Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

California Mails and Western Expresses, Carriers, Locals and Independent Mails continued...

**Western Expresses (Adams thru Langton) continued...**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
4075		Forwarded by Adams & Cos. Express, San Francisco. Red oval handstamp on Apr. 1, 1851 blue folded letter from New York to San Francisco, writer mentions sending a box of razors by Adams Express, Very Fine, this red oval marking is very rare (Image)	E. 400-500
4076		Adams & Co. Express Southern Coast. Partly clear strike of large red circular handstamp on May 11, 1852 blue folded letter from San Diego to San Francisco, sender's ship designation "pr Str. 'Southerner'", pencile "due 25 Cts" express fee, file fold thru marking, light toning, still Fine, this Adams marking is very scarce (Image)	E. 300-400
4077		"Adams & Co. California". Embossed seal on flap of orange-buff cover to Wexford, Ireland, no U.S. postal markings, "ART-5/B.R. PKT" scarce two-line accountancy handstamp on back, probably carried outside the mails based on Adams seal, "1/2-1/2" rate handstamp, blue Wexford receiving datestamp, Liverpool Jan. 27, 1856 and Jan. 29 transits on back, Very Fine, scarce marking and unusual Adams & Co. usage, the West Coast company failed in Feb. 1855, so this probably represents a posthumous use of the company envelope (Image)	E. 200-300
4078		Adams & Co. 16 covers, variety of different offices and markings incl. large double-circle datestamps from San Francisco, Sacramento and Stockton, large ovals from San Francisco, Campo Seco, Stockton and San Jose, small ovals from Nevada Cal., Los Angeles and Sonora, scarce type of "Adams & Co.'s Express Sacramento" red oval, some light strikes or cover faults, still Fine, a desirable group for study of Adams & Co.	E. 750-1,000
4079		Adams & Co.'s Express, Cal., 50c Black on Buff Entire (1LU4). Unused 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10), faint horizontal crease thru stamps not noted on certificate VERY FINE APPEARANCE. FEWER THAN A HALF-DOZEN EXAMPLES OF THIS SURPRINTED FRANK ARE REPORTED TO EXIST ON ANY OF THE NESBITT ENTIRES. If contemporary, the Adams & Company stamped envelopes -- 25c and 50c values on 3c and 6c Nesbitt entires or cut-outs used as adhesives -- must come from the period from 1854 to the collapse of the firm in March 1855. Their rarity could be attributed to the sudden failure of the Adams firm. However, at least one student of the subject has recently argued that these stamped envelopes and cut-outs were created in the 1890's by the notorious forger Wuesthoff. The controversy has not been resolved. With 2002 P.S.E. certificate. Scott Retail for No. 1LU4 is shown in the used column. (Image)	15,000.00
4080		Alsop & Co. San Francisco. Blue double-line circular handstamp with star in center on blue folded cover to the "Guadalupe Mines near San Jose", 3c Dull Red (11), three large margins, touched at top, rich color, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Sep. 14, 1858" circular datestamp, content is a pencil draft of legal contract, file fold, Very Fine, although the Alsop & Co. circle appears to be an express service marking, it is probably not, Alsop & Co. were merchants and ship owners located at 111 & 113 California St. (go to www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/1853/53a.htm and www.flagspot.net/flags/us~hfaa.html#alsop) (Image)	E. 300-400
4081		Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco, ms. notation "With $2013.00 Gold Dust", embossed return card on flap of "Dealer in Groceries, Provisions, Liquors and General Merchandise" from Georgia Slide Cal., Extremely Fine, Georgia Slide was a hydraulic mine located near Georgetown (the "Beatty Seams Claim" was made in 1854), the "Gold Dust" notation on this cover is an unusual and fascinating link to mining activity in the Georgetown area (Image)	E. 400-500
4082		Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1 var with nail impression at left) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10), paste-up usage with Sacramento address on back, three strikes of red "Alta Express Company San Francisco" oval handstamp (two on franked entire), narrow piece torn from other envelope, Very Fine, scarce, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 400-500
4083		Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco street address, ms. "13" on embossed stamp, small opening nick at top, Very Fine (Image)	E. 300-400
4084		Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 2) and blue "Alta Express Co. San Francisco Oct. 10" oval datestamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U9) to Sacramento, horizontal crease at top, lightly soiled, otherwise Fine, ex Barkhausen and Chaloner (Image)	E. 300-400
4085		Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U16) to Potter Hill N.Y., entered the regular mails in California with blue "Marysville Cal. Paid By Stamps Oct. 3" circular datestamp and matching grid of squares cancel, forwarded to Mentor O. with ms. "Potter Hill Nov. 9 Fored 3" postmark, pencil docketing on back, Very Fine, the Alta Express Co. used 3c entires almost exclusively, this is the only 10c entire we were able to locate in major sales of Western Express covers (the Knapp collection had one uprated 3c entire), unlisted in Haller on a 10c entire and undoubtedly of very great rarity (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500

Western Expresses (Adams thru Langton) continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

4075

Forwarded by Adams & Cos. Express, San Francisco. Red oval handstamp on Apr. 1, 1851 blue folded letter from New York to San Francisco, writer mentions sending a box of razors by Adams Express, Very Fine, this red oval marking is very rare (Image)

E. 400-500

4076

Adams & Co. Express Southern Coast. Partly clear strike of large red circular handstamp on May 11, 1852 blue folded letter from San Diego to San Francisco, sender's ship designation "pr Str. 'Southerner'", pencile "due 25 Cts" express fee, file fold thru marking, light toning, still Fine, this Adams marking is very scarce (Image)

E. 300-400

4077

"Adams & Co. California". Embossed seal on flap of orange-buff cover to Wexford, Ireland, no U.S. postal markings, "ART-5/B.R. PKT" scarce two-line accountancy handstamp on back, probably carried outside the mails based on Adams seal, "1/2-1/2" rate handstamp, blue Wexford receiving datestamp, Liverpool Jan. 27, 1856 and Jan. 29 transits on back, Very Fine, scarce marking and unusual Adams & Co. usage, the West Coast company failed in Feb. 1855, so this probably represents a posthumous use of the company envelope (Image)

E. 200-300

4078

Adams & Co. 16 covers, variety of different offices and markings incl. large double-circle datestamps from San Francisco, Sacramento and Stockton, large ovals from San Francisco, Campo Seco, Stockton and San Jose, small ovals from Nevada Cal., Los Angeles and Sonora, scarce type of "Adams & Co.'s Express Sacramento" red oval, some light strikes or cover faults, still Fine, a desirable group for study of Adams & Co.

E. 750-1,000

4079

Adams & Co.'s Express, Cal., 50c Black on Buff Entire (1LU4). Unused 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10), faint horizontal crease thru stamps not noted on certificate

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. FEWER THAN A HALF-DOZEN EXAMPLES OF THIS SURPRINTED FRANK ARE REPORTED TO EXIST ON ANY OF THE NESBITT ENTIRES.

If contemporary, the Adams & Company stamped envelopes -- 25c and 50c values on 3c and 6c Nesbitt entires or cut-outs used as adhesives -- must come from the period from 1854 to the collapse of the firm in March 1855. Their rarity could be attributed to the sudden failure of the Adams firm. However, at least one student of the subject has recently argued that these stamped envelopes and cut-outs were created in the 1890's by the notorious forger Wuesthoff. The controversy has not been resolved.

With 2002 P.S.E. certificate. Scott Retail for No. 1LU4 is shown in the used column. (Image)

15,000.00

4080

Alsop & Co. San Francisco. Blue double-line circular handstamp with star in center on blue folded cover to the "Guadalupe Mines near San Jose", 3c Dull Red (11), three large margins, touched at top, rich color, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Sep. 14, 1858" circular datestamp, content is a pencil draft of legal contract, file fold, Very Fine, although the Alsop & Co. circle appears to be an express service marking, it is probably not, Alsop & Co. were merchants and ship owners located at 111 & 113 California St. (go to www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/1853/53a.htm and www.flagspot.net/flags/us~hfaa.html#alsop) (Image)

E. 300-400

4081

Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco, ms. notation "With $2013.00 Gold Dust", embossed return card on flap of "Dealer in Groceries, Provisions, Liquors and General Merchandise" from Georgia Slide Cal., Extremely Fine, Georgia Slide was a hydraulic mine located near Georgetown (the "Beatty Seams Claim" was made in 1854), the "Gold Dust" notation on this cover is an unusual and fascinating link to mining activity in the Georgetown area (Image)

E. 400-500

4082

Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1 var with nail impression at left) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10), paste-up usage with Sacramento address on back, three strikes of red "Alta Express Company San Francisco" oval handstamp (two on franked entire), narrow piece torn from other envelope, Very Fine, scarce, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 400-500

4083

Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10) to San Francisco street address, ms. "13" on embossed stamp, small opening nick at top, Very Fine (Image)

E. 300-400

4084

Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 2) and blue "Alta Express Co. San Francisco Oct. 10" oval datestamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U9) to Sacramento, horizontal crease at top, lightly soiled, otherwise Fine, ex Barkhausen and Chaloner (Image)

E. 300-400

4085

Alta Express Co. Printed frank (Haller FA3, Ty. 1) on 10c Green Nesbitt entire (U16) to Potter Hill N.Y., entered the regular mails in California with blue "Marysville Cal. Paid By Stamps Oct. 3" circular datestamp and matching grid of squares cancel, forwarded to Mentor O. with ms. "Potter Hill Nov. 9 Fored 3" postmark, pencil docketing on back, Very Fine, the Alta Express Co. used 3c entires almost exclusively, this is the only 10c entire we were able to locate in major sales of Western Express covers (the Knapp collection had one uprated 3c entire), unlisted in Haller on a 10c entire and undoubtedly of very great rarity (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500