Lot 30739 – 1876 (Dec 30) Cover from Liverpool to Caracas with HAPAG strip of three cancelled at St. Thomas

1876 (Dec 30) Cover from Liverpool to Caracas endorsed “German Steamer”, bearing HAPAG 10c yellow and blue-green in strip of three, tied by concentric rings cancel with accompanying “St. Thomas/23-1 1877” cds below, “Lamb & Co./St. Thomas.W.I.” forwarding-agent double oval, two vertical filing fold characteristic of the Boulton correspondence, one passing through one stamp at left, not detracting from the only cover recorded exhibiting a strip of three, a great rarity of the elusive HAPAG mail and the maritime mail of Danish West Indies; cert. Brettl (2004) and P. Behr (2016).