371st Auction

1874, Entire letter dated "St. Thomas December 19th 1874", privately carried to La Guaira, Venezuela, to a branch of the sender company, here posted endorsed "p. Lothringia" and sent to Bordeaux with frontside blue "PARIS ETRANG. PAQ. REG. PARIS / 19 JANV. 75" and blue tax stamp "12" (decimes). A very unusual routing

1891, Postal official envelope (for return receipts) as registered letter from "ST. THOMAS 4/8 1891" addressed to Colon, Chile; vertical file fold at right, otherwise very fine

"CHRISTIANSSTED 13/8 1891" (month inverted) on opened out envelope endorsed "on Postal Service" via St. Thomas to New York with transit and arrival marks on reverse

3 cents carmine, wide original Copenhagen gum, horizontal strip of 3, slightly touched at the top of the two left stamps, otherwise ample to large margins, tied by black target to lettersheet with adjacent clear "CHRISTIANSTED 28 8 1858" and manuscript "pr Mercurius" to Copenhagen. A very fine and rare cover. There are only 2 strips of 3 on cover recorded, with wide Copenhagen gum a unique and most desirable item. Certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2007) (FACIT 1a) Provenance: Illustrated in V.E. Engstrom "Danish West Indies Mails" p. 6-16

1855, 3 cents dark carmine, brown gum, with good to large margins, tied by clear strike of 3-ring cancel to lettersheet with reverse side dispatch mark "ST. THOMAS 30 10 1862" to St. Croix; a very fine and scarce letter

3 cents dark carmine, brown gum, just clear at upper right, otherwise ample to large margins with part of neighbour stamps at left, tied by circle of 3 rings to envelope to New York with combination franking US 10 cents green, both stamps tied by double line "STEAM SHIP", adjacent dispatch mark "ST. THOMAS 22/3 1866"; top flap on reverse removed, otherwise fine and fresh, signed Calves and certificate Philatelic Foundation (1957) Provenance: Dubus (1989)  

1855, 3 cents dark carmine with brown gum in combination with France, Napoléon perforated 80 centimes rose (partly scissors' cut and somewhat damaged at left), both tied by Danish 3-ring cancel with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 24/10 1865" to cover front with one backflap, addressed to Alicante, Spain, showing clear "ST. THOMAS PAQ. FR. B No.2 / 24 OCT. 65" and on reverse French transit marks and Alicante arrival mark of November 12 (offset on front); in Spain the inland postage of "4 R" (reales) was charged to the recipient. Despite the small imperfections a very attractive item. This is the earliest recorded example of French mail at St. Thomas and the only recorded mixed franking of No. 1 with French stamp on entire. Certificate APS (2002)

3 cents dark carmine, yellow gum, with ample to large margins, tied by clear target cancel to folded lettersheet with adjacent clear "FREDERIKSTED 23/10 1860" to the governor at Christiansted; a fine cover, certificate Nielsen (2005)

1866, 3 cents carmine-rose, nice fresh colour and ample to large margins, tied by target to small envelope with adjacent "CHRISTIANSTED .. 5 1868" to St. Croix, very fine

3 c. rose, just touched at lower left, otherwise clear to good margins, tied by target with adjacent cds. "ST. THOMAS 14/4 1868" to lettersheet from San Juan, Puerto Rico, franked for local postage with Spanish West Indies 1868, 10 c. blue, cancelled by numeral "6", sent by closed mail with Herera Line on April 12, 1868 to St. Thomas, here handed over to forwarding agent "SCHON WILLINK & CO" (blue oval marking on reverse), franked with the Danish 3 c. and US 10 c. green and transported on April 14 per "Southamerica" (US & BMSC) to New York where the US stamp was cancelled upon arrival with duplex "NEW YORK AP 21"; faint ironed creases through Spanish and American stamp, otherwise a fine and very attractive entire of greatest rarity, the only recorded triple combination of this kind, certificates Philatelic Foundation (1968 and 1991), certificate Graus (1991)

3 cents carmine-rose, privately rouletted 4½, tied by target to lettersheet with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 24/1 1871" to Bassin, St. Croix. The entire with some minor staining, the stamp due to the primitive rouletting applied with tear at top, still fine and very rare. Certificate Nielsen (1988) (Facit 2v2)

1866, 3 cents carmine-rose, privately rouletted 4½, tied by 5-ring cancel to entire letter dated "St. Thomas 13 Dec. 1870" to New York with combination franking US 10 cents brown, tied by mute figure cancel with adjacent "NEW YORK DEC 21, additionally tying the Danish stamp. The entire with usual vertical file fold not affecting the stamps, resulting in small paper split at bottom. A fine and rare combination franking, most likely unique with the rouletted stamp. Certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2013) (Facit 2v2)

1872/73, Perforated issue 3 cents carmine-rose, nice fresh colour and well perforated, tied by target to not quite complete lettersheet with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 2/9 1873" to Christiansted. Entires with the rouletted issue are extremely rare; a very nice item

4 cents ultramarine in horizontal pair and 3 cents carmine-rose, tied by target to lettersheet (one sideflap missing and address largely cut out) with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 27/8 1873" and red French entry mark "ALLEMAGNE PAQ. AMB. A". The 3 cents applied with faulty perforation at right, otherwise fine and fresh. This is the only recorded cover with pair of the 4 cents stamp and one of 5 entires recorded with this stamp in private collections.  Provenance: Illustrated in Engstrom 'Danish West Indies Mails' page 6-14 and DuBois 'Danish West Indies Mails' page 24

1 cent dark brown-lilac/grassgreen, III. printing, vertical pair and single copy tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 23/10 1879" to lettersheet to Bassin, St. Croix with Christiansted arrival mark on reverse; a fine and early multiple franking, certficate C.A. Møller BPP (2007)

1873/1900, 1 cent IV. printing, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 1/6 1885" to printed matter to Puerto Rico. A very fine and scarce single franking; certificate C.A. Møller (1997)

1 cent, VI. printing, horizontal pair, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 27/3 1891" to printed matter wrapper to New Jersey, very fine and scarce

1 c. green/brownish-red and 3 c. blue-grey/carmine-rose in strip of 3, all with frame inverted, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 16/3 1898" to cover to New York with arrival mark, fine

3 cents, II. printing, tied by clear "ST. THOMAS 23/11 1878" with additional strike alongside to lettersheet to St. Croix with manuscript transit notation  "Frederiksted 24/11 78 L.K." and additional blue "Christiansted" in the address; sent on with Christiansted arrival mark of November 25. The post office of Frederiksted burnt down in October 1878 during the labor riot and a new date cancel did not arrive before January 1879. This is the only recorded entire showing the emergency handwritten postmark. Certificate C.A. Møller BPP (2000)

1873/90, 3 cents II. printing, 4 cents I. printing and 10 cents I. printing, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 9/4 1878" with additional strike alongside to lettersheet to Vera Cruz, Mexico, endorsed "p French Str.". A fine and scarce colour franking according to the GPU rate to Mexico with French packet service between 2.4.1878-31.3.1879

3 cents II. printing and 10 cents I. printing in horizontal pair, tied by clear "ST. THOMAS 8/1 1878" to lettersheet endorsed "p French Str." to Vera Cruz, charged on front with "60" centavos inland delivery. The cover is franked according to the GPU rate with French packet service between 1.9.1877-1.4.1878. The 3 cents with tear at upper right, one 10 cents rounded corner, otherwise fine and fresh; a very rare entire, just three 23 cents frankings recorded

3 cents, III. printing, tied by cds. "FREDERIKSTED 21/10 1887" to pre-printed soldier's mail envelope, countersigned at lower left, addressed to Denmark with St. Thomas transit of the next day and Danish arrival mark of November 20 on reverse. Soldier's letter were transported at a favoured 3 cents rate. The stamp with slightly rounded corner and faint corner crease, otherwise fine. Very rare; just 3 printed envelopes recorded

3 cents with frame inverted and 4 cents, tied by circle of 4 rings on cover with reverse side "ST. THOMAS 1/9 1899" to Helsingör, Denmark with arrival mark on reverse; 4 cents slightly rounded corner, otherwise fine

7 cents, I. printing, tied by circle of 5 rings, tied to envelope with adjacent "ST. THOMAS 2/8 1875" to Germany, showing on reverse scarce "AUS WESTINDIEN P. HAMBURG DAMPFER ÜBER CÖLN 20/8". The stamp with corner fault at lower right, partly corrected, otherwise very fine and fresh; just 4 other covers with the early printing are recorded. Certificate C.A. Møller BPP (2006)

7 cents deep yellow/lilac and 5 cents light grey/light green, both I. printing, 2 copies each, fixed alternately and tied by target to double rate lettersheet with part of contents from "CHRISTIANSTED 13/11 1877" via London to Copenhagen with transit mark of St. Thomas and arrival mark on reverse. A fine, rare and highly attractive colour franking

7 cents, II. printing, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 4/2 1886" to postal stationery envelope 3 cents red via London to France with transit and arrival marks on front and reverse; the envelope light fold not affecting the stamp, otherwise fine and scarce combination

5 cents grey/green, VI. printing, 2 copies tied cds. "ST. THOMAS 3/3 1896" to small envelope to Nova Scotia with New York transit and Barrington N.S. arrival marks, very fine

5 cents green/grey, normal frame, horizontal pair tied by cds. "FREDERIKSTED 11/7 1899" to registered postcard via New York with transit register label to Denmark; on arrival taxed in mistake, but corrected. A fine and scarce registered card, only few recorded

5 cents, III. printing, 7 copies with 2 copies 1 cent, V. printing, tied by cds. "ST THOMAS 10/11 1887" to triple rate registered envelope to Colchester with arrival mark; the right 5 cents neglectable corner crease, otherwise fine and most attractive

10 cents dark brown/ultramarine, I. printing, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 15/10 1879" with additional strike alongside to registered lettersheet with boxed "Anbefalet./No.1625" to Christiansted with arrival mark of October 17. A fine and rare single franking of the first printing and the only recorded domestic registered letter with the bicoloured issue

10 cents, I. printing, used with clear target on lettersheet from "CHRISTIANSTED 13/8 1879" via St. Thomas and London to Copenhagen, endorsed "Per Royal Mail Steamer", very fine, certificate Nielsen (2003)

10 cents dark chocolatebrown/dark steel-blue, II. printing, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 27/7 1879" with additional strike alongside to entire letter originating from Caracas, posted to New York with arrival mark of August 6. The stamp with slightly rounded corner, otherwise very fine

1876/93, 50 cents greyish-violet, II. printing, unmounted mint, very fine and scarce in this condition, unsigned, opinion Møller BPP (2018) (Facit 13b)

50 cents grey-violet with 12 cents yellow-green/lilac-red with horizontal pair 5 cents VII. printing and 2 copies 4 cents II. printing, tied to registered linen envelope with boxed "AR" from "ST. THOMAS 24 11 1896" via London to Belgium with transit and arrival marks on front and reverse. The letter is correctly franked with 7x 10 cents letter fee, 7 cents registration fee and 3 cents 'avis reception'. A very rare and most attractive franking, certificate Nielsen (2005)

1887, 1 CENT on 7 cents, II. printing, 2 horizontal strips of 4 and 2 single stamps including 2 with inverted frame, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 21/7 1887" to commercial envelope to Port of Spain, Trinidad with arrival mark on front; the lower right stamp with pulled perf and tiny marginal tear, the envelope with small tear at bottom and light damage on reverse, otherwise fine and attractive. A very rare multiple franking, just one similar item recorded

1895, 10 CENTS on 50 cents, 6 copies, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 12/3 1896" to sixfold linen envelope of the US consulate with adjacent sender's mark of ship brokers Bache & Co. to Portland with transit marks on reverse. A highly unusual and scarce multiple franking