Terms of SaleBid IncrementsGradingLinksContact

Sale 90: Gems of Philately

Previous ChapterTable of ContentsNext Chapter

State Postmarks - Colorado to Oregon

Lots 61-70 Lots 71-80 Lot 81

Lot 71    

(Idaho) Ruby City, Owihee District, Idaho, address on 1864, 3¢ pink entire with "Via Overland Mail & Salt Lake City, Utah" sender's endorsement, "Detroit, Mich, Oct 9" origin cds and target duplex canceling, handstamped "3" rate marking presumably indicating postage due, 1866 sender's handstamp on the back; slightly reduced at right, F.-V.F., carried by the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company as holder of the mail contracts on the Central Overland Route and the connecting route from Salt Lake City to Boise City.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

The Owyhee Mines in the southwestern corner of Idaho Territory began as a gold rush, which soon transformed into a silver bonanza with lode production that went on for decades and ultimately surpassed that of the more famous Comstock in Nevada. Owyhee refers to Hawaii after three Hawaiian fur trappers disappeared in the area in 1819.

Realized: $130

email this lot to a friend

Lot 72    

(Kansas) Wyandott, K.T., Feb 14, balloon type cds tying 1857, 3¢ dull red, horizontal pair on oversized ornately embossed Valentine cover to Middleborough, Mass., with second bold strike at left, with original Valentine enclosure with central floral design; cover and enclosure with flaws including toning and splitting in embossing, Fine, still a very rare Valentine usage from Kansas territory.
Scott No. 26    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $190

email this lot to a friend

Lot 73    

(Missouri) Independence, Mo., Mar 29, cds with matching "10" rate handstamp on cover to Sacramento, Cal.; cover wear with top outer top flap missing, F.-V.F., cover sent over the entire Central Overland Route from eastern terminus to the western terminus.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $120

email this lot to a friend

Lot 74    

(Montana) Bannack City, M.T., large rimless postmark without date and "Paid" straightline handstamp without rate (3¢) on stampless cover to Tallmadge, Ohio, "answered Dec 6th" docket and "mother 1864" pencil notation, slightly reduced at left and minor wear, F.-V.F., this postmark type is recorded used from August 1864 to January 1865.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $2,000

email this lot to a friend

Lot 75    

(Montana) Nevada City M.T., blue straightline postmark and 1861, 3¢ rose (s.e. at right and soiled) with "27/12" manuscript date on cover to Winnebago Station, Illinois; opening slit along left edge, F.-V.F., this postmark type is recorded used from May 1866 to October 1867.
Scott No. 65    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $210

email this lot to a friend

Lot 76    

(Nevada) Freiberg, Saxony to Virginia City, Nevada Territory, 1865 mourning cover franked with Saxony 1863, 2ng blue + 5ng gray blue, two singles tied by "12" in circular grid handstamps with matching "Freiberg, 3 VII" origin cds, red "Aachen, Paid 23" cds additionally tying stamps, red "N. York Am. Pkt., Paid, Jul 17" entry cds, carried via Central Overland Route to Nevada, Very Fine.
Scott No. Saxony 18+20b    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

Realized: $950

email this lot to a friend

Lot 77    

(Nevada) Ruby Valley, Mar 17, clear cds without Utah or Nevada designation ties 1861, 3¢ rose on cover to Camp Douglas, Utah Territory, with original letter between soldiers datelined "Ruby Valley, March 17 1863"; slightly reduced at right, Extremely Fine.
Scott No. 65    Estimate $200 - 300.

The Ruby Valley Post Office was established in Utah Territory in 1862 but found itself in Nevada Territory just a couple months later when the eastern boundary of Nevada Territory was shifted to the east. After statehood, in 1866, the eastern boundary of Nevada was shifted to the east once again. Camp Douglas near Salt Lake City and Fort Ruby in Ruby Valley and near the Ruby Valley Post Office were both established in late 1862. Both army installations were intended to protect the overland mails and the overland telegraph, which had been completed in late 1861.

Realized: $725

email this lot to a friend

Lot 78    

(Nevada) Virginia City, Utah, Nov 12, large cds and "Paid 10" manuscript rate on stampless cover to Glenwood Mills, Iowa, minor corner restoration, Extremely Fine, a late use of this postmark type after Nevada Territory was created in 1861.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $230

email this lot to a friend

Lot 79    

(Oregon) Incoming Cover to Portland, 7-Star Flag red and blue allover patriotic design with "Jeff Davis, Prest., Alex H. Stephens, Vice Prest." in stripes, on 1861 cover addressed to Portland Oregon with "Hot Springs, Ark., Apr 30" cds and manuscript "Paid 10¢" over the mountain rate; partial backflap and a few opening tears at top, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $7,500 - 10,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED "CONFEDERATE" PATRIOTIC COVER SENT TO THE WEST COAST.

Formal war commenced on April 12th with the shelling at Fort Sumter. As Arkansas did not secede until May 6th, it was still part of the Union of April 30th.

To alleviate problems to postmasters to figure out if they were 3,000 miles or not, an Act of February 27, 1861 effectively made it clear that the rate for anything sent over the Rocky Mountains was going to be 10¢ without the need to calculate mileage.

Realized: $7,000

email this lot to a friend

Lot 80    

(Oregon) Lafayette, O.T., Feb 9, manuscript postmark with matching "10" on folded letter to East Tennessee, with letter datelined "Yamhill O.T., Feb 6th, 1854"; few light tone spots, otherwise Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Lafayette mail could be taken to Portland, in which case the mail would have been carried on the Columbia River to Astoria and placed on a steamship. It was a bit closer to Oregon City in which case it could have been carried to Dalles and overland, particularly since the rive was frozen. This letter reads in part…"The Columbia and Willamette Rivers froze over so that a man could walk across them.".

Realized: $500

email this lot to a friend

Lots 61-70 Lots 71-80 Lot 81

Previous ChapterTable of ContentsNext Chapter