Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

2005 Rarities of the World, Part Two continued...

**California Local Posts**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
592		Appleton's Valentine Express. Printed frank on buff cover to a young lady's San Francisco street address, light wrinkles EXTRREMELY FINE. A VERY RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THIS SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL POST'S "VALENTINE EXPRESS" FRANK. Frey's Valentine Express and Appleton's Valentine Express used distinctive franked envelopes to promote their local Valentine delivery service in San Francisco. There are no reported dated examples, but they probably were used briefly in the 1864-65 period. Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	6,000.00
593		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 5c Black on Buff Entire (34LU9). Printed frank on plain envelope with 10c Green, Ty. I (13) and 3c Dull Red (11), bright shade, ample margins to slightly in, both tied by "Saint Louis Mo. Mar. 1" (1856) circular datestamp, addressed to Henry Coad in San Francisco, pencil "Papin Feb 23/56" receipt docketing at left, some minor edgewear and stamps slightly soiled VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE USAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY FRANKED ENTIRE. EXAMPLES WITH ADHESIVE STAMPS FOR GOVERNMENT POSTAGE ARE RARE. THIS USAGE FROM ST. LOUIS SENT WESTWARD TO SAN FRANCISCO IS UNIQUE. The California Penny Post Company was established on June 25, 1855, by Henry L. Goodwin (sometimes reported as "J. P." Goodwin). The Penny Post advertised service in several larger California towns and cities, offering to carry letters to and from the local post office, to bring letters to one post office and deliver them to the addressee from the receiving office, and to run an express service between towns after the government mails were closed for the day. A specific rate was charged for each service, and these rates are reflected in the stamps and entires issued by the Penny Post. Almost immediately the Penny Post incurred the wrath of the San Francisco postmaster, and Goodwin became involved in protracted litigation trying to fight the government. Most writers have reported that the Penny Post closed down after twelve to eighteen months, but we have never seen a thorough census of covers or source documentation to establish exactly when service ended. There is one June 1, 1856, Penny Post entire with the name of the post and "Penny Postage Paid 7" crossed out (Siegel Sale 773, lot 219), which might be evidence that the Penny Post closed before that date. For a relatively short-lived operation, the Penny Post produced a large variety of stamps and printed envelopes to facilitate prepayment and collect-on-delivery mail. Although the Scott Catalogue and other reference books (Nathan, Haller) have laid some groundwork in classifying all of the Penny Post stamps and entires, more work is needed to complete the listings and explain the usages. The printed franks are found on plain envelopes and U.S. 3c stamped envelopes. The rates correspond to the company's advertisements, but the application of these rates, patterns of usage and certain enigmatic covers have yet to be explained to our satisfaction. The cover offered here, for example, is a very rare use of the 5c frank on a plain envelope (34LU9) with U.S. postage paid by the 10c 1855 and 3c 1851 Issue. The 5c Penny Post rate covered delivery of the letter from the San Francisco office to the addressee. Very few Penny Post covers originating outside of California are known, and almost all came from the East Coast. The gap between the Feb. 23 origin date (indicated by the docketing) and the St. Louis Mar. 1 postmark date is intriguing. Perhaps the letter was written by someone travelling eastward from California, who carried with him a Penny Post entire and used it to mail the letter at Saint Louis. Another possibility is that the letter originated in the East, the entire (furnished by the California correspondent) was pre-stamped with the 10c for the transcontinental rate, then carried by a westward-bound traveller to Saint Louis and mailed from there. This latter scenario might explain the additional 3c stamp, possibly applied in response to a persnickity postal clerk who questioned the legitimacy of the 10c stamp. Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2004 P.F. certificate. An example with four 3c 1851 stamps, but sent from Stockton to San Francisco, realized $28,000 hammer in our recent sale of the Dr. Martin collection. (Image)	E. 10,000-15,000	13,500.00
594		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 5c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU3a). To local San Francisco street address, without any express or postal markings, original enclosure datelined "Sacramento July 25 1855" regarding an order for wagons, faint toning, Very Fine, this style of entire was used early in the Penny Post's operation, ex Ackerman and Hall, with 2001 P.S.E. certificate (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	1,200.00
595		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11B). Instructions for mailing and list of towns on back, "Weaverville Cal. Sep. 4" (1855) circular datestamp, to local San Francisco street address, negligible faint stain at right, Extremely Fine example of this rare California Penny Post Co. entire, delivered to the post office (for 2c) in Weaverville, carried by government mail to San Francisco where delivered by the Penny Post Co. (for 5c, total 7c), ex Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,600.00
596		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11B). Instructions for mailing and list of towns on back, bold "San Francisco Cal. 2 Oct." (1855) circular datestamp, to local San Francisco street address, light cover creases, otherwise Very Fine and extremely rare, the 7c plus 3c rated entires were intended to prepay Penny Post Co. service to the mails in one city (2c), regular government mail service between cities (3c U.S. stamp) and delivery by the Penny Post in the destination city (5c) -- in this case, the San Francisco postmark indicates that something unusual occured, but the absence of any evidence of origin leaves us grasping for an answer (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,600.00
597		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Vermilion on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU7). Instructions and list of offices eight at left, Ms. "Strawberry Valley Cal. Jan. 17th" (1856) postmark and cancel, to San Francisco street address, slightly reduced at top, fresh and Very Fine, genuinely used examples of this entire are extremely rare (remainders were used to create forged Wells Fargo express usages), one of the fascinating aspects of this issue is that both the Penny Post oval and 3c U.S. stamp were embossed in the same color by George F. Nesbitt, ex Barkhausen and Golden (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,600.00
598		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on Buff Entire (34LU11). To San Francisco street address with 3c Dull Red (11), ample margins to slightly in, cancelled by ms. squggle mark, red "San Jose Cal. Oct. 19" (1855) circular datestamp, ms. notation "4 o'clock Oct. 18th" probably applied by Penny Post Co. clerk, some light cosmetic imrovements around edges VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE ON A CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY ENTIRE. The 3c 1851 stamp was necessary to pay the U.S. government rate between San Jose and San Francisco. The 7c Penny Post Co. enitre covered the rates for delivery to the San Jose post office (2c) and delivery from the post office in San Francisco (5c). Although the accompanying 1991 P.F. certificate declines opinion as to whether or not the untied 3c originated, another Penny Post cover from San Jose dated Oct. 25 has similar pen cancels (Siegel Sale 9/25/71) and we are confident that the stamp on this cover is the original franking. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	5,250.00
599		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a). Beautiful clear strike of blue "Knight's Ferry Cal." in circle with ms. "Oct. 30" (1855) date, to local addressee in San Francisco, sender's notation on back "Direct to LaGrange, Stanislaus Co., Cal." Extremely Fine, a pristine example of this rare Penny Post Co. entire, very few known used from Knight's Ferry, ex Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	3,000.00
600		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a). Ms. "Mission San Jose Cal. Febr. 18" pmk., to San Francisco street address, docketed on back "Recd Feby 20 8:10", 1856 usage, fresh and Extremely Fine, very rare usage from Mission San Jose (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,800.00
601		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on White Entire (34LU10a). Mostly clear strike of "Oroville/Cal." two-line handstamp with ms. "June 2" (1856) date, addressed to "Peney Post" with San Francisco street address, expertly cleaned and some minor cosmetic improvements, Very Fine appearance, very late use of the Penny Post Co. entire (the post started on June 25, 1855, and lasted approximately one year), this is the only example of any Penny Post Co. entire we have seen with the Oroville straightline, with 2002 P.S.E. certificate (states "cleaned and restored" but the are no paper additions or sealed tears except on the backflap) (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,600.00
602		California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Blue on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a var). This frank is listed by Scott only in Black, "Benicia Cal. May 12" (1856) circular datestamp, to San Francisco street address EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY ENTIRE IN BLUE. This variation of the "Penny-Postage Paid, 7" frank (Haller P10-Ty. 3a, Scott L98A) is printed in blue, not black, and contains the words "Care of" in tiny type between the denomination and "To The Penny Post Co." imprint. We record three examples: 1) Undated, Wells Fargo & Co. Sacramento ovals, to San Francisco, ex Knapp, Barkhausen, Golden, 2) Benicia Cal. May 12 (1856) datestamp, to San Francisco, ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Golden, and 3) Benicia Cal. May 13 (1856) datestamp, Siegel Sale 773. These entires were probably printed in mid-1856 toward the end of the Penny Post Company's existence (reported to have occured in June 1856). The Scott Catalogue has not yet listed the 34LU11a in Blue, even though all three have been offered at auction during the past nine years. (Image)	E. 2,500-3,500	3,500.00

California Local Posts

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

592

Appleton's Valentine Express. Printed frank on buff cover to a young lady's San Francisco street address, light wrinkles

EXTRREMELY FINE. A VERY RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THIS SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL POST'S "VALENTINE EXPRESS" FRANK.

Frey's Valentine Express and Appleton's Valentine Express used distinctive franked envelopes to promote their local Valentine delivery service in San Francisco. There are no reported dated examples, but they probably were used briefly in the 1864-65 period.

Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

6,000.00

593

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 5c Black on Buff Entire (34LU9). Printed frank on plain envelope with 10c Green, Ty. I (13) and 3c Dull Red (11), bright shade, ample margins to slightly in, both tied by "Saint Louis Mo. Mar. 1" (1856) circular datestamp, addressed to Henry Coad in San Francisco, pencil "Papin Feb 23/56" receipt docketing at left, some minor edgewear and stamps slightly soiled

VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE USAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY FRANKED ENTIRE. EXAMPLES WITH ADHESIVE STAMPS FOR GOVERNMENT POSTAGE ARE RARE. THIS USAGE FROM ST. LOUIS SENT WESTWARD TO SAN FRANCISCO IS UNIQUE.

The California Penny Post Company was established on June 25, 1855, by Henry L. Goodwin (sometimes reported as "J. P." Goodwin). The Penny Post advertised service in several larger California towns and cities, offering to carry letters to and from the local post office, to bring letters to one post office and deliver them to the addressee from the receiving office, and to run an express service between towns after the government mails were closed for the day. A specific rate was charged for each service, and these rates are reflected in the stamps and entires issued by the Penny Post. Almost immediately the Penny Post incurred the wrath of the San Francisco postmaster, and Goodwin became involved in protracted litigation trying to fight the government. Most writers have reported that the Penny Post closed down after twelve to eighteen months, but we have never seen a thorough census of covers or source documentation to establish exactly when service ended. There is one June 1, 1856, Penny Post entire with the name of the post and "Penny Postage Paid 7" crossed out (Siegel Sale 773, lot 219), which might be evidence that the Penny Post closed before that date.

For a relatively short-lived operation, the Penny Post produced a large variety of stamps and printed envelopes to facilitate prepayment and collect-on-delivery mail. Although the Scott Catalogue and other reference books (Nathan, Haller) have laid some groundwork in classifying all of the Penny Post stamps and entires, more work is needed to complete the listings and explain the usages. The printed franks are found on plain envelopes and U.S. 3c stamped envelopes. The rates correspond to the company's advertisements, but the application of these rates, patterns of usage and certain enigmatic covers have yet to be explained to our satisfaction. The cover offered here, for example, is a very rare use of the 5c frank on a plain envelope (34LU9) with U.S. postage paid by the 10c 1855 and 3c 1851 Issue. The 5c Penny Post rate covered delivery of the letter from the San Francisco office to the addressee. Very few Penny Post covers originating outside of California are known, and almost all came from the East Coast. The gap between the Feb. 23 origin date (indicated by the docketing) and the St. Louis Mar. 1 postmark date is intriguing. Perhaps the letter was written by someone travelling eastward from California, who carried with him a Penny Post entire and used it to mail the letter at Saint Louis. Another possibility is that the letter originated in the East, the entire (furnished by the California correspondent) was pre-stamped with the 10c for the transcontinental rate, then carried by a westward-bound traveller to Saint Louis and mailed from there. This latter scenario might explain the additional 3c stamp, possibly applied in response to a persnickity postal clerk who questioned the legitimacy of the 10c stamp.

Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2004 P.F. certificate. An example with four 3c 1851 stamps, but sent from Stockton to San Francisco, realized $28,000 hammer in our recent sale of the Dr. Martin collection. (Image)

E. 10,000-15,000

13,500.00

594

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 5c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU3a). To local San Francisco street address, without any express or postal markings, original enclosure datelined "Sacramento July 25 1855" regarding an order for wagons, faint toning, Very Fine, this style of entire was used early in the Penny Post's operation, ex Ackerman and Hall, with 2001 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

1,200.00

595

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11B). Instructions for mailing and list of towns on back, "Weaverville Cal. Sep. 4" (1855) circular datestamp, to local San Francisco street address, negligible faint stain at right, Extremely Fine example of this rare California Penny Post Co. entire, delivered to the post office (for 2c) in Weaverville, carried by government mail to San Francisco where delivered by the Penny Post Co. (for 5c, total 7c), ex Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,600.00

596

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11B). Instructions for mailing and list of towns on back, bold "San Francisco Cal. 2 Oct." (1855) circular datestamp, to local San Francisco street address, light cover creases, otherwise Very Fine and extremely rare, the 7c plus 3c rated entires were intended to prepay Penny Post Co. service to the mails in one city (2c), regular government mail service between cities (3c U.S. stamp) and delivery by the Penny Post in the destination city (5c) -- in this case, the San Francisco postmark indicates that something unusual occured, but the absence of any evidence of origin leaves us grasping for an answer (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,600.00

597

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Vermilion on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU7). Instructions and list of offices eight at left, Ms. "Strawberry Valley Cal. Jan. 17th" (1856) postmark and cancel, to San Francisco street address, slightly reduced at top, fresh and Very Fine, genuinely used examples of this entire are extremely rare (remainders were used to create forged Wells Fargo express usages), one of the fascinating aspects of this issue is that both the Penny Post oval and 3c U.S. stamp were embossed in the same color by George F. Nesbitt, ex Barkhausen and Golden (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,600.00

598

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on Buff Entire (34LU11). To San Francisco street address with 3c Dull Red (11), ample margins to slightly in, cancelled by ms. squggle mark, red "San Jose Cal. Oct. 19" (1855) circular datestamp, ms. notation "4 o'clock Oct. 18th" probably applied by Penny Post Co. clerk, some light cosmetic imrovements around edges

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USE OF THE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE ON A CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY ENTIRE.

The 3c 1851 stamp was necessary to pay the U.S. government rate between San Jose and San Francisco. The 7c Penny Post Co. enitre covered the rates for delivery to the San Jose post office (2c) and delivery from the post office in San Francisco (5c). Although the accompanying 1991 P.F. certificate declines opinion as to whether or not the untied 3c originated, another Penny Post cover from San Jose dated Oct. 25 has similar pen cancels (Siegel Sale 9/25/71) and we are confident that the stamp on this cover is the original franking. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

5,250.00

599

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a). Beautiful clear strike of blue "Knight's Ferry Cal." in circle with ms. "Oct. 30" (1855) date, to local addressee in San Francisco, sender's notation on back "Direct to LaGrange, Stanislaus Co., Cal." Extremely Fine, a pristine example of this rare Penny Post Co. entire, very few known used from Knight's Ferry, ex Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

3,000.00

600

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a). Ms. "Mission San Jose Cal. Febr. 18" pmk., to San Francisco street address, docketed on back "Recd Feby 20 8:10", 1856 usage, fresh and Extremely Fine, very rare usage from Mission San Jose (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,800.00

601

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Black on 3c Red on White Entire (34LU10a). Mostly clear strike of "Oroville/Cal." two-line handstamp with ms. "June 2" (1856) date, addressed to "Peney Post" with San Francisco street address, expertly cleaned and some minor cosmetic improvements, Very Fine appearance, very late use of the Penny Post Co. entire (the post started on June 25, 1855, and lasted approximately one year), this is the only example of any Penny Post Co. entire we have seen with the Oroville straightline, with 2002 P.S.E. certificate (states "cleaned and restored" but the are no paper additions or sealed tears except on the backflap) (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,600.00

602

California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 7c Blue on 3c Red on Buff Entire (34LU11a var). This frank is listed by Scott only in Black, "Benicia Cal. May 12" (1856) circular datestamp, to San Francisco street address

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS CALIFORNIA PENNY POST COMPANY ENTIRE IN BLUE.

This variation of the "Penny-Postage Paid, 7" frank (Haller P10-Ty. 3a, Scott L98A) is printed in blue, not black, and contains the words "Care of" in tiny type between the denomination and "To The Penny Post Co." imprint. We record three examples: 1) Undated, Wells Fargo & Co. Sacramento ovals, to San Francisco, ex Knapp, Barkhausen, Golden, 2) Benicia Cal. May 12 (1856) datestamp, to San Francisco, ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Golden, and 3) Benicia Cal. May 13 (1856) datestamp, Siegel Sale 773. These entires were probably printed in mid-1856 toward the end of the Penny Post Company's existence (reported to have occured in June 1856). The Scott Catalogue has not yet listed the 34LU11a in Blue, even though all three have been offered at auction during the past nine years. (Image)

E. 2,500-3,500

3,500.00