Lot
854 
Pacific Union Ex. Co., Treasure City, blue double circle handstamp on 1864, 3¢ pink entire to San Francisco, red scroll frank at top; cover tear at top affecting frank, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $120
Lot
855
Pacific Union Ex. Co., Virginia City, blue cds on 1864, 3¢ pink entire to Santa Rosa, Cal., red company frank at top, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $130
Lot
856
Pacific Union Express Co., Washoe City, blue double circle handstamp on 3¢ pink entire to Santa Barbara with red company ribbon frank at top, some minor toned spots, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $425
Lot
857
Patten & Bunker's Humboldt Express, printed frank on orange buff cover that entered the mails with faulty 3¢ rose pink (64b), tied by blue "Carson City U.T., Nov 12" cds to Red Bluffs Cal., manuscript docketing on reverse indicating the sender was William Heaton of Shasta Cal.; light horizontal fold, a Very Fine example of this frank despite the stamp, Thomas WC2310, ex Dale-Lichtenstein. Thomas No. PAB-001 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS PATTEN & BUNKER'S HUMBOLDT EXPRESS FRANK.
This express operated between the Humboldt district of Nevada and Carson City. This cover was carried from Red Bluff, Cal. and identical to a Nov. 10th cover illustrated in "Nevada Express" by James Gamett. William T. Heaton was a merchant in Starr City in the business of Heaton and Davis. Patton and Bunker were also connected with Langton's Pioneer Express in 1863.
Realized: $1,400
Lot
858
Pioneer Stage Company, "Sacramento to Virginia" all-over shaded company envelope showing stage coach, bearing pen cancelled 3¢ rose (65) to Hyrum Rumfield of the Overland Mail Co. at Salt Lake City, Utah, docketed "Arrived at G.S.L.C. (Great Salt Lake City), July 27, 1:45 A.M.", reduced slightly at right, Very Fine. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
THE FINEST OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS ILLUSTRATED PIONEER STAGE COMPANY ENVELOPE.
The Pioneer Stage Co. began in the summer of 1859 when J.B. Crandell drove the first coach over the Sierra Nevada mountains to Carson Valley. Over the next years the Pioneer Stage Co. became a premier transportation service. In November 1866 they consolidated with other overland stage and express companies into the Wells, Fargo & Company.
Realized: $1,300
Lot
859
Pritchard's Fast Freight Line, "From Palisade to Pioche, via Mineral Hill, Eureka & Hamilton" all-over shaded gray shaded ad cover on 3¢ green entire with printed Wells Fargo frank cancelled by sharp blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Palisades, Apr 29" oval handstamp to San Francisco Cal., Very Fine and attractive. Estimate $400 - 600.
W.L. Pritchard started the Express Business in the late 1860s at Elko, Nevada. He moved to Palisade where he had more than 500 wagons and 2,000 animals hauling supplies as far south as Pioche via Mineral Hill, Eureka and Hamilton. With the coming of the Central Pacific Railroad, followed by the development of the White Pines Mines, as well as the Mineral Hill and Eureka districts; Palisade became a prominent rail head for the deposits of ore. Situated on the Humboldt River at the west end of Twelve Mile Canyon, about ten miles from Carlen, it was a very active town. Palisade gained a national reputation for staging fake gun battles and Indian attacks for the benefit of the Overland Limited Train, as it stopped there for refueling and water. The Eureka-Palisade railroad was completed in the early 1870s and Pritchard was forced to sell his stage and freight lines. Today it is practically a ghost town, and a junction of the Southern Pacific Railroad and Western Pacific Railroad and where the shops of the Eureka and Palisade Railroad once stood.
Realized: $525
Lot
860 ()
Raum's Express Franks, two different on 3¢ green (U83) fronts only, "Raum's Centerville, Ruby Hill and Shelburn Express, Agency White Pine Daily News" (RAU-006, one of only two known) postmarked "Shelbourne Nev., Nov 1" cds and "Raum's Ruby Hill, Rubyville, Centerville and Shelburn Express, Agency White Pine Daily News" (RAU-007, one of only 7 known) with some edge repair, Fine and scarce pair. Thomas No. RAU-006, RAU-007 Estimate $300 - 400.
Mell Raum operated this Nevada express in the 1870s near Eureka, Nev. and along the Eureka River.
Realized: $260
Lot
861
Raum's Ruby Hill, Schellburn and Rubyville Express, Agency White Pine Daily News., printed frank with fancy frame, on 3¢ green (U82) entire with printed Wells Fargo & Co. frank canceled by over inked strike of blue "Wells Fargo & Co., Humboldt Wells, Feb 28" oval datestamp to San Francisco Cal.; reduced slightly at left with small paper loss at top left, Very Fine and rare conjunctive use., Thomas WC2367. Thomas No. RAU-002 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS RAUM'S RUBY HILL, SCHELLBURN AND RUBYVILLE EXPRESS FRANK, THIS BEING THE ONLY RAUM'S USE CANCELLED BY WELLS FARGO.
After Lovell left the partnership of Raum & Lovell's Express, Mell Raum continued to operate as Raum Express through the same North-central area of Nevada connecting with the U.S. mail at Schellbourne Nev.
Realized: $725
Lot
862
Reno, Washoe, and Carson City, Stage and Fast Freight Line, L.H.Dyer, Proptr., shield handstamp at upper left on circa 1871-72 yellow cover to Reno, Nevada, endorsed "Dyer will please deliver" at bottom; stain and corner nick, Fine and rare. Estimate $500 - 750.
THE ONLY RECORDED HANDSTAMP OF THIS RENO, WASHOE AND CARSON CITY STAGE LINE.
L.H. Dyer started his stage line in Mill Station, Nevada and operated to Carson City. In 1865 Dyer extended the Northern Terminus of his stage line to Huffaker's. A ranch seven miles south of Reno. In 1867 Dyer got a contract to carry the U.S. Mail from Washoe City to Virginia City. In 1870 Dyer relocated his office from Mill Station to Reno. The Virginia-Truckee Railroad started construction in January 1870 and was completed through Carson City to Reno 1872. In August 1873 the Railroad purchased Dyer's line.
Realized: $450
Lot
863
Sale & Barber's Humboldt Express, printed double-oval frank in combination with printed Langton's Pioneer Express printed frank at top left on 3¢ pink (U35) buff entire to Meadow Valley Cal.; repaired left edge, cover tear, Very Fine appearance, ex-Fred Star. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS EXPRESS COMPANY FRANK.
This Express operated from Virginia City, Nevada Territory to the Humboldt mines in the Northwestern part of the territory in 1868 and 1869. This letter was carried into Unionville, Nevada by Sale & Barber's Express, and turned over to Langton's Express who delivered it to Meadow Valley, above Quincy in Plumas County, CA.