Danish West Indies

Envelope from St. Thomas 11 September 1907 to N. Y. City, USA. Fraudulent letter because the sender has affixed a previously used King Christian IX 25 BIT adhesive. Endorsed ‘Timbre Frauduleux’ and circled with red crayon. A report form ‘Formular Nr. 120.’ was filled out and forwarded together with the fraudulent letter to the addressee under official mail service, the letter also taxed due for the insufficiently franking. As sender's addressee wasn't apparent on the envelope, the letter was forwarded. Only two such forms has been recorded from the Danish West Indies.

Picture postcard from St. Thomas 18 December 1909 to Toulon, France. 5 BIT King Frederik VIII green and local CHRISTMAS SEAL 1909 tied by LAP 'ST. THOMAS 18/12 1909' on picture side.

Parcelletter from Rudme 29 May 1917 to Taastrup. Mixed franking of Danish West Indies 15 BIT King Christian X and Denmark 15 øre King Christian X tied by swiss type cds 'RUDME 29.5.17 4-E'. An unusual usage to a soldier at Barfredshøjlejren. A very rare and unusual combination of DWI and DK stamps accepted by the postal service and not charged for insufficient postage, envelope slight cut down at left side.

Transition letter. Letter from Christiansted during the transition period 1.4.1917 - 30.9.1917 to Skive, Denmark. US 15 cent stamp tied by US datestamp 'CHRISTINASTED SEP 8 1917 / SAINT CROIX'. 5 Cents equals 25 BIT UPU single letter rate, plus 10 US cents registration fee = 15 Cents total postage, only recorded single franking US 15 cents from DWI during the transition perioed. British re-sealing tape 'OPENED BY CENSOR. / 181'. On reverse the rare 'CHRISTIANSTED SAINT CROIX / REGISTERED / SEP 8 1917' from the transition period and NY Registered marks and Skive reception mark 10 Novemmber 1917.

Lettersheet sent from St. Thomas 5 October 1882 to Carupano, Venezuela. 10 Cents bicoloured III printing perforation 14 x 13 1/2, normal frame and tied by St. Thomas CDS. Letters to South America are rather unusual from Danish West Indies compared to all other countries around the world. 10¢ UPU letter rate 1.4.1879 – 31.12.1901.

Decorative business envelope sent locally from Frederiksted 23 October 1902 to St. Croix. 1 cent and 5 cents Coat-of-Arms issue tied by LAP2 ‘FREDERIKSTED 23/10 1902’ and reception mark on reverse ‘CHRISTIANSTED 23/10 1902’. Domestic third letter rate 3x 2¢ = 6 cents from 1.1.1902 – 14.06.1905.

1¢ Coat-of-Arms double postal card REPLY card sent from Christiansted 24 April 1905 to St. Thomas with reception LAP ‘ST. THOMAS 25.4.1905’ applied on front. Reply sides rarely seen used. Domestic postal card rate 1 cent from 1.1.1902 – 14.6.1905.

Folded letter dated St. Croix 3 March 1838 to London, then readdressed to Caen, France. Packet single letter rate to London 1813-1837 2sh2d and stamped boxed red ‘PACKET LETTER’. Readdressed and posted from London 10 April, stamped French ‘ANGLETERRE-PAR-CAEN 11 AVR 1833’ and charged 25 decimes.

Folded letter dated St. Croix 15 July 1817 to Aberdeen via Lancaster, Great Britain. By ship and on arrival stamped framed, stepped ‘LALNCASTER / SHIP LETTER’ and backstamped fleuron ‘LANCASTER / 9 SEP 9 / 1817 / o 239 o’ and red ‘SEP / W M / 1811’. Routing instruction noted ‘Ship Neptune / Via Lancaster. Charge note ‘1/8’ due.

Two 10 BIT King Christian IX photographic proof of the adopted design affixed on a large size card-board. Only recorded example of the final design for the issued stamp.

50 BIT King Christian X die colour proof in the red/grey colours approved for the 40 BIT stamp. Printed on cross watermarked white paper stamped by the printing house H. H. Thieles Bogtrykkeri København, dated manuscript 30/10 (1914). A most spetacular exhibition item. Unique.

King Christian IX, imperforate colour essay, greyish brown. Considered to be the work of Alfred Jacobsen.

King Christian IX, imperforate colour essay, light green with wide margins. Considered to be the work of Alfred Jacobsen.

Censored letter sent from St. Thomas to Copenhagen 10 February 1917 bearing five 10 BIT King Frederik VIII issue, tied by CDS “ST. THOMAS”, opened and with British censor resealing tape “OPENED BY/CENSOR./999”. Randers receiving mark on reverse 28.3.1917.

Printed matter St. Thomas 15 May 1899 to New York, NY, USA. Pair 1¢ bicolored X printing inverted frame perforation 12 3/4 tied by CDS “ST. THOMAS 15/5 1899”. Routing order - Per “Caribbee” via St. Croix, with “FREDERIKSTED 18/5 1899” CDS on reverse. A most unusual routing at this time for mail via St. Croix from St. Thomas to US.

Domestic letter sent from St. Thomas 10. March 1911 to Frederiksted, bearing pair of 5 BIT King Christian IX tied by CDS “ST. THOMAS 10/3 1911” and receiving mark “FREDERIKSTED 10/3 1911” on reverse.

1 Cent bicolored I printing, position 17-18 in the sheet, used pair cancelled ST. THOMAS 16.9.1877. Right stamp pos. 18 with INVERTED FRAME, in this condition and in pair a most desirable bicolored rarity of DWI stamps, left stamp with round SW-corner.

Letter from St. Thomas 22 May 1911 to St. Louis, USA. 25 BIT blue/blue King Frederik VIII II printing tied by ST. THOMAS 22/5 1911 LAP. Routing instruction PER S/S PARIMA VIA NEW YORK. 25 BIT UPU letter rate from 1.10.1910 – 31.3.1917.d

Wrapper band for printed matters bearing two 5 BIT King Fr. VIII issue sent from Christiansted to Saxkjøbing 24 May 1912, paying the 10 BIT UPU printed matter double rate. Rare.

Letter sent from P. Camp to Paris through the British Post Office at St. Thomas 23 October 1871, franked at St. Thomas with 3 and 4d tied by C51 vertical format, showing 1-ring “St. Thomas PAID A” in red, London transit mark and exchange office “Angl. Amb. Calais F”. Round corner at 3d stamp and interesting plate flaw at 4d stamp, vertical fold in cover not affecting the stamps.

Letter sent from St. Thomas to Kingston, Jamaica 12 April 1864 with British mail at 4d rate. Red “ST. THOMAS A - PAID” and Kingston receiving mark on front, with contents.