(Alameda) "Oakland, Cal / March 4". Manuscript postmark (ALA-3170) with matching manuscript canceling 10¢ green, type III (33), small flaws, on cover to Canaan 4 Corners N.Y., Very Fine and early use, Catalog $250 on cover.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

(El Dorado) "Cedarville Cala, Decr 16 1859". Manuscript postmark on light yellow cover to Madisonville, E. Tenn. bearing 3¢ dull red (26) block of four, each cancelled by matching manuscript. strokes; faults from placement over edge, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE CALIFORNIA TOWN.

Cedarville post office was open from Nov. 22nd 1853 to Nov. 12th 1863. Williams did not recorded this town with any postmarks. The other recorded example of this manuscript postmark is dated May 1st 1859 as listed in the Philamercury census. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

(El Dorado) Georgetown Cal., Jul 2, 1861. Bold strike of cds (Williams ELD-1420) ties 10¢ green (35) on light buff cover to Denver, Colorado Terr. partial strike of framed Advertised and "Aug" handstamps; some edge wear, Very Fine.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

(El Dorado) Greenwood Cal. Dec 19. Clear strike of blue cds (ELD-1710) cancels 10¢ green (U18) buff entire to Germany, magenta "10" rating, red "N. York Br. Pkt. 'Paid 7' Jan 27" credit exchange cds, red "Aachen, Franco, 13/2" framed transit, German (2.15) arrival backstamp; light bend at right, Very Fine, Unusual use sent at the Prussian Closed Mail rate even though only 10¢ prepaid., ex-Pearce.
Scott No. U18; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(El Dorado) Placerville, Cal. Cds (Williams ELD-2980) just tying manuscript cancelled 10¢ green type III (33), scissor cut perfs at bottom, on cover to Washington, D.C., manuscript endorsement "Via Salt Lake" at bottom left, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

A SCARCE COVER CARRIED ON THE CHORPENNING ROUTE. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

(Monterey) "Monterey Sept. 22nd 1828". Dateline on letter from John B.R. Cooper to Father Dana concerning trade reading in part, "…Dear Dana…have no hopes of getting any thing or assistance from you and such a number also of these fellows owing me that set me almost mad bu the days for trusting is past and gone a trade may be kept up between you and me advantageous too us both I will procur for you what spare and timber of any dimensions you may want at the price or expences getting them down to the beach, you paying the freight to there I will take what licor you can procur down there at what price they may be able to pick up in the Missions and Pueblanas it is a shure sale in Monterey and generally very quick…" and signed "Yours Truly, John B. R. Cooper"; professionally framed, Very Fine.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

AN EARLY 1828 MONTEREY LETTER FROM JOHN B.R. COOPER TO FATHER DANA.

John Bautista Rogers Cooper (1791-1872) was raised in Massachusetts in a maritime family, he came to the Mexican territory of Alta, California as master of the ship, Rover, and was a pioneer of Monterey, California when it was the capital of the territory. Marrying into the family of the Mexican territorial governor, he acquired extensive land holdings in the area prior to the Mexican-American War. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

(Monterey) 1850 (Mar. 2) Monterey Cal., Recorded Deed for Land Parcel. 4 pg. land document headed "Municipality of Monterey, State of California" with intaglio "Alcaldis Office, Monterey" circular handstamp, signed by "Philip A. Roach" Alcalde of Monterey, Very Fine and rare handstamp.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

(Nevada) "Rough & Ready, Cala. Feb 25-". Manuscript postmark at left with matching "40" rating on buff cover to Reynoldsburg Oh., enclosed letter datelined "Feby 22d 1851" from miner to his parents with some interesting mining content: "…Men run wild with excitement in this country there are always some large stories afloat some newly discovered & very rich diggings 150 or 200 miles away & men are continually running hither & thither but those rich places are seldom found nowadays very scarce…The country is full of men who are searching all over for the gold which is all over the country but not in quantities sufficient to suit the digger there are undoubtedly many very rich and extensive mines yet to be discovered but there are many men to work them out. I shall be well pleased when it comes my turn to leave my share of this country to hands that are more willing to do the hard work & accept the miners fare…", F.-V.F. and scarce 40¢ usage with interesting mining content.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Nevada) "Rough and Ready. Apl. 23rd. 1851". Dateline on great early miner's letter recapping trip from Sacramento to Rough & Ready reading in part "…we ae now at Rough and Ready on Deer creek a tributary of the Yuba, about 45 miles from Marysville and about 9 miles from Nevada City… March 14th Took a pretty early start, had a very pleasant ride, passed by Sutters fort, it is quite a sizeable fort built of adobies, though somewhat delapidated…the owner of the ranch advised us not to attempt to cross the mountains at present a the snow would probably be very deep, considering discression to be the better part of valour, we took his advice and turn back to Bidwells bar… saw a man that came down from the mountains, said the snow was 2ft deep and still snowing…we could hear nothing encouraging on the middle Feather where we were, we determined to go over on the Yuba at Long bar, kept at the river about 2 miles and stopped at Park bar, went 20 miles. As the miners did not seem to be doing much along here, we kept on higher and passed Barlows bar, crossed the river and soon after reached Roses bar…24th Pushed on again, reached Kentucky flat a little after noon… the diggings here are in a flat valley 4 to 8 ft deep, gold course and pays pretty well… Rough and Ready… here the diggings are in the ravines and washing the top dirt of the hills, a great many of the miners are doing wells, we hired out here at $5.00 pr day…"; separations and toning, Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Nevada) Rough and Ready, Cal., 6¢ Rates. Group of 6 with manuscript postmarks from 1852 to 1855 comprising three manuscript "Paid 6" rated stampless uses, 1854 use on 6¢ green #U13 entire, 1854 use on 6¢ green #U14 entire, and 1855 use with #11A vertical pair to Mich.; some mixed condition, F.-V.F. and rare group.
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

(Nevada) Rough and Ready, Cal., 3¢ Rates. Two covers, first with manuscript "Rough & Ready Cal, 26 Feb 52" postmark and matching "Paid 3" rating on yellow cover to Marysville, second with manuscript "Rough & Ready Cal, 2 Novr 1854" postmark and cross-hatch cancels 3¢ dull red (11A) on light buff cover to San Francisco Cal., F.-V.F. pair.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

(Nevada) Rough and Ready, Cal., 10¢ Manuscript Rates. Group of 6 comprising 1854 unpaid "10" to Rochester, N.H. with additional "Adv 2" advertised rating totalled to "12", 1853 unpaid "10" to Bath, Me.; 1854 unpaid "10" to Morgan Oh.; 1855 "Paid 10" to Bath, Me.; 1856 circa use on 10¢ #U17 entire to Stanton Del., 1856 circa use on 10¢ #U18 entire to Woodstown, N.J.; some faults, F.-V.F. and rare group.
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

(Nevada) Rough & Ready, Cal. 11 Oct 1854. Manuscript postmark (Williams NEV-2000) with matching "5" rating on orange buff cover to Gold Hills Cal., blue "Well, Fargo & Co. * Express * Ophir" oval with matching "Free" double-oval handstamp; corner mend bottom right, Very Fine and choice use.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Nevada) "Rough & Ready, Cal. 27 June 1854". Manuscript postmark with matching "Paid 1" rating on buff wrapper to Danbury Conn., Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

UNDOUBTEDLY A UNIQUE USAGE OF THIS RARE TRANSCONTINENTAL CIRCULAR RATE FROM CALIFORNIA. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Nevada) "Rough & Ready, Cal. Novr. 8th 1856". Dateline on miner's letter with great content concerning prices of provisions and political content reading in part: "…the Democrats has a large majority the state so far as I can learn has elected Deomcratic persons and old Buck. & Baack has a majority of 10,000 the Know Nothing Party will beat the Republican party as you see the Nigger worshippers is defeeted in Cal. do not think one Republican will be elected in all the state and I hope they meet with the same fate all over the Union…But if Freemont is elected all things will be free. Free trade, free speech, free press, and free Niggers…, Very Fine letter with excellent political content of the times.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

(Nevada) Rough and Ready, Cal. - Wells Fargo & Co. Express Exchange Note. 9" x 4.375", from "Rough & Ready, Cal. Jan. 2- 1856" paid to the order of "E.B. Comstock, Agent" at the office of the American Express Company in Pontiac, Mich - One Hundred & fifty"; some creasing, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

(Nevada) (Rough & Ready) 1859 (Dec. 23) Sweetland, Cal. Datelined receipt for mining claim reading in part, "…for a certain parcel of mining ground situated on Manzarita Hill and known as the claims of Bicknell & Co. and bounded by the Claims of Curtis the Rough & Ready and Joint Stock Claims, Sweetland Dec 23rd 1859…" and signed "Henry A. Brigham", Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

(San Francisco) San Francisco R.P.O. Collection, 1896-1905. Of well over 100 covers and cards in slips; includes 4 examples of the 1897-98 "Mission Street R.P.O." flag cancel including double strike use, 1¢ Columbian entire and a couple ad covers, 30 examples of the 1900-05 "Mission St. San Fran., R.P.O." duplex including 1903 usage on multicolored Ostrich Farm cover franked with 2¢ Philippines overprint issue, "Market St., San Fran., R.P.O." duplex with 6 examples of the scarce 1896-99 smaller type cds showing different duplex killers and one on postal card to Holland, 19 examples of the later 1900-03 larger type with "RMS" duplex, 24 examples of the 1903-05 "San Fran. Market St., R.P.O." duplex including Special Delivery usage and a illustrated three-horse moving van corner card use, 5 examples of the scarce 1898 "Sacto St. San Fran, R.P.O." duplex, four of which are Spanish American patriotic covers including "Remember the Maine" patriotic franked with 2¢ Trans-Miss., 20 examples of the 1897-1905 "Sacramento St. San Fran., R.P.O." duplex with Special Delivery, 1¢ entire uprates, usage to Hawaii and to England forwarded to Italy; condition varies with many choice strikes throughout, F.-V.F. overall.
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000. Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Est. $1,500-2,000

(Yuba) Camptonville Cal, 8 May 1864. Clear strike of cds (YUB-280) with matching grid cancel on 10¢ yellow green (U41) buff entire to Pittsford, Vt., double-strike of "OVERLAND" straightline; small flaws, reduced a bit at top and right, Fine and rare "Overland" use, signed "Genuine" by Frajola on reverse.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

THE IS THE LATEST RECORDED USE OF THE "OVERLAND" HANDSTAMP. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

(Illustrated Letter Sheet) The Celebration in San Francisco, in Commemoration of the Successful Laying of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable. (Baird 23) Sterett & Butler, Printer, Engravers and Publishers, 145 Clay Street, San Francisco, approximately 16¼x10½'', wood engraving around periphery 35 small illustrations: four stars in the corner, thirty small seals of the States, and one unidentified portrait at the top, body of the sheet are several larger illustrations, Cars carrying 120 little girls, uniformly dressed in white, and representing all the States, and principal European Nations, Rube Aldrich, just arrived, 120 days from St. Jo., Missouri, Adams with his family of Native Californians; and the men of the Knickerbocker 5 Fire Company in procession behind a float of a small boat with cable coiled on its deck, on blue wove paper, couple contemporary advertising handstamp on reverse; couple small nicks and some light edge toning, still Very Fine.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

(Illustrated Letter Sheet) Commandments To California Wives. (Baird 42) illustrated lettersheet showing dual home scene vignettes subtitled "Commandments Are Given To Make A Happy Home", with "Mercantile Job Print, 130 Sansome St., S.F." imprint, table of commandments below framed by a outdoor family scene, used with two page miner's letter datelined "Klammath River, September 30th, 1855" mentioning ill prospects after travelling up from Calaveras county; tone spots and some fold wear on reverse, F.-V.F., a rare lettersheet, especially in used condition.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000