United States Stamps and Hawaii continued...

FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE SINGLE USE OF THE 1863 2-CENT KAMEHAMEHA IV ISSUE ON A COLLECT COVER TO SAN FRANCISCO DURING THE FOURTH SUB-PERIOD OF THE LATE TREATY PERIOD.

Confusion over which rates applied to mail from Hawaii started in 1864 in what Gregory classifies as the "Error Rate Sub-Periods" of the Late Treaty Period (go to www.hawaiianstamps.com/latetreatyerror.html for an in-depth explanation of events and covers). According to Gregory, this cover is one of three known from the mail that left Honolulu on November 23, 1864. Gregory states: "Only one mail shipment, by the A. A. Eldridge, was sent before Honolulu learned the 10¢ rate was rescinded for Hawaiian mail. Three covers are reported from that sailing of the A. A. Eldridge. One is shown above, bearing 10¢ United States postage. Another was sent collect (see Advertiser lot 3056 [the cover offered here]). By the time the A. A. Eldridge reached San Francisco, that office had reverted to the 1863 rate, so the collect cover was unaffected by the error. The third cover was sent through the United States to Europe (illustrated at Tows, lot 58; Siegel auction #397, lot 505; and Letters of Gold, p. 144)."

The unusual manuscript postmark on the 2c stamp, which presumably was applied to pay the inter-island rate, is probably an abbreviation for "Makawao Plantation Post Office." Makawao was an early plantation town on Maui, site of the East Maui Plantation. Although markings are not recorded this early, the office was in operation, and in March 1864 the Honolulu office sent out $10.00 worth of the 2c Boston Lithographs, but only $1.00 of 5c stamps (Numerals) and $1.00 of U.S. stamps.

Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Twigg-Smith. With 2007 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com