Sale 67: The Westpex Sale

Lot 1451    

(Wyoming) Ft. Laramie, O.R., crude undated cds with handstamped "June 15" month and day and handstamped "Paid" and negative "3" in circle rate marking on small 1852 stampless folded letter to Ohio, minor corner wear, accompanied by color photocopy as well as handwritten transcription of the letter, also accompanied by photocopy of a La Posta article about Fort Laramie and other research papers, F.-V.F., an excellent strike of this postmark.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

A RARE OREGON TRAIL LETTER MAILED AT FORT LARAMIE.

A Post Office at Fort Laramie on the Oregon Route or Oregon Trail across the plains was established in 1850. The Post Office was located in unorganized territory but attached to Oregon Territory for administrative purposes.

This letter was written by one John N. Hanes to his brother. The letter is datelined "Plains, June the 10 1852" and reads in part "we crossed the Missouri River May the 15…. We shall get to Fort Laramie today and then we will be 523 miles from Council Bluffs and we will have 1381 miles further to go. There is twenty men 6 wagons 18 horses in our company…. Now I must let you know about the buffalo hunt… we wounded 8 but got none…. pasture is very poor through here but our teams look well yet but if we don't find better feed they will have hard times before they get through to Salt Lake…. be sure and write to me and direct your letter to Sacramento City, Upper California.".

Realized: $7,500

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1452    

(Benton) Corvallis, Oregon, Feb 1, cds with reversed "S" (Whittlesey 1, R A) and handstamped "Paid 3" in circle rate marking on stampless embossed lady's cover to Independence, edge wear, top backflap replaced, Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $160

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1453    

(Benton) Jennyopolis, O.T., March 28/ 54, manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R B) with manuscript "5" rate marking on stampless cover, Foster correspondence to Oregon City O.T., minor corner wear, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Jennyopolis Post Office operated for five years only 1852-1857. Scarcity Index 9 in Helbock's books.

Realized: $550

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1454    

(Benton) Marysville, O.T., Feb 12/ 51, early manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R B) and "Paid 40" manuscript rate marking on stampless folded letter (outer sheet only with no contents) to Michigan, a couple small stains, Very Fine, the earliest recorded Marysville manuscript postmark and a rare "40" rate Oregon territorial.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Marysville Post Office, which was the forerunner of the Corvallis Post Office, operated for four years only 1850-1854. Scarcity Index 9 in Helbock's books.

Realized: $425

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1455    

(Clackamas) Milwaukie, O.T., March 8, manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R A) on cover to Massachusetts, 1851 3¢ dull red pair canceled by pen scribbles, a couple short edge tears, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $300

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1456    

(Clackamas) Oregon City, Orgn., Dec 28, early balloon cds (Whittlesey 2, R B-A) and manuscript "40" rate marking on homemade stampless cover to Massachusetts, a couple stains, accompanied by original 1850 letter from a man to his brother with content touching on an array of topics including land claims, Oregon politics, mining, agriculture, and speaking "Chinook jargon" with the Indians while trading with them, F.-V.F., a rare "40" rate Oregon territorial with a good letter.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The Post Office at Oregon City was authorized in March of 1847 just three weeks after the Post Office at Astoria. As with Astoria, however, the Oregon City Post Office did not actually function until there were regular mail routes along the Pacific Coast beginning in 1849. Interestingly, the first handstamped postmarks used in both Oregon City and Astoria incorporated the odd "Orgn." abbreviation for Oregon.

Realized: $250

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1457    

(Clackamas) Oregon City, Orgn., Feb 9, uncommonly clear balloon cds (Whittlesey 2, R B-A) on legal-size cover to Washington D.C., 1851 3¢ orange brown strip of four (97-98-99-100L2E pencil notation) with grid cancels and just tied (double 6¢ rate), cover refolded to appear somewhat smaller, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $290

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1458    

(Clackamas) Oregon City, Orgn., Jul 9, balloon cds (Whittlesey 2, R B-A) on 1853 6¢ green Nesbitt entire to Washington D.C., uprated to meet the 1855 transcontinental rate with 1851 1¢ blue type IV (bottom right corner selvage copy) and 1851 3¢ orange brown (right selvage copy) both tied by bold pen stroke, indicia cancelled by an additional pen stroke, docket at left, flattened horizontal crease, still Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1459    

(Clackamas) Oswego, O.T., Apr 9th, manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R B) ties 1851 10¢ green type I (Scott 13) on cover to Kansas Territory, small edge stain, minor corner wear, Very Fine, only one other territorial cover is recorded from his town.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $575

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1460    

(Clatsop) Astoria, Orgn., May 15, balloon cds with manuscript day (Whittlesey 2, R C) and manuscript "Paid 6" rate marking on stampless folded letter (outer sheet only with no contents) to Joseph Lane, Oregon Territory's Delegate to Congress in Washington D.C., original 1852 letter concerning land claims evidently remains in the archives of the Oregon Historical Society but photocopy accompanies, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

The Post Office at Astoria was authorized in March of 1847 and, as such, was the first Post Office in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains.

Realized: $230

email this lot to a friend