Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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

**Western Express Franks continued...**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
636		Copley & Co.'s Miners' Express. Red double-line oval handstamp clearly struck on 10c Pale Green Nesbitt entire (U17a) to Sempronius N.Y., blue "Marysville Cal. Paid by Stamps Nov. 4" circular datestamp and matching large grid of squares cancel, tiny tear at upper left, small part of backflap removed, otherwise Very Fine and colorful, this express between Marysville and the Gibsonville Ridge and Feather River mining camps was operated briefly in 1855-56 by Jack Copley, examples of his distinctive "Miners' Express" handstamp are very rare, ex Kramer (Image)	E. 2,000-3,000	2,900.00
637		Coupe's Express. Printed frank (Haller FC7) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to Portland Me., faint "Olympia W.T. Apr. 9" circular datestamp and "10" in circle cancel, very minor edgewear and soiling, Very Fine, a rare frank despite reports that this express operated for ten years between 1864 and 1874, carrying mail between Vancouver and various locations in the Puget Sound area, ex Edwards (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	0.00
638		Dodge & Co.'s Express. Full clear strikes of red "Forwarded by Dodge & Co's Express" oval and small straightline "Free" handstamp on blue folded cover to Charles T. Wilson, Editor of the Panama Echo, Panama, slightly refolded and a few skillfull cosmetic edge improvements, Very Fine appearance, Dodge & Co. operated an international ocean express between coasts via Panama (as wells as Pacific routes to Hawaii, Mexico and Oregon), they also handled gold dust shipments and banking, their business lasted from the fall of 1850 to the summer of 1851, examples of their handstamp are rare, this "Free" is extremely rare and was evidently a "free frank" on mail to newspapers, ex Haas (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,600.00
639		English & Wells' Moore's Flat and Eureka Express. Ornately framed printed frank (Haller FE4, Ty. 1) on legal-size 12c Red Brown on Buff entire (U69), conjunctive paste-up usage to San Francisco with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Nevada Oct. 13" oval datestamp, vertical file fold and slight crease at upper right, otherwise Very Fine, English & Wells ran their express to the mining camps of Moore's Flat and Eureka South, connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Nevada City and Emigrant Gap (explained in this Type 1 frank), their franks on 3c entires are scarce, but this 12c entire is possibly unique and unlisted in Haller (Image)	E. 750-1,000	900.00
640		Everts, Davis & Co. Printed frank (Haller FE7) on 10c Pale Green Nesbitt entire (U18a) to Simsbury O., red "Marysville Cal. 10 Feb. 19" integral-rate datestamp and matching "Paid", ms. date Feb. 17, 1856, minor edgewear and toning, still Very Fine, Frank D. Everts was involved in a string of partnerships over his long career as an expressman, from May 1855 until sometime in 1856 he operated as Everts, Davis & Co., examples of this frank are rare, this transcontinental usage with the red Marysville rate marking is especially desirable, ex Jessup and Pearce, with 2003 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,000.00
641		Freeman & Co.'s Atlantic States and European Express. Printed frank with "124 Montgomery Street" address (Haller FF7, Ty. 2) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U16) to Athens N.Y., entered the government mails with "New-York Sep. 28, 1858" circular datestamp, small mended nick at top left corner clear of frank, otherwise Very Fine, after the failure of Adams & Co. in 1855, John M. Freeman (an agent for Adams) continued his long career as an expressman by opening his own Freeman & Co.'s Express with routes between the coasts, despite his success as a competitor with Wells, Fargo & Co., Freeman's Atlantic & Pacific Express frank is very scarce -- Barkhausen had another from this correspondence, but it was carried by overland mail, a few others with Boyd's ovals delivered locally in New York City are known -- ex Poland and Kramer (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,300.00
642		William T. Gibbs' Express. Unusually bold "Wm. T. Gibbs' Express Paid" double-line oval handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U9) to San Francisco, conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Georgetown" oval handstamp, "Spanish Flat Cal." in large circle without date, ms. docketing "Oct. 26" (circa 1854), faint staining, otherwise Very Fine, William T. Gibbs was a former postmaster of Georgetown (1851-53) when he started his express in 1854, delivering mail to Coloma, Georgetown, Battle Hill and Spanish Flat, Gibbs used a straightline and oval frank (both rare), and covers are known with Wells, Fargo & Co. ovals from Georgetown and Placerville, where Gibbs connected, the Spanish Flat circle (used by the post office there) appears on a few Gibbs Express covers, but it is always dateless and its use is enigmatic, Spanish Flat lies between Georgetown (to the north) and Placerville (to the south), therefore it would appear that Gibbs brought the cover to Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Georgetown office, and they put the cover into the mails at Spanish Flat, but that makes little sense considering Wells Fargo's network of express routes to San Francisco, we propose an alternate explanation that Gibbs (or a postal clerk) applied the dateless Spanish Flat marking in conjunction with his express frank, illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, ex Haas and Edwards (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,500.00
643		Forwarded by Grammer & Cos. Express. Bold oval handstamp on brown cover to Ashburnham Mass., mostly clear "Sacramento Cal. Oct. 10 40" integral-rate circular datestamp, refolded and reinforced due to aging, still a Very Fine strike and exhibit-worthy example of this extremely rare early "one-man" pioneer express, started in 1849 by Joseph Grammer, illustrated in Letters of Gold, ex Jessup, Pearce, Haas and Edwards (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	0.00
644		Greathouse & Slicer Express. Perfect bold strike of blue "Greathouse & Slicer, Yreka, Connecting with Wells Fargo & Co." framed handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco, expertly repaired around edges and top right corner, Very Fine appearance, genuine examples of this early Greathouse & Slicer express marking are extremely rare, ex Landes, with 1976 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,150.00
645		Forwarded by Great Western Express, Office 57 Camp St. New Orleans. Red double-line oval handstamp clearly struck on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to Buchannon Carroll & Co., New Orleans, bold "New Orleans La. May 4" circular datestamp, file folds and pinholes as usual for this correspondence, Very Fine, carried by Great Western Express into New Orleans and put into the post office for pick-up, reported to be the only example of this marking (circa 1860), illustrated in Chase book, ex Knapp (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	950.00
646		Hanford & Co.'s Express. Two-line printed frank (Haller FH2) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to Shasta Cal., slight creasing and tiny erosion spot in address, Very Fine, this small express operated between Yreka, Shasta, Marysville, Sacramento and San Francisco in 1857-58, connecting with Alta Express and Berford & Co. routes, its frank is exceedingly rare -- demonstrated by the fact that we cannot locate even one other example, including the Barkhausen, Dale-Lichtenstein, Polland and Pearce sales (this was the only example in the Edwards collection) -- illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, ex Clifford and Edwards (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	2,100.00

Western Express Franks continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

636

Copley & Co.'s Miners' Express. Red double-line oval handstamp clearly struck on 10c Pale Green Nesbitt entire (U17a) to Sempronius N.Y., blue "Marysville Cal. Paid by Stamps Nov. 4" circular datestamp and matching large grid of squares cancel, tiny tear at upper left, small part of backflap removed, otherwise Very Fine and colorful, this express between Marysville and the Gibsonville Ridge and Feather River mining camps was operated briefly in 1855-56 by Jack Copley, examples of his distinctive "Miners' Express" handstamp are very rare, ex Kramer (Image)

E. 2,000-3,000

2,900.00

637

Coupe's Express. Printed frank (Haller FC7) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to Portland Me., faint "Olympia W.T. Apr. 9" circular datestamp and "10" in circle cancel, very minor edgewear and soiling, Very Fine, a rare frank despite reports that this express operated for ten years between 1864 and 1874, carrying mail between Vancouver and various locations in the Puget Sound area, ex Edwards (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

0.00

638

Dodge & Co.'s Express. Full clear strikes of red "Forwarded by Dodge & Co's Express" oval and small straightline "Free" handstamp on blue folded cover to Charles T. Wilson, Editor of the Panama Echo, Panama, slightly refolded and a few skillfull cosmetic edge improvements, Very Fine appearance, Dodge & Co. operated an international ocean express between coasts via Panama (as wells as Pacific routes to Hawaii, Mexico and Oregon), they also handled gold dust shipments and banking, their business lasted from the fall of 1850 to the summer of 1851, examples of their handstamp are rare, this "Free" is extremely rare and was evidently a "free frank" on mail to newspapers, ex Haas (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,600.00

639

English & Wells' Moore's Flat and Eureka Express. Ornately framed printed frank (Haller FE4, Ty. 1) on legal-size 12c Red Brown on Buff entire (U69), conjunctive paste-up usage to San Francisco with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Nevada Oct. 13" oval datestamp, vertical file fold and slight crease at upper right, otherwise Very Fine, English & Wells ran their express to the mining camps of Moore's Flat and Eureka South, connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Nevada City and Emigrant Gap (explained in this Type 1 frank), their franks on 3c entires are scarce, but this 12c entire is possibly unique and unlisted in Haller (Image)

E. 750-1,000

900.00

640

Everts, Davis & Co. Printed frank (Haller FE7) on 10c Pale Green Nesbitt entire (U18a) to Simsbury O., red "Marysville Cal. 10 Feb. 19" integral-rate datestamp and matching "Paid", ms. date Feb. 17, 1856, minor edgewear and toning, still Very Fine, Frank D. Everts was involved in a string of partnerships over his long career as an expressman, from May 1855 until sometime in 1856 he operated as Everts, Davis & Co., examples of this frank are rare, this transcontinental usage with the red Marysville rate marking is especially desirable, ex Jessup and Pearce, with 2003 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,000.00

641

Freeman & Co.'s Atlantic States and European Express. Printed frank with "124 Montgomery Street" address (Haller FF7, Ty. 2) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U16) to Athens N.Y., entered the government mails with "New-York Sep. 28, 1858" circular datestamp, small mended nick at top left corner clear of frank, otherwise Very Fine, after the failure of Adams & Co. in 1855, John M. Freeman (an agent for Adams) continued his long career as an expressman by opening his own Freeman & Co.'s Express with routes between the coasts, despite his success as a competitor with Wells, Fargo & Co., Freeman's Atlantic & Pacific Express frank is very scarce -- Barkhausen had another from this correspondence, but it was carried by overland mail, a few others with Boyd's ovals delivered locally in New York City are known -- ex Poland and Kramer (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,300.00

642

William T. Gibbs' Express. Unusually bold "Wm. T. Gibbs' Express Paid" double-line oval handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U9) to San Francisco, conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Georgetown" oval handstamp, "Spanish Flat Cal." in large circle without date, ms. docketing "Oct. 26" (circa 1854), faint staining, otherwise Very Fine, William T. Gibbs was a former postmaster of Georgetown (1851-53) when he started his express in 1854, delivering mail to Coloma, Georgetown, Battle Hill and Spanish Flat, Gibbs used a straightline and oval frank (both rare), and covers are known with Wells, Fargo & Co. ovals from Georgetown and Placerville, where Gibbs connected, the Spanish Flat circle (used by the post office there) appears on a few Gibbs Express covers, but it is always dateless and its use is enigmatic, Spanish Flat lies between Georgetown (to the north) and Placerville (to the south), therefore it would appear that Gibbs brought the cover to Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Georgetown office, and they put the cover into the mails at Spanish Flat, but that makes little sense considering Wells Fargo's network of express routes to San Francisco, we propose an alternate explanation that Gibbs (or a postal clerk) applied the dateless Spanish Flat marking in conjunction with his express frank, illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, ex Haas and Edwards (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,500.00

643

Forwarded by Grammer & Cos. Express. Bold oval handstamp on brown cover to Ashburnham Mass., mostly clear "Sacramento Cal. Oct. 10 40" integral-rate circular datestamp, refolded and reinforced due to aging, still a Very Fine strike and exhibit-worthy example of this extremely rare early "one-man" pioneer express, started in 1849 by Joseph Grammer, illustrated in Letters of Gold, ex Jessup, Pearce, Haas and Edwards (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

0.00

644

Greathouse & Slicer Express. Perfect bold strike of blue "Greathouse & Slicer, Yreka, Connecting with Wells Fargo & Co." framed handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco, expertly repaired around edges and top right corner, Very Fine appearance, genuine examples of this early Greathouse & Slicer express marking are extremely rare, ex Landes, with 1976 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,150.00

645

Forwarded by Great Western Express, Office 57 Camp St. New Orleans. Red double-line oval handstamp clearly struck on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to Buchannon Carroll & Co., New Orleans, bold "New Orleans La. May 4" circular datestamp, file folds and pinholes as usual for this correspondence, Very Fine, carried by Great Western Express into New Orleans and put into the post office for pick-up, reported to be the only example of this marking (circa 1860), illustrated in Chase book, ex Knapp (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

950.00

646

Hanford & Co.'s Express. Two-line printed frank (Haller FH2) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to Shasta Cal., slight creasing and tiny erosion spot in address, Very Fine, this small express operated between Yreka, Shasta, Marysville, Sacramento and San Francisco in 1857-58, connecting with Alta Express and Berford & Co. routes, its frank is exceedingly rare -- demonstrated by the fact that we cannot locate even one other example, including the Barkhausen, Dale-Lichtenstein, Polland and Pearce sales (this was the only example in the Edwards collection) -- illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, ex Clifford and Edwards (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

2,100.00