Sale 115: The Westpex Sale

Lot 503    

(Carrington) Adams & Co. Express Agency, Panama, red oval handstamp and "Adams & Co. Express New York" red cameo corner card on 1852 cover to Robert Carrington, the Purser on the Steamer New Orleans at Panama "Care Cova + Co., to be kept until N.O. arrives", Very Fine, ex-Polland.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The "S.S. New Orleans" ran between San Francisco and Panama 1850-1852. The ship was owned by Howard & Son's Empire Line originally, sold to private owners in 1851, and then leased by those owners to Vanderbilt's Independent Line in 1852. In 1853, the New Orleans was sold again to the Melbourne Steam Packet Company in Australia.

Realized: $250

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Lot 504    

(Carrington) Adams & Co. Express Agency, Panama, red oval handstamp on 1852 cover to Robert Carrington, the Purser on the Steamer New Orleans at Panama, with additional red "Cova & Co., Panama" oval agent handstamp and endorsement at lower left, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $300

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Lot 505    

(Carrington) Adams & Co. Express, 10 Wall St., New York, red shield corner card on cover addressed to "Robert R. Carrington, Purser Steamer New Orleans, Care of Geo: Mouton Esq, Adams & Co., Melbourne, Australia", with manuscript "10" rating, reverse with "J. Hawes, July 15th" arrival docketing in New York from San Francisco, "Ship Letter, Sydney, Oc 3, 1853" transit and oval "Ship Letter, Melbourne, Oc 10, 1855" receiving date stamp, with original enclosure expressman J. Hawes datelined "San Francisco, May 4, 1853" with fascinating and historical content…By this I send you a few papers etc. Gregory has gone home and i am now agent of his Express. I took it only on account of getting the earliest news from Australia, he having made arrangements to have exchanges sent to him which I shall now get. i want you to send all the newspapers you can possibly get hold of and you will please stamp them with the stamp I now send., Very Fine, a wonderful cover and letter sent during the transitions of Adams, Gregory & Hawes Express Companies.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

This letter from Joseph Hawes proves that Adams had opened a Melbourne office by early 1853, Gregory had an Australian Express (no material recorded), Gregory sold out to Hawes, and Hawes had an Australian Express with a handstamp (no material recorded).

Realized: $600

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Lot 506    

(Carrington) Adams & Co. Express, 59 Broadway, New York, red shield corner card on cover addressed to "Robert R. Carrington, Purser Steamer New Orleans, Care of Geo: Mouton Esq, Adams & Co., Melbourne, Australia", shipped to Sydney with manuscript "found on the River Hunter" endorsement, reverse with "Sydney, N.S.W., My 23, 1855" and red "Ship Letter, G.P.O. Victoria, Free, My 30, 1855" cds's, Very Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Although route cannot be positively identified, it was probably carried vis London, Alexandria, Suez and Ceylon on Peninsular & Oriental steamships.

Realized: $270

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Lot 507    

(Carrington) Adams & Co. Express, Sacramento, red double-lined oval handstamp on stampless cover to Office Empire City Line in San Francisco, "Hanks & Crawley, House, Sign & Ornamental Painters" Sacramento City blue printed corner card, short tear at upper left, Very Fine, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (pages 172 & 232).
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $270

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Lot 508    

(Carrington) Adams & Co., American & European Express, Melbourne, N.S.W., blue embossed corner card on backflap of cover to the steamer New Orleans via Sydney, N.S.W., carried by Adams from New York probably via England and Suez, with manuscript "8" pence rating and "Melbourne, Victoria, Oct 27, 1853" entry cds, reverse with "Ship Letter, Sydney, No 6, 1853" cds (See website for images), Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.



Complete images:
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Realized: $450

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Lot 509    

(Carrington) Adams & Co., American & European Express, Melbourne, N.S.W., blue embossed corner card on backflap of cover to Sydney, N.S.W., carried by Adams from New York probably via England and Suez, with manuscript "4" pence rating and "Melbourne, Victoria, Oct 31, 1853" entry cds, reverse with "Ship Letter, Sydney, No 6, 1853" cds; some cover toning (See website for images), F.-V.F.
Estimate    $400 - 600.



Complete images:
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Realized: $425

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Lot 510    

(Carrington) Cova & Co., Panama, oval agent handstamp in black on 1851 folded letter to Carrington in San Francisco, docketed "Augt 3/51, pr California (Adams & Co.)" at left, Very Fine, this being one of two known examples of the Cova & Co. oval handstamp in black, normally struck in red.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $350

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Lot 511    

(Carrington) Cova & Co., Panama, red oval agent handstamp on cover to Robert Carrington, the Purser on the Steamer New Orleans at Panama, with red "Adams & Co. Express, New York" shield corner card and endorsed "Care Cora & Co. "post restante"" at lower left, with original enclosure from brother with interesting content…Wells Fargo have established an opposition California Express and come out strong in their advertisements, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $375

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Lot 512    

(Carrington) Cova & Co., Panama, red oval agent handstamp on cover to Robert Carrington, the Purser on the Steamer New Orleans at Panama, with red "Adams & Co. Express, New York" shield corner card, Carrington had departed for Australia with cover sent by private ship to Sydney with pencil "Rec'd at Sydney, June 26, 1853" docketing, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The "New Orleans" sailed from San Francisco on March 11, 1853 with 110 passengers, Captain Wakeman at the helm and Robert Carrington as purser. She docked at Sydney 64 days later after a stop at Tahiti for coal.

Realized: $210

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