Sale 26: The Westpex Sale

Lot 456    

Wells Fargo & Co./Victoria Dec. 5. Blue oval datestamp on 10¢ Green entire (U41) with printed Company frank with Leaf cancel to London, England (unaddressed paste-up usage), additionally franked with 1861 12¢ Black 1867 2¢ Black, E Grill tied by Leaf cancels with clear strike of blue "35" oval grid indicating prepayment of internal postage at Victoria, Vancouver Island, red London receiving datestamp (Jan. 9, 1869)

VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY EXPRESS USAGE FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND TO ENGLAND, SHOWING PROVISIONAL USE OF THE "35" CANCELLING DEVICE TO INDICATE PREPAID POSTAGE.

Wells, Fargo & Co. prepared franked entires with Vancouver Island/British Columbia postage by applying adhesive stamps or, presumably when stamps were not available, by having the post office apply its Coat of Arms oval or "35" oval grid. This rare example of the "35" provisional handstamp was prepaid with 24c U.S. postage for the double 12c rate to England. By the time the cover was received in London, the rate had already been reduced from 12¢ to 6¢ (effective Jan. 1, 1869).

ex-Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 69+87    Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.

Realized: $6,750

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Lot 457    

Wells Fargo & Co./Victoria Jun 25. Blue oval datestamp on 10¢ Green entire (U40) with printed Company frank with Leaf cancel to London, England, additionally franked with United States 2¢ Black, E. Grill (87) just tied by Leaf cancel in combination with Vancouver Island 1865 5c Rose (5), manuscript. "#" cancel and tied by neat strike of "35" blue oval grid of Victoria, markings include red New York and London transits, 1868 usage, small mended tear at top right corner

VERY FINE AND CHOICE, A RARE USAGE OF THE 1868 2-CENT GRILLED BLACK JACK ON A WELLS, FARGO & CO. EXPRESS ENTIRE FROM VICTORIA, VANCOUVER ISLAND, TO LONDON, ENGLAND.

The rate to England was reduced from 24¢ to 12¢, effective January 1, 1868. This is a correct mixed franking for the 5c internal Vancouver Island postage and the 12¢ rate from the U.S. to England. Illustrated in color in Robson Lowe's The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps, Vol. V

Ex Haas and McCracken. With 2004 P.F. certificate.
Estimate    $7,500 - 10,000.

Realized: $6,500

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Lot 458    

Wells Fargo & Co./Victoria Jun 7. Blue oval datestamp on 10¢ Green entire (U41) with printed Company frank to London, England, additionally franked with 2¢ Black + 12¢ black, F. Grills (90+93) tied by quartered cork cancels with blue "Post Office Victoria V.I." Coat of Arms oval handstamp, markings include red New York (Jun. 22) and London (Jul. 3, 1869) transits, London receiving backstamp, sender's "7/6/69" origin date (Jun. 7) and "recd 5/7/69" receipt docketing (Jul. 5), opened at top causing cut thru edge of 10¢ embossed stamp. top left corner repaired (small part of oval drawn in)

A FINE-APPEARING AND COLORFUL MIXED-FRANKING WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY EXPRESS COVER FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND TO ENGLAND WITH AN UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF UNITED STATES GRILLED ISSUES FOR THE DOUBLE 12-CENT RATE.

The treaty rate from the U.S. to England was reduced to 12¢, effective January 1, 1868, and again reduced to 6¢, effective January 1, 1870. This June 1869 usage is a double 12¢ U.S. rate with the Victoria Coat of Arms oval handstamp representing 5c prepaid internal postage.

Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2004 P.F. certificate.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

Realized: $2,600

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Lot 459    

Wells Fargo & Co./Victoria, Jan. 9. Blue oval datestamp and Wells, Fargo & Co. frank on 10¢ Green entire (U41) to San Francisco, used with British Columbia 1865 5c Rose (5), wing margin at left, tied by blue "Paid" in oval, small opening nick at bottom right, otherwise Very Fine, a beautiful and clean mixed-franking express usage from Victoria, ex-Dale-Lichtenstein, with 2004 P.F. certificate.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

Realized: $1,200

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Lot 460    

Wells Fargo & Co., 1862-64, 25¢ blue. Oval date stamp tying Wells Fargo & Co., 1862-64, 25¢ blue (margins to just into frameline at top right) on 1861, 3¢ pink entire to San Francisco, Cal., black company frank with slight diagonal shift; cover with professional restoration at right including portion of indicia and cancel, Very Fine appearance.
Scott No. 143L8+U35    $4,000.

Realized: $950

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Lot 461    

Wells Fargo & Co./Virginia, Nev. Blue oval handstamp on 1870-71 12¢ legal size entire with printed address to San Francisco with Company frank, the entire is complete with intact wax seal on reverse of the Agency Cal. Bank, Virginai City, Very Fine, a very rare use of this entire.
Scott No. U94    Estimate $300 - 400.

Realized: $325

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Lot 462    

Wells Fargo & Co./Visalia. Blue oval handstamp on 1870-71 3¢ green entire with black company frank addessed to San Francisco, Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $50

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Lot 463    

Wells Fargo/Watsonville. Oval handstamp (Leutzinger Type 3-10) with company frank (Haller Type E) on 1861 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $55

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Lot 464    

Wells Fargo & Co./Woodland. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger Type 11-9) on 1864-65 3¢ Nesbitt entire with company frank (Haller Type E) to San Francisco, Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $75

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Lot 465    

Wells Fargo & Co./Wrights, Cal. Purple oval handstamp (Leutzinger Type 10-14) on franked (Haller type J) 2¢ brown 1884 entire to Oakland, Cal., Very Fine and choice, a rare marking.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $350

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