Lot
4351 
Hawaii, 1857, 5¢ manuscript surcharge on 13¢ dark red, type I (Clark) surcharge, large margins and rich vivid color, uncanceled and affixed to fresh cover to South Hadley, Mass., bold red "Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid, Jun 27" cds (236.05), in combination with well margined U.S. 1851, 3¢ dull red, type II + 10¢ green, type II (11A+14) tied by neat "San Francisco, Cal., Jul 20, 1857" cds; slightly refolded cover edges not mentioned on certificate, Extremely Fine, ex-Caspary, Krug, Rust, Kapiloff, Pietsch and Haub; with 2020 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 7 $55,000.
ONE OF MOST OUTSTANDING HAWAII 1857 5¢ ON 13¢ PROVISIONAL SURCHARGE USAGES - SIGNED STANLEY ASHBROOK, "IN MY OPINION THIS SUPERB COVER IS GENUINE IN EVERY RESPECT".
This cover was carried on the American schooner "Vaquero" departing Honolulu June 27th but returned to the harbor with a broken mast and sailed again after repairs on June 30th. She arrived in San Francisco on July 16th. From there it was carried on the PMSC "John L. Stephens" that departed San Francisco on July 20th, 1857 for Panama City (August 3rd arrival).
The Gregory census lists 18 covers with the 5¢ on 13¢ surcharge, with this U.S. 10¢ + 3¢ postage overpaying the 12¢ rate by 1¢. The 5¢ provisional surcharge was necessary due to a shortage of 5¢ stamps just after the transition from Postmaster Whitney to Jackson. Most were made by Jackson's clerk, Alvah Clark, around the start of 1857. New supplies of the 5¢ stamp (Scott No. 8) were received at the end of June 1857.