Sale 79: The George J. Kramer Collection of Western Trails and Routes

Lot 3123    

Belton, Tex. Jun 1, cds ties 5¢ blue, Stone 2 (4), position 38, four margins, over indicia of U.S. 3¢ red (U27) buff star die entire to Fort Worth Tex., endorsed "Via Dallas" at bottom left, circa 1862; reduced at left with small corner flaw, stamp lifted and placed adjacent to show indicia, Very Fine; signed Kimbrough.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

The addressee, Mrs. Junius W. Smith was the wife of a prominent Fort Worth area attorney.

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Lot 3124    

Camp Rice, Texas, Sep 19, 188, cds duplexed with matching cancel on yellow cover to Knoxville Ill., Sep. 20th receiving backstamp, reduced slightly at right, Very Fine, ex-Willard on his exhibit page with hand-drawn map.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Camp Rice was a garrisoned military post established in 1884. It was first noted in the Postal Guide of 1885. The camp was located about 50 miles south of El Paso on the Rio Grande. It was on the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad probably to protect against the Apache incursion into Mexico via Texas.

Realized: $240

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Lot 3125    

Eagle Pass Tex, Oct 28, bold strike of cds ties C.S.A. 5¢ blue (7) horizontal pair, large margins to in at left, on blue folded cover that originated in Mexico to San Antonio, carried out of the mails across the River to Eagle Pass, docketed on reverse "October 23 - 1862, Don Jesus Silba on Flour + Wheat", Very Fine.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

Eagle Pass, Texas is located on the east bank of the Rio Grande River directly across from Piedras Negras, Mexico. It was adjacent to Fort Duncan that was built in 1849. Texas seceded from the Union February 1st 1861 and joined the Confederacy March 6th 1861. After that date the fort was garrisoned by Confederate troops until the end of the war. On March 23rd 1868, it was reoccupied by Federal troops. This folded cover originated somewhere in Mexico and was carried privately to Eagle Pass where it was placed in the Confederate mails.

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Lot 3126    

Houston, Texas "May 2nd", fancy red cds with manuscript date and matching red "X" rating handstamp on 1840 folded letter to New York N.Y., F.-V.F. use from the Texas Republic period.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $120

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Lot 3127    

1858 (Jun. 11) Calmar, Sweden to Austin, Texas, cover with partial origin cds endorsed "Via Coeln & Ostende" at top, "Aachen" (6.17) transit cds and framed "Aus Schweden per Stralsund" handstamp, blue manuscript "2½" debit rating updated with large manuscript "17" debit rating, carried by Cunard Line Arabia from Liverpool Jun. 19th to Boston arriving Jun. 30th, reverse with "Boston, Br. Pkt. Jun 30" exchange cds and "42" cent due rating, flap with "Innocence" label, Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $230

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Lot 3128    

1855 (Aug. 13) Springfield, Canada to Victoria Texas, blue folded letter with indistinct blue cds and "3d" in circle rating handstamp crossed out and updated to "6d" in circle, black Hamilton (10.14.55) transit backstamp and matching "Canada 10 Cts." straightline exchange handstamp, Fine and rare, ex-Steinhart.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

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Lot 3129    

"Sherman Tex., Feb. 14th", manuscript postmark with matching "10" cent rating on light blue cover to Trenton N.J., good content: "…I am off for California. I will start the first day of April next and take the route through the El Paso…the distance from this point to the southern extremity of the Sierra Nevada or Snow Mountains will be over 859 miles & we will make this in about 40 days…"; some red wax adherence, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Gold Mania - In 1848 gold was discovered in California. Those who could afford passage on a ship, usually took it. Many of the others - walked! .

Realized: $600

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Lot 3130 *   

Waco Village Tex., Dec 7, clear strike of cds cancels legal-size 6¢ red (U12) buff Nesbitt entire from nearby Fort Graham to the Commissioner of Pensions at Washington D.C.; reduced and restored, Fine and rare Texas usage.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $350

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Lot 3131    

Texas, 1870s-80s, group of 4 comprising Fort Concho with #147 to Jacksonville Ill., 1886 Fort Davis with #210 to Whipple Barracks, Prescott Ariz. Terr., N. &M. Tex. R.R. railroad cds on 3¢ entire to Stoner Ky. (ex-Wyer); and stained Williamstown Mass. to Zulu 'Rifle Pits' Texas endorsed "Via Dodge City, Kansas", F.-V.F. group.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $180

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