Langton's Express, Downieville. Black oval handstamp clearly struck 3¢ red (U10) buff Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, Cal., blue "Wells Fargo & Co. Express, Marysville" blue oval handstamp when exchanged; erased pencil notations, Very Fine and attractive conjunctive use.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Langton's Pioneer Express. Black company frank on 1853 10¢ Nesbitt entire to Waldo, Me., entered the mails with "Forest City, Cal., June 16" cds and indicia with manuscript cancel, Very Fine.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Langton's Pioneer Express. Black paid frank on 10¢ green (U16) buff Nesbitt entire cancelled by blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., S. Frco., Jan 28" cds to Boston, Mass., entered the mails with red "Boston, Mass., Mar 5" cds; small cover tear at top, F.-V.F., a scarce express combination, ex-Mader.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

Langton's Pioneer Express, Downieville. Blue oval handstamp on 3¢ pink entire to San Francisco, Cal. with very scarce blue company frank, bold blue "Wells, Fargo & Co., Marysville, Feb 26" double-oval datestamp; minor corner wear at bottom right, Very Fine and scarce conjunctive usage.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Langton's Pioneer Express, Marysville. Blue oval handstamp on 3¢ red (U10) buff Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, Cal. with very scarce blue company frank; minor corner wear and backflap damage, F.-V.F. and attractive.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Leland & McComb Express. Red oval handstamp (LEA-100) with "e's" removed from "McCombe's" (second Leland partnership) on pristine cover to San Francisco, Very Fine, a very rare Express marking from this short lived company, which only operated for about eight months, ex-Clifford, Haas and "Edwards".
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

Pacific Express Co., Stockton. Two entires, one with choice bold blue oval "Pacific Express Co., Stockton, Jun 6" datestamp on 3¢ red entire to San Francisco, Cal., tear at top; other with bold "Pacific Express Co., Stockton, Paid" blue double-oval at upper left used as a frank on 1853 3¢ red entire with blue oval Pacific Express, Stockton cancel to San Francisco, Cal., fine strike of Hewlett & Collins General Merchandise handstamp on reverse, an early Pacific Express cover before they received printed franks., F.-V.F., a scarce pair, ex-Mader.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Pacific Union Express Co., Forwarded by the. Unused large red on orange label, Alta California Printing House imprint, Very Fine and rare, ex-Kagin.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Pacific Union Express Co., Forwarded by the. Unused 3 1/8" x 2½" red on orange label, Alta Printing House imprint, Very Fine and rare, ex-Kagin.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Pacific Union Express Co., New York, Jul. 3. Blue double circle date stamp (PAU-101) on 1864 3¢ pink entire with rare black Pacific Union printed frank to Treasure City, Nevada, light edge wear and tear at top into frank, F.-V.F., this rare black frank used on transcontinental mail, much the way the Wells, Fargo & Co. red franks were used on their transcontinental mail, express uses from New York are quite rare, especially from companies other than Wells, Fargo & Co.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Rare New York PAU-101 hand stamp which is only found on the black franks applied to indicia. Only five example of the rare black frank from New York have been recorded. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Pacific Union Express Co., Stockton, Oct 9. Blue oval datestamp ties 3¢ dull red (11A) on 1855 blue lined cover to Sacramento, Cal., matching framed "Paid" handstamp, Very Fine, ex-New Helvetia.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

A scarce use of the 3¢ 1851 issue by Pacific Express Co. The company was founded in 1855 when the conversion to postal stationery entires was widespread. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

Pacific Union Ex. Co., Vaca Station, Mar 3. Blue cds (PAU-100) cancels 3¢ pink (U59) entire to Washoe Co., Nevada, red Pacific Union Express ribbon frank at top, Very Fine, the finer of only two examples of this Vaca Station date stamp have been recorded, Vaca Station was located on the railroad line about five miles east of Vacaville.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

"River Express Paid". Manuscript endorsement on 2¢ red brown entire to San Francisco Cal., purple "Andrew Baird, Jun 22 1887" double-oval datestamp, partial flap and corner clipped; accompanied by Rapid Transfer Co. advertising card with "The Only Authorized Agents for River Express Co. in Alameda County" slogan, F.-V.F. pair.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

(Snowshoe Thompson) Carson Valley, U.T., May 6. Mostly clear strike of Utah Territory cds on 10¢ green (U16) buff Nesbitt entire to Middletown R.I., copy of April 28, 1858 letter from Trucky Valley, Fine.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

Several covers were carried by Snowshoe Thompson's express from Carson Valley to Placerville during the winters of 1857-58 and 1858-1859. This cover would have been carried by Thompson from the Carson Valley post office in his role as a Chorpenning's sub-contractor for the mails, from Carson Valley to Placerville. See the article "Across the Sierra Nevada Mountains by Snow-Shoe" by Risvold and Frajola in Chronicle 215 (Aug. 2007, p. 201-211). Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

Stockton Express Mail. Small group of 5 comprising blue "Stockton, Messr., De 19" double-circle on 3¢ pink (U58) entire with red Pacific Union frank; other four are Wells Fargo printed paid frank usages with "L. Rosenthal" two-line handstamp, large oval "Wells, Fargo & Co, Express, Stockton" handstamp in blue and black, and 1882 Wells Fargo Stockton blue cds; some faults, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

"Taylor's Express". Manuscript express marking on folded letter datelined "Springs 10 Feby 51" to Sacramento City, Cal. with contents regarding Springs and Salmon River, 1851 docketing at left, Very Fine and rare.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

THE EARLIEST OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE MANUSCRIPT TAYLOR'S EXPRESS MARKING.

Lewis Wilson Taylor started an express service in early 1851 by running the 200 mile distance between Shasta and Sacramento. This route used the river steamers as much as water levels would allow and then ran overland. This semi-monthly route ran from Sacramento to Marysville to Hamilton City and then onward to Shasta and then returned over the same route. This operation was active as late as April 1852. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

Thomes & Skadan's Express. Blue eyeglass frank (THO-007) on unused 6¢ red entire, fresh and Very Fine, very rare, unlisted by Thomas on this entire.
Scott No. U87; Estimate $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Todd's Express, San Francisco (Forwarded By). Blue oval handstamp (TOE-100) with matching "Not Paid" in oval on cover to Sonora, Cal., with partial enclosure datelined "New Orleans, La., Nov 6th, 1852"; cover a bit reduced, Very Fine, a scarce early express.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300