Auction Detail
June 2023
"Erivan" Collection Part IX and Canal Zone Stamps and Covers
Our June sales include Part IX of the "Erivan" Collection of United and Confederate States Postal History and a catalogue of Canal Zone stamps and covers featuring the collections of James W. Crumpacker and Paul F. Ammons.
tied by blue "Wells Fargo & Co. Express Mount Ophir" oval to 10c Green entire (U33) with red printed frank at top, endorsed "Per Pony Express" and addressed to Colchester, Vermont, entered the mails with "Atchison Kan Oct 19" double circle datestamp, opened roughly at right and small tear at top, otherwise very fine, the only Pony Express cover originating at Mount Ophir and the only one to Vermont, this cover was collected by the Pony Express on its October 5 trip, 2023 Philatelic Foundation certificate (FKW Census #E175)
black Running Pony oval handstamp on 3c Nesbitt entire (U10) addressed to "W.A. Carter, Esq, Fort Bridger, Utah", endorsed "Pony Express" at bottom left, manuscript "Free Jno. W. Russell, Sccy", contemporaneous docketing on reverse reads "$477.58, Paid Oct. 6th 1860 to agent COC+PP to clear my p. office accounts to 30th Sepr 1860, W.A.C.", very fine (FKW Census W14)
John W. Russell was the son of Pony Express founder William H. Russell and served as the firm's secretary and minority owner. On January 27, 1860, Russell, Majors, and Waddell sent the younger Russell a telegram that simply read, "Have determined to establish a Pony Express to Sacramento, California, commencing the 3rd of April. Time 10 days."
block of four with partial manuscript "Sample", affixed to black card which conceals light diagonal crease through bottom pair, very fine appearance, one of just three "Sample" blocks recorded, a rejoined pair of blocks was in the Twigg-Smith and Middendorf collections, this block would be positioned at top right of those
Provenance: Hall Collection (R.A. Siegel Sale 830, 2000)
single with full margins, lightened pen cancel, very fine example of this difficult issue (Scott $1,250)
large margins, tied by black "Pony Express, Central Overland & Pikes Peak Express Company, St Joseph, Mo, Oct 27" oval in circle handstamp with second strike alongside, on 10c Green entire (U40) with Type 2 Wells Fargo printed frank, uprated with 10c green (62B) tied by "Paid" in lozenge, red "Boston Mass Oct 19" double circle datestamp, addressed to Edward Prindle in San Francisco, cover torn at top left, indicia repaired at top and 10c stamp with clipped perforations due to placement over cover edge, otherwise fine, one of just four covers with the Pony Express "Garter" stamp, an extraordinary and important Pony Express cover documenting the last vestiges of the service (FKW Census #W68)
This cover was in transit at the time Wells Fargo announced the Pony Express would be terminated (October 26) and arrived in St. Joseph too late for the last westbound trip of the Pony Express (departing October 24). Mail such as this that was in transit at the time of the announcement was processed and bagged in St. Joseph by the Express agent as pony mail, however when the bags arrived at Atchison they were put on the daily overland mail stages.
full margins, tied to 3c Pink on white entire by "Wells, Fargo & Co. Virginia City, N.T. May 4" datestamp, black printed frank at top, addressed to Mrs. Lucy Goldman in San Francisco, very fine and attractive (Scott $4,750)
mostly full margins, tied by "Wells, Fargo & Co. Placerville Mar 31" datestamp to 3c Pink on buff entire addressed to San Francisco, black printed frank, 1863 docketing at right, very fine, a scarce origin (Scott $4,500)
bold complete cancels but does not tie 3c Rose (65) to cover to Blackstone, Massachusetts, matching "Waterbury Con Sep 25 '67" double circle datestamp alongside, very fine, this is the only recorded example of the Waterbury pig cancellation which we consider to be among the finest of all Waterbury covers, a spectacular rarity, 2023 Crowe certificate
Provenance: John R. Boker, Jr. (Private transaction
two strikes tie two 3c Ultramarine (114) to 1870 cover to Washington, Connecticut, docketing at top left, very fine and particularly attractive with two strikes of this popular and charming cancellation, 2023 Crowe certificate
Provenance: John R. Boker, Jr. (Private transaction)
bold complete strike ties 3c Rose (65) to cover to Thomaston, Connecticut, matching "Waterbury Con Feb 3 '66" double circle datestamp alongside, very fine, the Crowe census records just four examples of this cancellation used between February 2 and February 13 of 1866, an extraordinarily rare and attractive cover, 2023 Crowe certificate
Provenance: Henry Houser (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1990)
John R. Boker, Jr. (Private transaction)
bold complete strike ties 1c Blue (63) to locally-addressed cover, "Waterbury Con May 8 '66" double circle datestamp alongside, trivial water stain does not affect the stamp or cancel, very fine, although not the rarest Waterbury cancellation (the Crowe census records 17 covers) the Bridgeport Fireman is still one of the most highly-prized of all of Postmaster Hill's creations, May 8 is the latest recorded use of this design, 2023 Crowe certificate
Provenance: John R. Boker, Jr. (Private transaction
clear strike on 3c Rose (65) with adjacent "Waterbury Con Jan 23 '68" double circle datestamp tying to cover addressed to Waukegan, Illinois, top of cover including small portion of postmark and stamp replaced, original letter, fine appearance, the Crowe census records just three examples of this cancellation used between January 23 and January 28, 1868 (this being the earliest recorded), 2023 Crowe certificate