Lot 46
1861, 30¢ orange (71), tied by neat circular grid cancellation on cover to the "Ship Nile" at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, matching "New London Ct. Aug 20 1861" c.d.s.; stamp with faults, Fine.
Estimate 7,500 - 10,000
THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USAGE OF THE 1861 30¢ ORANGE.
Expertization: 1996 A.P.S. Certificate.
Provenance: Sloane, Hollowbush, Fisher, Martin
The present cover is referenced in an undated letter from the then current owner, C. Fred Washburn, responding to an article by George B. Sloane in Stamps magazine of June 13, 1936 regarding early dates of stamp use. He says he purchased the cover from a daughter of Capt. Fish some years ago while working as an office boy at the firm of Williams & Haven, whaling merchants who were the owners of the Ship Nile. He also says upon Mr. Elliott Perry's urging, "he hunted through the files of the New London papers for August 1861 and found the postmaster's ad, stating the old stamps could not be used after August 21, so Mr. Perry informed me mine was a first day cover." The full letter is reproduced in Fisher's article.
The second earliest use is the famous 30¢ thru-the-lines Adams Express cover that entered the mails at Louisville Ky. on Aug. 22, 1861. (Ex-Paliafito, Sevenoaks).
Discussed by Fisher, First Days, Sep.-Oct 1968, pp. 14-15.
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| Realized $5,000 |
