Sale 37: The Westpex Sale

Lot 258    

F. Rumrill & Co's. Northern Express/Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. Blue oval handstamp on 1854 cover to Marysville Cal., cover sent from Maine with red "Columbia, Me." cds & matching "10" rate handstamp, some corner wear, Very Fine and scarce.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $325

email this lot to a friend

Lot 259    

F. Rumrill & Co's. Northern Express/Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. Large size blue oval handstamp on cover to Marysville Cal. and forwarded to Nelson Creek, manuscript. Express rate "coll 1.25¢" with rate crossed out and changed to "$1.00", cover originates from Kentucky with red "Georgetown, Ky." cds & franked with 1851 3¢ dull red, horiz. pair, tied by manuscript cancel & Express marking, edge wear, Fine and scarce.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $230

email this lot to a friend

Lot 260 ()   

Swift & Co.'s Express, Santa Rosa. Bold blue oval handstamp on 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt front to San Francisco, black fancy printed company frank at top, in conjunction with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Petaluma" oval handstamp at left, manuscript "Feby 24/59" docketing and endorsed "With Coin, $189.25" at lower left; front rebacked with small portion of top right corner added, Very Fine appearance, an attractive and very rare express combination usage.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

Realized: $1,450

email this lot to a friend

Lot 261    

Telegraph Stage Line. Boxed frank listing Stage Route Stops on 3¢ green entire to San Francisco with Wells, Fargo & Co. company frank at left, reverse with two strikes of "Telegraph Stage Line Co./1873 Jan. 12/Los Angelos" double circle handstamp, Extremely Fine and choice, one of two known covers & undoubtedly the finer of the two, ex-Chaloner.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $1,900

email this lot to a friend

Lot 262    

Todd & Bryan's Express. Shield express handstamp with manuscript ($)"2" rate inside shield on part folded cover (missing side flaps) addressed to Pillsbury Hodgkins, Stockton with "Brookline, N.H." manuscript postmark & matching "40" rate, portion of contents include, I suppose you are digging up that which the love of is the root of all evil., below manuscript date & rate at left is manuscript "Mormon "Advertized". 10" in pencil, small mended tear at bottom just affecting marking, Very Fine and attractive, a rare early California Express Company, ex-Polland.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Pillsbury Hodgkins, nicknamed "Chips", was a celebrated Express character of early gold rush mining days, who served with Wells Fargo & Company.

Realized: $1,700

email this lot to a friend

Lot 263    

Todd & Co. Express. Black shield handstamp and "Paid" black straight line handstamp with manuscript "to S.F." plus additional "Collect" black straight line handstamp of the type used by Berford & Co. on 1851 stampless folded letter address leaf (no letter) to California State Comptroller Jno. S. Houston in San Jose, origin unknown but undoubtedly California, closed tear at top just touching the "Paid" handstamp, still Very Fine, a rare conjunctive use, ex-Clifford.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $180

email this lot to a friend

Lot 264    

Todd & Co. Express. Fancy shield handstamp on 1851 buff cover addressed to "Trader at Carson's Creek", additionally struck with matching "From San Francisco" straight line handstamp & "$1.00" manuscript express rate, small mend at bottom left, Very Fine and attractive.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $230

email this lot to a friend

Lot 265    

Forwarded by Todd & Co.'s Express. Blue double oval handstamp on stampless folded letter to San Francisco, letter is headed "Stockton Apl 18th 1851" and discusses the collection of a debt, couple light vert. file folds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $220

email this lot to a friend

Lot 266    

Todd & Co.'s Express/Stockton. Black double-lined oval handstamp and "Paid" black straight line handstamp on stampless folded letter "with $76 50/100" to San Francisco, letter is headed "Stockton Jan 10th 1851" and is an order for two cook stoves with payment "with this… in dust….", Extremely Fine and attractive, Cover illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 220), ex-Jessup.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $625

email this lot to a friend

Lot 267    

T.F. Tracy's Express, Paid. Full clear oval handstamp on uncanceled 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire to Diamond Springs, Cal., with original enclosure datelined "Indian Diggings, May 16th, 1859" regarding politics in the area; cover missing backflap and tiny repair nick in upper left corner, Very Fine, the only known example of this T.F. Tracy's Express marking, a great express rarity.
Estimate    $2,500 - 3,500.

Realized: $2,900

email this lot to a friend