Browns Express (Forwarded By). Blue oval handstamp (BRW-101) on incoming cover to San Francisco with matching "$1." express rate handstamp, postmarked Bath, Me. cds with matching "Paid 6" in circle rate handstamp, minor corner wear at bottom right, Very Fine and scarce, ex-Pearce, Walske.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

Todd's & Brown's Expresses competed over this area and most likely the recipient had change to Brown as his pickup. William Brown was shot and killed by one of his agents on April 1st, 1853. Adams continued to operate Brown's Express under the Brown name until Adams failed in February of 1855. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

Denver and Rio Grande Express. Black frank (DEN-001) on 1887, 2¢ green entire to Denver, Colo., entered the U.S. mails with Denver, Col. duplex postmark canceling, Very Fine, rare with only ten recorded usages of this frank.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad ran this express service as part of their rail service over the railroad lines throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Eureka Express Co. Black company frank on 1874, 3¢ green entire to San Francisco, canceled by "Wells, Fargo & Co., Nevada, Cal., May 26" oval date stamp; sealed tear at top, Very Fine, ex-Kramer.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

This express operated in the mountain camps above the Yuba and Feather Rivers. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Freeman & Co.'s Express, Oct 20. Red cds on circa 1853 orange cover to San Francisco Cal., Very Fine, One of only eight known usages of the Freeman cds., ex-Hahn.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Freeman & Co.'s Express, Oct 22. Red cds on cover to San Francisco, with 1853 year docketing at left, Very Fine, one of only eight known usages of the Freeman circular date stamp, ex-Clifford.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Hunter & Co.'s Express. Oval handstamp on cover addressed to El Dorado Slide on the American River, red "Boston, 6cts, Apr 8" origin cds and "Eldo Slide 1.25" express rate notation; restored lower left corner of cover and two backflaps added, Fine appearance, a very rare Express marking.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Kennedy, Long & Co.'s Express and Transfer Co. Blue printed frank (KEL-001) on 3¢ pink entire to San Francisco, entered the U.S. mails with blue San Mateo cds with matching target handstamps canceling, docketing indicating "Half Moon Bay" as origin; cover wrinkling and reduced at right into indicia, Fine and rare, with only five examples recorded, illustrated in Thomas The Western Express Companies 1850-1890 (page 463), ex-Mader.
Estimate; $250 - 350. Est. $250-350 (Image)

Est. $250-350

Lamping & Co.'s Express, Downieville. Light strike of blue oval handstamp on 1864, 3¢ pink entire to San Francisco with printed company frank at left, conjunctive use with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Marysville, Jul 31" oval date stamp, Extremely Fine, Lamping's Express (successor to Langton) served the Downieville mining region and connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Marysville.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Langton's Pioneer Express, Downieville. Clear strike of red oval handstamp on 1853, 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, Cal., black company frank at top left, in conjunction with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Marysville, Oct 27" where it was handed over from transmission to S.F., Very Fine, a choice strike of the Langton's Downieville handstamp.
Estimate; $250 - 350. Est. $250-350 (Image)

Est. $250-350

Northern Pacific Express Co. 3 entires with printed franks; includes 1884 2¢ brown entire to purple Portland handstamp, similar with blue frank and City Brewery handstamp to Austria (stamp replaced) and 1887 2¢ green entire with blue 1888 "Office of, the Northern., Pacific Express, Portland, Oregon" straight line date stamp (repaired flaws), a Fine appearance group.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Pacific Express Co., Jamestown. Red oval handstamp on 3¢ Nesbitt (U9) entire addressed to Noisy Carriers in San Francisco, printed horse and rider frank (Haller FP1, type 3a) at top left, Very Fine and scarce use sent to Noisy Carriers, with 2015 P.F. certificate.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Pacific Express Co., Yreka. Blue oval handstamp on folded letter to San Francisco datelined "Jacksonville, O.T., April 1st, 1855", with additional "Pacific Express Co., Shasta" oval handstamp, Very Fine, a very early Pacific Express Company usage, the Yreka handstamp is unlisted in Thomas.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE PACIFIC EXPRESS COMPANY HANDSTAMP FROM YREKA. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

River Express Co., Vallejo, Cal. Black imprint on cover to San Francisco, franked with 2¢ Banknote (210) tied by fancy violet handstamp, reverse with allover ad text, Very Fine, the unique example of the River Express Vallejo imprint, illustrated in Thomas The Western Express Companies 1850-1890 (page 665).
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Salmon River & Nez Perces Express, Paid 50 Cents. Printed frank used with Wells, Fargo & Co. black frank (Haller WF-07) on 3¢ pink entire (U34) to Straw Ranch (Burnt River) Ore., canceled by "Wells, Fargo & Co., Dalles O., Aug. 20" oval datestamp, reverse with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Walla Walla, Sep. 7" oval datestamp; small corner repairs, otherwise Very Fine, ex-Dale-Lichtenstein.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

This 1861-62 express carried mail between the Salmon River and Nez Perces mines in Idaho and Walla Walla, Washington Territory, where Wells, Fargo & Co. provided connections to other locations, the service to and from the Idaho mines was probably provided by Wells, Fargo & Co. with the frank representing a surcharge (50¢, 75¢ and $1.00 rates). This usage is unusual because of the sequence of datestamps and their locations -- The Dalles (presumably the origin of this cover) lies west of Walla Walla, and Burnt River is about the same distance southeast of Walla Walla along the Oregon/Idaho border -- our interpretation is that the cover travelled east from The Dalles (Aug. 20), then south from Walla Walla (Sep. 7) to Straw Ranch, which means the frank was used for express service to Burnt River (where gold was discovered in the 1850's). Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

Sanderson & Co. Overland Stage & Express Co., Principle Office, Pueblo, Col. Printed corner card with illustrated design showing Six-Horse Stage on Mountain Road, Stage with "Overland U.S. Mail, S. & Co." imprint, on cover bearing 3¢ green (184) cancelled by cork duplexed with "Globeville Cal. Feb. 6" cds to Chicago Ill., Feb. 11th receiving backstamp, edge faults and small mend top right, Fine, An extremely rare illustrated corner card from the Sanderson & Co. Overland Stage & Express Co.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

Established by Vermont men, Jared L. Sanderson and Bradley Barlow during the Civil War, the Barlow-Sanderson Overland Mail Company first carried the mail and operated a stage line between Sedalia and Warrensburg, Missouri and by 1863, was also operating a line from Kansas City, Missouri to Fort Scott, Kansas. In 1866, they began to expand westward and transferred their headquarters from Kansas City to Junction City, Colorado. By 1867, the two entrepreneurs had established a route from Missouri to California over the Santa Fe Trail and changed the name to the Barlow and Sanderson Company. The company continued to grow in Colorado, becoming the largest stage line in the area and in 1874, the headquarters moved to Granada, Colorado. Two years later, despite rumors of bribery and corruption within the company, the stage line continued to expand. However, buy 1878, Bradley Barlow withdrew and the name of the company changed to J.L. Sanderson and Co. Overland Stage and Express Line. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

W.E. Singer & Co.'s Feather River Express, Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. Blue oval handstamp (SIN-100) on large part of February 6, 1855 Daily Placer Times and Transcript newspaper, F.-V.F. and scarce.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Steere & Colby Express - East Oakland. Manuscript endorsement (STL-600) on 3¢ green entire to San Francisco, with additional notation regarding package, Very Fine, the unique example of the Steere & Colby Express, illustrated in Thomas The Western Express Companies 1850-1890 (page 725).
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Thomas F. Steere and Hiram H. Colby formed a retail business in East Oakland and during this partnership ran a small parcel delivery and express business between San Francisco and Oakland. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Tracy & Co. Express. Two different oval handstamps on 1861, 3¢ pink entires with W, F & Co. franks from the Asher Marks correspondence; on canceled by blue "Oakland, O." oval and other by "Roseburg" oval; some light edge wear, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Tracy & Co. Express, Dalles. Blue oval handstamp tying 1861, 3¢ rose on cover to San Francisco, with company ribbon frank at top left, in conjunction with blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Portland, O., Mar 22" oval date stamp; cover reduced at right, Fine, a rare express combination usage.
Scott No. 65; Estimate $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Tracy & Co. Express, Roseburg. Oval handstamp in black on 1861, 3¢ pink entire (U35) with Wells Fargo printed frank, Marks correspondence to San Francisco, Very Fine, posthumous Wells Fargo use of a Tracy town handstamp.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200