385th Auction

Eagle City Post, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (2c) black on grayish paper,  without "WS" initials, cut to shape and affixed to cover, cancelled in manuscript, red handstamped "5" alongside, postmarked "Norristown Pa / Aug / 7" c.d.s., to Nathan R. Potts of Philadelphia, some wrinkling, small tear and ink stain affecting adhesive, the odd spot of discoloration, yet an immensely rare local stamp, one of only four examples recorded; with 2024 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

 

Provenance: Needham, Gibson, and Middendorf Collections, with Gibson's ownership mark on reverse. 

Eureka Express Co, Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co at Nevada, Cal., Paid, 1872 (August 6), printed frank on 3c. Nesbitt postal stationery cover, postmarked with neatly-struck blue North Bloomfield Cal c.d.s., to North Columbia Hill, California, some light stains at edges, else a fine and scarce usage to this California Gold Rush town on the San Juan Ridge.

Everts, Wilson & Co's Express, Paid, 1861, ornamental printed frank on 3c. Nesbitt postal stationery cover, struck with large blue oval “Everts, Davis & Co's Express / Forbestown / Feb 27 1861”, with year in manuscript, alongside blue oval “Wells, Fargo & Co / Marysville / Feb 28” datestamp, or Oroville, California, slightly reduced at left, otherwise quite fresh, a rare Everts & Wells Fargo conjunctive use, illustrating the connection in Marysville, of which only a small number of examples are recorded.

Everts, Wilson & Co's Daily Express, Paid, 1860s (circa) printed frank in red on 10c. Nesbitt postal stationery entire to Middleborough, Massachusetts, postmarked with Gibsonville, California c.d.s. (23 Jun), endorsed in manuscript "Overland via / Los Angeles", reduced slightly at left, just touching the frank, an otherwise fine and scarce cover, ex Barkhausen, with his backstamp.

Freeman & Co's Express, Over Our California & Coast Routes, Paid, printed frank on 3c. stationery entire, struck with bold blue oval “Freeman & Co / Stockton” datestamp, corner card of Bisagno Brothers, opening faults to back flap, an attractive cover.

From Noisy Carrier's Mail, 77 Long Wharf S.F. Cal, fine strike of framed handstamp in green on cover to New Orleans, Louisiana, franked with 1851 10 c. green, Type III, close to large margins, tied by San Francisco c.d.s. (September), small stains in places of little consequence given the scarcity of this marking, 

From San Francisco to Via Los Angeles, Overland Mail to All Parts of the Union, illustrated six horse stagecoach design, with imprint of A. Randall & Co, Marysville, cover to Burnham, Maine, franked with 1857 10 c. green (faulty), cancelled with indistinct blue and black markings, blue Marysville c.d.s. at left, some edge discoloration, but an uncommon and attractive illustrated route directive.

Gregory's Express, two-line handstamp in blue on cover to San Francisco, struck with double-oval 'NOT PAID" in blue, no backstamps, some edge flaws, else fine.

Hinckley & Co's Express, Denver City, 1860 (30 Aug), cover to Johnstown, Fulton County, New York, franked with 3c. dull red, tied by circular grid cancel, struck with Hinckley's Express datestamp and Saint Joseph MO transit c.d.s. (7 Sep), edge flaws, file fold through adhesive, but fine strikes.

Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company, Paid, 1865 (circa), printed frank on 3c. Nesbitt postal stationery cover, postmarked with fancy black cork, Omaha Nebraska (21 Oct) despatch c.d.s. alongside, to Wilmington, Ohio, endorsed "Missent" at top and struck with clear blue Wellington, Ohio c.d.s. (29 Oct), docketed on reverse "Bela M. Hughes about selling lots in Aspinwall..." , slightly reduced at left, clear of frank, stain at top, unusual.

Humboldt Express, 1863, 25c. blue, ample to large margins all around, affixed to legal-sized envelope from Star City to San Francisco, franked with pair of 1861 3c. Washington, cover struck with red PAID and choice strike of red oval “Langton's Pioneer Express / Star City”, reverse with yellow “LANGTON'S / PIONEER EXPRESS / FROM / Star City NT” label with city in manuscript, some small edge flaws, the Humboldt Express stamp not original to this cover, yet the stamp itself is quite scarce, this example being very fine and particularly attractive given its generous margins and fresh appearance, as is the cover with such a fine strike of the Pioneer Express oval, thus a nevertheless desirable piece of Western Express and Nevada postal history.

 

Note:

Samuel W. Langton established the Humboldt Express to connect the Humboldt mines of northern Nevada with the capital Carson City. As this was a difficult route, Langton added a 25c surcharge to the rate of $2 per letter; to facilitate pre-payment of this fee, the 25c. brown stamps were produced. Owing to the overwhelming similarities between the Humboldt Express stamp and the concurrent Pony Express stamps, it is thought that Langton's stamps were also printed by Britton & Rey in San Francisco. 

J. Bamber & Cos Contra Costa Express, Paid, bold strike of black oval on 3c postal stationery cover to San Francisco, further struck with framed pointing-finer “Answer By / Bamber & Cos Express / Office Davis St / Between Broadway & Vallejo”, manuscript “P” at upper right indicative of Pacheco origin, confirmed by enclosure datelined Pacheco, Aug 19/60, some uniform aging, corner flaw and lower right, but fine strikes.

Jones & Russell's Pikes Peak Express Co. Denver City, 1859 (September 22), fair strike on cover to Westchester, Pennsylvania, franked with 3c. red, tied by neat Leavenworth City K.T. c.d.s., minor edge flaws, else fine.

Kennedy & Co's Half Moon Bay & Pescadero Express, serrated printed frank in blue, on 3c Nesbitt stationery cover to San Jose, postmarked with San Francisco c.d.s. (10 Apr), some lightened ink marks overtop of frank, but a scarce example, one of two types recorded from this Express Company, both of which are infrequently offered.

L.H. Wells' Moore's Flat and Eureka Express, Connecting at Nevada City and Emigrant Gap, 1868 (circa),  ornate printed paid frank on 3c.pink  Nesbitt postal stationery cover to Sacramento, with printed return directive at left, postmarked with blue Graniteville c.d.s. (19 Mar), indicia cancelled by blue oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Nevada" datestamp, slightly reduced at right, just touching indicia, rebacked, but a scarce conjunctive use with Wells Fargo, of fine appearance, with Moore's Flat & Eureka Express Way Bill from Nevada, California, dated 29 October, 1879.

1865, Langton's Pioneer Express, Paid, ornate printed frank on 3c. Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, struck with "Lamping & Co's / Express / Downieville" oval, alongside double-oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Marysville" datestamp in blue (15 Feb), opening tear to back flap, a fine and scarce conjunctive usage, from the period following the purchase of the company by P.A. Lamping after the death of Samuel Langton, but prior to his subsequent sale to Wells, Fargo.

Langton's Pioneer Express, Paid, ornate printed frank on 3c. Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, struck with "Langton's Pioneer Express / Downieville" oval in black, blue "Wells Faro & Co / Marysville" (1 Jul) double-oval datestamp at left, cover with some light overall aging, but a fine example of this less common printed frank, and a desirable conjunctive usage with Wells, Fargo at Marysville.

Langton's Pioneer Express, Paid, ornate black printed frank on 10c Nesbitt postal stationery entire to Concord, Pennsylvania, struck with large blue Virginia City, Utah c.d.s. (9 Oct), carried to Virginia City and forwarded by mail from there to its destination, stains, but a scarce usage from the brief period during which Virginia City was still located in the Utah Territory.

Overland via Los Angeles, four-horse illustrated stagecoach design, with “San Francisco” at top of coach and horses with banners reading “St. Louis” and “New York”, 1864 cover franked with 3c. dull rose, tied by black circular cancel, postmarked Stockton Cal (14 Sep), slightly reduced at left, adhesive with faults, but an attractive and uncommon printed route directive.

Pacific Express Paid, printed frank on 3 c. red postal stationery entire, struck with light “Pacific Express / San Francisco” double-circle in blue (9 Jan), unusual near-complete offset on frank on reverse, a fine cover from this successor to Adams & Co, founded in 1855 by a group of former Adams employees.

Pacific Stage & Express Co, Paid, printed frank with six horse stagecoach illustration, list of towns along route above, on 3c. postal stationery cover to San Francisco, struck with black rosette cancel, Nevada City Cal. c.d.s. alongside (10 Oct), small flaw at lower right, otherwise very fine and trivial given the rarity of this cover, of which only a small number of examples are recorded. 

Provenance: Collection Dale-Lichtenstein (2004)

Per Overland Mail, Via Los Angeles, four-horse stagecoach illustrated route directive with J.E. Damon imprint cover, 1859, franked with 1857 10c green, tied by Sonoma c.d.s., docketing at left "August 3/59", minor edge flaws, else a fine and scarce usage, with 2010 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Pescadero and Half Moon Bay Stage Co's Express, 1865 (circa),  oval frank struck in blue on 3c. pink Nesbitt postal stationery entire to San Francisco, a bold and fine example of this extremely scarce handstamp.

“Pony Express, Sacramento” (14 Feb), dual strikes of oval handstamp at left of 10c green on buff postal stationery entire (Sc. U16), cancelled with Saint Joseph blue double circle Saint Joseph c.d.s.,  to William N. Sage in Rochester, New York, endorsed in manuscript “By Pony Express” at upper left and lightly written pencil “Paid $2.50” alongside indicia, entire with some trivial edge flaws, a fine and attractive Pony Express cover, the second earliest recorded usage of this handstamp in blue, and the third earliest usage overall. (Frajola-Kramer-Walkse Census #E57)

 

Note: The exhaustive FKW census records only 20 covers with this Pony Express handstamp, all on eastbound mail and all but one in blue. It was used on mail originating in Sacramento or at Wells, Fargo & Co. offices other than San Francisco. The addressee, William Nathan Sage (1819-1890), was a prominent resident of Rochester, where he lived for almost his entire life. Over the years he variously served as Monroe County Clerk and secretary and treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the University of Rochester, in addition to organizing the Sage Deposit Company and founding the Monroe County Savings Bank. In his obituary he was described as "one of Rochester's foremost citizens."

Sacramento, Cal. 40 large integral circular date stamp (30 Sep), struck on cover to Middletown, Maryland, reverse with oval "Forwarded / by / Hoffman & Co. / Express" handstamp, various edge flaws, opening tear through agent's handstamp, but a rare forwarding marking, with Thomas recording only seven examples from this company, which operated from Sacramento to Weberville and Placerville, eventually extending to Oregon; with 2003 P.S.E. certificate.

Santa Clara, California, manuscript cancel, on cover to Rochester, New York, franked with 1851-6 1 c. blue and 3 c. red horizontal strip of three, margins generally close to cut into, no backstamps, an uncommon manuscript cancel.

Sullivan's Dispatch Post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1853, (2c) black on green, cut octagonally and affixed to folded letter datelined 18 June, 1853, postmarked with blue "Cincinnati O. 5 / Jun / 25" c.d.s., to Louisville, Kentucky, vertical filing folds, one through adhesive, of no importance given the unique status of this example, with Robson Lowe's handwritten guarantee on reverse, a rarity.   

 

Note: Three different types of the Sullivan's Dispatch Post local are recorded; the (2c) black on green glazed paper offered here, a (2c) bluish black on wove paper, uncancelled on a magazine, one of two examples of which is housed in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum; and an unused (2c) green on wove paper.

Swift & Co Express, Paid, printed frank in black on 3c. Nesbitt postal stationery entire to San Francisco, struck with fair oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Petaluma" handstamp in blue, repaired tears to flap, else a fine conjunctive use. 

"VIA PANAMA" directive with illustrated sidewheel steamship design, 1860 (April 5), with imprint of Geo H. Bell, stationer, franked with 1859 10c green, tied by neatly-struck San Francisco c.d.s., to New York, reduced at top and sides and repaired in places, a few small edge tears, but a scarce illustrated route directive, with 1979 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

W.E. Singer & Co's Feather River Express, Connecting With Wells, Fargo & Co, 1855 (July 30), choice strike of blue oval handstamp on folded entire to San Francisco, franked with 3c. Red, tied by ble oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Marysville / Express" handstamp, blue Paid handstamp and manuscript notation alongside, remarkably fresh and very fine.

Wells, Fargo & Co, Ophir, Nevada Territory, circa 1864, blue oval datestamp on 3 c. pink postal stationery entire, with Wells Fargo printed frank at left, to Carson City, Nevada, with grey shaded all-over advertisement for “Hackett & Kendall / Dealers in General Merchandise / Ophir / Nevada”, upper right corner slightly clipped, otherwise very fine, a desirable cover, rare given the combination of the scarce blue Wells Fargo cancellation and full-front advertisement.

Wells, Fargo & Co Express "Ophir", blue oval handstamp on cover to Gold Hill, Placer County, California, postmarked with crisp "San Franciso Cal / 5" c.d.s. in black (24 Feb), back flap with blue negative "Wells Fargo & Co / Ophir" handstamp, small piece torn from flap clear of handstamp, else a fresh and desirable cover, fine; with 1988 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Wells, Fargo & Co, $1.00 red Pony Express, margins close to touching, affixed to 10 c. star die postal stationery entire with Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank in red, adhesive tied by bold strike of “Pony Express / San Francisco / Aug 7” Running Pony datestamp in blue, indicia cancelled by green “St. Joseph MO.” c.d.s. (19 Aug), to Athens, New York, stamp has been lifted and replaced, and the Running Pony cancellation neatly improved in places, yet an iconic postmark on a most attractive and scarce cover, one of four recorded examples carried on this eastward trip of the Pony Express; with 1965 Philatelic Foundation certificate. (Fraser-Kramer-Walske Census E134).

 

 

Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 10c brown, margins ample to large on two sides, close to touching on others, tied to Wells Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery entire, with printed frank and address of San Francisco merchant Solomon Wagenheim, adhesive and indicia each cancelled by blue oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Virginia City, N.T. / Express" oval, slightly reduced at left, adhesive with some staining at top right corner, but a scarce franking. 

Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 25c blue, margins ample to very large on three sides, slightly into at foot, tied to Wells Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery entire to Virginia City by blue double-circle Wells, Fargo & Co Sacramento c.d.s., roughly reduced at right, trimming indicia, yet a difficult franking.

Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 25c. blue, large to very large margins all around, tied to Wells Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery entire from the Goslinsky correspondence to San Francisco by blue oval “Wells, Fargo & Co / Virginia City N.T.” datestamp (20 Dec), H.F. Lewitt & Co corner card, reduced at left and variously flawed as common for this correspondence, adhesive with some tone spots, an uncommon usage.