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Sale 62: Western Postal History

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Los Angeles County

Lots 61-69

Lot 61    

(Los Angeles) Fort Tejon, Cal, 6th April 1860, manuscript postmark (LOS-3320, R7) on cover addressed to Lieut. McPherson at San Francisco, matching "Paid 3ct" rating, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

THE FINEST OF TWO KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THE FORT TEJON MANUSCRIPT POSTMARK.

We record only two examples of this manuscript mark of which this is the finest recorded. This mark has a value rating of 7 by Williams, only three other locations are rated that high in his work on L.A. County.
LA COUNTY INTRODUCTION:
The following group of Los Angeles County covers consists of one of the best collections of rare town locations within the County to come to market. Three of the four known 7 rated rarities locations are part of this grouping. Williams rated nothing higher than a seven in his work. The four towns rated as sevens are the Fort Tejon manuscript, the Fort Tejon small circle, the Sinks manuscript and the Los Angeles Manuscript. Missing from this selection is the manuscript mark from the town of Los Angeles which was used over a longer period than any of the other three. Also present is an unrecorded 1871 Santa Ana manuscript with letter that would have rated a six or seven if it had been known to Williams. The show piece San Pedro envelope is rated as value 6 is also part of this group. Included is the first small circular Los Angeles hand stamp that is rated as a 5. This cover is addressed to Fort Yuma, via San Diego. This cover was carried more than a year before the San Diego to San Antoine (the Jackass route) contract mail route was established and was carried by military courier or express between San Diego and Yuma. Several other fine Los Angeles County cover are included most of which have been off the market for many years.

Realized: $950

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Lot 62    

(Los Angeles) Fort Tejon, Cal, Mar. 21, clear blue cds (LOS-3230, R7) on c. 1862 cover addressed to Lieut. McPherson at San Francisco, franked with 1857, 3¢ dull red tied by manuscript; small corner opening nick at top right, Very Fine, ex-Beals.
Scott No. 26    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE FORT TEJON CIRCULAR DATE STAMP.

This mark has a value rating of 7 by Williams, only three locations are rated that high in his work on LA County. Fort Tejon is a former United States Army outpost which was intermittently active from June 24th 1854, until September 11th 1864. It is located in the Grapevine Canyon between the San Emigdio Mountains and Tehachapi Mountains.

Realized: $1,250

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Lot 63    

(Los Angeles) Gorman's Station, Cal., Jul 25, 1887, cds (Williams unlisted) on 1884, 2¢ brown entire to Oakland, Cal., slightly reduced at right, F.-V.F., a unique unrecorded postmark that predates any town mark from this location by five years, ex-Jessup, Tatham.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Gorman is one of the oldest continuously used trail and roadside rest stops in California. The first post office was established in December 1877 with Henry Gorman as the postmaster.

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Lot 64    

(Los Angeles) Los Angeles, Cal, March, bold cds (LOS-5670, R5) with matching "Paid 3" in circle handstamp overstruck "Paid 6", on c. 1855-56 cover address to Lieut. Du Barry at Fort Yuma, with "via San Diego" routing endorsement, Very Fine, a rare usage to Fort Yuma via U.S. mail and non-governmental courier, ex-Knapp.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Carried by U.S. Mail between LA and San Diego. At that point the U.S. Mail service turned it over to a military express or to the Desert Dispatch express which operate between Fort Yuma and San Diego as no mail service was establish between the two locations.

Realized: $1,500

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Lot 65    

1861, 30¢ orange, cds ties 30¢ orange (71) on yellow cover to Villers-Farlay, France at two-times the 15¢ French mail treaty rate, endorsed "Via Panama" at bottom left, "New York 'Paid 6' Jan 24" exchange cds corrected with "Paid 12" cds, carried by Inman Line City of Baltimore departing New York Jan. 24th to Queenstown arriving Feb. 3rd, red "P.D." framed handstamp and matching Calais (2.5.63) entry cds, Paris (2.5) and Mo chard (2.6) transit backstamps; light fold at far left, Very Fine.
Scott No. 71    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

A SCARCE 1863 TRANSATLANTIC USE FROM LOS ANGELES CAL. TO FRANCE.

Realized: $800

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Lot 66    

(Los Angeles) Manzana, Cal, May 18, 1895, cds with manuscript day (LOS-9490) on fresh illustrated Manzana Colony corner card cover to Northampton, Mass., franked with 1890, 3¢ purple + 5¢ chocolate + 1894, 2¢ carmine canceled by target handstamps and making up the registered rate, Very Fine.
Scott No. 221+223+250    Estimate $150 - 200.

The Manzana Colony was located at the base of the mountains in the Antelope Valley and was established as an industrial, co-operative community for the purpose of fruit raising.

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Lot 67    

(Los Angeles) San Pedro., Cal., Aug 4, exceptional strike of blue cds with manuscript date (LOS-13010, R6) on c. 1855 cover to Marysville P.O. (Wegan or Oregon Gulch), with matching boxed "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "6" rate for double rate, sent to New York in error and returned with blue manuscript "Missent" endorsement and red "New - York, Sep 12" cds, Extremely Fine and attractive, the presence of the "6" rate was likely a factor for this cover being inadvertently sorted into eastbound mail, ex-Haas, Kramer.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

This cover was a part of the George Kramer Collection "Across the Continent" (Bennett Sale #260, Lot 16 of the where it realized $2,100 hammer).

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Lot 68    

(Los Angeles) Santa Ana, Cal, Aug. 27, manuscript postmark (Williams unlisted) on cover to San Juan, franked with manuscript canceled 1870, 3¢ Banknote, with original 1871 enclosure datelined San Joaquin Ranch and addresses ranch concerns including condition and number of the sheep on the ranch; cover reduced at left, Very Fine.
Scott No. 147    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY SANTA ANA MANUSCRIPT POSTMARK.

The Santa Ana post office opened on July 5th of 1870. Cover addressed to Dr. Flint in Monterey County, the owner of the land grant that today makes up a large part of Southern Orange County.

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Lot 69    

(Los Angeles) Sinks, Cal, March 9, neat manuscript postmark (LOS-14220, R7) on manuscript canceled 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, Cal., pencil "Mar 28/60" receiving docket on reverse; slightly reduced at right, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF A TOWNMARK FROM SINKS, CALIFORNIA.

The Sink or The Sink of the Tejon Creek (where the water disappears into the sand) is located north of Fort Tejon and it was briefly established (late 1859 - early 1861) a stage stop for the Butterfield Overland. Today's its location would place it in Kern County.

Realized: $675

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Lots 61-69

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