Crossed Flags in Circle with State Abbreviations in Cogs, red and blue design on white 1861 patriotic cover franked with 1860 24c Gray lilac (Scott 37) with "Paid" cancellation and addressed to Liverpool England, redirected with Great Britain 1d Red affixed and tied by tied by "Liverpool Sp 7 61 466" duplex cancel, appropriate Boston, Liverpool, Derby, and Mattock transit marks, tiny sealed edge break top center of envelope, Very Fine

Provenance: Louis Grunin (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1988)

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Bust of George Washington Facing Right and Union Flag with "Constitution" at the bottom, red and blue patriotic design on cover addressed to Salona, Pennsylvania, franked with 1861 3c Dull red (Scott 26) which is just tied by fancy 5 pointed hollow star cancel of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, cover with light edge toning and some extraneous writing and abrasion below the stamp, otherwise Very Fine and scarce

Provenance: Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

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Portrait of Washington Facing Right Inside Ornate Frame Overprinted on Gray "Loyal" Patriotic Cover, franked with 1861 3c Rose (Scott 65) tied by target cancel, addressed to Shelltown, New Jersey, double circle "Smyrna Del Oct 17 1862" postmark at center, the stamp with a small piece out at the bottom right, Very Fine; usages of Union patriotics from Delaware are extremely rare

Provenance: George Walcott (Robert Laurence Sale, 1934)

Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

Although it decided to stay with the Union for the entirety of the Civil War, Delaware voted to reject the 13th Amendment and remained a slave state. While most residents of the state fought for the Union, there were a number of Delawareans who joined Maryland and Virginia regiments during the Civil War. Despite the fact that Delaware never formally abolished slavery, many slaveowners voluntarily freed their slaves prior to the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865. The state's complex and tumultuous history with slavery, combined with its small geographical area and population, adds to the scarcity of Union patriotic covers from Delaware.

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Honest Abe Lincoln on his Flatboat, Beardless Portrait on Overall Rail Splitter Design with Baker Imprint, design in black on buff cover (Milgram type AL-81) franked with 1861 3c Dull red (Scott 26), tied by blue "Independence Iowa Aug 1" town mark, addressed to Providence, Rhode Island, cover with light aging and some paper abrasion on the reverse, still a Fine and scarce campaign design

In 1828 and 1831, Abraham Lincoln made two voyages down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, which were both the longest journeys of Lincoln's life and his only trips to the Deep South. His visits to New Orleans, then the largest slave marketplace in the United States, undoubtedly had a major influence on his personal beliefs and political career decades later. Like the "log cabin" and the "railsplitter," Lincoln's "flatboat" became an integral part of his mythology from an early date.

"The Cold Water Candidate," Beardless Lincoln Portrait on dark buff cover with address lines, "Temperance and Freedom" imprint on backflap (Milgram type AL-36), franked with 1861 3c Dull red (Scott 26) showing a centerline at the right, tied by Grand Haven, Michigan postmark and addressed to Welshfield, Ohio, opened at right, Very Fine and rare

Provenance: Howard Lehman (Private Transaction)

Marc Haas (Private Transaction)

Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

This cover, pictured in Dr. James W. Milgram's Abraham Lincoln Illustrated Envelopes and Letter Paper 1860-1865 (page 157), promotes Abraham Lincoln as the "Cold Water" candidate, a term coined by temperance crusaders owing to Lincoln's support of the movement (dating back at least to his noted Temperance Address of 1842). This speech gave birth to one of Lincoln's more memorable proclamations, advocation reason as the solution to alcoholism and other societal ills:

"And what a noble ally this, to the cause of political freedom. With such an aid, its march cannot fail to be on and on, till every son of earth shall drink in rich fruition, the sorrow quenching draughts of perfect liberty. Happy day, when, all appetites controlled, all poisons subdued, all matter subjected, mind, all conquering mind, shall live and move the monarch of the world. Glorious consummation! Hail fall of Fury! Reign of Reason, all hail!"

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"Where is Beauregard?" imprint above dark red elephant marching left, patriotic cover franked with 1861 3c Dull red (Scott 26) just tied by grid cancel, red double circle Boston, Massachusetts postmark to the left of the stamp, addressed to New York City, cover with small tear at left and backflap with small piece missing and some abrasion, Fine

Provenance: Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

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"The Iron Kettle and the Wooden Ware," manuscript imprint below hand drawn design showing teapot with CSA flag chasing a pail and two barrels with Union flags, neatly drawn design on 3c Pink on white entire (Scott U34) cancelled with double circle New York 25 Mar duplex postmark and addressed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, entire with sealed tear at right center not affecting the indicia or address, still Very Fine and undoubtedly unique design symbolizing the "Monitor-Merrimac" naval battle at Hampton Roads; patriotic designs on postal stationery entires are extremely scarce and very seldom seen

Provenance: Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

This cover is illustrated in Van Dyke MacBride's Confederate Patriotic Covers Including a Check list of All Known Designs, first published in 1943, and was most likely part of his collection. Although the Battle of Hampton Roads was a popular theme for contemporary artists (see lot 83 in this sale), this hand-drawn allegory puts the fierce naval battle in a much more fanciful context than is usually depicted.

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Olden Legion, N.J.V., imprint at the top of red and blue on white patriotic cover illustrated with Lady Liberty holding Union Flag, sent stampless as a Soldier»s Letter with Washington, DC postmark and straight-line "Due 3" over manuscript "G.B. Grau, Chap.," addressed to Pemberton, New Jersey, cover opened at left and about halfway on top, light toned spots and minor edge faults, Fine, described in the Bischel sale as one of two recorded examples

Provenance: Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

Fifth Army Corps, 1st. Division, red Maltese Cross over multicolored Eagle and Horse scene with Magnus imprint, franked with 1861 3c Rose (Scott 65) tied by Washington, DC duplex cancel with target killer, addressed to Island Falls, Maine, stamp with clipped lower right corner, cover with some minor toned spots, still Fine and attractive

Provenance: George Walcott (Robert Laurence Sale, 1935)

Jon Bischel (Nutmeg Sale 27, 2000)

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Alta Express Co. Paid (Thomas ALT-001), black illustrated frank on 3c Red on buff entire (Scott U10) addressed to Sacramento City California and bearing red oval "Alta Express Company San Francisco" express marking (Thomas type ALT-106), entire with light bend along the left side and some black adhesions on reverse from mounting paper; Fine; one of five covers with this combination recorded by Thomas, 1949 Philatelic Foundation certificate

The Alta Express Company rose from the ashes of the failed Pacific Express Co. in July of 1857. Though their main office was in San Francisco, the company operated throughout the central and northern parts of California. Despite (or perhaps because of) its widespread coverage the Alta Express Co. survived just longer than one year, at which point they sold out to Wells, Fargo & Co. Thomas S. Fiske, the addressee, was a Sacramento-based banker and "California pioneer," according to his 1885 obituary.

Copley & Co.'s Miners Express (Thomas COP-100), red express marking at upper left of 10c Green on white entire (Scott U17) additionally franked with 1855 10c Green type III (Scott 15) tied by blue Marysville grid of squares cancel, addressed to "John Chandler, Sempronius NY," matching blue "Marysville Cal May 4 Paid By Stamp" origination postmark at lower left of the entire which has light creasing, faint cover toning along the top edge, and small repairs at the bottom including replacement of small portions of the Marysville town marking, Very Fine appearance

Provenance: Louis Grunin (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1988)

This express operated from Marysville to the Slate Creek Basin mining camps between 1855 and 1856. Thomas estimates that there are only 20 covers extant that were handled by this express company, some of which are held in a family correspondence. Of that number he records 7 examples as having a Marysville marking (six of which are from this same correspondence).

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Hall & Allen's Express Dutch Flat (Thomas HAL-100), bold strike of oval express marking cancels 3c Red on buff entire (Scott U10) with printed Wells, Fargo & Co. frank, addressed to Nevada, California, the entire with some abrasions on the reverse, still Very Fine and attractive

This short-lived express operated in conjuction with Wells, Fargo & Co. in 1864 (earlier authors place this company around 1858-1859), but not much else is known. Thomas records one U9 and four U10 covers with this marking, with this cover absent from his census.

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Humboldt Express, Nevada Territory, 25c Brown (Scott 86L1), tied by oval blue "Langton's Pioneer Express Star City" and "Wells, Fargo Nevada Jun 10» express markings on 3c Pink on white entire (Scott U34) bearing black "Langton's Paid Pioneer Express" printed frank at the upper left, addressed to "Mr. G. F. Borzo, Placerville, Cal," the stamp with very large margins to into outer frame line at bottom right; the cover has been lightly cleaned and the left margin extended to correct irregular opening along the left side, otherwise Very Fine, pictured in Thomas Vol. 2, page 482 (Scott $40,000), 2019 Philatelic Foundation certificate mentions "stamp with diagonal pen mark lightened at upper left"

Provenance: Edgar Jessup (Private Transaction)

Jerome Hawley (Sotheby's Parke-Bernet, 1978)

The most recent census of this stamp on cover records 6 intact covers, of which three originated in Star City and three in Unionville. The Humboldt Express stamp is among the rarest Western Express adhesives to be found on cover in any condition. Samuel W. Langton established his Humboldt Express to connect the Humboldt mines of northern Nevada with the capital Carson City. As this was a difficult route Langton added a 25c surcharge to the rate of $2 per letter; to facilitate pre-payment of this fee, 25c Brown stamps were produced. Owing to the overwhelming similarities between the Humboldt Express stamp and the concurrent Pony Express stamps, it is believed that Langton's stamps were also printed by Britton & Rey in San Francisco. In addition to its scarcity, this stamp must also be acknowledged as one of the most beautiful of all local post stamps, which adds to the desirability of a cover such as this one.

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Hunter & Co.'s Express, Double oval handstamp with left facing horse and rider (Thomas HUN-101), nicely struck on folded letter sheet addressed to "Sacremento Calafornia» (sic), manuscript «Bowling Green Mo. Oct 27" postmark at the upper left, "Wunderlich's Mill" at top right and "By the way of New York" at the lower left, the folded cover with trivial light edge toning, Very Fine marking on a Fine cover, Thomas records only twelve examples (including this cover) of this marking on cover

Provenance: Edwards Collection (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1991)

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Jones & Edgar's Canyon City Express Paid, Printed frank with small black loops at right and bottom, "Paid" crossed out (Thomas JON-002), on 3c Pink on white entire (Scott U34) addressed to McGregors Landing, Iowa and forwarded on to Era, Pennsylvania, partially struck "The Dalles Mar. 23 OR" postmark at lower left and manuscript "Due 3" to the left of the indicia, Very Fine and rare, Thomas records only two examples of this frank (this cover becoming the third known)

Horatio Jones and Addison Edgar ran their express company from Canyon City and the John Day Mines in central Oregon to The Dalles on the Columbia River, where they connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. In 1864 Jones became an agent for Wells, Fargo while Edgar followed suit just a year later. After the discovery of gold in Canyon Creek in 1862 upwards of 10,000 miners flocked to the region, which led to the establishment of this short-lived express company.

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