Berford & Co.'s Express, New York N.Y., 10¢ Violet, Horizontal Tete-Beche Pair. Large margins, used with 10¢ vertical pair, also large margins, uncancelled, the vertical pair tied by two letters of address "For Lieut. Madison Rush, U.S. Ship 'St. Lawrence' Valparaiso", receipt docketing on back "Recd. at Valparaiso, March 21st, 1852", the stamps and cover are in pristine conditionEXTREMELY FINE. ONLY TWO COVERS BEARING THE BERFORD'S 10-CENT TETE-BECHE VARIETY ARE RECORDED, BOTH ADDRESSED TO LIEUTENANT RUSH AT VALPARAISO. ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR OF ALL COVERS CARRIED BY A PRIVATE MAIL FIRM, COMBINING PHILATELIC RARITY AND POSTAL HISTORY SIGNIFICANCE INTO ONE EXTRAORDINARY USAGE.Richard G. Berford and Loring L. Lombard operated the Berford & Co. letter-carrying business beginning in 1851. Berford & Co.'s Express primarily served the West Coast of North, Central and South America, but also advertised rates to Hawaii, Hong Kong and China. Although their letter and package express business was fairly large, the adhesive stamps for letter mail are rare. During the course of their operation, there were several bitter clashes with the government over their mail route. The company is reported to have been sold in June 1854.Records indicate a total of seventeen 10¢ Berford & Co. stamps (11L3), but about half of these are represented by one normal pair and three tete-beche pairs (11L3a). There are actually just eight 11L3/11L3a items, including five covers and three off-cover stamps. These are as follows: 1) uncancelled on piece (or possibly a cover), Sloane records, 2) uncancelled off cover, faint stains, ex Middendorf, 3) uncancelled on cover to Gloucester Mass. with Loring Bros. Valparaiso forwarding oval, PFC declined opinion as to usage, 4) uncancelled on cover from Bangor Me. to Chagres, described as 1853 usage in Sloane records, not verified, 5) four cut-to-shape singles on Jul.-Aug. 1852 cover to Paita, 6) one normal pair and one tete-beche pair on cover to Valparaiso, the cover offered here, 7) two tete-beche pairs on cover to Valparaiso, ex Mason, Hall, "D.K." and 8) single with original gum, 1961 R.P.S. certificate, ex Hall.Four covers are recorded with Berford & Co. stamps paying the 40¢ rate, each addressed to the West Coast of South America, apparently originating in New York. This 40¢ prepaid rate was listed in the "Table of Postage" in Berford's June 17, 1851, New York Herald advertisement announcing the "New Postage Law". In the advertisement, the stamps (3c, 10c and 25¢) are described and various rates are given, effective July 1, 1851. Obviously, Berford's was acting in response to the U.S. government postage reforms of the same date.Ex Worthington, Caspary, Lilly, Golden and "D.K." (Siegel Sale 862, realized $62,500). With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 11L3a  Estimate $50,000 - 75,000. $0 (Image)