Samoa, 1890, Palms, 1d green, perf 12 x 11½, bright colors, used in conjunction with United States, 5¢ indigo (216), tied by three strikes of circular waffle grid cancel on 1888 cover to Washington D.C., light strike of magenta "San Francisco Paid All Aug. 4" cds and Washington D.C. Aug. 10th receiving backstamps, manuscript "26" in correspondence, Very Fine and choice, Odenweller Census No. 287. Scott Nos. 11b, 13b  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE UNITED STATES AND SAMOA MIXED FRANKING. Illustrated in Odenweller's Samoa book on page 210 (Fig. 21.3). The Odenweller book notes that the grids tying the Samoa and U.S. stamps are different, but they are identical and were applied to all three stamps upon arrival in San Francisco. $0 (Image)

Samoa, Apia, Kaiser Deutsche Postagentur, 5.12.94, clear strike of German agency cds on cover to Honolulu, H.I., with provisional manuscript "Paid 5 cts" rating, reverse with "Honolulu, H.I., Dec 14, 1894" duplex postmark, Very Fine, a rare Samoa German Agency Provisional usage with currency in U.S. cents rather than pfennig; with 2012 S. Sismondo certificate. Estimate  $500 - 750. $0 (Image)

Samoa, U.S.S. "Mohican" Pacific Station, Harbor of Apia, Upolu I, Samoan Group, So. Pacific Ocean, Oct. 16th 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) tied by "San Francisco, Cal. 1886" cds, reverse with "Asbury Park N.J. Rec'd Nov 9" cds backstamp; some paper loss at lower right and reduced slightly at right affecting 2¢, 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. We also offered the companion piece in our last Westpex auction. $0 (Image)