Auction Detail
January 2023
Our January 2023 sales include the "Erivan" Collection of United and Confederate States Postal History Part VIII, as well as a general sale of United States and worldwide stamps, covers, and collections.
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- (-) Remove Independent Carriers and Express Companies filter Independent Carriers and Express Companies
manuscript notation on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U15), "San Francisco Cal Dec 20 1858" datestamp, addressed to "Mrs. Ellen H. Stanton, Care of Lewis Hutchinson, Esq., Pittsburg, Pennsylvania" in the hand of Edwin M. Stanton, carried aboard PMSS steamer J.L. Stephens departing San Francisco December 20 and arriving Acapulco December 28 (eventually reaching New Orleans January 5, 1859), reverse with handwritten note from Lewis Hutchinson, extremely fine, a remarkable historical artifact, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate
During the late 1850s there were no fewer than eight different routes a cover could travel between the American coasts. The default was for mail to be carried across the Panamanian isthmus, but a route was established in June of 1858 to carry mail across Mexico via Tehuantepec. This route was about 2,000 miles shorter, but mail had to be clearly endorsed “via Tehuantepec” per post office regulations. After just one year the contract lapsed, as the route generated less than $5,300 in revenue. An unpublished census by Michael Perlman records 24 eastbound covers and five westbound covers.
Edwin Stanton married Ellen Hutchinson (daughter of Lewis Hutchinson) in 1856. Stanton would go on to serve as secretary of war under Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, and he would lead the manhunt to capture John Wilkes booth after the president’s assassination. It was Andrew Johnson's attempt to dismiss Stanton as Secretary of War that led to that president’s impeachment in 1868. In early 1859, when this envelope was sent, Stanton was nearing the end of a year spent in California at the behest of Attorney General Jeremiah Black to represent the federal government in a series of land disputes arising from the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo. Although Stanton wrote his wife often she was distraught over his trip to California, particularly as she took care of an infant daughter in poor health.
wonderful strike of the rare "Carmine Pony" handstamp on reverse of cover to Boston, blue "Pony Express San Francisco Aug 25" running pony handstamp ties 1859 10c Green (35) with second strike alongside, endorsed "Per Pony Express ½", entered the mails with blue "Saint Joseph Mo. Sep 6 1860" datestamp, stamp with tiny tear at top right corner (mentioned on certificate but does nothing to detract from this cover's appearance), one of just 10 covers with the Carmine Pony handstamp, just six of which are eastbound and only four of which have a 10c adhesive, a great Pony Express rarity, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Frajola-Walske-Kramer census #E16)
The Second Rate Period (August 15, 1860 to April 13, 1861) reduced the rates for letters weighing between one-quarter and one-half ounce to $2.50.
single tied by blue "Pony Express San Francisco Jun 1" Running Pony handstamp to 10c Green Star die entire (U32), entered the mails with green "St. Joseph Mo. Jun 13" datestamp, addressed to New York City, red and blue flag and cannon patriotic design with "The Union must and shall be preserved" imprint, Hutchings & Rosenfield printers, extremely fine, one of just three recorded Pony Express patriotic envelopes, one of which is the famed cover to Germany, a sister cover to the one offered here (dated June 12) is in the permanent collection of the National Postal Museum, one of the most extraordinary and beautiful pieces of postal history in existence, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate, Frajola-Walske-Kramer census #E89
ultramarine oval handstamp on 1861 folded letter from St. Leonard, Maryland to San Francisco, black "Pony Express, The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, Aug 18, St. Joseph, Mo." oval-inside-circle handstamp, two 1860 5c Brown (30A) singles tied by black "St. Joseph Mo. Aug 16" datestamp, right stamp with pulled perforation nick at bottom (mentioned on certificate although we feel strongly that it does not detract from this extraordinary cover), very fine and attractive, the only known Pony Express cover with the 5c Jefferson issue, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate, Frajola-Walske-Kramer census #W49
full margins including bottom left sheet margin, on 3c Pink entire (U34), tied by blue “Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Aurora” oval with second strike on indicium, misplaced printed company frank, addressed to San Francisco, very fine stamp and cover (Scott $4,750)
strip of five plus single on legal-sized cover addressed to "D.M. Hanson, Esq., Clerk of the U.S. District Court of the First Judicial District, Storey County, Nevada Territory, Virginia City", all tied by blue "Wells, Fargo & Cos Express S. Frco. 25 Feb" double circle datestamps, reverse with 3c Pink paste-up bearing 1861 3c Rose block of four and single (65) and printed Wells Fargo frank, 1863 docketing, exploded for display, strip with small faults as expected for such a large and well-traveled cover, very fine, a spectacular piece which is the largest known multiple of the 25c Virginia City Pony on cover
Provenance: "Edwards" Collection (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1991)
unused block of 20 (wide gutter between two blocks of 10), huge margins, few trivial creases, very fine, pencil notation in margin "Genuine original, H.C. Needham, odd shade" (Scott $1,060 as four blocks and two pairs)
margins large to just touching, tied by blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Cal" oval to 10c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco, printed company frank, very fine and rare with this postmark (Scott $8,000)
black printed Wells Fargo frank at top, cancelled by two strikes of blue “Wells, Fargo & Cos. Express, S.Frco. 25 Apr” double circle datestamp, used as a paste-up and therefore unaddressed, faint horizontal crease, very fine, one of just five recorded examples of the Virginia City 10c franked envelope, all of which were used in April of 1863 (this being the latest known) and which are much rarer than their adhesive counterparts, Gamett census #1 (Scott $3,000, although all recent examples have sold for considerably more)
unused entire with printed "Gould & Curry Silver Mining Co." return address, trivial corner nick, very fine and scarce (Scott $700)
3c Red Nesbitt entire with Wells, Fargo & Co. Type E imprint, addressed to "Mrs. Margaret W. Reed, Ocean View, Santa Cruz, Cal", reduced at left, fine, Reed was a survivor of the Donor Party who died at the age of 47 in 1861
approximately 85 mint and used entries in a binder, mostly Wells Fargo but a few other express companies included, wide variety of franks and cancels, some faults to be anticipated but generally fine to very fine, an interesting collection for the specialist and well worth a close look