Lot
3 
A.J. Oliver & Co.'s Bannock and Salt Lake City Express (Thomas BAN-101), sharp bold strike on light yellow Stuart correspondence cover bearing 3¢ rose (65), trivial light corner crease, tied by four-ring target, matching "West Liberty Ioa. Dec 5" cds to Virginia City, Idaho Territory, endorsed "via Salt Lake City", Very Fine and choice; with 2016 P.F. certificate. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST STRIKES OF THE A.J. OLIVER & CO'S BANNOCK AND SALT LAKE CITY EXPRESS OVAL HANDSTAMP ON COVER, AN OUTSTANDING USAGE IN THIS QUALITY.
In 1862, from a base in Bannack City, Montana Territory, partners A.J. Oliver, E.A. Conover and Ed House began running tri-weekly stage and mail services between Salt Lake City, Utah Territory and Bannack City, and Virginia City, Montana Territory. From Virginia City this service extended into the mining areas around Helena and Mountain City, Montana Territory. In 1864, they changed their center of operation to Virginia City. The partnership operated under a variety of names. Due to cut-throat business pressures the partners were forces to sell the operation to Ben Holladay's Overland Express in 1867.
The example offered here, not recorded by Oscar, is one of three covers addressed to Stuart (Stewart) at Bannack City or Virginia City I.T. The three are the only examples recorded cancelled solely by BAM-101.
Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (477KB)
Realized: $3,500
Lot
4
Beekman's Express, Jacksonville, O.T., red oval handstamp (Thomas BEE-100) on 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Scottsburg, O., canceled by blue "Wells Fargo & Co. Express, S.Frco., Feb 22" origin cds with black printed franked at top, placed the U.S. mails by Beekman's with "Jacksonville, Ogn., Mar 6" cds, forwarded to Roseburg with "Scottsburg, Or." cds and pencil due "3cts" below printed frank, manuscript "1860" docketing at left, Very Fine and choice. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A WONDERFUL BEEKMAN'S EXPRESS EXPRESS AND U.S. MAILS COMBINATION USAGE.
Near the end of 1855, Corneluis Beekman started his express operating from Jacksonville, O.T. with routes running to Crescent City, Roseburg, O. and Yreka where he connected with Wells, Fargo & Co.
Realized: $2,600
Lot
5
"C. O. C. and P.P. Express", Central Overland California and Pikes Peak express company endorsement and matching "Paid" on 3¢ red on buff (U27) star die entire to Spring Gulch, Colorado Territory, "Sumner, Kansas, Jul 29, 1861" origin cds backstamp and partial strike cancelling indicia, additional express endorsement "Paid Murphy 10¢" at left paying for the letter's final destination in Western Colorado Territory; edge faults, Fine. Estimate $2,500 - 3,500.
A RARE USAGE CARRIED BY TWO EXPRESS COMPANIES IN COLORADO TERRITORY.
Accompanied by the Oct. 17th 2016 Linn's article written by Labron Harris about this fascinating Colorado express usage. This letter reached Denver and was sent on to Spring Gulch in Western Colorado. There was no internal organized mail system in Colorado at this time and mail was carried privately. It has been determined that there was an express running this route, the likely candidate being John T. Murphy, who left Platte Mo. in 1859 and went to Nevada City Colo., which is near Spring Gulch. There he became involved in the mercantile business and needed transportation to get his goods from Denver to his store. Seeing the need, he probably started an express company to carry foods for himself and others, charging 10¢ for letters as shown by this cover.
Lot
6
Dodge & Co.'s Express (Forwarded by), red oval handstamp (Thomas DOD-300) on cover to Saint Louis, Mo., with manuscript "Paid, to N.O." (New Orleans) endorsement at upper right, given to a contract steamer from New Orleans for New York where it entered the mails with red "New - York, 10cts., Apr 20" cds, Very Fine, the only west to east coast usage of the Dodge & Co. forwarder handstamp. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF FOUR EXAMPLES OF THE RARE DODGE & CO.'S EXPRESS FORWARDER HANDSTAMP.
Dodge and Co. formed in 1850 to handle gold dust and mail between San Francisco and the East. In 1851 they extended their line to Portland, Oregon however there are no known usages going in or out of Oregon. By summer 1851 their advertisements disappeared. Advertisement from Daily Alta California March 7, 1851 indicates probable service to New Orleans.
Realized: $1,450
Lot
7
Tracy & Co.'s Express, Portland, blue oval handstamp (TRA-101) on legal size cover John Owen and addressed to Genl. J.W. Denver in Sacramento, Cal. and endorsed "Care Wells, Fargo & Co. Express line Portland, Oregon", franked with 1857, 3¢ dull red, type IV tied by "Vancouver, W.T., Sep 21" cds, Tracy connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. in Portland with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Portland, Sep 24" oval date stamp and "Wells, Fargo & Co., Yreka, Sep 28" oval transit date stamp, with original enclosure from John Owen datelined "Office Flathead Agency, Fort Owen, Bitter Root Valley, W.T., September 6, 1860"; cover tear in top left corner, Very Fine, a rare usage from Vancouver, W.T. via the Post Office and both Tracy & Co. and Wells, Fargo & Co. expresses. Scott No. 26A Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Realized: $800
Lot
8
Tracy & Co.'s Express., Paid, ornate box frank (Thomas TRA-005) on 3¢ Nesbitt entire addressed to Roseburg, O., canceled by blue "Tracy & Co. Express, Portland" oval handstamp, printed "From, H. Rosenfeld & Co., Wholesale & Retail Dealers…Portland, Oregon" corner card with manuscript re-addressing and "Dec 30/60" date, Very Fine and choice, ex-Barkhausen, Haas and Kramer. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THIS TRACY & CO.'S EXPRESS ORNATE BOXED FRANK - WITH ONLY THREE EXAMPLES RECORDED.
There are two slightly different styles of this frank. One with and one without a period after "Paid". This being the later of the two.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
9
Paid Over Tracy & Co's Oregon Express, three-line printed frank in conjunction with Wells, Fargo & Co. frank, printed over 3¢ indicia (Thomas TRA-002)) at top right on 3¢ Nesbitt entire (U10) addressed to "Walla Walla (Village) near New Fort Walla Walla W.T." in Washington Territory, bold clear strike of blue "Tracy & Cos. Express, Portland" oval handstamp; lightly soiled & most of flap missing, Very Fine, ex-Dale-Lichtenstein; with 2004 P.F. certificate. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THIS COMBINATION FRANK IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE TRACY & CO. OREGON EXPRESS FRANKS WITH ONLY TWO EXAMPLES RECORDED.
Only one example was available to collectors until the Dale-Lichtenstein dispersal. This cover was carried by Tracy & Co. from Portland about 250 miles inland to Walla Walla in Washington Territory (circa 1859-60).
Realized: $2,200
Lot
10
Wells Fargo & Co., 1883-88, Blue Newspaper Stamp, tied by purple "Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express, San Francisco Cal. Sep 22 1888" oval date stamp on cover to local street address, Very Fine. Scott No. 143LP9; $2,400 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A VERY RARE USE OF THIS WELLS FARGO & CO. NEWSPAPER ISSUE ON COVER - WITH ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES KNOWN.
This is one of the finest known usages of this rare newspaper issue, fault free and the only dated example we have seen.
Realized: $2,100
Lot
11
Wells, Fargo & Co., printed "Paid Over Our Mexican and California Express - - 35 Cts." frank on 3¢ green entire to Paris, France bearing Mexico 25c Hidalgo, "Ures" (109) cancelled by manuscript, partial strike of "Franco En Banamichi" oval postmark, indicia cancelled by black "New York, Dec 31" exchange cds, black "50" handstamp, blue Cherbourg (1.13.75) entry cds and matching "12" decimes due handstamp, Paris Poste Restante (1.13) arrival backstamp and additional script "Non Réclaime" handstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $525