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).