Lot
12 
Forwarded By Thomas Spencer, Ship Chandler, Honolulu, Sandwich Islands., framed octagonal backstamp on 1856 buff cover to Charles P. Williams at Stonington Conn. with red "Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Mar 5" cds (MH# 236.05 (I), Gregory 28(1)), entered U.S. mails with "San Francisco Cal. 5 Apr" cds and red "Paid" straightline handstamp with red manuscript "52" cent rating for five times the new 10¢ rate plus 2¢ ship fee, reverse with manuscript "2½ oz" notation; cover refolded and reduced, light staining, Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED COVERS WITH THE THOMAS SPENCER FORWARDERS HANDSTAMP.
Letter was carried by American bark "Yankee" from Honolulu Mar. 5th to San Francisco arriving Mar. 20th. Cover postmarked on day of departure from San Francisco on PMSS "Golden Age", which departed Apr. 5th to Panama, then by USMSC "Illinois" from Aspinwall May 19th to New York arriving May 27th.
Capt. Thomas Spencer operated a ship chandlery in Honolulu from 1851 until 1861 when he moved to Hilo. B.F. Bolles moved into the site from Lahaina when Spencer vacated it.
The four recorded Thomas Spencer covers are:
1. 1855-11-30, Honolulu to Messrs. Lawrence & Co. in New London Conn. by Am. bark "Frances Palmer", ex-Golden, currently in Richard Malmgren Collection
2. 1855-12-28, Honolulu to New Bedford Mass. by Am. bark "Yankee", ex-Advertiser
3. 1856-03-05, Honolulu to Charles P. Williams at Stonington Conn. by Am. bark "Yankee", the cover offered here.
4. 1857-01-21, Honolulu to New Bedford Mass. by Am. bark "Fanny Major", ex-Advertiser.
Realized: $2,000