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
4196		Hopkinson's Express. Printed frank in ornamental border (Haller FH13, Ty. 2a) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to Nevada City Cal., reduced at left, otherwise Very Fine, extremely rare frank from Hopkinson's second term of ownership (1865-on) (Image)	E. 750-1,000
4197		Horn's Tri-Weekly Express. Purple handstamped frank (Haller FH14) over Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank on 3c Green entire (U164) to San Francisco, slightly reduced at right, Very Fine, rare frank applied by this small express operating along the Scott River (always on Wells, Fargo & Co. entires) (Image)	E. 500-750
4198		Horsley & Brastow's Express, Scott River. Clear strike of blue oval handstamp on rebacked cover front to Yreka Cal., Fine appearance, this short-lived express was started by Jack Horsley and S. D. Brastow (two of Cram, Rogers & Co.'s messengers), they carried mail from Shasta to Yreka and the Scott River region, as well as southern points in Oregon, after only ten months the express ceased to operate, this is the basis of the Nathan listing, the absence of another example in any of the major Western Express collections we have reviewed leads us to believe it may be the only example extant, ex Edwards (Image)	E. 500-750
4199		Hunter & Co.'s Express. Clear strike of double-oval handstamp with horse and rider on buff cover to Sacramento, red "New Bedford Ms. Aug. 7" circular datestamp and "10" rate handstamp, ms. "Greenwood 1.35" ($1.25 express fee plus 10c postage, reduced at right, couple light bleach spots, o/w Fine (Image)	E. 400-500
4200		Keene & Hurley's Express. "Paid Over All Stage and Express Lines from Ruby City, W.T." frank over Keene & Hurley return card ("General Merchandise and Agents for All Stage Lines") on 2c Red Brown entire (U278) to Portland Ore., "Spokane Falls Wash. Jan. 14, 10PM, 1888" circular datestamp and star cancel, receiving backstamp, flap tear just into frank, otherwise Fine, very rare express frank, Keene & Hurley served Ruby City in northwestern Washington by carrying mail to and from Spokane Falls, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (Image)	E. 500-750
4201		Kennedy & Co.'s Half Moon Bay & Pescadero Express. Blue printed frank (Haller FK3, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to San Francisco where it entered mails with "San Francisco Cal. Mar. 3" datestamp and rosette cancel, ms. "K" at bottom left, Very Fine, this small express carried mail along the coast between San Francisco and Pescadero, illustrated in Letters of Gold, ex Edwards (Image)	E. 750-1,000
4202		Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to San Francisco, clearly struck "Lamping & Cos. Express Downieville" oval handstamp, conjunctive use with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Aug. 8" oval datestamp, Extremely Fine, Lamping's Express (successor to Langton) served the Downieville mining region and connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Marysville, a variety of franks were produced, but few examples are of this exceptionally choice quality (Image)	E. 750-1,000
4203		Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1, vertical format) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to San Francisco, partly clear strike of "Lamping & Cos. Express Downieville" oval handstamp, conjunctive use with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Jul. 31" oval datestamp, Very Fine (Image)	E. 400-500
4204		Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to Sacramento, "Lamping & Co. Express Crest. City" (Crescent City) oval handstamp, no other markings, carried exclusively by Lamping, Very Fine, scarce usage (Image)	E. 400-500
4205		Langton's Express Downieville Dec. 12. Black oval handstamp with matching "Pioneer Express, Downieville Cal. S.W.L." (Samuel W. Langton's initials) negative seal and "Paid" in double-line oval handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, large blue "Langton's Pioneer Express Marysville" double-line oval and matching "Reply by Langton's Pioneer Express." two-line backstamp, Extremely Fine, although it seems obvious to us that the Langton Downieville office applied all three markings (the negative seal and "Paid" probably as a frank before the oval datestamp), the accompanying 2004 P.F. certificate equivocates "Genuine usage, but decline opinion as to whether the negative marking at top left is an express company marking or a station agent's seal" -- nonetheless an outstanding Langton's cover, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500
4206		Langton's Pioneer Express, Carson City. Partly clear blue oval handstamp and agent's "Free" ms. endorsement on yellow cover to William H. Russell, one of the principals in the Pony Express, at Virginia City N.T., backflap removed, otherwise Very Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)	E. 300-400

Western Expresses (Adams thru Langton) continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

4196

Hopkinson's Express. Printed frank in ornamental border (Haller FH13, Ty. 2a) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to Nevada City Cal., reduced at left, otherwise Very Fine, extremely rare frank from Hopkinson's second term of ownership (1865-on) (Image)

E. 750-1,000

4197

Horn's Tri-Weekly Express. Purple handstamped frank (Haller FH14) over Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank on 3c Green entire (U164) to San Francisco, slightly reduced at right, Very Fine, rare frank applied by this small express operating along the Scott River (always on Wells, Fargo & Co. entires) (Image)

E. 500-750

4198

Horsley & Brastow's Express, Scott River. Clear strike of blue oval handstamp on rebacked cover front to Yreka Cal., Fine appearance, this short-lived express was started by Jack Horsley and S. D. Brastow (two of Cram, Rogers & Co.'s messengers), they carried mail from Shasta to Yreka and the Scott River region, as well as southern points in Oregon, after only ten months the express ceased to operate, this is the basis of the Nathan listing, the absence of another example in any of the major Western Express collections we have reviewed leads us to believe it may be the only example extant, ex Edwards (Image)

E. 500-750

4199

Hunter & Co.'s Express. Clear strike of double-oval handstamp with horse and rider on buff cover to Sacramento, red "New Bedford Ms. Aug. 7" circular datestamp and "10" rate handstamp, ms. "Greenwood 1.35" ($1.25 express fee plus 10c postage, reduced at right, couple light bleach spots, o/w Fine (Image)

E. 400-500

4200

Keene & Hurley's Express. "Paid Over All Stage and Express Lines from Ruby City, W.T." frank over Keene & Hurley return card ("General Merchandise and Agents for All Stage Lines") on 2c Red Brown entire (U278) to Portland Ore., "Spokane Falls Wash. Jan. 14, 10PM, 1888" circular datestamp and star cancel, receiving backstamp, flap tear just into frank, otherwise Fine, very rare express frank, Keene & Hurley served Ruby City in northwestern Washington by carrying mail to and from Spokane Falls, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

E. 500-750

4201

Kennedy & Co.'s Half Moon Bay & Pescadero Express. Blue printed frank (Haller FK3, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U59) to San Francisco where it entered mails with "San Francisco Cal. Mar. 3" datestamp and rosette cancel, ms. "K" at bottom left, Very Fine, this small express carried mail along the coast between San Francisco and Pescadero, illustrated in Letters of Gold, ex Edwards (Image)

E. 750-1,000

4202

Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to San Francisco, clearly struck "Lamping & Cos. Express Downieville" oval handstamp, conjunctive use with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Aug. 8" oval datestamp, Extremely Fine, Lamping's Express (successor to Langton) served the Downieville mining region and connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Marysville, a variety of franks were produced, but few examples are of this exceptionally choice quality (Image)

E. 750-1,000

4203

Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1, vertical format) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to San Francisco, partly clear strike of "Lamping & Cos. Express Downieville" oval handstamp, conjunctive use with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Jul. 31" oval datestamp, Very Fine (Image)

E. 400-500

4204

Lamping & Co.'s Express. Printed frank (Haller FL1, Ty. 1) on 3c Pink entire (U58) to Sacramento, "Lamping & Co. Express Crest. City" (Crescent City) oval handstamp, no other markings, carried exclusively by Lamping, Very Fine, scarce usage (Image)

E. 400-500

4205

Langton's Express Downieville Dec. 12. Black oval handstamp with matching "Pioneer Express, Downieville Cal. S.W.L." (Samuel W. Langton's initials) negative seal and "Paid" in double-line oval handstamp on 3c Red Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, large blue "Langton's Pioneer Express Marysville" double-line oval and matching "Reply by Langton's Pioneer Express." two-line backstamp, Extremely Fine, although it seems obvious to us that the Langton Downieville office applied all three markings (the negative seal and "Paid" probably as a frank before the oval datestamp), the accompanying 2004 P.F. certificate equivocates "Genuine usage, but decline opinion as to whether the negative marking at top left is an express company marking or a station agent's seal" -- nonetheless an outstanding Langton's cover, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

4206

Langton's Pioneer Express, Carson City. Partly clear blue oval handstamp and agent's "Free" ms. endorsement on yellow cover to William H. Russell, one of the principals in the Pony Express, at Virginia City N.T., backflap removed, otherwise Very Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

E. 300-400