"Carson City, June 30/50" (Utah Territory). Manuscript postmark on 10¢ green (U16) buff Nesbitt entire to Middletown, R.I., endorsed "Via San Francisco" at lower left, missent and forwarded (most likely from New York), with photocopy of portion of original enclosure and excerpts from letter (Western Express, July 1990) datelined "Steam Boat Valley, June 18/59…I was a jeuror orn a caise at Egelle Valley, one William Sides kill one Jessip with a knife…It was proved to be a willfull murder, there being to (two) jeurors bribed in consequence and June 24…new mines (but 12 miles from here) the gold is so plenty that it yields $100 per bucket of dird and from that down to 10 cents per bucket of dird said to be the riches mines that was ever now in calfornia"; couple small cover tears at top, Very Fine.
Estimate; $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

Ephraim, Utah, Jul 29 1887. Bold serrated cds duplexed with fancy negative star cancel ties 2¢ red brown (210) on cover to Manti, Utah, printed "Canute Peterson, Ephraim, Sanpete Co., Utah" corner card, receipt docketing, Very Fine, ex-Willard.
Estimate; $75 - 100. Est. $75-100 (Image)

Est. $75-100

Park City, Utah. Mar 7. Cds duplexed with target cancel ties 2¢ red brown (210) on cover with illustrated Crescent City Company corner card showing crescent moon, to Grand Rapids Mich., endorsed "care GR & I RR", Mar. 11th arrival backstamp, Very Fine, ex-Willard on his exhibit page with hand-drawn map.
Estimate; $100 - 150.

Park City was in Summit County located about 25 miles east of Salt Lake City. It was a boom town for silver mining that did not fade out. The mines were opened about 1872 and in the 1880s, there were about 500 in operation. The Crescent Mining Company operated on Crescent Ridge. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150

"G.S.L.C. Cal July 23/50". Manuscript postmark and matching "Paid 40" rating on 1850 orange buff cover to Clinton Wisc.; cover restored, Very Fine appearance, with clear 1994 P.S.E. certificate.
Estimate; $5,000 - 7,500.

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS GREAT SALT LAKE CITY MANUSCRIPT POSTMARK DURING THE UNORGANIZED TERRITORY PERIOD.

This cover was carried by John Green and Benjamin Holladay, they left August 2nd and arrived in Kanesville on September 12th. Est. $5,000-7,500 (Image)

Est. $5,000-7,500

"Salt Lake Deseret, Nov 20 1850". Manuscript territorial postmark and matching "10" rating on blue folded letter from gold prospector W.R. Dickinson to his father William, datelined "November 14th 1850" and again on "November 19", the contents of this letter includes several significant references to the Mormon settlement in Salt Lake City, the writer was a gold prospector headed for California, begins by describing his journey: "…there was a plenty of mormons wageons teeams all along The road -- there was estemated to be aboute 15.00 [cross-out thru second 0] Mormons. There was game a plenty -- buffalo aplenty", followed by a description of buffalo hunting. The writer also mentions difficulties with Indians: "indeans hostile between hear, Salt lake and the mines" and gives an account of a Mormon party of 10 that was attacked (all but two killed). Reference is made to "the mail from Independence to Salt Lake 4 months in the year, once a month, it goes out in the morning at 10 oclock for the States" and "letters do not cost but 10 cents from hear to the States". Of the greatest significance are first-hand accounts of meeting Brigham Young with references to polygamy: "I have seen Brigam Younge and gave him Best wishes. Plade the fiddle for him to dance At a party. He has got some thirty or forty Spiritual Wives besides his own, and I talk of Takeing one for the winter as for life and What do you think of that, dad, do you think I am a goner, ha. I intend starting for Callafornia in the spring, I think. I sende my love to pardy and tell him that i will tell all aboute the Spiritual Wives when i come home…"; accompanied by a second letter from the same writer, datelined "State of Deserett, Salt lake City, May 29th 1851" with a report of Indian hostilities and dissatisfaction with the Mormon community., Very Fine.
Estimate; $10,000 - 15,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO OR THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE "DESERET" MORMON POSTAL MARKING.

On March 4, 1849, the Constitution for the provisional government of the State of Deseret was approved by the Mormons, and soon submitted to Congress for approval. As of September 9, 1850, Congress created portions of the requested area as Utah Territory, and as the State of California.

The first mail under the new Government contract from Independence to Salt Lake City was received in early November. This November 20th letter was carried on the first return eastbound mail. Assuming the first mail to Salt Lake City left before September 9th, the writer would not know that the petition for "the State of Deseret" had been rejected. However, he surely would have known by the time of his later May 29th 1851 letter. Est. $10,000-15,000 (Image)

Est. $10,000-15,000

1851 (Aug. 29) Paris, France to Salt Lake City, Deseret. Blue folded cover addressed to Governor Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, Deseret, bearing France 25c blue (6) horizontal pair and 1F carmine (9), margins to touched, pair scissor cut between, tied by roller cancel, matching "Paris, 29 Aout 51" origin cds, small red "PD" framed handstamp, carried by Cunard Line Europa from Liverpool Sep. 6th to Boston arriving Sep. 17th, bold "Br. Packet, Boston, 17 Sep, 5" debit exchange cds, sent overland via Independence Mo.; small tear at right, Very Fine.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

A REMARKABLE TRANSATLANTIC USE FROM FRANCE ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR BRIGHAM YOUNG AT SALT LAKE CITY, DESERET.

Cover was prepaid 150 centimes (15 decimes) per British packet to Boston. Effective with July 1851 rate change, the U.S. inland postage for under 3,000 miles was 5¢ collect. Evidently, the French writer did not know that the State of Deseret was not recognized. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

Salt Lake City, U. T. / Dec 1. Two-line territorial postmark and matching "5" rating on 1851 blue folded letter to Kanesville Ioa. datelined "November 7, Salt Lake City U.T.", writer mentions "…I and my family are well fixed in this valley…You will do well to bring your cows…"; reinforced edge wear, Very Fine.
Estimate; $4,000 - 6,000.

THIS IS THE LATEST RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE TWO-LINE SALT LAKE CITY POSTMARK.

According to the July 9th 1851 Deseret News, "Eastern and Western Mails, The Mail Leaves this office (Salt Lake City) on the first day of every month for Independence and Sacramento." No mails arrived in Salt Lake City in December or January this winter. One can assume that this express was also substantially delayed in route. This two-line postmark is recorded from July 1st to December 1st 1851. Est. $4,000-6,000 (Image)

Est. $4,000-6,000

Salt Lake City, Utah, May 1. Cds and matching "5" rating handstamp for unpaid rate on 1854 adversity cover made from printed East India Company form to Philadelphia Pa., Very Fine and scarce territorial use, The earliest recorded example of this Salt Lake City cds..
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Since the Post Office Department prohibited collect mail beginning April 1st 1855, this cover can be dated to 1854. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

Salt Lake City, Utah '5' Jul 1. Integral 5¢ due cds on 1854 gray folded cover to Edwardsville Ill., Very Fine.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

Since the Post Office Department prohibited collect mail beginning April 1st 1855, this cover can be dated to 1854. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

Salt Lake City, Utah T., Nov 1. Three strikes of blue 1855 cds cancel 6¢ green (U14) buff entire addressed to Orson K. Whitney at Honolulu, Hawaii care of Silas Smith, initialed "JKSW" at bottom left, pencil "John Whitney, Rec Jan 14/56" receipt docketing on reverse; some edge wear and small opening tear at left, Very Fine.
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000.

A RARE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY USE VIA THE CHORPENNING MAIL ROUTE VIA LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO.

This letter was postmarked in Salt Lake City for the November 1st 1855 departure of the Chorpenning mail to Los Angeles, and prepaid double the 3¢ letter rate for under 3,000 miles to California. Chorpenning's mail carrier arrived at Los Angeles on November 28th 1855. Then sent via San Pedro via Independent Line steamship to San Francisco. Then carried by carried by American Schooner Minna from San Francisco Dec. 19th to Honolulu arriving Jan. 14th, and received by John Whitney on the same day. Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Est. $1,500-2,000

Salt Lake City, Utah, Jul 17. Blue cds ties 3¢ dull red (26), rounded corner, on cover to New York N.Y.; no back flap, Fine.
Estimate; $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150

Salt Lake City U.T., Jul 20. Perfect bold territorial cds and matching circular grid cancel ties 10¢ green (35) on 1860 light buff cover to Canifton, Canada West, red "U.S. Paid 10" framed exchange handstamp, reverse with G.W.R. (8.11.60), Belleville (8.11) and Caniftron (8.13) arrival cds; some faults and cover repairs, Fine, ex-Tahoe.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

Utah Territory, 1860s-1888. Group of 4 items comprising "Virginia City, Utah, Mar 15" cds with matching fancy segmented star cancel ties 10¢ green (35) on small piece; manuscript "Hyrum Utah Dec 6th/88" postmark ties 2¢ red brown (210) on cover to Spruce Pine Ala.; fancy purple "Mt. Pleasant Utah, May 24 1887" oval ties 2¢ red brown #210 on cover to Boston Mass.; and "Springhill Utah, Jul 16, 1899" cds with matching negative star fancy cancel on 2¢ red brown #U277 entire to Salt Lake City; some faults, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150

Utah Territory, 1883-1887. Group of 4 covers comprising 1886 Ogden City with #210 to Idaho; 1887 Spring City with #210 to Pataskala, 1885 Wanship with #210 to Salem Mass., and 1883 Salt Lake City with #207 to Piqua Oh., F.-V.F., the three #210s are ex-Willard on his exhibit pages with hand-drawn map.
Estimate; $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150

Wisconsin Territory, 1840-1845. Group of 4 stampless letters comprising 1840 Madison, 1840 Green Bay, 1843 Southport, and 1845 Milwaukee with matching red "X" rating handstamp to New York, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150