), to Rio Hacha, New Grenada [Colombia], “4” in red and “10” in blue manuscript accountancy marks on front, some light separation along folds, else a fine cover to an unusual destination; with 1996 Nielsen and Moller certificates.

1879, 5c green & gray, horizontal pair, tied to folded letter by St. Thomas c.d.s. (6 Jun), to Grimstad, Norway, some light wrinkles and filing folds, but an uncommon example of this rate, having been apparently accepted without postage due, despite the rate having been raised to 12c three months prior in March, 1879.

1879, 12c lilac & green, tied to folded letter from G. Guttormsen, Ship Broker, tied by St. Thomas c.d.s. (16 Mar), to Grimstad, Norway, red London Paid transit c.d.s. on front (29 March), a difficult single franking, fresh and very fine.