Auction Detail

WF 19b, 1885 12c Green Hidalgo envelope, 20c on 15c Frank, entire with two strikes of purple "Express Wells, Fargo y Cia de Mexico Ago 6 1885", addressed to Genoa, Italy, with El Paso, New York, and Genoa backstamps, very fine, the earliest recorded use of Wells Fargo Mexican postal stationery

WF 20, 1886 10c Yellow brown Hidalgo envelope, 15c Frank, uprated with 12c Green (157) and addressed to Vienna, Austria, postmarked Zacatecas January 22, 1892, Certificado etiquette, backstamped Vienna February 9, very fine

Wells Fargo Express Franks on Hidalgo Envelopes, collection including (MEPSI numbers) mint: WF 1, 3, 6 (2), 8 (3), 9 (2), 10, 10a (2), 11 (3), 12 (2), 12v1, 15, 15a, 15b (2), 15c, 16 (2), 16a (2), 16b, 16c (2), 18, 19 (2), 19a (5), 19b (4), 20 (3), and 21; used: WF 1, 6 (2), 8 (4), 9 (3), 10, 11 (9), 12 (6), 12v1, 15 (4), 15a, 16 (3), 16a (5), 18, 19 (3), 19a (2), 19b (15), 20 (10), and 21 (2), note a couple of covers to England and Germany, few small faults to be expected with this large of a collection but generally fine to very fine, a wonderful opportunity for the specialist in this scarce envelopes (UPSS $6,450)

WF 22, 1886 10c Lilac Numeral envelope, 15c Frank, two strikes of purple oval July 1, 1887 La Paz company handstamp, addressed to Mexico City and endorsed "Via Guaymas, Benson, El Paso", as described in Schimmer and Heath's Mexican Maritime Mail (page 291) this cover was sent across the Gulf of California from La Paz to Guaymas, then by Ferrocarril Occidental Mexicano (Eastern Railroad) to Benson, Arizona Territory, by Southern Pacific Railroad to El Paso, Texas, and finally by Mexican Central Railroad to Mexico City where it was received on July 9, a very fine cover representing an unusual route