Wells, Fargo & Co. Red Printed Frank on 1855, 10¢ Nesbitt entire to Philadelphia, Pa., locally delivered with Blood's Penny Post cds and matching "Blood's Despatch, 2cts" rate handstamp; barest cover reduction at right and tiny tear at top, otherwise Very Fine, a rare Western Express and Eastern Local combination carried completely outside the mails. Scott No. U15  Estimate $500 - 750. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Red Printed Frank a top of fresh 1855, 10¢ Nesbitt entire to Philadelphia, Pa., with "Blood's Penny Post, Sep 29" cds and matching "Blood's Despatch, 2cts" circle rate handstamp at left, Extremely Fine, a wonderfully choice and Extremely Rare Usage of the Wells, Fargo & Co. Red Frank Entire in Combination with Blood's Penny Post carried completely outside of the U.S. mails; with 2007 P.F. certificate. Scott No. U16  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

Wells Fargo & Co., 1861-76, Newspaper stamp issues. Selection of issues including the rare black stamp (Scott listed as a newspaper issue however this stamp was used for letters from the west to be dropped in the New York mails), other lesser issues including later used, faults, otherwise Fine. Scott No. 143LP1//143LP10  $1,558. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Covers, 1855-1885. 3 items, including oval "Red Bluff" to San Francisco on 3¢ Nesbitt entire with black company frank; another 3¢ Nesbitt entire with double circle WF "San Francisco 2 July" cancel to Marysville, with oval merchant corner card "M. Brumagim & Co. San Francisco" and "July 2"; repaired tear on reverse; also black company frank on 2¢ brown entire cancelled by red oval "Wells Fargo Express / Santa Cruz, Cal. / Sep 8 1885" with reduction at left, F.-V.F. Estimate  $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/Chinese Camp. Black oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-1) on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire with company printed frank, Fretz and Ralston correspondence to San Francisco, "With Package $1450.00" manuscript notation, Extremely Fine. Estimate  $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/Chinese Camp. Black oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-1) on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire with company printed frank, Fretz and Ralston correspondence to San Francisco, Extremely Fine. Estimate  $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/Nevada. Superb strike of red oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-1) and matching "Free" red double-lined oval handstamp as forwarding markings on stampless folded letter to a reverend "Care of Wells Fargo & Co" at Nevada City, originated in San Francisco with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/San Francisco" blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-1) with no indication as to charges, forwarded from Nevada City to Marysville with "free" pencil notation in addition to the red handstamps and then forwarded again from Marysville to Orleans House in Sacramento City where evidently delivered, Very Fine, ex-Kramer, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 163). Estimate  $300 - 400. An unusual Wells Fargo free and forwarded use that suggests the company may have given accommodation to clergymen. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/Ophir. Blue green oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 1-17) and matching "Free" blue green double-lined oval handstamp on stampless cover, Masonic Lodge correspondence to Gold Hill, originally sent by mail collect with "Sacramento City, Cal., Jan 8" balloon cds and "5" handstamped rate marking, "Misst" manuscript notation at lower right so evidently missent before reaching Ophir where taken out of the mails, with original 1855 mostly printed enclosure, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. Gold Hill was a mining town in the Auburn Ravine west of Ophir. Though a place of considerable size, Gold Hill never had a Post Office. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/San Francisco. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-1) struck twice and tying 1851 1¢ blue type IV strip of three (just cut in at bottom & right stamp with light crease) on cover with printed corner card in a shield design for the San Francisco Agency of the Accessory Transit Co. of Nicaragua, addressed to Marysville, Very Fine, a unique usage & a wonderful exhibition item, ex-Gibson, Pearce, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 92). Scott No. 9  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. The Accessory Transit Company was established by shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt to transport people and freight across Nicaragua by riverboat and stagecoach. Vanderbilt had obtained an exclusive contract with the government of Nicaragua allowing for transit across the country in 1849. Vanderbilt's Independent Line of steamships began carrying passengers and cargo including letters "ahead of the mails" between San Francisco and New York via Nicaragua in 1851. The Nicaragua Route, which was shorter than the Panama Route, continued in use until 1857. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express/Steamboat. Blue fancy rectangle handstamp (Leutzinger type 2-4) struck twice with one strike tying 1851 3¢ dull red on cover to Stockton, Very Fine, a gorgeous cover, ex-W. R. Parker (and accompanied by an original invoice showing that he purchased this cover for $100 from San Francisco stamp dealer Edwin P. Seebohm in 1928). Estimate  $500 - 750. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Auburn. Blue oval handstamp with matching "Sept 15th" date stamp below on buff cover to Petersburg, Va., franked with 1851, 3¢ brownish carmine, type II, pair (margins large to shaving frameline at lower left) canceled by blue "Free" in oval handstamp and tied by "New-York, Oct 23" cds, manuscript "Too Late" at top center; small cover tear at upper left and pinhole in each stamp, otherwise Very Fine, a choice and early "Too Late" usage; with 2010 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 11A; $900  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Howlands Flat/Dec. 29. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 11-9) on 1864 3¢ pink entire with Pacific Union red printed frank, to Marysville, likely an 1869 use from after Pacific Union was merged into Wells Fargo, reduced at left, Very Fine and choice. Estimate  $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Knights Ferry. Black oval handstamp with date omitted (Leutzinger type 11-15) on 2¢ brown entire with company printed frank, Chinese use to San Francisco with the address restated in Chinese writing, reduced at left, Very Fine. Estimate  $75 - 100. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Mexican Route. Blue oval canceling 1861 40¢ black & red legal size entire used as a paste-back with printed "Mexican Coast and California Express--$1.40" Wells Fargo frank, additional blue "Wells Fargo & Co./Guaymas" oval handstamp, F.-V.F. and rare, one of only a handful of used 40¢ Bicolor Entires. Scott No. U45; $4,500  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Sacramento/Mar. 29. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 11-9) on 1864 3¢ pink entire with company printed frank at left and allover shaded advertising in pink for "J. C. Meussdorffer" "Dealer In Hats And Caps" in Sacramento, to the Meussdorffer store in San Francisco, "1871" docket at left, a trifle reduced at right, Very Fine and choice, a lovely cover. Estimate  $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./San Francisco Sep. 18. Blue oval datestamp tying 1861-66 2¢ black + 5¢ brown on 1864 3¢ Pink entire with Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank to Boston Mass., stamps affixed partly over blue oval "Post Office Victoria V.I." Coat of Arms handstamp, used as a "paste-up" with blue cover on reverse showing conjunctive usage with "Dietz & Nelson's B.C. & V. Express" double-circle handstamp, manuscript "Paid $1.25" express fee, "Boston Oct. 12 "duplex datestamp on one side and framed "Received Oct. 12 at Boston Mass." handstamp on entire, trivial short perf at bottom of 5¢ stamp, Wells, Fargo & Co. entire with small tear, paste-up with upper left corner torn off (probably where additional British Columbia & Vancouver Island stamps were affixed), Fine. Scott No. 73+76  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. A Rare Conjunctive Use of Dietz & Nelson's Express and Wells Fargo & Co. From Victoria, Vancouver Island, to Boston.According to Nathan, George Dietz and Hugh Nelson started their express company in 1862 when they acquired the express routes and business of William T. Ballou. Dietz & Nelson served the Cariboo mining region and connected with Barnard's Express at Yale and Lilloet and with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Victoria. The company sold out to Francis J. Barnard in the late spring of 1867. The $1.25 express fee noted on the address portion of this paste-up includes Dietz & Nelson's $1.00 fee and 25¢ for the Wells, Fargo & Co. franked entire. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./San Francisco. Blue oval datestamp canceling 1865 12¢ brown legal size entire used as a paste-back with printed franks of both Wells Fargo and "Bamber & Co's Express, W.B. Hardy's Office, Oakland", the latter incompletely printed; minor wrinkling, Fine and rare. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Victoria/Aug. 10. (1868). Blue oval datestamp on 10¢ Green entire to San Francisco with Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank and Vancouver Island 5c rose, tied by blue oval "35" grid, also tied by large but neat manuscript docketing, annotated on reverse by past owner, fresh and Very Fine; with 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott No. U41a  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Victoria/Jun. 7. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 11-9) on 1861 10¢ green entire with company printed frank and "Post Office/Victoria V.I." Coat of Arms blue handstamped postal frank, J. C. Meussdorffer correspondence to San Francisco, "1869" docket, reduced at right, F.-V.F. Estimate  $400 - 600. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Victoria/Nov. 8. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 11-9) on 1861 3¢ pink entire with company printed frank ("Coast Routes" variety with the right end cut off) and unusually clear "Post Office/Victoria V.I." Coat of Arms blue handstamped postal frank, Simon Sinsheimer correspondence to San Francisco, slightly reduced at right, Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co./Washoe City, N./Aug. 7. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 12-3 with "T." of "N.T." removed) on 1864 3¢ pink entire with company printed frank to San Francisco, "W. F. & Co./Aug. 9/1865" blue datestamp (Leutzinger type 7-34) at left, also docket at left, small edge tear at the top affecting the town handstamp, F.-V.F. Estimate  $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express/Columbia. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-3) and matching blue straight line date handstamp at upper left on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire without company printed frank, "W. O. Sleeper & Co. Bankers, Columbia, Cal" black handstamped corner card resembling a miniature Wells Fargo town marking at lower left, Fretz and Ralston correspondence to San Francisco, a trifle reduced at left, Very Fine. Estimate  $150 - 200. The banking house of W. O. Sleeper opened in Columbia in June of 1855 and failed ten years later in July of 1865. The bank was sold to William C. Ralston.The banking house of Ralph S. Fretz and William C. Ralston opened in San Francisco in January of 1856 (there were two additional partners until July of 1857). Fretz and Ralston was the predecessor of the Bank of California, now Union Bank, that was established in 1864.William C. Ralston's place in California history is legendary, but less known is that his wife, the former Elizabeth Fry, who he married in May of 1858, was the adopted daughter of John D. Fry, who at the time of the wedding was the Special Agent in California for the Post Office Department. $0 (Image)