385th Auction

Olympic issue 3 c., the unique large die trial color proof in unissued colour carmine, on India paper, on sunken card, black control number "70020" on reverse. Very fine and choice. From the collection of John Eissler, who was the engraver of the vignette. (Scott 718TC1a)

Provenance: Robert A.Siegel 'Rarities of the world' (2009)

Olympic issue, unissued 2 c. carmine, the unique large die proof on India paper, on sunken card, black control number "70019" on reverse. Very fine and choice. A highlight of Olympic philately.

1873, Agriculture department 1 c.- 30 c., two complete proof sets on India paper and as a small die set on white wove paper, also Department of Interior 1 c.- 90c. complete on India paper, mostly in very fine condition

1873, Executive 1 c.- 10 c., four complete proof sets on India paper, thick card and twice as a small die set on white wove paper, mostly in very fine condition

1873, Justice 1 c.- 90 c., three complete proof sets on India paper, thick card, and as a small die set on white wove paper, mostly in very fine condition

1873, Navy Department 1 c.- 90 c., three complete proof sets on India paper, thick card, and as a small die set on white wove paper, the latter with the 24 c. and 90 c. slightly toned, otherwise mostly in very fine condition

1879/90 (ca.), Newspaper and Periodicals 1 c.- 60$, 34 plate proofs printed on thick card, a couple of dollar values with minor soiling, otherwise mostly in fine condition

1875, 1 c.- 90 c. reprints, complete set, each value as a plate proof on thick card, 90 c. lower left corner fault, otherwise very fine

1873, Post Office Department 1 c.- 90 c., two complete proof sets on India paper and thick card, and 1c.- 10c. and 15 c.-90 c. as a small die set on white wove paper (12 cents missing), mostly in very fine condition

1873, Treasury Department 1 c.- 90 c., three complete proof sets on India paper, thick card, and as a small die set on white wove paper, mostly in very fine condition

1873, War Department 1 c.- 90 c., three complete proof sets on India paper, thick card, and as a small die set on white wove paper, mostly in very fine condition

1893, Colombus 1c.- 2$ and 4$-5$, plate proofs on India paper, 2$ minor toned spot and surface erosion, 5$ minor toned spot, otherwise very fine

1893, Colombus 1c.- 5 $ complete set, each as plate proof on thick card, most with some toning or small faults to some extent, 3$ small thins and faded colours, also a 8 c. on larger card (thinned and toned)

Boston, Massachusetts, Hill's Post, , 1849, 1c black on rose, large margins all around, used on folded letterwith adjacent red “Boston 10 Cts / 18 / Oct”, to Cincinnati, Ohio. A rare and fine franking. Only seven covers have been recorded, all but one of which have the adhesive untied. Philatelic Foundation certificate (2023 ) (Scott 81L1)

Mason’s New Orleans City Express, 1850/51, “1” in manuscript over ½ c.black on blue, tied by red grid to local folded letter datelined “Franklin House (Mrs. Taylor’s), 39 Canal Street”,  postmarked "N-ORLEANS CITY EXPRESS POST. LA / FEB / 6" (day in manuscript). The stamp cut out with a liitle piece of paper and skilfully replaced, cover with repairs. A rarity; one of only two recorded examples of this stamp. Certificate Philatelic Foundation (2024) (Scott 102L2)

Provenance: Alfred H. Caspary Maurice Burrus

Philadelphia Telegraph Despatch Post Office, 1848, 1c black on yellowish paper, ample to large margins, cancelled with black manuscript "X", on letter sheet to Washington D.C., with adjacent blue "Philadelphia 5cts" c.d.s. Stamp with slight scuffing in th emargins and cover slightly soiled. Certificate Philatelic Foundation (2021) (Scott 138L1)
 

Portland, Maine, Prince's Letter Despatch, 1861, undenominated black adhesive, ample to large margins on three sides, just touched at right, tied by indistinct circular cancellation to cover with adjacent 3c. rose, tied by "Hallowell ME  Mar 14", to Boston.The local with trivial horizontal crease at foot well clear of design, the 3c with natural straight-edge, cover with small nick at right and slightly reduced. A most attractive usage of this scarce local, one of only about a dozen covers known. Philatelic Foundation certificate  (2022) . (Scott 122L1)
 

New York, Messenkope's Union Square Post Office, 1849, (2c) black on pink, margins clear of outer oval on three sides, used on cover to Amos Street, with partial enclosure dated July 5, 1850, from the Manhattan Gas & Light Company. The cover with tears and the adhesive faulty. An extremely rare franking, with George B. Sloane guarantee signature on reverse, sent during the early period following the takeover of the company by Joseph E. Dunham from Charles Messenkope. Philatelic Foundation certificate (2023) (Scott 106L2, unpriced)

New York, Metropolitan Post Office, 1852, (2c) blue, cut to shape, tied by boxed "PAID / WH LAWS" to folded cover front wit adjacent “PAID …” at left, postmarked "Metropolian / P.O. / Mar / 20", to G. Robertson 135 Water Street. Stamp affected by strong filing crease, A rare franking. Philatelic Foundation certificate (2023) 
(Scott 108L3A)

 

Adams & C o Express, J.M. Freeman, Agent, Panama, scalloped handstamp struck on stampless cover to a passenger on board the steamer "Columbus" at "Panama or Tobago", piece torn from reverse due to rough opening, yet a fine example of this scarce marking.

Arizona and New Mexico Express Co., Paid, 1875/6, printed frank in black on 3c. Nesbitt postal stationery cover to San Francisco, struck with blue oval ""A. & N.M.EX. Co. Prescott A.T." datestamp, the odd spot of trivial discoloration around edges, of little importance given the rarity of this otherwise fine entire, the Company having operated only between 1875-6 between Prescott, Phoenix and Tucson, to the end of the South Pacific Railway.

Provenance: Herman Toaspern Collection, with his backstamp.

Bradway's Despatch, Millville, New Jersey, undenominated, margins touching to clear, affixed to small embossed cover, cancelled in manuscript, used in conjunction with 3c dull red, tied by Millville N.J. c.d.s. (15 Jan), to Phoenix, Rhode Island, some peripheral edge toning of no importance given the cover's great rarity, the earliest of only four examples recorded by Lyons.

Provenance: Caspary, Ambassador J. William Middendorf II Collections.

California Penny Post, 1855 (29 June) PAID 2 Type I frank, intended to be deposited into a San Francisco street letter box, variant with “CIRCULAR” imprint at upper right corner, additionally franked with four 1851 3 c. red, from San Francisco, with August 23 despatch c.d.s. on reverse, to the Post Master at Mount Ophir, backstamped “HELD FOR POSTAGE” in black, “care of” in printed instructions crossed-out, docketed as received 17 October, some creasing, adhesion marks at corners, a rare cover, one of only six Type I franks recorded in the Frajola census, and the only one showing the “CIRCULAR” variant; with 1976 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Note: J.B. Goodwin founded the California Penny Post in June, 1885, for the conveyance of mail between San Francisco, Sacramento, Stockton, and Marysville. In the case of the PAID 2 type frank, these envelopes were intended to be deposited into a Penny Post street letter box, from which the company would convey the mail to the Post Office, the government postage for which was to be prepaid by adhesive stamps.

Provenance: Marc Haas Collection.

California Central Rail Road, Engineering Department, neatly-struck on cover franked with 1857 10c. Green, tied by Folsom City Cal c.d.s. (4 Aug), to Greenfield, Massachusetts, sent by Theodore Judah, Surveyor and Engineer of the California Central Railroad, to his wife, a choice example of this rare railway cancellation; throughout the 1850s, Judah was known as "Crazy Judah" for his desire to build a railroad through and over the Sierra Nevada mountains, considered by many at the time to be impossible. 

Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, Denver City K.T., oval datestamp on 3c. red postal stationery cover, further undated strike on back flap, to Stockton, Maine, neatly-struck oval Express transit datestamp of St. Joseph on front (17 Dec) with next-day Saint Joseph MO c.d.s. overtop indicia, neatly-repaired tears to back flap and front, but an uncommon usage with dual Express strikes, of very fine appearance.

Central Overland & Pike's Peak Express, 1861 (April 21), cover to Denver City, franked with 3 c. dull red, tied by circular grid cancel, Chicago c.d.s. (22 Apr) alongside, endorsed “Central Overland and P. Peak Express Company” in manuscript and struck with corresponding oval datestamp of St. Joseph, Missouri, with enclosure, slightly reduced at left, clear of Express notation, else fine.

Central Overland Pony Express Company, Paid, printed frank on 10c green stationery entire to New Castle, Main, with manuscript “2.50" Pony Express rate notation alongside imprint, manuscript “Carson City Oct 24/60” (Utah Territory) origin notation in the same hand, fair strike of black oval “Central Overland California  & Pikes Peak / Express Company / St. Joseph, Mo. / Nov 5” datestamp, with Saint Joseph double-circle c.d.s. struck overtop indicia, a few minor spots of age discoloration, otherwise very fine and of little importance given the rarity of this cover, one of only a small number of examples of this printed frank, and one of the few recorded from what is now Nevada, as well as one of only two recorded covers from this eastbound trip of the Pony Express, the other originating in San Francisco. (Frajola-Kramer-Walske Census E30).

Coast Line San Juan & Los Angeles, U.S. Mail Stage Company, via Paso Robles Hot Springs, San Luis Obispo, imprint in blue on 1868 cover to San Juan, California, franked with two 1867 3c. Grills, tied by geometric cork cancels, New York c.d.s. alongside, to the firm of Flint, Bixby & Co, with their blue handstamp (17 Jul), endorsed "per Steamer", cover fault at upper right, else remarkably fresh, an attractive example of this scarce stage company envelope. 

Provenance: Howard Mader Collection, Harmer-Schau Auctions, 2010.

Coast Line San Juan & Los Angeles, U.S. Mail Stage Company, via Paso Robles Hot Springs, San Luis Obispo, imprint in black on cover to San Francisco, franked with 3c. Rose, tied by black cork cancel and the only recorded "San Juan, Cal" (25 May) first type c.d.s. (MOT-3090), cover reduced at left, skillfully repaired and missing text painted-in, yet a cover of tremendous scarcity and visual appeal.

Coast Line Stage Company, six horse drawn stagecoach design, on cover franked with 3c green Bank Note, tied by cork cancel, postmarked San Jose (1 Apr), with original enclosure on matching illutrated letterhead,  (aside from the removal of "Coast Line Stage Co / F.B. & C." on the coach), datelined "San Jose, Mch 31, 1874", written by William Buckley, Superintendent of the company, to Dr. Thomas Flint, one of the firm's owners, roughly opened at left, but a rare cover, particularly desirable with the enclosure sent between two principal figures in the firm.

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,