Lot
991 
(Earliest West-To-East Cover Carried Over the Newly Completed Railroad From Coast-To-Coast), postmarked "San Francisco, Cal. May 13" [1869] bold black cds with cork partly off folded business letter, written in French, datelined "San Francisco 13 Mai 1869" addressed to Barbezieux, France; merchant's handstamp at left "Abel Guy [San Francisco] May 13, 1869" with arrival and forwarding rated black datestamp "18 New York May 22"; tear to internal sheet, Very Fine, an exceptional item, purported by the consignor to be the earliest west-to-east cover carried over the newly completed railroad from coast-to-coast, as evidenced by the nine-day transit time and the dates of departure and arrival., ex-Walske.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER CARRIED ON THE RECENTLY-COMPLETED TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD LINE.
The railheads of the transcontinental railroad met at Promontory Point, UT on May 10, 1869. Prior to that, Overland Mail Company carried the mail between the railheads, and transit times gradually shortened. When this cover was sent from San Francisco, the rails had been joined only three days earlier.
Realized: $1,800