Lot
4343 
St. Bt. Gossamer, bold strike of oval handstamp on 3¢ red on buff entire (U10) cancelled in transit by "New Orleans La. Mar 30 1859"; no flap, Very Fine, Illustrated in Milgram on page 310.; with 2004 P.F. certificate. Milgram No. 531 Estimate $600 - 800.
It is unusual that a steamboat's enrollment can't be identified as is the case with the "Gossamer". Eugene Klein attributed the vessel to the Missouri and Osage Rivers indicating that it was running from St. Louis. Montevello is located 33 miles south of Birmingham Ala., and the letter would have been taken from New Orleans on the "Great Northern Mail" to Montgomery and from there to Montevello.
Lot
4344
Steamer Clara, bold strike of octagon handstamp in red on blue folded cover, no side flaps, to St. Joseph Mo., endorsed "politeness de W. F. Robidoux, pr Clara St. Bt.", some light aging at edges, Very Fine and rare strike. Milgram No. 256 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Realized: $800
Lot
4345
Steamboat "Kit Carson", ship endorsement on 1849 printed illustrated steamboat bill of lading to St. Louis and datelined "Jefferson City, May 15th, 1849" for bales of hemp; file folds, F.-V.F., the only known cover bearing this Missouri river steamboats name. Estimate $300 - 400.
Named after the famous western trapper, the Kit Carson was built near Pittsburgh in 1848 and sunk shortly thereafter in October of 1849.
Realized: $350
Lot
4346
Regular Missouri River Passenger Packet Minnehaha, corner card with stamp holder on buff cover to New York City bearing 3¢ dull red (11), large margins all around except touched at bottom left corner, tied by "Kansas Mo. May 26" cds, probably bagged at Kansas for New York and carried on contract Route 9029 to Jefferson City Ks. being located on the Missouri River 83 miles down river from St. Joseph; cover restoration mostly on back, bottom flap replaced, Very Fine appearance, Illustrated in Milgram on page 473., ex-H. Bohren. Milgram No. 895 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS MIN-NE-HA-HA CORNER CARD COVER.
The Min-ne-ha-ha was built in 1857 and plied the waters of the Missouri River 1857-62. She was sold and used in New Orleans until she caught fire and was destroyed May 13, 1865.
The Missouri River only had two contracted routes, these being on Routes 9029 and 10409 operating between Jefferson City and St. Joseph from July 1857 to June 1859. The majority of covers bearing cachet used on the river were carried outside the mails.
Realized: $2,700
Lot
4347
Morning Star, circular handstamp on orange buff cover to Baltimore Md., carried to St. Louis where entered mails bearing 3¢ dull red (26), small repair and piece off at bottom right, tied by St. Louis "Steam" handstamp; barely reduced at left, Very Fine, Illustrated in Milgram on page 940., ex-John A. Eggen, Dr. Vernon Morris Jr.; with 2002 P.F. certificate. Milgram No. 940 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
The "Morning Star" was built in 1856 for the St. Louis & St. Joseph Union Line that operated on the Missouri River until she burned at St. Louis on June 21st 1859.
Realized: $1,400
Lot
4348
Missouri River Packet Omaha, oval handstamp on 3¢ red Nesbitt buff entire to Hartford Ct., carried to St. Louis where "Steam" straightline cancels indicia indicating passage on a non-contract steamboat, Very Fine and attractive, ex-John A. Eggen, Dr. Vernon Morris Jr.; with 2002 P.F. certificate. Milgram No. 1027 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Mails carried on the Missouri River are rare. During the short contract periods for Jefferson City to St. Joseph, the only contracts on the Missouri, Routes 929 June 1857 to May 1858 and 10409 June 1858 to February 1859, only three covers are recorded used on these routes. During the two years that contracts ran, a further seven name-of-boat cachets are recorded on the river including the "Omaha" and "Morning Star".
Realized: $700
Lot
4349
Steamer St. Ange, fancy circular handstamp showing star and rays, on blue folded letter datelined "Boonville 14 Mar 1850" and addressed to St. Louis Mo., entered mails with St. Louis red "Steam 10" straightline for under 300 miles rate; 1850 docketing at left, ex-John A. Eggen, Dr. Vernon Morris Jr. Milgram No. 1297 Estimate $500 - 750.
Steamboats carried mails on the Missouri River well before the awarding of Post Office contracts. The example below took the later course of Route 9029 from Boonville to Jefferson City, and then on to St. Louis.
Realized: $400
Lot
4350 ()
Steamer St. Ange, perfect strike of red fancy illustrated circular handstamp showing star with rays, on blue bill of lading cover front carried from Pima Point and addressed to St. Louis Mo., endorsed "B/L" and "St. Ange", circa 1850; file fold through marking, Very Fine and remarkable strike, ex-H. Bohren. Milgram No. 1297 Estimate $500 - 750.
Lot
4351
T.I. Goddin & Co., Steamboat Agents, Nebraska City N.T., printed corner on orange cover to Morrow Oh., bearing 3¢ dull red (26), pre-use tear, tied by bold strike of circular grid cancel, matching "Nebraska City Neb, Sep 10 1860" cds, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $230