Lot
2094 
Barlow & Sanderson Overland Mail & Express Co., illustrated corner card of six-horse stage reads "Barlow & Sanderson, Proprietors, H. Sanderson, Gen'l Sup't, Principal Office, Peublo, Colorado, H.C. Griffin, Cashier", cover franked with 1¢ Ultramarine, 2¢ Vermilion, and 3¢ Green Banknotes tied target cancels and addressed to Nasby, Missouri, postmarked "Villa Grove Col. Sep 19" cds, cover with corner defect at top left, included is interesting letter on matching "Overland Mail and Express Co." letterhead, Very Fine and attractive.Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
This spectacular cover realized $4,500 plus buyer's premium in the sale of the "Boulder Collection" (H.R. Harmer Sale 3056, Lot 552, February 23-24, 2022)nn
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Current Opening Bid: $1,000
Lot
2095 ()
Forwarded By Pacific Express Company, From Central City, Colo., black on red express label affixed to legal size cover front to the Clerk of the Court in Xenia, O., light purple 1888 filing date stamp and deposition docketing at left; some edge wear, F.-V.F., a rare Pacific Express use from Central City.Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $120
Lot
2096
Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Co., Denver City K.T., Nov 6, oval datestamp and "The Only Through Express, Direct your Letters Care C.O.C. & P.P. Express, St. Joseph, Mo. or Leavenworth, K.T." black on magenta express label affixed on yellow cover with manuscript "Gooding's Grove Ill, Mar 28" postmark with matching pen cancels on 3¢ dull red (26) to Mountain City, Kansas Territory; label with small tears, cover and label with small repair at top left, Very Fine appearance; with 2000 P.F. certificate.Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE CENTRAL OVERLAND CALIFORNIA & PIKE'S PEAK EXPRESS LABEL IN MAGENTA ON COVER.
This company was the immediate predecessor of The Pony Express. It was organized by the firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell for the purpose of saving the partnership's freighting operations to army posts in the West. They were one of two firms that carried mail to the Pike's Peak region when the gold rush began there. COC&PPE had obtained the mail contract from St. Joseph to Salt Lake City operating over the Platte River Road. They carried the express Pike's Peak mail over this route as far as Julesburg, where it was diverted south to Denver, which had a post office, but no mail route serving the town. nnThis cover originated in Illinois. At St. Joseph it was handed to the C.O.C. & P.P.E. who delivered it to Mountain City, Kansas Territory.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $1,500
Lot
2097
Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Co., Denver City K.T., Nov 20, oval date stamp on 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Milwaukee, Wis., with additional "Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Co., St. Joseph, Mo., Nov 26" receiving oval date stamp, uprated with 1857, 3¢ dull red and entered the mails with "Saint Joseph, Mo., Nov 27" cds, matching grid handstamps canceling and tying adhesive, reverse with additional undated strike of the Denver City express oval used as a prepaid frank; small tear in 3¢ adhesive at top, otherwise Very Fine, ex-Barkhausen.Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
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Current Opening Bid: $950
Lot
2098
The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Co., St. Joesph, Mo., Nov 15, oval date stamp over manuscript routing endorsement with additional "Collect 15cts", on cover to Denver City, Kansas, franked with 1857, 3¢ dull red tied by "Pacific City, Ioa., Nov 12" origin cds, forwarded to Mountain City with instructional notation from the Denver Post Master "Have your Letters Directed to Mountain City & we will send them on. P.M. at Denver City" at bottom left; stamp with small defects in top right corner and cover minor corner stain at top left, still Very Fine, ex-Dale-Lichtenstein; with 2004 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 26 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A WONDERFUL CENTRAL OVERLAND CALIFORNIA & PIKE'S PEAK EXPRESS CO. USAGE FROM PACIFIC CITY, IOWA.
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Current Opening Bid: $1,000
Lot
2099
Hinckley & Co's Express Mail via Denver, Paid Through, scroll frank, scarcer first type without additional text 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Superior, Wisconsin, bold Hinckley & Co.s Express, Denver City Oct 29, 1860 handstamp cds, entered the mails with Saint Joseph, Missouri postmark, gently cleaned, Extremely Fine, ex-Frajola & Whitington.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Hinckley & Co's Express (May 1860 - May 1861) Hinckley's Express was founded in 1860 by C. S. Hinckley and John Sowers. It operated between the mining regions west of Denver, Colorado (then Kansas Territory) to Denver. It also operated east from Denver to St. Joseph, Missouri and later to Omaha, Nebraska via the Platte Valley route. It was purchased by the Central Overland, California & Pike's Peak Express Company on May 11, 1861.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $700
Lot
2100
Hinckley & Co.'s Express, Denver City, Dec 31, 1860, company date stamp (HIN-100) on fresh 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire with printed scroll frank (HIN-002) and "Enclose Letters in Gov't Stamped Envelopes, and direct, 'Care of Hinckley & Co.'s Express, St. Joe, Mo.'" directive imprint above, to Osterville, Mass., entered the mails with green "Saint Joseph, Mo., Jan 9" cds canceling; small tear at top and slightly reduced at right, Very Fine.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Six examples of this frank are recorded all used during the month of December, 1860, Hinckley was using the Western Stage Company during this period and it took nine days transit to arrive in Saint Joseph, Mo.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $750
Lot
2101
Jones & Russell's Pike's Peak Express Co, Denver City, Aug 8 1859, complete sharp strike of cds on yellow cover with manuscript "Paid 10c" rating to Mountain City, Colorado Territory, original letter datelined "Auraria, Aug 6th 1859" and discusses order for supplies and mentions don't neglect my claim; some edge restoration, Very Fine and choice appearance.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
While still operating the Leavenworth City & Pikes Peak Express, Jones and Russell purchased the John Hockaday line, which had the government mail contract to Salt Lake City via the Platte River. Eventually, this led to the termination of the Republican River-Fort Riley route used by the Leavenworth City & Pikes Peak Express. Jones & Russell's express operated from July 1859 to February 1860, charging 25¢ per letter.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $350
Lot
2102
Leavenworth City & Pikes Peak Express Co., Jul 2., clear cds without year date as usual for westbound deliveries, on 1853 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Denver City, Kansas Ty., cancelled by neat blue "Farmington, Me., June 27" origin cds and large manuscript "Via Leavenworth & Pikes Peak Express Co." routing endorsement at top; entire with top right corner with small repair and mended backflap tear, Very Fine and attractive, ex-Barkhausen, Baughman, Dale-Lichtenstein & Stach.Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
THE CARRIED ON THE LAST WEST BOUND TRIP OF THIS SHORT-LIVED EXPRESS OPERATING BETWEEN LEAVENWORTH CITY AND DENVER CITY, KANSAS TERRITORY IN 1859. ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE COLORADO EXPRESS COVERS.
Jones and Russell's dream of profitable fast express to the gold fields did not develop as planned. The coach fare charged did not cover the costs and the additional freight and mail carried still left the company short of money. In June of 1859 it became time for a major reorganization with fresh capital. They changed the name to Jones and Russell Pikes Peak Express Co. and carried on with the business.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $2,500
Lot
2103
Paid Murphy 10¢, and "C. O. C. and P. P. Express, Paid" manuscript notations on 1860, 3¢ Star Die entire to "Spring Gulch, Mountain City, Colorado Territory", "Sumner, Kansas, Jul 29, 1861" origin postmark on the back perhaps applied as a courtesy plus partial strike canceling indicia, evidently picked up as a stagecoach way letter by the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express company and carried to Denver City then delivered by Murphy to the addressee; light stains, small corner and edge faults, F.-V.F., a copy of a 2016 Linn's Stamp News article announcing the discovery this cover accompanies.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THE ONLY KNOWN MURPHY EXPRESS COVER.
When this cover was sent, Sumner in the new state of Kansas was a fairly large town 20 miles northwest of Leavenworth City. While Sumner along with Denver City and Mountain City in the newly created Colorado Territory all had Post Offices, Spring Gulch was a mining location beyond Mountain City that did not. The recipient of this letter likely prepaid Murphy to call for his letters at Denver City and perhaps Mountain City. Murphy is believed to have been John T. Murphy who was a merchant based in Nevada City, which was near Mountain City.nn
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Current Opening Bid: $475