Sale #48 - Hong Kong & Treaty Ports

Hong Kong, 1839 (17 July) entire from Macao to Frederick Huth & Co., London (7.4.40) "Care of Messrs Grinnell & Minturn, New York" who in turn put it in the mails to the U.K. "p Patrick Henry" showing New York despatch c.d.s. (5.3) and on reverse sender's instruction "Forward p first Steamer for England and oblige your obdt Sts [obedient Servants] Bibby Adams & Co.", "Liverpool/Ship Letter" h.s. and London arrival c.d.s., rated "6" (incoming New York ship rate) and "8" (British ship letter charge). In light of the British cessation of trade at Canton, the sender sent this by an American ship to New York, probably the "Cashmere" which departed Macao around 23 Aug., sailing via the Cape of Good Hope, and put into St. Thomas on or about 23 Feb. because of vessel problems, where its cargo was offloaded for shipment to the U.S.A. Carried from New York to Liverpool by Grinnell's Blue Swallowtail lines packet "Patrick Henry". A fine and scarce Hong Kong forerunner from a British merchant firm that had left Canton after Captain Elliot's exhortation to abandon Canton, from the month prior to the evacuation of the British nationals from Macao to ships in Hong Kong Harbour in late August 1839, showing New York forwarder.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000