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Sale 26: The Westpex Sale

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U.S. Postal History: California Mail Routes

Lots 173-182 Lots 183-188

Lot 173    

(Overland Mail Routes), Overland/Via/Los Angeles. Three-line imprint in red on 1853-55 10¢ green on buff Nesbitt entire to Rehoboth, Mass. with clearly struck San Francisco/Sep. 2, 1859 cds, few tiny age specks and a tiny tear at left, Very Fine and choice.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

In September 1858 the Overland Mail Company started regular semi-weekly stagecoach service along the so-called "Butterfield Route" between San Francisco and St. Louis via Los Angeles. A variety of markings, printed and handstamped, were used on mail to designate this route. This "Overland via Los Angeles" three-line imprint is found on 3¢ and 10¢ Nesbitt entires, in red or black, with or without the Wells, Fargo & Company's frank, and one plain envelope. There are approximately 18 entires in total (excluding the plain envelope with a 10¢ adhesive) are recorded. There are 9 on the 3¢ and 9 on the 10¢.

This is one of only eight or nine 10¢ imprinted entires. Further, it is one of two examples with only red imprint on an entire without the Wells, Fargo & Co. frank.

Realized: $2,100

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Lot 174    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Nicaragua Line/In Advance/Of The Mails. Bold strike of oval handstamp on cover to Stockton with franked with two 1851 3¢ dull red (top stamp large margins, tiny tear, bottom stamp defective) cancelled with manuscript strokes, cover handed over to Adams Express company for transmission to Stockton with their blue oval handstamp of San Francisco over the Nicaragua marking, Extremely Fine, This cover is one of only a very few incoming covers from the East, which was handed directly to Adams & was never handled by the Post Office, illustrated in Ashbrook Vol. II, which states, "Covers showing via Nicaragua marking that traveled from east to west are extremely rare.", he goes to state that he has seen only four covers with this Via Nicaragua marking going in either direction.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 175    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Via Nicaragua./Ahead of the Mails/Leland. Red truncated box on 1854 cover to Rochester, N.Y. franked with pair 1851 3¢ dull red (cut in) tied by light "San Francisco" cds with manuscript "Per Nicaragua Mail/Nov 8th, 1854", some cover wear, Very Fine, a lovely strike of the much scarcer Leland handstamp.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $1,000

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Lot 176    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Via Nicaragua/Ahead of the Mails. Red two line handstamp on 1853-55 6¢ Nesbitt entire to Kenosha Wis., cancelled in transit by bold "New York" cds, Very Fine and scarce.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $1,050

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Lot 177    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Via. Nicaragua/In Advance Of The Mails/Sullivan. Red double oval handstamp with "Supplied from J. W. Sullivan Newspaper Office" black double oval on full double page October 27, 1854 issue of the New York Herald newspaper, one small tear in front page, Very Fine and rare, a stunning item for the specialist.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $1,000

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Lot 178    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Noisy Carriers. Locally addressed cover with red Paid in oval and endorsed "$12.50 enclosed" at top left, reduced at right into postmark, Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $35

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Lot 179    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Noisy Carrier's Mail. Boxed handstamp on two different covers, 1st cover to Fitchburg Mass. franked with two 1851 10¢ Type II tied by San Francisco cds, 2nd on 1853-55 10¢ Nesbitt entire to New York with San Francisco cds, some small faults, Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $230

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Lot 180    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Pacific Mail Steamship Company's Oval Steam Markings. The incredible set of 4 Oval Steam Markings used in association with the 4 stops of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's ships running from Panama to San Francisco, 47 covers total are recorded by Fred Mayer on the Frajola website, he also states 7 known for Acapulco and 4 for Manzanillo, note all have a comma after Steam except for Acapulco, which has a period, also all have San Francisco receipts postmarks. Following is a description of each cover: oval Steam,/Panama on white cover with San Francisco double circle postmark & matching contract steamship rate "10" marking, addressed to Sacramento, Cal.; oval Steam, Mazatlan on white cover to Sacramento with straight line "Due 7" and San Francisco cds with killer tying 1861 3¢ on cover, manuscript notation "U.S. Stmr 'Resaca'/Mazatlan, Mex" at upper left; oval Steam./Acapulco. on yellow cover to San Francisco (addressed to "Chips", long time Wells, Fargo & Co. agent) with San Francisco, Cal. duplex cogwheel postmark & contract steamship rate "10" marking; oval Steam,/Manzanillo. on yellow cover to San Francisco with San Francisco, Cal./Dec. 7, 1864 double circle postmark & matching contract steamship rate "10" marking, a wonderful group, only a few very light wrinkles, Very Fine, a unique opportunity to acquire this rare group.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

Realized: $7,000

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Lot 181    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Via Panama. Wonderful illustrated corner card showing Steamship with imprint "Published by Randal & Co., Marysville" on cover to Almont, Mich., franked with 1857 10¢ green type V (small defect) cancelled by segmented grid with "Timbuctoo, Cal" cds (Williams YUB-1570) alongside, struck twice as first strike contained incorrect date slug of "Aug. 20", corrected in manuscript to "30", 2nd strike shows corrected date slug of "Aug. 30", Extremely Fine, a California gem, ex-Knapp.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

Realized: $2,700

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Lot 182    

(Pacific Maritime Mail) Via Panama. Steamship illustration with imprint of "Geo. H. Bell, Stationer, 153 Montgomery St. San Francisco" on yellow cover, franked with 1857 1¢ blue, type V + three 3¢ dull red tied by "Santa Rosa, Cal." cds to Varna, NY., adhesives with few minor faults & part of cover reinforced on back, Very Fine and attractive.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

Realized: $1,350

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Lots 173-182 Lots 183-188

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