Danish West Indies/United States Dual Franking

This is one of my favorite covers. About 3 years ago, when I basically reached an impasse on my U.S. collection, I expanded into possessions and trust territories. My favorite aspect of this area was postal history with dual frankings emanating from the territory or possession. Canal Zone and Hawaii were predictably my first two additions. Then came Philippines and Guam followed by Cuba...DWI, with only 3 covers in the census, seemed like the "holy grail", and one that could potentially evade me for a long time (if not forever). Then this opportunity presented itself, and I was lucky enough to make the acquisition. I am thrilled to have it in my collection!



*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

That is pretty sweet! Would you mind walking us through the elements present on this cover?

Reedededge - very nice. Where did your cover originate? Those covers are rare, but I'm not sure I follow your statement that it is one of three known.

Very nice item.

I did some snooping, and I found this cover, which is a mate to it, from the same correspondence. They originated in Venezuela.

https://siegelauctions.com/lots.php...-933-lot-377

The DWI stamp on cover at the start of this thread got by St Thomas without being cancelled, whereas the one I linked was cancelled at St Thomas. I think the point being made is that other covers at St Thomas that same day also did not get the stamp cancelled.

Thanks TX -
so one of three on that date? Or one of three with that specific combination of #68 and the DWI stamp? I know there are more than three combo covers but some have 10 cent grilled stamps and some the 10 cent '69 or maybe a different DWI stamp.

From the lot description:




So 3 covers that day.

I did some searching, and there aren't many of these mixed combination covers - they are very nice items.

The OP cover is ex-Risvold, which is a very good pedigree - from the collection of a very knowledgeable collector.

Yes, very very nice cover. I met Floyd Risvold once and he was a fascinating guy.
The US Brazil Mail Steamship Co. covers are a really interesting topic. I have a number of covers from various Caribbean and South American origins, but no mixed franking covers.

The American Philatelic Congress Book: 1998 has a definitive article on this usage, including sailings.

"The United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Companies 1866-1893."
by John DuBois

Sorry guys.....I was out of the country for the last 6 days and am just now reading these replies. Thanks for all of the contributions and valuable additional information on what is probably my favorite classic mixed franking.

One interesting thing that I got out of the Congress book article, is that St Thomas actually kept a supply of US stamps available for purchase at the St Thomas PO.

That is why you see these kind of frankings here.

I have a cover from St. Lucia to New York via St. Thomas with a 10 cent '61 grill that I assume was applied in St. Thomas.

I too have seen U.S. stamps with DWI postmarks, but I still believe the mixed frankings are very scarce. There is definitely some fascinating history to the early postal usages and routes traveled to/from these possessions/territories.