Stmr. Sierra Nevada, Via Nicaragua in Advance of the Mails, bold strike of blue oval handstamp on circa 1853 cover addressed to Natchez Miss., carried by Accessory Transit Co. "Sierra Nevada" to San Juan del Sur, arrived at New York from San Juan del Norte with sharply struck "New-York Aug 7" cds tying 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair, margins to slightly in, for the prepaid 6¢ over 3,000 miles rate, Very Fine; with 2000 P.F. certificate. Milgram No. 1275  Estimate $3,000 - 4,000. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE STEAMER SIERRA NEVADA BLUE OVAL HANDSTAMP. The "Sierra Nevada" was built in New York in 1851, operated by the Howard & Son's Empire Line for three trips between New York and Panama in 1852, and then sold to Cornelius Vanderbilt's Independent Line and brought to San Francisco 1852-1853 while Vanderbilt was on vacation in Europe, which was also when Vanderbilt lost stock control of his Nicaragua shipping business to Cornelius Garrison. The "Sierra Nevada" was operated by Garrison's Nicaragua Steamship Company between Nicaragua and San Francisco 1853-1857. Vanderbilt regained partial control of his Nicaragua shipping business in 1856. $0 (Image)

Stmr. Sierra Nevada, Via Nicaragua in Advance of the Mails, clear strike of bluish black oval handstamp on buff cover addressed to Peter Creek Pa.; carried to San Juan Del Sur on the Sierra Nevada, entered mails with 3¢ dull red (11A) horizontal pair, margins to cutting, tied by "New York Nov. 13" cds for the prepaid 6¢ over 3,000 miles rate; bottom edge corner flaws, Very Fine. Milgram No. 1275 var.  Estimate $750 - 1,000. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND CHOICE STRIKE OF THE STEAMER SIERRA NEVADA HANDSTAMP. $0 (Image)