"Honolulu, U.S. Postage Paid, Nov 17" red cancel (M-H 236.05) on folded letter datelined "Lahaina November 11th 1854) and addressed to Westerly, Rhode Island, upon arrival in San Francisco horizontal pair of 1851 3c Dull red (11) affixed and tied by "San Francisco Cal. 10 Dec" date stamp, stamps large margins to slightly in and lightly faded, letter some wear and splits along edges incl small tear upper right corner, otherwise Very Fine

Carried on American schooner Caroline E. Foote, departing Honolulu Nov 17, with arriving eastbound mail cancelled at San Francisco December 10. Content describes the firsthand accounts of a whaler in the 1850s:

"But he wanted me to not to leave and said he would do all he could for me and would give me the same pay as he he got and five hundred dollars besides extra if I would go so I concluded to come home in the ships Capt Hall like me you may believe has did all I could ask so far and has acted like a gentleman and I like him much...we have taken 23 whales and found two dead ones this season and out of 23 whales that we have taken I have I have taken 13 of them. I do not say this in the way of bragging but I think he has reason to do all he can for me and he is willing to, we are firing for home as possible we shall get away and sail in about 10 to 14 days and shall come direct home. Shall keep lookout for more whales and if we see any we shall try to catch them I am in hopes we shall take some...we shall be at home in May or June so when you get this you will continue writing give the best of a fathers love to Ann and Ella and tell little Ella I long to see her and kiss them cheeks..."

CV. 300

7, 1857, "5c" on 13c Dark red, "Clark" manuscript, affixed but not cancelled on a buff envelope addressed to "Mary Hastings" in Boston, Mass., red "Honolulu/ U.S. Postage Paid Jun 27" date stamp (M-H 236.05), then carried on the "Vaquero" departing Honolulu June 30 and arriving San Francisco July 16 where US 1851 3c Dull red Type I, 10c Green Type II (11, 14) affixed and tied by nice strike of black San Francisco Cal. Jul 20 1857" date stamp, stamps well-margined and with particularly fresh colors, envelope edges refolded with some trivial small scuff marks on back side, choice Very Fine and one of just 18 covers franked with this provisional surcharged issue created during a shortage of the 5c "Boston Engraved" issues; pictured in Gregory "Hawaii Foreign Mail to 1870, Vol. II, page 56); signed on back by Ashbrook

Unusual combination of US postage with the surcharged issue in that it overpays by 1c; plus the surcharge issue is most often accompanied by the 12c issue or a 10c in combination with a 1c pair to meet the proper rate.

Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary (H.R. Harmer Sale 1113, 1957)

Emmerson C. Krug (R.A. Siegel Sale 210, 1958)

Philip G. Rust (R.A. Siegel Sale 681, 1987)

Dr. Leonard Kapiloff (R.A. Siegel Sale 744, 1992)

Charles J. Pietsch III (Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 1996)

CV. 20,000

CV. 1,500

CV. 250

21, 1865 5c Blue on blue, "Hawaiian Postage", plate 9-A, affixed on blue envelope and just tied by 9-bar square grid cancel, nice strike of red "Honolulu U.S. Postage Paid Mar 5" date stamp (M-H 242.03), upon arrival in San Francisco a US 1863 5c Brown (76) affixed and tied by cogwheel (also cancels Hawaiian 5c) with an accompanying "San Francisco Cal Mar 21" (1866) double circle date stamp, addressed to Richmond, Indiana and with enclosure datelined "Honolulu March 2nd 1866" (Hughes correspondence), Hawaiian issue well margined, US 5c with pulled perf, envelope opened and slightly reduced at right with small nick at lower right corner and portion back side flap missing, Very Fine and eye-catching use; 1978 Wolfgang Jakubek certificate

Carried on the American bark Onward, departing Honolulu March 6, arriving San Francisco March 20 with overland mail postmarked the following day.

CV. 1,500