This census has slowly grown over the past six years, including a tenth Tau Doane cancel. JT of Goodwin Philatelics recently discovered the first 2-cent Washington stamp (Scott #319) with a Doane cancellation on a small envelope piece. Interestingly, this postmark does not have a year and is similar to Tau-7, where the day and postmark hour are recorded.
Tau Doane cancel #10 in the census.
Tau-7 was clearly used after the 1-cent Jamestown stamp (Scott #328) was issued on April 25, 1907. I’m assuming the newly discovered Tau-10 was also posted later in the 1900’s decade.
Once again, Schuyler Rumsey is offering a Tau, American Samoa Doane item (Sale 94, lot 2227), a postcard franked with a 1-cent Franklin stamp (Scott #300) from the 2nd Bureau series. This postcard is the 8th Tau Doane postmarked item in my census and is labeled accordingly. Including this card, all but one of the items in the census was postmarked on June 23, 1909, and addressed by the same individual.
Census item Tau-8.
Tau-1
Tau-2
Tau-3
Tau-4
Tau-5
Tau-6
Tau-7
Tau-8
Tau-9
Tau-10
Here are my previous posts about the Tau Doane census.
This is an update to my original post regarding the Doane hand cancel used at the Tau, Samoa post office.
In the latest Schuyler Rumsey auction (#92), lot number 2779 is a 1¢ entire with a 1¢ Jamestown commemorative stamp (#328) paying the domestic letter rate to Illinois. This the second recorded envelope with the Tau, Samoa Doane handstamp, and seventh in this census. All six previous examples of this postmark are from Jun 23, 1909, P.M, however, this cover is postmarked March 30, 6, A.M. I am not sure if the 6 is for 1906 or 6 A.M. This cover was also sent to Rock Island, Illinois the same destination as four of the recorded postcards (Tau-3, 4, 5, and 6).
There is a striking cover for auction at Schuyler Rumsey (Nov 2018) shown below. A cover franked with a 5-cents Lincoln stamp sent from Tau, American Samoa to Apia, Western Samoa. The five cents franking correctly plays the UPU letter rate from the U.S. Possession to a foreign country, albeit only an island away. The stamp is tied by the only town Doane canceling device issued to American Samoa (type three Doane cancel with a number “1”). According to the records kept by Gary Anderson, the Doane cancel was used for only 3.5 years, from Jan 26th, 1906 to June 23rd, 1909.
As far as I know, this is the only 5-cent Lincoln stamp with the Tau Doane cancel. This envelope is also the only non-postcard use I have seen.
The description of this fantastic cover indicates only three known items with this postmark. No doubt, this postmark is uncommon, however, as the owner of two of these Tau Doane postmarked postcards I decided to conduct a more accurate census. Below is a spreadsheet and gallery with Tau, American Samoa Doane cancels record thus far.
Tau-1
Tau-2
Tau-3
Tau-4
Tau-5
Tau-6
Tau-7
Tau-8
Tau-9
Tau-10
A few observations:
Of the items cataloged thus far, all have June 23, 1909 postmarks.
All five postcards have the same handwriting, thus sent by the same person.
Some, but not all, of the postcards used booklet pane stamps.
Four of the postcards were sent to W. G. Robb Esq. in Rock Falls, Illinois.
I’m certain there are many more Tau Doane postcards and perhaps covers, please send me a message and scans with details if you discover or own one.
A lovely small envelope franked with a 1st Bureau 1-cent stamp and a pair of 2nd Bureau 2-cents Washington Flag stamps to make up the UPU letter rate for a 1/2 ounce. Sent from the U.S. Possession, American Samoa in 1906 to London, England. By 1906 newer versions of the 1¢ and 2¢ stamps had been issued, the 2nd Bureau 1¢ and 2¢ shield stamps were available in 1903 in the States’ as well as American Samoa.
What a destination! A postcard sent from Pago Pago, American Samoa, a United States Possession, to the small Marshall Islands atoll named Jaluit. Posted December 1906, the card was quickly carried to Apia, Western Samoa where it probably sat waiting for a vessel bound for the Marshall Islands. It was not delivered to Jaluit until 20 March 1907.
The German Empire purchased the Marshall Islands from Spain in 1885 and established a trading outpost on Jaluit Atoll. This card is franked with a pair of 1¢ definitive Franklin stamps (Scott #300) to pay the UPU postcard rate of 2¢.
1907 UPU rate postcard from American Samoa to Jaluit, Marshall Island, Southseas.
The postcard was sent to Carl Teschke, Captain of the SS Triton. However, I have not been able to find further information on either the captain or the vessel. Most likely one of the numerous small trade ships sailing the Pacific.
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