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Sale 41: Western Postal History

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Western Express - Greenhood & Neubauer to Loon Creek

Lots 514-523 Lots 524-533 Lots 534-540

Lot 514    

Greenhood & Newbauer Express/Weaverville, Cal. Blue oval handstamp on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire with company frank to San Francisco, additional conjunctive express company cancellation of "Wells, Fargo & Co/ Marysville", Extremely Fine, Greenhood & Newbauer carried this cover from Weaverville to Marysville, where they turned it over to Wells Fargo for delivery to San Francisco.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $450

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Lot 515    

Greenhood & Newbauer Express/Weaverville, Cal. Two fresh entires with black printed frank; 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire with blue oval handstamp to San Francisco in conjunction with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Marysville, Ju 11" oval date stamp, and 1860, 3¢ Star Die entire to Yreka with blue double circle cds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $105

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Lot 516    

Gregory's Express. Reddish express oval handstamp with small matching "Not Paid" handstamp, on conjunctive cover with additional C. A. Todd's blue oval handstamp "Forwarded By/ Todd's/ Express/ Mokelumne Hill", addressed to Secretary of State at Sacramento, The letters "G", "R", "E" in the Gregory's Express handstamp have been strengthened, partial bottom backflap, and single vertical file fold which does not detract, F.-V.F., Both the Gregory's Express and the Todd's Mokelumne Hill handstamps are very rare, and the conjunctive use between these two express companies is of exceeding rarity.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $150

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Lot 517    

Gregory's Express. Two covers sent through Gregory's Express by Macondray & Company, San Francisco, to William Appleton & Co., Boston, Massachusetts, the first is a folded cover docketed by recipient "San Francisco, May 5th, 1852 - Macondray & Co." The face of the cover bears manuscript directives "Gregory's Express" and "per Winfield Scott", a side-wheel steamer transporting passengers and cargo between San Francisco and Panama during the early 1850's. the second is a folded letter datelined "Per Pacific - San Francisco, May 18 / 52 (May 18th,1852)". At the bottom of the letter is the signature "Macondray & Co." The face of the cover bears manuscript directives "P(e)r Express Gregory" and "Per Pacific", a side-wheel steamer plying the waters between San Francisco and the Central American coast. A blue oval "Paid" handstamp applied by Gregory's Express denotes the payment of express charges, both of these covers have only minor file folds which do not detract, Very Fine, both are in exceptional condition, A pair with both Express and Steamship significance.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Ironically, both of the vessels carrying these covers came to tragic ends. The Winfield Scott was wrecked of Anacapa Island on December 1st, 1853, on a downwards voyage to Panama. The Pacific collided with another vessel on a voyage from British Columbia to San Francisco in 1875, and sank with only two survivors.

Macondray & Co., a commission and mercantile house started in San Francisco in 1849 by F. W. Macondray, received most of its merchandise from Boston suppliers, one of which was addressee William Appleton & Co., a dealer in textiles, raw cotton and lumber.

Realized: $170

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Lot 518    

Gregory's Express. Interoffice letter on printed illustrated letterhead (one page on full sheet, no cover) from Marysville to San Francisco, dated "September 26, 1852", and written by Frank Rumrill to Joseph W. Gregory and stating with much to be read between the lines "While in San Francisco recently I intimated to you that I should unquestionably surrender my Agency for your Express on my return to Marysville. I partially explained the reasons to you and also advised you that I should probably adopt a course that might surprise you." and so "…on the first day of October… I shall cease to be your Agent here, and would be pleased to deliver your property here into the hands of any person you may select.", no docketing to indicate what response this five-day notice of resignation might have received, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $210

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Lot 519    

Gregory's Atlantic and Pacific/Express/Forwarded by Thompson & Hitchcock/149 Pearl Street, N.Y. Bold perfect black express company handstamp on folded cover to San Francisco, manuscript directive of sender "per Gregory's Express", as indicated by docketing & notes on this cover it left Glasgow, Scotland on Mar. 12, 1852, went via Liverpool to New York on "SS Pacific", then to San Francisco where received on May 13, 1852, a total transit time of 63 days, carried entirely out of the mails by Gregory's Express, some splitting along side flaps and light file folds which do not detract, Extremely Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $100

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Lot 520    

Harden/New York and Southern Express/8 Court Street/Boston. Blue corner card shield on cover addressed Chips, Care Wells, Fargo & Co., Stockton, Cala. with straight line "Paid" handstamp and "10" rate handstamp; couple minor spots, otherwise Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Chips was the nickname of early Wells, Fargo & Co. express carrier Pilsbury Hodgkins, who derived the pseudonym from his activities as a ship carpenter on his way to the California goldfields.

Realized: $300

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Lot 521    

Hawley & C's, Express. Very clear black double oval on July 25, 1850 folded stampless letter (40¢ rate period) from Sacramento to San Francisco, Extremely Fine, 3 black and 4 red strikes known, 1 of the black is in the Wiltsee Collection at the Wells Fargo Museum in San Francisco so only 2 available, ex-Haas.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

An extremely rare marking from the short-lived period (starting Jan. 1850) when T. R. Hawley became the sole proprietor of the express he started in Oct. 1849 with his partners, Hawley sold out to Freeman in Nov. 1850.

Realized: $2,900

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Lot 522    

Haywood Express Co. Printed straight line over Pacific Union Express red ribbon frank on 1864 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, small nick out of lower right corner, otherwise Very Fine, the Unique cover, Operated in the San Francisco East Bay area and connecting with Pacific Union Express in the late 1860's., ex-Lichtenstein.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

Realized: $1,150

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Lot 523    

S. Hervey's Express/Nevada. Cal. Black express company handstamp on wonderful illustrated cover of May, 1859 issue of Hutchings' California Magazine (front cover only, remaining pages not present), Very Fine, corner erosion barely touching express marking, Very Fine.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Samuel Hervey Jr. unsuccessfully attempted to secure the Nevada City postmaster's position in 1853 when the incumbent postmaster incurred the wrath of the populace due to his "inattention and inefficiency". Rebuffed in his efforts, by 1855 he had become a messenger for Adams & Co's Express. After the failure of Adams & Co., he tried various vocations before starting Hervey's Express in Nov. of 1858, he having purchased the route from its former unnamed owner. Running from Nevada City to the principal points in Little York Township, Hervey passed through Red Dog, Little York, Dutch Flat and intermediate places, from whence he returned to Nevada City. Hervey ran his express for about 17 months, selling out to James McLearn in April of 1860. Hervey spent his last years in San Francisco, dying there on Oct 30, 1879, aged 60 years and 10 months.

Hervey's Express carried this periodical a little more than a year after the enterprise began, the handling of newspapers and periodicals being an integral role of Western Expresses in addition to their traditional function as letter carriers. Discovered by Ken Harrison while looking through a book dealer's stock of ephemera in 1975, this item remained unique until a second example turned up on a severely damaged cover a few years ago.

A key addition to any Western Express collection, this item is ex-Edwards and ex-Vogel
.

Realized: $1,000

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Lots 514-523 Lots 524-533 Lots 534-540

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