Sale 79: The George J. Kramer Collection of Western Trails and Routes

Lot 3354    

Tracy & Co's Oregon Express, four-line printed frank in conjunction with Wells Fargo & Co. paid frank on 3¢ red (U10) buff Nesbitt entire addressed to Hon. L.F. Grover at Salem Ore., Very Fine, WC2880, ex-Pearce, Haas.
Thomas No. TRA-100    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

THIS COMBINATION FRANK IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE TRACY & CO. OREGON EXPRESS FRANKS WITH ONLY THREE EXAMPLES RECORDED.

Realized: $1,150

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Lot 3355    

Tracy's & Co. Express, Dayton, bold oval handstamp and blue "Tracy & Co., Portland, Sep 15" double-circle datestamp on 3¢ red (U27) buff Star die entire to Champoeg, Oregon, black Tracy & Co. Oregon Express company scroll frank (TRA-007); light cover toning and right edge repaired including small portion of indicia, Fine appearance, A wonderful cover showing the only recorded example of the Dayton handstamp, illustrated in the Forster book.
Thomas No. TRA-101d    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $575

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Lot 3356    

Tucker's Siskiyou Express, double-rectangle handstamp frank on 3¢ pink (U58) entire addressed to Byron Cole, Oregon Road; wear and light staining, Fine.
Thomas No. TUC-100    Estimate $500 - 750.

ONE OF FOUR RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS TUCKER'S SISKIYOU EXPRESS FRANK HANDSTAMP.

This cover is addressed to Byron Cole, co-owner of Cole's Roadhouse located on the "Oregon Road". Listing books record Louis Tucker as having operated his express for a short while in 1858, but we now believe this to be 1868 operating along the stage route north from Yreka into the area that is now Southern Oregon. Afterwards, he worked as a stage driver for other companies. This entire though proves that he must have gone into business for himself after 1864.

Realized: $525

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Lot 3357    

Wells Fargo & Co., S.S. Oregon Messenger, violet oval handstamp (type 8-4) cancels 2¢ red entire to Portland Ore., printed Wells Fargo & Co. domestic frank and red San Francisco origin datestamp; reduced at right, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $220

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Lot 3358 (*)   

Tracy. &. Co. Express, Walla. Walla., sharp bold strike of oval frank on legal-size orange cover front to Washington D.C. bearing two 10¢ green (68) singles tied by "New York, Aug 4, 1862" duplex, "Department of the Interior, Aug 5 1862, Pension Office" shield receiver; file folds affect 10¢ stamps, otherwise Very Fine, WC2882, ex Dale-Lichtenstein.
Thomas No. TRA-101n    Estimate $200 - 300.

Although Isaac Mossman is generally acknowledged as the first expressman (with a known franking), E.W. Tacey, Wells Fargo & Co.'s agent in Oregon and Washington Territory from 1861 established his own express company and also extended the lines of Wells Fargo & Co. into the Nez Perces and Salmon River mining regions.

"The discovery of gold in 1860 at Pierce City created a boom in Walla Walla. There was no quick way to Pierce City. Mail from San Francisco came north by sea to Astoria, Oregon. Thence, by sternwheeler up the Columbia River to the Dalles, Oregon. Here everything had to be taken overland above Celilo Falls and put on another sternwheeler, Colonel Wright, to Old Lewistown, then Washington Territory." partially excerpted from La Posta May 2006.

Realized: $325

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