Early usage of strange cds

DATA
Auckland (NZ) Aug.24,1934, via Nukualofa (Tonga) Sep.5, to Niuafoou(cds).
Delivered by SS Marama. After this, the old type cds, which had been used 1910s - early 1920, were continuously used again. However, as the postmaster was supposed to have had no date digit enough, almost all of the date, except for the usage of early December, indicates the wrong date <40 31SP = 2 ■> upside-down.  

Latest usage of 7-Bar cancellation

On the end of August 1934, black 7-bar stopped to use, and next, old type cds with wrong date,, were used again as only a "killer", perhaps because of the shortage of the date digit for the cds.

DATA
Niuafoou Aug.29,1934, via Pago Pago (Samoa) Aug.30, to NZ.
One of the latest recorded usage of the 7-bar cancellation. Waved cachet by Quensell (Upper left) appeared on August,1934. This was supposed to be made for indicating the date of use, because the Niuafoou post office had only "killer cancellations".  

Scarce cachet of SS City of LA 2nd cruise

Boxed cachet was usually used in the 2nd South Seas Exploration Cruise by SS City of Los Angeles, but round cachet like the first cruise was also used, exceptionally.

DATA
Niuafoou (7-bar) Aug.1, 1934, to US.
Round type cachet of "2ND SOUTH SEAS Exploration CRUISE"  

Unusual usage with Quensell's cachet

DATA
Niuafoou Aug.14,1934, to US.
Cover sent from "SS City of Los Angeles, 2nd cruise. It is unusual with Quensell's circular cachet.
  

Delivered by SS City of Los Angeles 2nd cruise

On Aug,1934, "SS City of Los Angeles" visited Niuafoou again with Ramsay, many Tin Can Mail covers were made. All TCM in August were cancelled with black 7-bar, which had been used till 1933 in violet.

DATA
Los Angeles Jun.26, 1934, to Niuafoou (7-bar). Cover delivered by "SS City of Los Angeles" to the island. A lot of cachets on this envelope were thought to be put on by Quensell after 1935.  

Swimming Ramsay from SS City of Los Angeles

The original photo of swimming mailman Ramsay, carrying inward mail from SS City of Los Angeles, on February, 1934.  

SS City of LA first cruise with Ramsay

Stuart Ramsay, "Swimming mailman", left Niuafoou in 1932, soon after a hurricane did great damaged to his operation. In 1934, he came back to Niuafo’ou during a cruise of "City of Los Angels" on February and August. He swam and carry the mail, but the Government did not permit him to land the island.

DATA
(Niuafoou Feb.7, 1934) via Honolulu Paquebot (Apr.16), to California (USA). Posted on the first South Seas Exploration cruise of "SS City of Los Angels". Ramsay carried this mail near the shore of Niuafoou island.  

Niuafoou cds without date

From June to July 1934, letters were cancelled with old type cds, which had been used from 1910s to early 1920s, without date.

DATA
Niuafoou Jul.25,1934, to Auckland(NZ). Cancelled with Niuafoou cds, but no date digit. On the "Tin Canner", the same usage, but Quensell put on other single line date stamp on the space for date, was reported. Post master of Niuafoou in those days had only the cds without enough date digits. Letter written by W.G. Quensell to his son Charles.  

Treated as Paquebot

Niuafoou Jul.4,1934, via Honolulu Jul.9, to US mainland. Cancelled with Honolulu, treated as paquebot.
  

Treated as Paquebot

DATA
Niuafoou May 14,1934, via Suva (Fiji) May 15, to Auckland (NZ). This cover was carried by , cancelled with Suva, treated as paquebot. Letter written by W.G.Quensell to his son, Charles.
  

Cancelled with Quensell's cachet

DATA
Niuafoou Mar.13,1934, to Pago Pago (Samoa).
Stamp was cancelled with Quensell's cachet, not 7-bar cancellation as usual. Early 1934 to July, 7-bar cancellation was not seen on the covers.  

Brocure of Union Stemship NZ

Monthly Brochure on September, 1934 of the Union Steamship Co. of NZ.
Time schedule and rates of ships are indicated in this small book.  

Lost at sea to Niuafoou

Famous Mail Accident during TCM Transport.
Only Several Covers Recorded

DATA
Posted on S.S.Mariposa Dec.22,1933.
Lost at sea to Niuafoou and found in Naitamba (Fiji) Jan.10, 1934.
Suva Jan.26, stamp was applied, address to Chicago (US)  

Earliest recorded inward usage from Japan

A friend of Quensell in Fiji, who went to a Pacific-round trip, wrote this postcard in the Chichibu-maru, bound from Japan to Honolulu. It changed ship at Honolulu to South Pacific route, via Fiji, arrived to Niuafoou.

Tin Can Mail from Japan was recorded about 20 examples, but most of them were sent by Karl Lewis, who was a photographer and a famous FDC maker, after 1935. This is the earliest recorded inward usage from not only Japan, but Asia. And this is also a only recorded usage of Tin Can Mail cancelled with Japanese seapost postmark. Letter on the postcard was as follows:

"17-8-33 Dear W Quensell,
I had a very pleasant trip to Java, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai & Japan. Found the latter very picturesque & most interesting. Am due Honolulu tomorrow & San Francisco 23rd will be back in Suva on 3rd Oct. Kind Regards"

DATA
Overseas Private Postcard with Scenery issue 6-Sen of Japan.
CHICHIBUMARU Seapost Aug.18,1933, via Nukualofa (Tonga) Sep.20, to Niuafoou.  

Early canoe mail

It exists only a very small amount of Tin Can Mail covers in 1932, inward or outward. Inward letter from NZ.

DATA
Auckland (NZ) Feb.22,1932, via Nukualofa (Tonga) Feb.29, to Niuafoou.
The cover was carried by monthly S.S.Tofua. Circular cachet indicates "DESPATCHED BY CANOE MAIL".  

Early canoe mail

In 1932-33, the number of cachets of Tin Can Mail became increased but was not so many yet. TCM was not so famous as later. Quensell made a new cachet indicating "DESPATCHED BY CANOE MAIL" in this period.

DATA
Vavau (Tonga) Jan.7,1932, to Niuafoou.
The cover was business letter sent from the Burns Phillip Vavau to Quensell, the Burns Phillip Niuafoou. Circular cachet indicates "DESPATCHED BY CANOE MAIL". Very early usage of Canoe mail cachets on inter-island cover.  

Tin Can mail late 1931

Scarce Tin Can Mail in late 1931 with "canoe mail" cachet. Letter was carried by S.S.Tofua.

DATA
Auckland NZ Nov.30,1931 to Niuafoou.  

Scrace business letter in 1931

Tin Can mail covers in 1931 are very scarce. It is a business letter from Australia to Niuafoou branch of the Burns Phillip & Co. Quensell was a master of the branch.

DATA
From Australia (p.o. unknown) Sep.1, 1931, via Nukualofa (Tonga) Sep.14, to Niuafoou (7-Bar)
cachet: Single line "TIN CAN MAIL" and Boxed "NIUAFOOU".
  

Earliest Canoe Mail after Shark Affairs

After short suspension because of the Shark Affairs, Tin Can Mail restarted soon as Canoe mail. But very small number of 1931 covers existed, so exact date of resumption is unknown. This cover is one of the Earliest Canoe Mail with TIN CAN MAIL 1-line cachet and Niuafoou arrival postmark on the cover. No cachets indicates Canoe mail.

DATA
Chicago(US) Jun.24, 1931, via Nukualofa (Tonga) Sep.5, to Niuafoou (7-Bar cancell, violet)  

Crosby's idea

From W. G. Crosby, famous Navy cover cachet maker and dealer, to Quensell. This cover was sent soon after shark affairs, and Crosby believes the Tin Can Mail was suspended. So Crosby should have sent it by airmail to Parnell Auckland, where Quensell's wife and children live. The Canoe Tin Can Mail cachet may have applied later.

Judging from creases of this envelope (arrow marks), the contents inside this envelope should have been "something thick". We can guess what the thick thing is, from Crosby’s June 30 letter as follows:
"... I am enclosing a clipping ... About the shark killing the swimmer that delivered the mail to the steamer. Is it understood that there will be no more TIN CAN MAIL ? From now on it will be CANOE MAIL. Is this so ? .. I have ordered a rubberstamp reading like this for you, also a nice new green colored pad if you will use it. (These were? mailed July 8, 1931)..."

Judging from creases and dates, the contents of this envelope was the rubberstamp & new green pad ! Quensell had not used Crosby's rubberstamps themselves, but should have got an idea of his new circular Canoe mail cachet.

DATA
San Pedro Jul.7, 1931 to Auckland (NZ)
Airmail  

Newspaper clipping about the accident

From a newspaper reported Tin Can Mail delivery suspended. ("Monthly", Jun.19, 1931)

Report soon after the accident. It reports, "two days prior to the Tofua's visit, it had attacked a native fisherman, ..."
  

Shark Affair 1931

On April, 1931, two days prior to monthly S.S.Tofua's visit, a native fisherman, named Folau, was attacked by a man-eating shark and dead later. Government prohibited the mail deliver by swimmer. The story that Tin Can Mail swimmer was attacked was thought to be only "a Legend" made by Quensell.

DATA
"Ramsay encounters a shark"（Niuafoou, 1996）
Original Artwork, only one exist.
Ramsay wrote by himself that the accident like this was not happened during his 112 delivery by swim.

  

Last swimmer mail before shark attack

One of the last swimmer mail before shark attack on Apr.1931. Written by Quensell, to Prof. Samuel A. Mitchell, scientific leader of the Observatory. Professor Samuel A. Mitchell, an expert of the eclipse of the Sun, is the scientific leader of the Observatory. Quensell wrote a greeting letter to him soon after the eclipse expedition. Observation point is on the reverse of the card.

DATA
Niuafoou (only the cachets), via Suva (Fiji) Dec.17, 1930, to US.
Single line cachet "TIN CAN MAIL" and Boxed cachet "NIUAFOOU".  

Diefenderfer covers

Most common Expedition covers were sent by Mr. P.T. Diefenderfer, who was an Official Navy and Sumithsonian Photographer from Dept, of Education, Samoa.



DATA
NIUAFOOU 7-Bar, to USA.
Sender wrote as "Prepaid for Airmail in the United States (U.S.)".

Upper: Small type cachet of "U.S.NAVAL ECLIPSE-EXPEDITION / NIUAFOOU TONGA / 21 OCTOBER, 1930" (Official cachet)
Lower: Large type cachet of "U.S.NAVAL ECLIPSE-EXPEDITION / NIUAFOOU TOGA / OCT 21 1930" (Quensell's cachet)
  

Carried by Ramsay

C.S.Ramsay took part in the Eclipse Expedition, too. This cover was signed by Ramsay, who carried the cover, as "Carried by C.S. Ramsay, Swimming Mailman, Oct.1930" and sent to Mr. R.B.Langsford, Samoa, who was also a member of the expedition.

DATA
NIUAFOOU 7-Bar, to Samoa
small type cachet of "U.S.NAVAL ECLIPSE-EXPEDITION / NIUAFOOU TONGA / 21 OCTOBER, 1930"  

Crown cachet for Eclipse

U.S.S. Tanager carried the mail after the eclipse.


DATA
Niuafoou Oct.21,1930, via Pago Pago (Samoa) Nov.3, to US.
Circular violet cachet of Niuafoou with Crown mark is my New Discovery in 2002.
Letter was sent from F.A. Rhoads, a member of eclipse expedition. He is an assistant for Mr. Langsfords from Samoa.  

USS Tanager

On Oct.21,1930, Quensell used the special cachets for the US Naval Eclipse Expedition. Letters were carried by U.S.S.Tanager, which was the main vessel of the Eclipse Expedition.

DATA
USS Tanager, Mine sweeper (Original photo of the ship on the lower left of the cover)  

Volcano Letter

The report about the volcanic activities of Niuafoou written by Thomas A.Jagger on the "Volcano letter", January 29, 1931. (Soon after the Eclipse expedition).

"Volcano letter" was weekly letter published by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, National Park, Hawaii.  

Just before Eclipse cachets

A postcard, written by Dr. Thomas A. Jagger, who was one of famous scientists of expedition for the research of the volcano and earthquake, addressed to his family in Canada. He wrote in the postcard about the purpose of coming there and the extraordinary postal system where mail carried by swimmers.

It was written on Oct.5, before eclipse, and arried to Smith’s Cove (Canada) on Nov.12. There are two cachets: Single line "Tin Can Mail" and Boxed "NIUAFOOU". It was the usage just before using “Eclipse cachets".
  

Total Eclipse of Niuafoou

On Oct.21,1930, a total eclipse of sun was observed around Niuafoou. So US navy and National Geographic Society dispatched Eclipse Expeditionary party including scientists for the observation and recording. Ramsay and Quensell took part in it, too.

DATA
From old Clipping about the eclipse.
Mid :Total eclipse of sun on Oct. 21,1930
Upper:Large observatory instruments in Niuafoou
Lower:Eclipse was recorded by giant telescope and camera  

Only the Woman Swimmer

Quensell’s sister-in-low, Pauline Hoeft, a champion swimmer, often visited the island and occasionally swam in delivering and picking up the mail. She is only the woman known to have swum the mail.

Persons from Left to right,
1) Pauline Hoeft : Quensell's sister-in-low
2) Walter George Quensell : Tin Can Mail Man
3) Charles August Quensell: Quensell's son
4) Emma Louise Hoeft : Quensell's second wife

Only one known photograph of Quensell's family  

Swimmers carrying inward letters

Photopostcard of swimmers with inward mails. Finally, the swimmers arrived safely to the island. Sent from Niuafoou in 1930, by T.A. Jaggers, scientist for Eclipse Expedition, to USA  

Swimmers carrying inward letters

Photopostcard of swimmers with inward letters. The swimmers swims farther and farther from the ship.  

Swimmers carrying inward letters

Inward letters are prepared in the waterproof "tin can". During the inward swimming, swimmers have only the long Fau pole with their hands. They don’t have any short sticks like outward swimming.

Photopostcard of Tin Can Mail swimmers taken from the ship. They were carrying Tin Can incuding the inward letters to the island.  

Swimmers carrying outward letters

Photopostcard of Tin Can Mail swimmers. They were carrying outward letters to the ship off Niuafoou.
  

Original photo of Outward mail

The original of the famous photograph. Tin Can Mail swimmers preparing the outward mail transportation. Outward letters are on the top of the short sticks.  

Just before Eclipse

DATA
From Auckland (NZ) Aug.9,1930, via Suva (Fiji) Aug.14, to Niuafoou. The usage on August,1930, before the eclipse. It was carried by monthly SS.Tofua, Addressed to Quensell, c/o Burns Phillip co.
  

First ship cachet "VENTURA"

DATA
San Francisco Jul.9, 1930 to Niuafoou.


It was sent from the Burns-Phillip of San Francisco, to the Burns-Phillip of that of Niuafoou before the Eclipse Expedition.
The cachet "TIN CAN MAIL" and boxed "NIUAFOOU" are applied as usual, but the cachet "VENTURA" is one of the earliest ship cachet.
The earliest and Only Recorded Ship Cachet on Tin Can Mail cover.
  

Beginnings of Cachets

Quensell seems to have started to use his cachets from 1929. Before 1930, there are only two scarce types of cachets: Single line "TIN CAN MAIL" and Boxed "NIUAFOOU". Most of inward covers in this period are business mail addressed to Burns Phillip Co. where Quensell worked in.

DATA
Single line "TIN CAN MAIL" cachet. Printed matter with UK KGV 1/2p, cancelled with machinery postmark. It seems to be the usage in 1929, because of only the Single line TCM cachet. From White Horse Distiller Co. to Burns Phillip co.  

Cover just before using cachets

DATA
Niuafoou (only the 7-bar cancellation, no cds), via Suva (Fiji) Sep.25,1928, addressed to Australia.

We can guess the date of sending by transit cds. There is no cachet indicating Tin Can Mail. In the article of "Tin Canner", Vol.10 (1990) pp.18-19, where this cover was first reported, and other cover Vavau to Australia, cancelled with Vavau Aug.21,1928, with same address, the same typewriter and envelope, was reported, too. So we can easily guess that this should be the usage in 1928.
  

Ramsay letter mid 1920s

Ramsay did not use any cachets. The letter handwritten and sent from Stuart Ramsay himself.

Niuafoou (7-Bar cancel., date unknown, circa mid 1920s) to Auckland, NZ.  

Swimming Mailman Ramsay: Proof

DATA
45s Swimming Ramsay (Niuafoou, 1986)
Color cardboard proof for the stamp.
Only Several Copies printed.  

Swimming Mailman Ramsay: Artwork

DATA
45s Swimming Ramsay (Niuafoou, 1986)
Original Artwork for the stamp.
Only One Exist  

Swimming Mailman Ramsay

Charles Stuart Ramsay (1892-1969), a British, was invited to Niuafoou in 1921 by Tindall. He made, by himself, 112 monthly swims with the mail during the next 12 years. He was only a White man swimming for mails there, so he was very famous as "the Swimming Mailman of the Tin Can Island".

DATA
Commemorative issue of Niuafoou, 1996.
Famous Original Photograph for the Design.
Only One Exist.
  

Inland cover in the island

Only Three Recorded Inland Cover in Niuafoou.

DATA
7-Bar cancellation with no cds
Cachet "DESPATCHED BY CANOE MAIL", used after shark affair.
It is supposed to be sent from Stuart Ramsay to W. G. Quensell, circa 1931.  

1924 cover from Ramsay

Tin Can Mail from Ramsay, sent in 1924.
The postmaster was supposed to have had no date digit enough.
The date of Niuafoou indicates meanless date.

DATA
Cancell:Niuafoou (18 DE xx, meanless date)
Transit:Suva, Fiji 1924/Apr/16
Addressed to London

  

Ramsay and Quensell

Walter George Quensell, a German, made "Tin Can Mail" to world famous. He was established as a trader for Burns Phillips (South Seas) Co. Ltd. In Niuafoou since 1919.

Charles Stuart Ramsay (1892-1969), a British, was invited to Niuafoou in 1921 by Tindall. He made, by himself, 112 monthly swims with the mail during the next 12 years. Ramsay and Quensell became competitors each other on business.

DATA
Original Sketch by Pencil, frequently used for the Niuafoou Stamps.
The portraits of W.G. Quensell (Left) and C.S. Ramsay (Right).
Only One Exist  

Regular ship calls :Tofua I

Tindall has Ysabel, but he need regular calls of the ships. Some ships of the Union Steamship Co., Ltd of Auckland, came to stop off Niuafoou to pick up and deliver mail. And in 1908, S.S. Tofua I, which was the main ship in early TCM, was placed in service and continued regular monthly calls.

S.S. Tofua worked regularly for the South Pacific cruises of the Union Steamship Co., Ltd of NZ during 1908 to 1932. She was withdrawn from the service and laid up in Auckland on Apr., 1932. Later she was sold to Japan and broken up in Osaka in 1934.

DATA
Original Artwork of the stamp of Niuafoou.
S.S.Tofua ｆrom "Historical ships in Niuafoou" issue (1985).  

Tindall's ship Ysabel

Tindall had his own ship, S.V.Ysabel.

DATA
Color proof of Niuafoou stamp.
Tindall's ship Ysabel from "Historical ships in Niuafoou" issue (1985).
  

Oldest Picture postcard

DATA
Landing Place, Agaha
One of the oldest known Postcard of Niuafoou, issued circa 1910.
Only Several Cards Recorded.