Lot
33 
"Wouhoo Sandwich Islands, April 16th 1827", datelined letter from Silvanus Harlow Jr. of whaleship Martha to Silvanus Harlow, Halifax Mass., entered U.S. mails with red "New Bedford Ms. Dec 6" rimless datestamp and manuscript "10" cent due rating, wonderful content including, "…We arrived in this place the 2d of this month where we expect to lay here about 5 weeks longer in order to paint and repair our ship we touched at Mowee another of the Islands, we staid there 8 days, we have obtained 1000 Bbbs of Sperm oil and calculate to get 800 barrels more and start for home, we are a going on the coast of Japan, in the China Seas … there 6 months and touch at Wouhoo again. I expect it will be 12 months from this before we get home…the good Missionaries as one parson Richmond calls them in Mowee, I went to visit one of them and spent one half a day with him and his family. A Mr. Richards, he appeared to be a very sociable man to all but … he appeared me to be a speculator of goods from his own pocket rather than a preacher of the gospel. The natives are indifferent about there Religion that they preach and it does not seem that they had any influence upon the minds of the people in this place…the United States Schooner Dolphin the crew it has been the custom here that as soon as a ship comes at anchor they will be swimming a long side and come on board if they are permitted by the Captain. Women I mean and after the Missionaries come there they advised the Ships to put in force until the USS Dolphin came it was 6 months imprisonment for any women to attempt the … the crew of the come on shore and went to the King for to admit girls on Board of the Ship he told them he could do nothing with it, it was in the hands of Mr. Bingham to admit them … he was a Christian and knew better than he did, they went to Mr. Bingham he told them to go to the King for he had nothing to do with, well he says they we have been to the King, and he says that it was you that advised his council to put in force such a law he promptly denied of having any thing to do with it, they then sent a message to the King to send on board of that Schooner before 6 oclock that night and they must suffer the consequence, however none came and … they went on shore armed about 9 oclock that evening and wrecked the King's house in pieces and chased poor Bingham back in the mountains where he took lodgings for that night and keep himself secreted for some days when he and the other missionaries in a canoe left for Mowee to the great joy of the inhabitants when the tabu law was broken and after the Dolphin had sailed they returned to come back again but have lost all of their influence and dare not impose any such laws…" and signed "Silvanus Harlow jr, Ship Martha, Pacific Ocean"; some fold separations reinforced and some soiling, Fine. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A REMARKABLE LETTER PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE "BATTLE OF HONOLULU - 1826", THE FIRST VISIT BY THE U.S. NAVY TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
This letter was probably carried along with a Jul. 20th 1827 letter (Gregory census #53) by American whale ship "Balaena" from Honolulu Jul. 22nd to New Bedford arriving Dec. 3rd via Tahiti and Cape Horn.
The letter provides an account of the first visit to the Hawaiian Islands by the US Navy, which was in 1826 when the warship USS "Dolphin" came into the port of Honolulu. Commanding the ship was Lieutenant John Percival (aka "Mad Jack" Percival.). The men of the Dolphin, like mariners then, had expectations of female companionship while in port. They arrived on January 16, 1826, and were surprised to find the port unusually tranquil and utterly devoid of the welcoming maidens the crew had anticipated. After making inquiries in the village they learned that, under the influence of the missionaries, the chiefs had not only forbidden the women to swim out to the ships, but had restricted the sale of alcohol. The resulting events have come to be known as the Battle of Honolulu in 1826.
Realized: $5,000
Lot
34
Honolulu, Hawaiian Isl / Nov. 23, 1850., sharp strike of two-line postmark in dark blue at top left of brown cover to Messrs. Butler, Keith & Hill, Boston Mass., endorsed "via San Francisco", faint red "San Francisco Cal., 15 Dec" cds and matching "40" rating handstamp for the 40¢ letter rate; cover aged, Fine; signed by Ashbrook as genuine on reverse. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A GREAT RARITY, ONE OF ONLY EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE HONOLULU STRAIGHTLINE CANCEL STRUCK IN BLUE.
This cover was carried by American brig "Sarah MacFarland" departing Honolulu Nov. 17th to San Francisco arriving Dec. 10th. From San Francisco carried by PMSC "California" departing Dec. 15th to Panama City arriving Jan. 3rd, and then USMSC "Falcon" from Chagres Jan. 12th or 13th to New York arriving Jan. 24th.
References: Illustrated as census #5 in Fred Gregory's Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870 on p. I-378.
Realized: $4,750
Lot
35
U.S. Postage Paid, partial strike of red oval handstamp on circa 1852-53 gray wrapper to Mrs. Elizabeth Ricord, Newark N.J., endorsed "Paid" and signed "R.C. Wyllie" at lower left, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS HONOLULU "U.S. POSTAGE PAID" OVAL HANDSTAMP ON A STAMPLESS COVER.
Robert Crichton Wyllie (1798-1865) was a Scottish physician and businessman. He also served two decades as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1845 to 1865. We note the "U.S. Postage Paid" oval handstamp on only three covers and a strike on a off-cover 13¢ Kamehameha (5) pair (ex-Tows, Advertiser). The "U.S." was removed from the marking in 1859 for use as a canceller on the Numeral issue (MH #762).
There are only three recorded stampless covers with this Honolulu "U.S. Postage Paid" oval handstamp:
1. 1852 Nov. 20, Honolulu to Russia, ex-Advertiser, currently in Gross collection.
2. undated, circa 1852-53, Honolulu to Newark N.J., the cover offered here.
3. undated, circa 1852-53, Honolulu to Schuyler Livingston, H.H.M.'s Consul General, New York. (Collection of Richard Malmgren).
Realized: $2,500
Lot
36
Honolulu, Hawaiian-Islands Apr 5., red cds on two matching 1852 buff covers from a whaling bark docketed "Qualities of the Ship, Ship A. Gibbs At Sea Mch 25. 1852 of Talcahuano (Chile)" and "Ship A. Gibbs off Sandwich Is April 3. 1852" to Messrs. Nye at New Bedford Mass., both with "San Francisco Cal, 3 May" cds and "12" due rating handstamp; first with cover abrasion in address, other with paper loss, F.-V.F., former ex-Haas. Estimate $400 - 600.
Interesting pair of whaling covers carried by Hawaiian Schooner "George Washington" from Honolulu Apr. 8th 1852 to San Francisco arriving May 1st.
Realized: $675
Lot
37
Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * May 16, bold strike of red cds on 1854 buff cover to Blandford Mass. bearing United States, 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair, large margins to slightly in at bottom right, tied by "San Francisco Cal. 16 Jun" cds and matching "Paid" straightline at left, Very Fine. Gregory No. HON US28 I Estimate $300 - 400.
Carried by American bark "Wavelet" from Honolulu May 16th 1854 to San Francisco arriving Jun. 8th. Postmarked at San Francisco Jun. 16th for east coast.
Realized: $1,900
Lot
38
1854 (Jul. 18) Honolulu, Hawaii to San Francisco Cal., blue folded invoice for 19 boxes of limes with blue "Von Holt & Heuck, Honolulu" double-oval handstamp, endorsed "pr Restless" at top left, "San Francisco Cal. 9 Aug" cds and matching "Ship 6" clamshell rating handstamp, small tape stain from top edge tear mend, Very Fine, ex-Advertiser, Pietsch. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $850
Lot
39
Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Dec. 2, red cds on 1854 cover to Penn Yan N.Y., "San Francisco Cal. 1 Jan" cds and matching large "PAID / 8 / SHIP" handstamp; one flap removed and reduced at bottom, Fine. Gregory No. HON US28 I. Estimate $300 - 400.
Carried by American schooner "T.H. Allen" from Honolulu departing December 3rd to San Francisco arriving December 26th.
Realized: $375
Lot
40
Honolulu * Hawaiian-Island * Jan 16, clear strike of red cds on 1855 orange buff cover to Mrs. Sally A. Darron, New London, Ct., entered U.S. mails with "San Francisco Cal. 16 Feb" cds and matching "Ship" & "12" rating handstamps, original enclosed letter datelined "Oahu Honolulu Jan. 14. 1855" with some interesting content including "The King of these Islands is dead they made a great time at the funeral there were over eight thousand people in the procession, the Masons turned out and Shutz came out with them the streets were all covered with green grass to walk upon, and it looked very nice…", Very Fine. Gregory No. HON HI28 I Estimate $300 - 400.
Carried by American brig "Susan Abigail" from Honolulu Jan. 16th 1855 to San Francisco arriving Feb. 6th. Postmarked at San Francisco Feb. 16th for east coast with 12¢ postage due for 10¢ rate for over 3,000 miles plus 2¢ ship letter fee.
Realized: $575
Lot
41
Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Jan 31, remarkable bold strike of red cds on 1856 cover to Miss Mary E. Hastings, South Hadley Mass. bearing U.S. 12¢ black (17), pos. 73L1 double recut var., large margins except barely touched at right, tied by bold "San Francisco Cal., 20 Feb" cds prepaying the 10¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee; lightly cleaned, expertly sealed edge tears at bottom left, Very Fine appearance, ex-Knapp, Eno, Haas, Grunin; signed by Ashbrook as genuine pos. 71L1 on reverse, with 2015 P.F. certificate. Gregory No. HON US28 II Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A REMARKABLE USE WITH TREMENDOUS EYE APPEAL.
This cover was carried by American schooner "L. P. Foster" from Honolulu Feb. 2nd to San Francisco arriving Feb. 19th. Postmarked at San Francisco for the PMSC "Sonora" departing Feb. 20th to Panama City arriving Mar. 4th, then by USMSC "George Law" departing Aspinwall Mar. 5th to New York arriving Mar. 15th. This cover realized $5,288 in the 1988 Grunin sale.
Lot
42
Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid, Dec 25, red cds (MH 242.03) on cover to Miss Ellen M. Bond at Boston Mass., red "San Francisco, Cal., 12 Paid, Jan 20, 1859" cds and matching "12" rating handstamp for 10¢ postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
This cover was carried by the American bark "Glimpse" from Honolulu departing Dec. 27, 1858 to San Francisco arriving Jan. 15th, 1859. From San Francisco, the letter went to New York via Panama carried by PMSC "Golden Age" departing Jan. 20th.
Realized: $240