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
680		Raum's Centerville, Ruby Hill and Shelburn Express. Printed frank in three lines without frame (Haller FR3, Ty. 2) on 3c Green entire (U82) to Sacramento Cal., "Schellbourne Nev. Aug. 6" circular datestamp and target, recuced at right, otherwise Very Fine, extremely rare, we record only four Type 2 franks (including four listed in Gamett census), all are dated in August or September (ca. 1872), ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,300.00
681		Reynolds & Co.'s Express. Clearly struck "Forwarded by Reynolds & Co. Express" oval handstamp on brown cover from New York City to San Francisco, sent by mail via Panama with "New-York 40 Sep. 26" integral-rate circular datestamp, carried by Reynolds to the mining camps with tiny ms. "2" probably indicating $2.00 express fee, neatly docketed with Nov. 12, 1850, arrival date, with original letter from a miner's wife with gossip and news from home, mentions regular mail from California every two weeks, Very Fine, Reynolds & Co. was one of the earliest California expresses, carrying mail to the Southern Mines, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 750-1,000	750.00
682		Ritners Salmon River Express. Partly clear strike of red double-line oval handstamp on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U18) to Fertig Pa., clear strike of "Shasta Cal. Feb. 27" circular datestamp, neatly docketed "Shasta Jan. 29th 59" (possibly "57"), minor edge nick at bottom right and slight wear, Fine, extremely rare (we do not know of another example), this relatively small express operated between Shasta and the Salmon River Mines from 1855 to 1858 (perhaps into early 1859), the docketing at Shasta almost one month earlier than the postmark date is puzzling, one explanation is that the writer started his letter at Shasta, travelled to the Salmon River Mines and then used Ritner's Express to carry the letter back to Shasta for deposit into the regular mails, ex Haas (who paid $560 in 1976) (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,150.00
683		F. Rumrill & Co.'s Northern Express. Clearly struck "F. Rumrill & Co's Northern Express, Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co." blue oval handstamp, conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express San Francisco" and "Free" in matching blue ovals on cover to Frank Rumrill at Marysville, originating in Franklin Mills, Ohio, with original letter datelined "Franklin April 14 1854" from Rumrill's sweetheart, Henrietta, one of a series of letters in which she pleads with him to return home ("I think you have tried California faithfully and that you must soon be willing to come home"), her constant whining evidently worked, because Rumrill quit the express business in 1855 (selling out to Langton) and appears to have left California, vertical crease in cover at left, otherwise Very Fine, an outstanding express usage, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	700.00
684		Rundell & Jones' Canyon City Express. Paid 50 Cents. Printed two-line frank with 50c value stated (Haller FR8, Ty. 3) on buff cover to Dalles City, Extremely Fine, this Rundell & Jones' frank is one of the rarest of all Western Express franks and probably the finest of its kind in existence, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	2,500.00
685		Rundell & Jones' Canyon City Express, Paid 50 Cents. Printed frank in ornamental frame with 50c value stated (Haller FR8, Ty. 2) on 3c Pink entire (U34), unaddressed with glue residue on back (evidently a paste-up usage), Very Fine, this express operated between the Dalles and Canyon City in Oregon in 1862, four types of franks were used (three with Jones' name), all are extremely rare, we have only been able to locate one other example of this framed type, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,600.00
686		Rutherford & Co.'s Express. Printed frank in scroll with "Wheeler" erased (Haller FR9) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to Marysville Cal., conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Oroville Mar. 31" blue oval datestamp (ca. 1867), front and back rejoined around edges, Very Fine appearance, after Samuel Wheeler and R. H. Rutherford dissolved their partnership, Rutherford continued carrying mail to and from the Feather River mining camps (connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Oroville), he erased Wheeler's name from the woodcut and used it to make his own franks, examples are exceedingly rare, ex Barkhausen (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	750.00
687		Tracy & Co.'s Oregon Express. Printed frank in scroll with additional "Salmon River Express. Paid--One Dollar" surcharge frank at lower left (Haller FT10, Ty. 1b) on 3c Pink entire (U35), unaddressed (evidently a paste-up but no evidence of adherence on back), conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Walla Walla Sep. 8" blue oval datestamp, two strikes of blue "Collect" in oval crossed out in pencil, faint toning and minor faults, still Very Fine, an unusual use of the rare Tracy & Co. Salmon River Express $1.00 surcharge frank -- marked "Collect" at the Wells, Fargo & Co. Walla Walla office, but apparently considered fully paid on arrival -- ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,600.00
688		Salmon River & Nez Perces Express. Paid 50 Cents. Printed frank with 50c value used with Wells, Fargo & Co. black frank (Haller WF-07) on 3c Pink entire (U35), unaddressed paste-up usage with three strikes of blue "Wells, Fargo & Cos. Express S.Frco. 22 Jul." (ca. 1862) double-circle datestamp, Extremely Fine, this 1861-62 express carried mail between the Salmon River and Nez Perces mines in Idaho to Walla Walla, Washington Territory, where Wells, Fargo & Co. provided connections to other locations, the service to the Idaho mines was probably provided by Wells, Fargo & Co. with the frank representing a surcharge (50c, 75c and $1.00 rates), this is an unusual usage, because almost all others are addressed to Oregon, the only other we have located with a Wells Fargo San Francisco office marking is addressed to the East Coast (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,050.00
689		Salmon River & Nez Perces Express. Paid 75 Cents. Printed frank with 75c value used with Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank (Haller WF-07c) on 10c Green entire (U41) to Big Tree Corners N.Y., carried by Wells, Fargo & Co. to Atchison where it entered the regular mails, "Atchison Kas. May 26" (ca. 1862) double-circle datestamp and target cancel, reduced at left just into frank, minor staining, still Fine, this 75c surcharge rate must have included an additional 25c for Wells, Fargo & Co. transcontinental service, a major express rarity, we know of one other, pictured in the September 1990 R. G. Kaufmann catalogue of the "not for sale" portion of the Kramer collection (p. 51) (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,700.00
690		Singer & Morrow's Feather River Express. Printed frank in black (Haller FS7 in blue) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U17) to Longmeadow Mass., two partly clear strikes of blue "Marysville Cal. Paid by Stamps May 3" (1856) circular datestamp (one applied over frank, probably intentionally), ms. "Reg. No 7" registry marking in ink above pencil "Register 1856", the former applied by Marysville post office and the latter probably by the express company agent, ms. "3692" registry number at bottom right applied in transit, skillfully repaired creases and small tears VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SPECTACULARLY RARE CONJUNCTIVE WESTERN EXPRESS AND EARLY REGISTERED-MAIL USAGE. The Singer & Morrow Feather River Express was one of five expresses operated by colorful Capt. William E. Singer over a seven-year period. All of Singer's expresses carried mail between the Feather River mining camps and the base town of Marysville. In late 1855 Singer became partners with Thomas H. Morrow, forming the Singer & Morrow company, but in 1857 the partnership dissolved after Morrow proved to be an unreliable, if not crooked, partner. Singer then went into business with Emerson E. Meek, but within a year Singer, Meek & Co. sold out to Everts and Whiting. The U.S. Post Office Department instituted a registration system for valuable mail on July 1, 1855, charging 5c for each registered letter (payable in cash) and instructing postmasters not to make any mark on mail "to indicate that they contain valuable enclosures". In 1857 a new directive was issued, instructing postmasters to apply a number to each registered envelope that corresponded to the way-bill number. Despite the instructions received from the Post Office Department, postmasters in various places took it upon themselves to label registered mail. This registered cover from Marysville was mailed in May 1856, during the period when the Singer & Morrow firm was in existence and during the early period of the registered-mail system. The combination of a California express and government-mail registration is virtually unheard of, primarily because the transcontinental express companies such as Wells, Fargo & Co. were a far more reliable and broadly-used carrier of valuable mail. Ex Clifford. With 1999 P.S.E. certificate (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	3,500.00

Western Express Franks continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

680

Raum's Centerville, Ruby Hill and Shelburn Express. Printed frank in three lines without frame (Haller FR3, Ty. 2) on 3c Green entire (U82) to Sacramento Cal., "Schellbourne Nev. Aug. 6" circular datestamp and target, recuced at right, otherwise Very Fine, extremely rare, we record only four Type 2 franks (including four listed in Gamett census), all are dated in August or September (ca. 1872), ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,300.00

681

Reynolds & Co.'s Express. Clearly struck "Forwarded by Reynolds & Co. Express" oval handstamp on brown cover from New York City to San Francisco, sent by mail via Panama with "New-York 40 Sep. 26" integral-rate circular datestamp, carried by Reynolds to the mining camps with tiny ms. "2" probably indicating $2.00 express fee, neatly docketed with Nov. 12, 1850, arrival date, with original letter from a miner's wife with gossip and news from home, mentions regular mail from California every two weeks, Very Fine, Reynolds & Co. was one of the earliest California expresses, carrying mail to the Southern Mines, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 750-1,000

750.00

682

Ritners Salmon River Express. Partly clear strike of red double-line oval handstamp on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U18) to Fertig Pa., clear strike of "Shasta Cal. Feb. 27" circular datestamp, neatly docketed "Shasta Jan. 29th 59" (possibly "57"), minor edge nick at bottom right and slight wear, Fine, extremely rare (we do not know of another example), this relatively small express operated between Shasta and the Salmon River Mines from 1855 to 1858 (perhaps into early 1859), the docketing at Shasta almost one month earlier than the postmark date is puzzling, one explanation is that the writer started his letter at Shasta, travelled to the Salmon River Mines and then used Ritner's Express to carry the letter back to Shasta for deposit into the regular mails, ex Haas (who paid $560 in 1976) (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,150.00

683

F. Rumrill & Co.'s Northern Express. Clearly struck "F. Rumrill & Co's Northern Express, Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co." blue oval handstamp, conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express San Francisco" and "Free" in matching blue ovals on cover to Frank Rumrill at Marysville, originating in Franklin Mills, Ohio, with original letter datelined "Franklin April 14 1854" from Rumrill's sweetheart, Henrietta, one of a series of letters in which she pleads with him to return home ("I think you have tried California faithfully and that you must soon be willing to come home"), her constant whining evidently worked, because Rumrill quit the express business in 1855 (selling out to Langton) and appears to have left California, vertical crease in cover at left, otherwise Very Fine, an outstanding express usage, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

700.00

684

Rundell & Jones' Canyon City Express. Paid 50 Cents. Printed two-line frank with 50c value stated (Haller FR8, Ty. 3) on buff cover to Dalles City, Extremely Fine, this Rundell & Jones' frank is one of the rarest of all Western Express franks and probably the finest of its kind in existence, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

2,500.00

685

Rundell & Jones' Canyon City Express, Paid 50 Cents. Printed frank in ornamental frame with 50c value stated (Haller FR8, Ty. 2) on 3c Pink entire (U34), unaddressed with glue residue on back (evidently a paste-up usage), Very Fine, this express operated between the Dalles and Canyon City in Oregon in 1862, four types of franks were used (three with Jones' name), all are extremely rare, we have only been able to locate one other example of this framed type, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,600.00

686

Rutherford & Co.'s Express. Printed frank in scroll with "Wheeler" erased (Haller FR9) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to Marysville Cal., conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Oroville Mar. 31" blue oval datestamp (ca. 1867), front and back rejoined around edges, Very Fine appearance, after Samuel Wheeler and R. H. Rutherford dissolved their partnership, Rutherford continued carrying mail to and from the Feather River mining camps (connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Oroville), he erased Wheeler's name from the woodcut and used it to make his own franks, examples are exceedingly rare, ex Barkhausen (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

750.00

687

Tracy & Co.'s Oregon Express. Printed frank in scroll with additional "Salmon River Express. Paid--One Dollar" surcharge frank at lower left (Haller FT10, Ty. 1b) on 3c Pink entire (U35), unaddressed (evidently a paste-up but no evidence of adherence on back), conjunctive usage with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Walla Walla Sep. 8" blue oval datestamp, two strikes of blue "Collect" in oval crossed out in pencil, faint toning and minor faults, still Very Fine, an unusual use of the rare Tracy & Co. Salmon River Express $1.00 surcharge frank -- marked "Collect" at the Wells, Fargo & Co. Walla Walla office, but apparently considered fully paid on arrival -- ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,600.00

688

Salmon River & Nez Perces Express. Paid 50 Cents. Printed frank with 50c value used with Wells, Fargo & Co. black frank (Haller WF-07) on 3c Pink entire (U35), unaddressed paste-up usage with three strikes of blue "Wells, Fargo & Cos. Express S.Frco. 22 Jul." (ca. 1862) double-circle datestamp, Extremely Fine, this 1861-62 express carried mail between the Salmon River and Nez Perces mines in Idaho to Walla Walla, Washington Territory, where Wells, Fargo & Co. provided connections to other locations, the service to the Idaho mines was probably provided by Wells, Fargo & Co. with the frank representing a surcharge (50c, 75c and $1.00 rates), this is an unusual usage, because almost all others are addressed to Oregon, the only other we have located with a Wells Fargo San Francisco office marking is addressed to the East Coast (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,050.00

689

Salmon River & Nez Perces Express. Paid 75 Cents. Printed frank with 75c value used with Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank (Haller WF-07c) on 10c Green entire (U41) to Big Tree Corners N.Y., carried by Wells, Fargo & Co. to Atchison where it entered the regular mails, "Atchison Kas. May 26" (ca. 1862) double-circle datestamp and target cancel, reduced at left just into frank, minor staining, still Fine, this 75c surcharge rate must have included an additional 25c for Wells, Fargo & Co. transcontinental service, a major express rarity, we know of one other, pictured in the September 1990 R. G. Kaufmann catalogue of the "not for sale" portion of the Kramer collection (p. 51) (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,700.00

690

Singer & Morrow's Feather River Express. Printed frank in black (Haller FS7 in blue) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U17) to Longmeadow Mass., two partly clear strikes of blue "Marysville Cal. Paid by Stamps May 3" (1856) circular datestamp (one applied over frank, probably intentionally), ms. "Reg. No 7" registry marking in ink above pencil "Register 1856", the former applied by Marysville post office and the latter probably by the express company agent, ms. "3692" registry number at bottom right applied in transit, skillfully repaired creases and small tears

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SPECTACULARLY RARE CONJUNCTIVE WESTERN EXPRESS AND EARLY REGISTERED-MAIL USAGE.

The Singer & Morrow Feather River Express was one of five expresses operated by colorful Capt. William E. Singer over a seven-year period. All of Singer's expresses carried mail between the Feather River mining camps and the base town of Marysville. In late 1855 Singer became partners with Thomas H. Morrow, forming the Singer & Morrow company, but in 1857 the partnership dissolved after Morrow proved to be an unreliable, if not crooked, partner. Singer then went into business with Emerson E. Meek, but within a year Singer, Meek & Co. sold out to Everts and Whiting.

The U.S. Post Office Department instituted a registration system for valuable mail on July 1, 1855, charging 5c for each registered letter (payable in cash) and instructing postmasters not to make any mark on mail "to indicate that they contain valuable enclosures". In 1857 a new directive was issued, instructing postmasters to apply a number to each registered envelope that corresponded to the way-bill number. Despite the instructions received from the Post Office Department, postmasters in various places took it upon themselves to label registered mail. This registered cover from Marysville was mailed in May 1856, during the period when the Singer & Morrow firm was in existence and during the early period of the registered-mail system. The combination of a California express and government-mail registration is virtually unheard of, primarily because the transcontinental express companies such as Wells, Fargo & Co. were a far more reliable and broadly-used carrier of valuable mail.

Ex Clifford. With 1999 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

3,500.00