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Wells, Fargo & Co, Pony Express, $1.00 red, mostly good to large margins all around, close but clear at right, bright shade, tied to red Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank 10c green Nesbitt entire (U15) by blue "Pony Express San Francisco / Sep 7" oval, cover further affixed with two 3c dull red Type II and two 10c green Type V, the 3c adhesives tied by blue Running Pony, they and the balance further postmarked by red New York Foreign Mail Office grid cancellations, to Pietro Martinelli in Maggia, Ticino, Switzerland, reverse with red "New-York Br. Pkt. / Sep 25" c.d.s., front with various accountancy markings, violet "12" manuscript credit mark, boxed red "Aachen 8 10 / Franco" and manuscript "f2" and "6", backstamped Basel (9 Oct), Lucerne (10 Oct) and Locarno, accompanying certificate notes the removal of some staining, else a very fine and dramatic entire, one of only six Pony Express covers recorded to foreign destinations, this being the unique example to Switzerland; with 2003 Philatelic Foundation certificate. FKW Census E155.
Provenance:
Dale-Lichtenstein, H.R. Harmer,   May 13, 2004.
Thurston Twigg-Smith, R.A Siegel Auction Galleries, December, 2009
 
Covers of the Pony Express are among the most renowned in philately.  The striking appearance of these postal artifacts cannot help but conjure romantic images of America’s westward expansion. The example offered here is, in our view, among the most attractive Pony Express covers extant, the exceptional 36c franking overpaying by 1c the Prussian Closed Mail rate. The exhaustive Frajola – Kramer – Walske Census records six covers to destinations outside of the United States, with one example recorded to each of England, France, Germany, Prince Edward Island, Scotland, and Switzerland.  This is furthermore the only Pony Express cover with this particular franking.

This cover would have been transported on the eastbound Pony Express that departed San Francisco on Saturday, September 7; the only such cover recorded in the FKW Census. It was carried from New York via British Packet, then onwards through Aachen and conveyed  via Prussian Closed Mail, traveling south from Basel to its eventual recipient, Pietro Martinelli in Maggia. At this time Australia and the United States, particularly California, became popular destinations for Swiss immigrants from the Maggia Valley. A period of economic hardship in the region combined with the promise of riches that could be had from gold rushes in both countries encouraged many to leave the Ticino area to seek their fortune abroad. Our research uncovered several further covers from various origins in California and Victoria, Australia - also a centre of gold mining - to different addressees in the Ticino area, including an 1862 Wells Fargo advertising cover als to Maggia, attesting to the allure of the gold rush to those who left the region to seek a better life. 
 
A cover of exceptional beauty, and an iconic rarity.
 
 
 

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Wells, Fargo & Co, Pony Express, $1.00 red, four mostly large even margins, on red PAID / Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank 10c green star die stationery cover, postmarked "St. Joseph Mo. / Sep / 14", adhesive tied by faint "Wells, Fargo & Co / Carson City" oval, date indistinct, to Philadelphia, some light uniform wear from use, small gum adhesion on stamp, entire repaired at left, else scarce and fine.  (FWK Census E152).  This cover, a way letter, was carried on the eastern journey of the Pony Express, departing San Francisco on Saturday, August 31, 1861, arriving in St. Joseph two weeks later on September 14. It is one of only five way letters recorded carried during the Fourth Rate Period, and the only recorded example carried on this trip.

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Wells, Fargo & Co, Pony Express, $1.00 red, good to large margins, on 10c green star die stationery entire with red Wells, Fargo & Co printed frank, tied by neatly-struck blue oval "Pony Express / Sacramento / Sep 22", both partially overtop manuscript "Pony Express", postmarked with "Atchison Kan / Oct / 5" double-circle c.d.s., to New York City, endorsed at lower left "Please keep at the / N.Y. Office till called for.", oval "New York Post Office / ADVERTISED" in black and "New York / Oct 15" c.d.s. backstamp, not collected as indicated and struck with oval "P.O. Department Dead Letter Office / Mar 11 / 1862" adhesive with some wrinkles, particularly near "Co.",  repaired tears, yet a rare late usage of tremendous visual appeal; ex Knapp, Haas. FKW Census E165.

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Wells, Fargo & Co, 1861, 10c green entire (U18), with printed “1/2 Ounce Paid from St. Joseph to Placerville per Pony Express” printed frank in red, script “Agent of Pony Express” alongside, indicia cancelled with black four-ring target, postmarked with “New-York / Oct / 26” double-circle c.d.s., circular “Pony Express / The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak / Express Company / Oct 31 / St. Joseph” datestamp, to De Witt, Kettle & Co in San Francisco, with embossed return address of the company’s New York office on back flap, endorsed “the last kick of the Pony” in manuscript at top, docketed on reverse “the last ‘Pony Express’ received” and dated “Rec’d Nov. 21st 1861”, small piece torn from back corner, some light uniform aging, a striking cover, intended for the final westbound journey of the Pony Express. (FKW Census W70).

Note: The completion of the telegraph line to New York in October, 1861, heralded the end of the Pony Express as the most effective method for the time-sensitive conveyance of news. The cover here, postmarked in New York only a few days after completion of the telegraph, was sent with the intention of transport by Pony Express; news of the service’s cancellation had likely not yet been received. Frajola, Kramer, and Walske conclude that this cover would have been part of the mails which were bagged in St. Joseph by the Express agent as pony mail, but put on the daily overland mail stagecoaches from Atchison. Though ultimately not delivered via Pony Express, it remains a fascinating and remarkable cover, and an artifact of the final days of an iconic era of American history.

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Wells] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 10c brown, margins clear to large, showing portion of adjoining stamp at foot, tied to Wells Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery cover, with printed frank, adhesive and indicia each cancelled by blue oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Silver City, Utah / Express" oval, to San Francisco, professionally restored along either side, a most attractive and rare cover, examples from Silver City rather than Virginia City being rarely offered.

Get Market Data for [United States 143L7] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 25c blue, margins touching on two sides, large at foot, showing frameline of adjoining stamp, tied to 3c pink Wells, Fargo & Co postal stationery cover with printed frank by blue oval "Wells, Fargo & Co / Gold Hill Utah / Express", to Yreka, California, docketing indicates receipt on May 3, 1863, a pleasing and very fine entire of great scarcity; ex Emerson, Knapp.
After the termination of the transcontinental Pony Express, Wells, Fargo & Co. established an express route from San Francisco to Virginia City, Nevada Territory. To denote payment, Wells Fargo issued three new stamps, a 10c brown, 25c blue, and 25c red, similar in design to the earlier issues used on the Pony Express.  The docketing of this cover of May 3, 1863, falls in the period in which the 25c adhesive would have paid the single letter rate, which had been increased from 10c in February.
Gold Hill, Utah, was on the Virginia City route, and the "Utah" cancellation continued to be used even after the Gold Hill region became part of the Nevada Territory, which it had two months to the day of this cover was posted.

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Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 25c blue, mostly full margins all around, close at right, tied to 3c Wells, Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery cover with printed frank, cancelled by "Wells, Fargo & Co Aurora / Express" oval in blue, from the Crittenden correspondence, to C.C. (Clara Churchill) Crittenden in San Francisco, manuscript notation at left "No 1313. Taylor St / Read & let no one else", the odd trivial light crease, repaired tear at top, torn above adhesive, a rare and attractive cover, written in the hand of her son, Howard.

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Wells Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, 1862-4, 25c red, straddle pane strip of four, plus two singles, these with two large margins at left, all with other margins clear to into frameline, tied to cover by blue circular "Wells, Fargo & Co Express / 20 APR" c.d.s., to the Clerk of the District Court, County of Storey, Virginia City, Nevada Territory, partial notary's embossed seal on reverse, clerk's docketing on back indicates receipt on April 22, 1864, the likely enclosed heavy legal documents accounting for the $1.50 franking which paid for 3 oz, cover reduced at left and right, reverse with significant adhesions, adhesives with various faults including horizontal fold and some tears, among the largest frankings extant, covers with seven and eight 25c red adhesives having been offered in previous "Erivan" sales, a most remarkable Virginia City Pony Express cover.

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Wells, Fargo & Co, Virginia City Pony Express, $2.00 red, full to very large margins on three sides, touching frameline at top, tied to Wells, Fargo & Co. 3c pink postal stationery cover with printed frank, cancelled by "Wells, Fargo & Co. Virginia Cty. / Mar 2" oval datestamp, from the Crittenden correspondence, to Clara Crittenden at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in San Francisco, written in the hand of her husband, Alexander Parker Crittenden, a rare franking and rermarkably fresh entire, this from the last day of use of the Virginia City Pony; with 1981 Philatelic Foundation certificate.
Alexander Parker Crittenden, a Kentucky native from an influential family, was a prominent West Coast attorney.  He established a legal practice in San Francisco, and served as leader of the southern wing of the California Democratic Party.  In 1863, unwilling to swear "true fealty and allegiance" to the government of the United States following a legislative mandate, he relocated Virginia City.

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Fish, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff A-12, choice strike ties 3c rose to cover to Saugatuck, Connecticut, further tied by neatly-struck "Waterbury Con / Aug / 20 /66" c.d.s., stamp with shorter perfs at left, roughly opened through back flap, an ideal example of this rare fancy cancel; ex Jackson, Rohloff, Eubanks (Private transactions). Illustrated in Rohloff, fig. 14, page 20).

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Large Bee, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff A-13, nearly complete strike on 1c buff, adhesive with corner crease and tiny tear at bottom right, pulled perf at top right corner, yet a remarkably bold example of this famed fancy cancel; with 2023 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

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Small Bee, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff A-14, ideal strike on 3c postal stationery cover, postmarked "Waterbury CT / Feb / 4", to Wolcott, cover with some adhesion marks, reduced at right just touching indicia, but a very fine strike of this intricate fancy cancel, with full strikes on cover being extremely rare. 

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Small Bee] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

Bridgeport Fireman, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff E-6, complete strike showing "BF’ in hat and most details of face, tying 3c rose to cover to Wurstboro, New York, "Waterbury Con / Apr / 26 / 66" c.d.s. alongside, some very light aging at right, stamp lightly oxidized, not detracting from this rare and attractive fancy cancel, recorded in use only between April 25 and May 8, 1866.

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Bridgeport Fireman, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff E-6, bold, somewhat worn impression ties 1861 3c rose to cover to Saugatuck, Connecticut, Watebury c.d.s. (7 May) alongside, a clean and fresh cover, with slight adhesive residue on reverse, stamp with small piece torn at upper left, cancellation extensively enhanced, yet a visually-pleasing example of this ever-popular cancellation, signed Dr. Jackson, but omitted from his 1970 R.A. Siegel sale; with 2020 Philatelic Foundation certificate.
Provenance:
Dr. Glenn Jackson (Private Transaction)
Paul C. Rohloff (Private Transaction)
Gordon Eubanks (Private Transaction)
John R. Boker Jr. (Private Transaction)
Rohloff records no more than eight covers known of this highly recognizable design. While this certainly underestimates the true number of examples extant,  it remains one of the most popular and desirable of all United States fancy cancels.
 

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Old Woman in Bonnet, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff E-10, two bold strikes tie 2c black F Grill and 1c buff to cover to West Meriden, Connecticut, postmarked "Waterbury CT / Mar / 14", printed corner card, opened on two sides and slightly reduced at left, a remarkable two-issue usage, and one of the most renowned of the Waterbury fancy cancels. 
Provenance:
Katharine Matthies
Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie's New York, September 28-9, lot 606)

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Woman in Bonnet Facing Left, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff E-11, exceptional strike on 3c pink postal stationery cover, adjacent ideal strike of "Waterbury Con  / Apr / 27 / 66" double-circle c.d.s., to Saugatuck, Ct., printed return address of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Co., extremely fine, and the only recorded example of this fancy cancel, this choice strike showing the intricate detail of this exceptional design; illustrated in Rohloff (Fig. 81A), ex-Sampson, Hauser (Christie's Robson Lowe, December 13, 1990, lot 24).

Chrysanthemum, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff F-3, near-complete strike on 3c ultramarine, tied to cover to Southbury, Connecticut, from the Chase correspondence, postmarked "Waterbury / CT / Jan / 24", reduced at right, barely touching a few perfs and not detracting from the appeal of this rare  cancellation, with only a handful of examples recorded on cover, an outstanding fancy cancel; ex Mechin, Hauser (Christie's Robson Lowe, December 13, 1990, lot 27). 

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Heart With Arrow Pointing Down, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff J-5, ideal strike ties 3c green to locally-addressed cover, adjacent crisp "Waterbury / CT / Feb / 14" datestamp, a choice strike of this fancy cancel, one of ten examples on cover recorded in the Crowe census and arguably the finest example extant, particularly desirable used on Valentine's Day, extremely fine, ex Weiss, 1990 Philatelic Foundation certificate no longer accompanies.

Heart With Arrow Pointing Down to Right, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff J-5, bold strike ties 1869 3c ultramarine to cover to Belmont, New York, "Waterbury Ct” c.d.s. alongside (14 Feb), a fresh and particularly desirable example of this popular strike on a Pictorial issue, Rohloff records no more than five examples, while the Crowe census records ten examples on cover, scarce and very fine.

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Circle of Hearts Enclosing Six-Point Rosette, Waterbury, Connecticut, Rohloff J-11, near-full strike on 3c rose on cover postmarked "Waterbury Con / Sep / 14 / 1867", to Blackstone, Massachusetts, cover slightly reduced along top, clear of adhesive, slight edge staining, a fine example, one of only five on cover reported in the Crowe census, and the latest reported date of use; ex Rohloff, Eubanks.

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