Lot
820 
The Central Overland Californi[a] & Pikes Peak Express Company, Denver City, K.T. Jul 5 [1860], black oval datestamp (Thomas RMW-102) entered mails with blue "Saint Joseph Mo. Jul 12 1860" cds tying 1857 3¢ dull red (26, few nibbed perfs), on cover to Illinois; reduced at right, Very Fine.Estimate $400 - 500.
This cover was sent outside the mails from Denver to St. Joseph via the Central Overland Route (Denver-Julesburg-Fort Kearney) on a COC & PP coach. From there it entered the mails to Ohio.
Current Opening Bid: $200
Lot
821
The Central Overland Californi[a] & Pikes Peak Express Company Denver City, K.T. Jun 29, clear black oval company handstamp (Thomas RMW-102) with barred oval killer tying 1857 3¢ dull red (26) on cover to Leavenworth City, Kansas, slight reduction at left, Very Fine.Estimate $300 - 400.
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. C.O.C. & P.P.E. 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. This cover originated in Illinois and at St. Joseph it was handed to the C.O.C. & P.P.E. who delivered it to Mountain City, Kansas Territory.
Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
822
Central Overland Californi[a] & Pikes Peak Express Company, Denver City, K.T. My 25, fine black oval company handstamp (Thomas RMW-102) on buff cover franked with damaged 1857 3¢ dull red (26) tied by black double circle cds "Leavenworth City, Kas. [Jun] 1" cover to Fort Riley, Kansas; included is original enclosure datelined "Denver City Col. Ter. May 23d 1861" reads, in part, "…At last we have got to Denver…My first call was at the P.O. where the first news from you greeted my eyes…The market here is very low - if I sell now - as I am doing it is at a considerable loss - still not a total one. What we brought may pay five cents a pound freight…hope to hear from you again when the US mail comes again - next Monday night - only a weekly mail here yet…", Very Fine.Estimate $400 - 600.
Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (15MB).
Current Opening Bid: $200
Lot
823
The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Dec 1 [1860], entered the mails with manuscript "Glenwood Ioa Nov 28" postmark and manuscript cancelled 1857 3¢ dull red (26, nibbed perfs) sender's directive "Care COC and PP Express, St. Joseph Mo" was honored, COC & PP picking up the letter at the St. Joseph post office and carrying it to the addressee at Mountain City, Kansas Territory (now Colorado) "via Denver City" notation at lower left; enclosed lengthy mostly business letter datelined "Glenwood Nov 24th 1860"; reduced at right up to stamp, couple small cover faults, Very Fine, Inbound COC & PP covers with the St. Joseph marking are much scarcer than their outbound Denver City counterparts.Scott No. 26 Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
824
The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company St. Joseph, Mo. Oct 17 [1861], mostly clear black oval company handstamp (Thomas RMW-103) on 3¢ star die entire (U26) originating with "Sumner Kansas Oct 16, 1861" cds and addressed to Central City, Colorado; manuscript directive at left "Care C.O.C.&P.P. Express" with pencil notation "Opened by mistake by Hiram A Johnson"; flap missing & minor restoration at top, F.-V.F.Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
825
Cheyenne & Black Hills Stage Co's Express, G. S. & P., printed frank (Type 2c) on 3¢ Green entire to Lexington, Michigan, carried from the Black Hills to Cheyenne where it entered the mails with "Cheyenne, Wyo. Fed 9" cds with killer cancelling the indicia. neat mended tear at right, still Very Fine.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
A VERY RARE WESTERN EXPRESS WITH ONLY THREE OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS FRANK ARE RECORDED.
The Cheyenne & Black Hills Express was organized in 1876 by F. D. Yates, with its inaugural run departing on February 2, 1876, from Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, to Custer City, Dakota Territory, via the Red Cloud Agency. Just ten days later, Yates sold his interest to Gilmer, Salisbury, and Patrick, who expanded the route through Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, to the booming mining camp of Deadwood, Dakota Territory. Patrick withdrew from the partnership on October 1, 1878, and on May 15, 1883, Gilmer and Salisbury sold the operation to Russell Thorpe, Sr., who continued to run the line until February 19, 1887.
The Express emerged in direct response to the Black Hills gold rush. On August 3, 1874, famed Army scout "Lonesome" Charley Reynolds rode into Fort Laramie bearing sensational news: gold had been discovered in the Black Hills by Custer's exploring expedition. The announcement spread rapidly, igniting a stampede of prospectors into the region - land long held sacred by Native tribes and guaranteed to them as hunting grounds under treaty agreements.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
826
[Clarke's Centennial Express to the Black Hills.] Sidney Short Route., printed frank (Persson Type 1) at upper left of 3¢ red on white Centennial entire (U218) addressed to Iowa, entered the mails with very light magenta "Sidney Neb. Jan 16" cds; included is original enclosure datelined "Crook City, DT Jan 7th, 1877" and reads, in part, "…the mails going only twice a week will bring several together…visit to a wonderful cave of rocks that I had heard of…the grandest sight I ever saw…the cave is about 20 feet square at the entrance but it gets larger as you go in…R.D. Jennings", the letter goes on to describe the cave (thought to be Bethlehem Cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota) in some detail; minor cover restoration just above indicium, Very Fine and choice, featured in an article in Western Express by Dr. Milgram (June 2021).Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
POSSIBLY THE FINEST CLARKE'S EXPRESS COVER KNOWN, AS THE REVERSE (COVERED WITH PROPAGANDA ADVERTISING) OF THESE COVERS IS USUALLY HEAVILY DAMAGED; THIS ONE IS PRISTINE.
The December, 2018 issue of "Western Express" contained a comprehensive article by Ken Stach regarding Clarke's Centennial Express, including a census of known covers. Six Type 1 covers are recorded in that census. This Type 1 cover, not included in that census, is from the same correspondence and has a letter with the same dateline as one of those recorded. Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (29MB).
Current Opening Bid: $500
Lot
827
Clarke's Centennial Express to the Black Hills. Sidney Short Route., light green printed frank (Persson Type 9) on 3¢ Centennial entire (U218), reverse with all-over Express advertising text, entered the mails with light magenta "Sidney, Neb Feb 24" (1877) postmarked for delivery to Iowa with lengthy original enclosure datelined "Deadwood, D.T. Feb 18th 1877" and reads, in part, "…I have headed my letter Deadwood & here I am in Crook [Crook City, Dakota Territory] but it was a mistake…I expected the stage would get in from Sidney tonight & I would get my letters from my pet, but it has not come yet, but I expect it in the morning…I am certain there has been some trouble here or out from here with Indians. Since I left, one man was killed & another wounded. They have stole lots of stock & troops have been ordered here & will be in next Wednesday. There has been great excitement but I missed it all as I always do but I am not sorry & hope I may never see any of them, but I am not at all afraid for I am cautious & don't go where they are apt to be found…Raymond", and much more; some minor professional restoration, a few words from the overall back ad missing (as is typical for these covers on verso), still Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A RARE AND IMPORTANT BLACK HILLS GOLD RUSH EXPRESS COVER WITH ORIGINAL CONTENTS. ONE OF ONLY TWO EXAMPLES OF THE TYPE 9 PRINTED FRANK OF CLARKE'S CENTENNIAL EXPRESS, THIS BEING THE FINER OF THE TWO.
Henry Tefft Clarke began this express by running ponies from the railhead at Sidney, Nebraska to the Black Hills of Dakota Territory in May, 1876. He began running the route with wagons carrying express mail, freight and passengers shortly thereafter. His "Centennial Express" ceased operation in June, 1877. Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (37MB).
Current Opening Bid: $500
Lot
828
Clarke's Centennial Express to the Black Hills, Sidney Short Route., dark green printed frank (Persson Type 11) unused on 3¢ green on white Centennial entire (U219), showing complete all over detailed back ad with rates, etc. that Clarke charged for freight, passengers, etc., Extremely Fine.Estimate $200 - 300.
Henry Tefft Clarke (1834-1913) was a pioneer legislator, builder and freight operator, he ran his Centennial Express from July 1876 to July 1878, carrying mail between the Union Pacific depot in Sidney and Deadwood, Dakota (via Custer City).
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
829
Estill & Co's Express, manuscript endorsement (Thomas EST-001) on 1850 blue folded letter from along the overland trail addressed to Hoosick Postoffice, Green Co., Wisconsin; entered mails with "Weston Mo. Aug 16" red cds and matching "10" cents due handstamp, with one light line canceling the "10" due and in blue ink "paid to here" (different hand, perhaps applied at the Hoosick post office, but appears to be the same ink and handwriting as the Sept 14th, 1850 message enclosed); lengthy letter enclosed with several datelines as the writer continued his message: June 24th 1850, Sept 14th, 1850 and Sept 29; interesting contents, in part, "…when I last wrote we were at Laramie…we are now within one and a half miles of the dividing ridge of the atlantick and passiffic nine hundred miles from St. Joe. We arrived at the ferry on the upper platte on the 15th…the price was $5.00 for the wagon, $2.00 per head for cattle, $1.00 for pony, and $3.00 to the ferryman to pass us…I expect to send this letter the express for the emigrants and is now recruiting five miles from here. This is the last letter you will be likely got from me that comes this way. The rest wil have to through calafornia…Albert S. Holmes…", Extremely Fine and choice.Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
ONLY FIVE COVERS HAVE SURVIVED FROM THE ONE TRIP ESTILL MADE WITH HIS EXPRESS, TWO OF WHICH ARE HELD IN THE WILTSEE COLLECTION BY WELLS FARGO. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE.
Colonel James M. Estill made a single round-trip on the Oregon-to-California Trail between Weston, Missouri and Pacific Spring, in the Sweetwater River Valley of present day Wyoming. His idea was to promote a transcontinental express service in lieu of the U.S. mail by collecting the mail along the emigrant trail for a fee of 50¢ per letter. Estill reportedly deposited 4000 letters into the US mail system at Weston, Missouri on Aug 16, 1850. Only five Estill Express covers are known to survive, all sent collect 10¢.
Current Opening Bid: $3,750