The Thurston Twigg-Smith Collection of Hawaiian Stamps and Postal History continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE OF THE 1853 5-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUE WITH LINE THRU "HONOLULU" PLATE VARIETY AND TIED BY RED HONOLULU DATESTAMP ON PIECE.

Ex Aall. With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLY ATTRACTIVE AND RARE COVER SHOWING THE APPROPRIATE SINGLE USE OF THE 1853 5-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III FIRST PRINTING CANCELLED IN RED.

The 5c First Printing stamp paid the Hawaiian postage, while U.S. postage at the pre-April 1855 rate was collected from the addressee. Of the 38 5c First Printing covers recorded by Gregory, 17 are single usages (including two fronts).

Ex Spencer, Atherton, Honolulu Academy of Arts and Honolulu Advertiser (Image)

A FINE AND RARE USE OF THE 1853 5-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III FIRST PRINTING ON COVER TO THE EASTERN UNITED STATES WITH 12 CENTS DUE (TRANS-CONTINENTAL RATE PLUS SHIP CAPTAIN'S FEE).

This letter and cover were sent from Lahaina to Honolulu and from there on the Flying Dart, which cleared on Oct. 13 and arrived in San Francisco on Nov. 12, 1855. The postage components on this cover reflect an interesting change in U.S. rates before and after April 1, 1855. The U.S. over-3,000 miles prepaid rate was raised from 6c to 10c beginning on April 1, 1855 (and prepayment was made compulsory for letters posted in the U.S.). Therefore, prior to April 1, the prepaid postage charges on a letter from Hawaii to the eastern U.S. were 5c Hawaiian plus 8c U.S. (6c prepaid plus 2c ship captain's fee). If sent collect, the U.S. postage was 12c (10c unpaid rate plus 2c ship captain's fee). From April 1 on, the U.S. postage on Hawaiian letters was 12c, whether or not it was prepaid, despite the compulsory prepayment requirement for letters of U.S. origin. This cover and the cover in lot 4015 show the subtle distinction. While both are marked "Ship" and "12" cents due, the one sent prior to April 1855 was rated at the 10c unpaid rate (vs. 6c prepaid), while this cover was 12c due without penalty for non-prepayment.

Illustrated in Meyer-Harris (p. 38). Ex Harris, Krug, Rust and Honolulu Advertiser (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1853 13-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUE IS VERY SCARCE IN USED CONDITION. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST USED SINGLES EXTANT.

Ex Honolulu Advertiser (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A VERY SCARCE SOUND USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1853 13-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUE WITH A RARE TYPE OF GRID CANCEL.

Ex Caspary (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE SIX COVERS RECORDED BY GREGORY WITH THE 1853 13-CENT KAMEHAMEHA III STAMP USED BY ITSELF PRIOR TO APRIL 1855, PAYING THE SHORT-LIVED RATE FOR WHICH IT WAS CREATED

The Gregory census contains just six examples of the 13c Kamehameha III stamp used by itself -- without any secondary franking -- on covers dated prior to the United States April 1855 rate change. This rate change effectively increased the Hawaiian rate to the U.S. East Coast from 13c to 17c, thereby destroying the purpose for which this stamp was originally created. During the period from May 1853 until April 1855, the practice of affixing United States stamps to Hawaiian mail became more regular. Only two of the six sole-usage 13c covers have the stamp tied by any marking.

Although the Scott Catalogue values 13c mixed-franking covers more highly than this single franking, it is well-known among specialists that this usage is far rarer than any other. In fact, the Meyer-Harris book illustrates this cover on page 29 and states (p. 31): "Since the custom of adding United States stamps was begun very soon after the "Boston Engraved" issue came into use, covers with a 13c engraved and without any United States stamps are even rarer than `Missionary' covers."

Ex Adm. Harris, Van Dyke (backstamp), Haas and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1962 P.F. certificate (Image)

A FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE FRANKING, COMBINING BOTH KAMEHAMEHA III ISSUES AFTER THE APRIL 1855 RATE CHANGE RENDERED OBSOLETE THE 13-CENT'S ORIGINAL PURPOSE

Following the United States rate change, effective April 1, 1855, the 13c Kamehameha III stamp could no longer prepay the full rate from Hawaii to the U.S. East Coast, which increased from 13c to 17c. In consequence the patrons of Hawaii's postal system began using 5c stamps plus 12c U.S. stamps, or 13c stamps plus 4c cash, or, in this case, 5c and 13c stamps together. Whether the last franking method involved overpayment, or the 13c stamps were sold for 12c each, has never been clearly established, though written official communications indicate that at times the 13c stamps were sold for reduced rates. Surviving covers with such combinations -- at least six of which are recorded -- all originate at Hilo, but other outlying offices might also have forwarded letters to Honolulu with similar frankings.

During the period dating from April 1855 it was already a regular practice to affix U.S. postage stamps to outbound letters on which the U.S. rate had been prepaid. This is a remarkable example of a fully-prepaid letter, to which no U.S. stamps were affixed. The red San Francisco datestamp with "Paid 12" confirms that the letter never carried U.S. stamps.

Ex Knapp, Tows, Krug, Rust and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1959 P.F. certificate (Image)