Lot
184 
Alta Express Co./Angels. Oval handstamp on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire with black company frank at top left to San Francisco, portion of flap torn away, F.-V.F. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $105
Lot
185
Alta Express Co./Marysville. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, some light aging, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $210
Lot
186
Alta Express Company/Oroville. Red oval handstamp on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco with fancy company frank at top left, part of flap torn away, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $675
Lot
187
Berford & Co./Letter & Package Express/California. Red shield handstamp and "Collect" matching straight line handstamp on stampless folded letter headed "New York May 15th 1852" to San Francisco, with rare "Brought by Berford & Co.'s Express" black on white label affixed on the top backflap, label gives addresses of New York and San Francisco offices and rates for carrying freight and gold dust, business letter mentions "…this I send by private Express mail per Steamer "United States." She sails Today to connect with the Winfield Scott at Panama.", some splitting at the folds, bleach spots and edge wear at upper right, F.-V.F., ex-Haas. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $725
Lot
188
Berford & Co.'s Express/San Francisco Cal. Black double oval handstamp with "Jany 16" manuscript date and "Paid" black straight line handstamp on 1851 stampless folded letter with business content to San Jose, cover with blue "De Boom Vigneaux Grisar & Co." handstamped corner card, Extremely Fine, a very scarce early Express marking. Estimate $300 - 400.
Stephens, Townsend, Murphy Party 1844-45 (the so-called "Forgotten Journey"), were the first to bring wagons over the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. The addressee of this cover, "Moses Schalenberger" was a member of the party, who volunteered to stay with some of the wagons an guard them on the Nevada side of Stevens (Donner) Pass. He built a cabin and stayed there all winter, till rescued in the Spring. His cabin was used by the Breen family of the Donner Party the next year in the winter of 1846.
Realized: $650
Lot
189
Forwarded By Bowers Express. Black oval handstamp on buff cover to Russelville, Ohio, postmarked with faint almost imperceptible red town marking with "80" pencil rate, edge wear and light stains, F.-V.F. a very rare express marking. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $300
Lot
190
California Penny Post Co., 1855-59, 7¢ vermilion. Cameo frank on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, printed address form "To The (California) Penny Post Co." also with explanatory text listing nine cities and towns where service was offered, postmarked "Mission San Jose, Cal Sept 29th" manuscript origin with pen strokes cancelling the indicium, to 26 Clay Street in San Francisco so technically a 2¢ overpayment of the Penny Post 5¢ fee for "city delivery east of Taylor and Fourth Streets", Very Fine, ex-Caspary. Scott No. 34LU6 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Realized: $2,400
Lot
191
California Penny Post Co., 1855-59, 7¢ black on buff. Printed frank on buff cover with uncancelled 1851 3¢ dull red (trivial wrinkle), origin unknown but to San Francisco "Cor[ner] Wash + East, on board Store Ship", "Pacific Express Co./San Francisco Jun 30" blue-green double circle handstamp at left so evidently delivered by Pacific, Very Fine. Scott No. 34LU11 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A rare of example of the Penny Post 7¢ fee paying for "transmitting by express letters received after the mails are closed" instead of the more usual "conveying a letter to the P.O. in one city and delivering the same in another".
Realized: $2,200
Lot
192
California Penny Post Co., 1855-59, 7¢ black on buff. Printed frank on cover to San Francisco with printed address form "To The (California) Penny Post Co.", franked with 1851 3¢ dull red, single plus pair & additional single (latter three stamps a slightly darker shade), all with pen cancels paying the quadruple 3¢ rate, postmarked red "San Jose, Cal., Oct 25" cds, slightly reduced at right, corner nick at lower right, F.-V.F. Scott No. 34LU11 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Although San Jose was an important place, California Penny Post advertisements do not list that town as one of those in which their carrier services were offered. The stamp at upper right on this cover was likely affixed by the Penny Post before the envelope was sold (10¢ total price) wherever it was sold, and the additional three stamps were evidently added by the sender at the San Jose Post Office because the letter was overweight. An interesting usage.
Realized: $1,050
Lot
193
California Penny Post Co., 1855-59, 7¢ black on buff. Printed frank with "To the Penny Post Co." straight line at top, on local cover franked with uncanceled 1851, 3¢ dull red, addressed to Adams & Co., Very Fine and rare. Scott No. 34LU11+11 Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $425