Lot
1150 
Ft Kearny O.R. June 22/52, ornate black spread eagle, stars, and leaves handstamp tying 1851 3¢ dull red (11, faults) on buff cover to Parsippany, New Jersey with a second stronger strike of the black handstamp postmark at lower left, manuscript date applied also tying stamp "June 22/52", with original enclosure, in part, "…Fort Kearny June 15th/52…We see some Indians, plenty of adventure and a good deal to amusement…I will write you at length from Fort Laramie about the fourth of July…Edgar Z. Smith"; light horizontal creasing at top, F.-V.F., this being the only example in black (others in blue)., realized $11,000 hammer in the Risvold auction (Spink's January, 2010, Lot #437).Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE FANCY FORT KEARNY O.R. "OREGON ROUTE" EAGLE HANDSTAMP OF THE FOUR EXAMPLES RECORDED, COMPLETE WITH ORIGINAL TRAIL LETTER.
By the 1850's, the commonly called Oregon Route, or O.R. was formerly known as the Oregon Trail, that being the route of Oregon emigrants. This letter was sent with the the Woodson Contract mail for Independence, Mo.
Realized: $7,500