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Sale 60: The Westpex Auction

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California - Illustrated Miner's Covers

Lots 562-571 Lots 572-575

Lot 562    

The Expressman, illustrated J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope showing expressman on horseback delivering "Letters from Home" to news-starved miners, on cover to Kite River, Ill., franked with 1855, 10¢ green, type II tied by neat "Nevada City, Cal., 10 Paid, Dec 18" cds (NEV-1210); some cover edge wear and sealed nick at top center, otherwise Very Fine, one of ten recorded examples of this illustrated miner's cover and the only example bearing a 10¢ adhesive, ex Ackerman, Haas, Jessup and Pearce.
Scott Nos. 14    Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

A WONDERFUL AND RARE J.M. HUTCHING CALIFORNIA ENVELOPE DESIGN.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 563    

The Expressman, illustrated J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope showing Expressman on Horseback Delivering "Letters From Home" to News-Straved Miners, on cover to Nox Corners, N.Y. with manuscript "Forbestown, Cal., Dec 8" postmark and "Paid 6" rating, Very Fine, a choice example of this rare miners design, with only ten examples recorded by Kutz, ex Polland, Kramer.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $850

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Lot 564    

I Have Got Most Enough, illustrated design showing Happy Miner Holding Gold Pan with Noisy Carrier's imprint below, on cover to Blackstone, Mass., with "Jackson, Cal., Mar 14" cds and matching "10" in circle rate handstamp; some cover wear, F.-V.F., a very rare Noisy Carrier's design with only four examples recorded, illustrated in Kutz Gold Fever (page 64), ex Kutz.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $750

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Lot 565    

Miner's Coat of Arms, illustrated Barber & Baker design showing miner and bear hold up cross with various miner implements, on cover to Canton, Ill., bold red "Goodyears Bar, Cal., Nov 10" cds and matching "Paid 3" handstamp struck twice to show payment of the 6¢ transcontinental rate; cover edge wear and small tears with small portion of backflap missing, Fine, a rare design with twelve examples recorded by Kutz, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 18).
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $450

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Lot 566    

Miners' Coat of Arms, illustrated Barber & Baker design showing Miner and Bear Hold Up Cross With Various Miner Implements, on cover to Wakefield, R.I., "Nevada City, Cal., 3 Paid, Mar 28" integral cds and "6" rate handstamp for the transcontinental rate, manuscript forwarding notation at right edge; cover edge wear and small tears with most of backflap missing, Fine, a rare design with twelve examples recorded by Kutz.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $400

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Lot 567    

Mining Scene, illustrated J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope design on cover to Noxes Corners, N.Y., franked with 1851, 3¢ dull red, top margin horizontal pair canceled by light pen and grid handstamps, bold "Forbestown, Cal, Apr 12" rimless oval postmark (BUT-1650, R5); some light cover edge wear and small tear at top center, otherwise Very Fine, an attractive usage of this popular illustrated miner's cover from Forbestown, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 313).
Scott Nos. 11A    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 568    

Mining Scene, illustrated miner's design depicting Miner Panning for Gold with Long Tom in Background with imprint "J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope" at left and "Anthony & Baker SC" engraver's imprint at bottom right of design, on cover to Vermont with blue "Sutter Creek, Cal." double circle postmark & double oval "Paid" handstamp; trivial corner mends at left, Very Fine, one of the finer examples of this popular and scarce illustrated mining design.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $600

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Lot 569    

Mining Scene, illustrated miner's design depicting Miner Panning for Gold with Long Tom in Background, with imprint "J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope" at left and "Anthony & Baker SC" engraver's imprint at bottom right of design, on cover to Greenville, Conn., with "Weaverville, Cal., Oct 4" oval postmark with manuscript date and matching "10" rate handstamp; cover professionally restored with flaps reattached, Very Fine appearance.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

According to Kutz (Gold Fever, pg. 62): "The early miners formed syndicates and worked as a group using 'Long Toms' to extract the gold. In essence it was an elongated sluice box with riffles or sacking in the bottom to catch the gold. A continuous current of water washed the gravel through the Long Tom, leaving the contained gold behind."
.

Realized: $600

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Lot 570    

Prospecting Miners, blue illustrated cameo design showing Panning for Gold Scene, on cover with to Ansonia, Conn., franked with 1851, 3¢ dull red, horizontal pair tied by manuscript, blue "Downieville, Cal., May 25" cds; some minor edge wear, otherwise Very Fine, only six examples of this cameo design are recorded by Kutz of which this is not listed; with 1988 P.F. certificate.
Scott Nos. 11A    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $1,250

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Lot 571    

Prospectors, humorous miner's design showing Miner's Hiding from Grizzly Bear with J.M. Hutchings' imprint at left, on cover to Platteville, Wis., clear "Sacramento City, Cal., Dec 29" cds and matching "10" rate handstamp; some edge wear and backflap tears, otherwise Very Fine, a rare design with only seven examples recorded, illustrated in Kutz Gold Fever (page 60), ex Kutz.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $850

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Lots 562-571 Lots 572-575

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