Lot
815 
(British Columbia & Vancouver Island) Wells Fargo & Co., Victoria, Jan 10, blue oval datestamp (Thomas WFE-107) on 1861 10¢ green entire (U40) to San Francisco, partial strike of "Post Office, Victoria V.I." Coat of Arms blue handstamped postal frank, black Wells, Fargo & Co. frank at top; docketed left "Victoria Jany 20/69" with business letter enclosed datelined "Victoria B Columbia 20 January 1869", Very Fine; with 1964 P.F. certificate.Scott No. U40 Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $170
Lot
816
Forwarded by Browns Express, small blue company oval handstamp (BRW-101) on folded cover to Stockton, postmarked "Marysville, Cal Sep 2" blue cds with matching "5" rate handstamp, matching Brown's "$1" express fee handstamp (BRW-205b), "S H" pencil notation vertically at left is Brown's notation for delivery to "Stockton Hill"; minor wax seal damage to back of folded lettersheet, Extremely Fine.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
WHILE BROWN'S EXPRESS COVERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY RARE, THIS EXAMPLE IS PARTICULARLY CHOICE DUE TO THE QUALITY OF THE VARIOUS HANDSTAMPS.
William A. Brown began his express in August, 1850, from his primary office in Stockton. He connected initially with Todd & Co. and later (April, 1851) with Newell & Co. They, in turn, connected at San Francisco with Adam's Express for service to the Atlantic States. Brown was murdered on April 2, 1853 by a disgruntled employee, after which Adams & Co. continued to operate the express under his name until January, 1854, after which no further Brown's Express ads can be found.
Realized: $700
Lot
817
Forwarded by Browns Express, wonderful strike of small blue company oval handstamp (BRW-101) on cover originating from Massachusetts, postmarked blue "Lowell, Mass Feb 14" (1852) with matching "10" rate handstamp in right part of address to Stockton; Browns picked up this cover in Stockton, charging $1 (as evidenced by Brown's "$1" handstamp, BRW-205b) and delivered it to Mr. Timothy Wilkins in "Oak Flat" (lower left), docketed "Feb 11, 1852"; neatly mended cover tear at top, Very Fine and attractive.Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
818
Brown's Express, Three Express Covers from the Stephen Chapin Davis correspondence, all handled by Brown's Express.First is a folded cover dated "Nashua Sept 17, 1852" from brother George to Stephen in Stockton Cal., black Nashua N.H. cds and matching "10" rate handstamp, lightly struck blue "Forwarded By/Browns/ Express" handstamp (Thomas BRW-101) and matching "$1" express rate handstamp (Thomas BRW-205b), with additional manuscript "M C" applied by Brown's agent indicating delivery point was Maxwell's Creek, cover is clean and Very Fine.
Second cover has black Nashua N.H. cds with matching "10" rate handstamp, lightly struck large blue "Brown's/ Express/Stockton" express co. handstamp (Thomas BRW-100) with matching blue "$1" express rate handstamp (Thomas BRW-205b), manuscript "M C" for carriage to Maxwell's Creek, cover defects
Third cover has portion of black Nashua N.H. cds which tied a now missing pair of 3¢ 1851 stamps (confirmed from Davis covers in Calif. State Lib.), very light but readable large blue "Brown's/ Express/Stockton" handstamp (Thomas BRW-100) with matching blue "$1" express rate handstamp (Thomas BRW-205b) and manuscript "M C" Maxwell's Creek destination. Letter from brother, Mial, dated "Nashua Feb 4, 52" gently admonishing Stephen for his conduct in California - "We have been told, Stephen, that you have gambling and drinking connected with your Bowling Alley and Store" - is included with cover, cover defects, Fine.
Estimate $200 - 300.
Stephen Chapin Davis and his brother, Josiah, journeyed to California in 1850, mining and keeping store at Long Bar, where they also ran an express between the Yuba River mining camps and Sacramento and San Francisco. Stephen later kept a store at Coulterville on Maxwell's Creek. Never healthy enough to actively mine for gold, Stephen C. Davis died in 1856 at age 23. The Davis correspondence was ultimately found in the attic of a house in Nashua, New Hampshire which had long been vacated by Davis descendants, and most of it is now in the California State Library, Sacramento.
Realized: $230
Lot
819
California Penny Post Co., 1855-59, 5¢ black on buff, "To the Penny Post Co." straight line at top on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco; minor tear at top extends into "P" of "Post", some adhesion on verso, Very Fine.Scott No. 34LU9 Estimate $200 - 300.
Richard Frajola's on-line census of the Penny Post covers lists this as cover #310 and is described as follows: "(Pacific Express posthumous use) cover in two states: California Penny Post cover addressed to J.R. Lewis at San Francisco, top image before the pencil 'Pacific Express' was removed (photo from Sloane while in Lichtenstein collection), lower image when offered by Bruce Gimelson at auction after pencil directives cleaned off (Sep 26, 1967, lot #106 - later appeared in Siegel sale of Clifford collection)"; a used leftover from the Penny Post, with the Pacific Express notations removed.
Realized: $260