Lot
1159 
Austin, Nev. Sep 5, partial black cds on cover franked with 1863 2¢ Blackjack (73) cancelled by target killer, with manuscript "Due 2" (the correct rate of 3¢ for mailing to California was underpaid by 1¢, which was doubled to 2¢ due for the unpaid portion) addressed to Sacramento, Cal.; original enclosure datelined "Bunker Hill August 31st/64" and reads, in part, "…You ask me if I have really struck it rich. I wil tell you. I can make grub & pay my assessments & that is more than every one can do here you bet…pretty good paying thing if it was not I would draw out at once for some of the owners are God dam Rebs. They are the meanest Devils out of hell…it costs me about nine dollars a week for grub & devilish tough at that, it is a very healthy place Vermont cannot beat it for any thing but girls. They are verry scarse I have not seen but two women for five months nor had a square meel since I left Virginia City…J.W. Eggelston,"; cover edge wear with tattered lower right corner, F.-V.F. and an excellent letter, A "blackjack" use from Nevada Territory is rare, this was the subject of an article in the Postal History Journal (Jan. 1873) by Dr. Milgram.Estimate $300 - 400.
Bunker Hill (the dateline of this letter) was a very small offshoot mining camp located in Kingston canyon, 27 miles south of Austin, on the east slope of the Toiyabe Mountain. It was founded early in 1863 and existed until the latter part of 1864, when the new town of Kingston was founded some two miles down from Bunker Hill at the mouth of Kingston Canyon.
Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
1160
Carson City, U.T. Apr 18, [circa 1861], sharp blue straight-line postmark with manuscript date on yellow Pardon Brown correspondence cover franked with manuscript cancelled 1857 10¢ green, type V (35), Extremely Fine.Scott No. 35 Estimate $500 - 750.
ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE NEVADA STRAIGHT LINE POSTMARK.
Carson City was still a part of Utah Territory at this time. Since Nevada was formed from portion of Utah territory in early March of 1861, early postmarks still showed the "U.T."
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
1161
Carson City, U.T. Sep 9 [1862], two strikes of small blue cds, one on indicium of 1860 10¢ green Star Die entire (U33) to Miss Lydia Brown, Newport, R.I., part of the Pardon Brown correspondence, pencil notation on back "Sept 9, 1862" (contents, no longer present), minor corner nick at top left, F.-V.F.Estimate $150 - 200.
Since Nevada was formed from portion of Utah territory in early March of 1861, early postmarks still showed the "U.T."
Current Opening Bid: $80
Lot
1162
Clifton, Nev. Ter./Dec. 26, 1863, fancy cds tying 1861 3¢ rose (few toned perfs) on cover to New York, reverse with contemporary doodling, Very Fine and an unusually clear strike of this fancy cancel, Gamett-Nelson Rarity 10, who record this postmark used from Nov 2, 1863 to Feb 2, 1864.Estimate $300 - 400.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
1163
Gold Hill, N.T. Feb 25, 1863, perfect strike of double circle datestamp in deep blue ink with two strikes of black propeller-style killer on two 1866 2¢ Blackjack adhesives (73), one just tied by killer, on fancy large-size embossed Valentine envelope to Conn., enclosure fancy Valentine with small printed message "Let the zealots talk Of joys above, And rapturous dreams The soul that lift, There's no devotion Warm as love, Or offering pure Of true love's gift."; some minor damage to the "lace" of the ornate Valentine, Extremely Fine.Estimate $500 - 750.
A RARE NEVADA TERRITORIAL USE OF A VALENTINE ENVELOPE WITH ORIGINAL VALENTINE ENCLOSURE.
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Current Opening Bid: $475
Lot
1164
Nevada Postmark Group, lot of three covers and one postal entire from the 1860's with various postmarks including Austin, Carson City & Gold Hill, one with blue boxed handstamp "Combination S.M. Co." of the Combination Silver Mining Company (often abbreviated as S.M. Co.) based in Belmont, Nevada, during the late 1860s and 1870s, cover faults, Fine.Estimate $100 - 150.
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Current Opening Bid: $50
Lot
1165
Pardon Brown Correspondence [1862], group of four covers from the famous Pardon Brown correspondence coming out of early Nevada Territory addressed to Middletown, R.I and all on 1861 10¢ green on white or buff entires (U40 or U41); several have photocopies of the original contents; covers include one with "Washoe City, Nev T." blue cds, two with "Virginia City, N.T." black double circle cds and one with "Carson City, U.T." blue cds, one of the Virginia City entires with hand-drawn mourning cover border; some edge wear and light toning, F.-V.F.Estimate $300 - 400.
The Pardon Brown correspondence is noted for several covers carried by Snowshoe Thompson's express from Carson Valley to Placerville during the winters of 1857-58 and 1858-1859. Complete images:
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Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
1166
Unionville, N.T. Aug 3, 1863, black cds tying 1861 3¢ rose (65) on patriotic cover with red, white and blue design of Flag and Lady Liberty Flying on Back of Eagle with inscription, addressed to New Hampshire with manuscript "missent and For" with "Tufftonboro N.H. Sep 3" double circle postmark in black, manuscript "Try Mass" at lower left; included is second cover from same correspondence with same design and postmark (missing stamp), first cover is very fine with trivial tear at bottom, second is for reference & irregularly reduced at left, Very Fine, A rare pair of Civil War Patriotic covers from Nevada Territory.Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
1167
Virginia City, Utah Apr 10 [1861], black large cds with matching fancy cut STAR killer on 1857 10¢ green, type V (35) on cover to Ohio with original enclosure datelined "Virginia City April 4th 61" and reads, in part, "…there is not much excitement here about secession the people here care but little which way the wind blows perhaps old Abe will get it all straitened out before it comes to a fight I hope so for I aint much on the fight…There is great excitement about new diggins somebody struck it rich on the humboldt river a town laid out gold found in lumps the size of bricks…I have been building a bridge across the Truckee river 160 feet long I come up here yesterday to attend to my claims I have not worked any in the mines for six months I don't like the business I would sooner work at my trade and hire my claims I aint no demd ground hog I have quit going in holes of all kinds, I have only spoke to one woman for one year and that was our cook down on the river and she is married…N.B. Haverfield,"; reduced at right, stamp with few short perfs at bottom, F.-V.F., a lovely fancy star cancel.Estimate $300 - 400.
Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
1168
Virginia City, Utah, Nov 25, balloon cds in blue with matching star killer tying 1861 10¢ yellow green (68, small faults) on yellow cover to Middleboro, Mass, slightly reduced at left, Very Fine, Much scarcer in blue versus black and especially nice with the star killer.Scott No. 68 Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100