Samoa, 1895, 1½d on 2d orange + 3d on 2d orange, perf 12x11½ issues, in combination with 1895, ½d brown violet, tied by blue "Apia, Samoa Apr. 18, 95" cds on 1895 registered cover to San Francisco, Cal., additionally franked with U.S. 8¢ Columbian (Scott #236) tied by oval handstamp, with Samoan stamps supplied by sender and postmarked in provisional blue ink (April 1, 1895 fire-destroyed Samoa post office including all stamps and supplied 8¢ Columbian) tied by oval S.F. registry postmark and magenta straight line, dated May 9, 1895, Extremely Fine, a very rare mixed franking usage, illustrated in A Postal History of the Samoa Islands 1830-1911 (page 97). Scott No. 9b+24b+25b  Estimate $1,500 - 2,000. $0 (Image)

Samoa, U.S.S. "Mohican" Pacific Station, Harbor of Apia, Upolu I, Samoan Group, South Pacific Ocean, October 15th 1886., signed "Geo. H. Cooke, U.S.A. on quadruple rate legal size cover to his wife at Asbury Park, N.J., red magenta "Navy Pay Office, San Francisco." two-line handstamp, entered the U.S. mails bearing 2¢ red brown (210), four singles, tied by "San Francisco, Cal. 1886" cds, reverse with "Asbury Park N.J. Rec'd Nov 9" cds backstamp; faults, cover reduced at right, Fine. Estimate  $1,000 - 1,500. A VERY RARE "OUTSIDE THE MAILS" NAVAL SHIP LETTER USAGE FROM APIA, SAMOA DURING THE MUNICIPALITY POST OFFICE PERIOD. The U.S.S. "Mohican" was a steam sloop of war, launched in December 1883 and sent to Callao, Peru in 1886 and then to Samoan waters to protect American interests from German political interference. This letter is unusual as it was apparently handled by the Navy Department and prepaid by their San Francisco Pay Office before entering the mails, unlike the example offered from the J.R. Hughes collection (Sale 44 Lot 2275, realized $2,875) that was sent by private ship without prepayment. $0 (Image)