• Login (enter your user name) and Password
    Please Login. You are NOT Logged in.

    Quick Search:

  • To see new sales and other StampAuctionNetwork® news in your Facebook newsfeed then Like us on Facebook!

Login to Use StampAuctionNetwork®.
New Member? Click "Register".

StampAuctionNetwork® Extended Features


More Useful Information:
 
You are not logged in. Please Login so that we can determine your registration status with this firm. If you have never registered, please register by pressing the [Quick Signup (New to StampAuctionNetwork)] button. Then Login.      Listen to Live Audio!
 
Quick Navigation by Category  The Dr. James Milgram Collection of Western Postal (204)   |  United States (550)   | 
 

logo

The Dr. James Milgram Collection of Western Postal History continued...

Panama continued...
LotNo. Symbol CatNo. Lot Description
781       imagePannamare [Panama City] June 29, 1851. Dateline on bluish folded letter addressed to Voluntown, Conn, with bold two-line "STEAM SHIP" in black and matching "40" in circle rate marking; letter reads, in part, "…the steamer went to Havannah wher we lad to stop 1-1/2 days we had good fare on the Gorga but the Falcon is a hard oald ship…the burths was covered with lice so wee thought best to slepe on deck which was full as comfatable wee arived to shagres [Chagres] the twenty third it is the most sunkon places that I ever saw…we stoped about two hours till wee could git a bout to go up the river with 4 natives when wee had got ten miles night over tuck us…my helth has ben very good all except being sea sick on the Gorga som of the company is rather sick to day with the Diare but nothing dangers…about fifteen minets ago to blacks men brout out of the prison by the soldiers dresed in white a companed by a cathalic prest led up to the stakes the pres sat down on a stool the murders kneeled down to prests throde three cloak over Theresienstadt hedds and whispered to parden there sins then they was each one tied to the stake while forteen natives soldiers shot, one strugld but they shot him over such site I never saw before but it was two good for them they was two of the five that murderd the ten os shagres river men women and chrilden…I will write you as soon as I git to sanfrancisco I have seen a lot just returning from the mines with good nuse and I feel in couraged to go on…Henry F. Douglass", toned at edges and along folds, some staining at left and pressed out vertical file fold, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400. (Image1)

Est. $300-400
Selling for...$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
782       imagePanama, March 7th 1852. Dateline on four-page letter with cover postmarked with black New York "Steam Ship 20 Cts" circular due handstamp to Chandler, New York; contents read, in part, "…We reached Havana on the Palmetto after leaving New York and stayed till the Tuesday afternoon, taking in coal, water, and passengers from Havana…We got a boat on landing and proceeded up the Chagres river. Our passage was seven dollars each. We spent two days in reaching Gorgona. The day following we reached Panama and on our arrival here we found a great many people here waiting to get away. There was only one steamer here and more ready of people wanting to go with her, which was impossible. The day on which we arrived here there was a English Bark advertised for sale in a few days and was doing business at $150,000, and we all obtained tickets and expect to sail in a few days. She is considered to be in very good speed, she is called 'Josephine'…There is a great many people returning to the States from having not funds enough to carry them through, others becoming homesick and are returning home…William Hayden."; light water staining on cover right, 1" sealed tear at upper left, Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (20MB). (Image1) (Image2)

image

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
783       imagePanama, March 23th / 52. Dateline on four-page letter with New York "Steamship 20" black circular due handstamp on cover to Johnson's Creek, Niagara Co., N.Y.; letter provides the gory details of the trip to California and reads, in part, "…Since we left N.Y. have witnessed much that was new to me & would be glad to sit down by you & tell all I can remember but shall have to be satisfied with making extracts from my journal in which I have noted the more important incidents that have come within my observation…The El Dorado started from N.Y. at 2 oclock 20th Feb. with 400 passengers & over 300 in the steerage. At 5 oclock P.M. the bell rang for tea. the tables were boards 2 ft wide & in sections 14 ft. long with sides 2 inches high supported about 3 ft. from the floor with iron hooks & fastened to posts near one end to prevent too great swinging & when not in use drawn up to the ceiling above. The table furniture consisted of a tin plate tin cup & knife & fork. Victuals were sea biscuit in tin pans. Boiled pork & beef served up in tin pans in pieces from ~1/4 to 6 lbs weight each, butter in tin pans. Beverage only black tea so strong as to be bitter slightly sweetened with molasses. I need not add we partook very sparingly. We had no seats at any time…Bed time found a sorry place in the cabins. there were 114 passengers in ours which was the upper steerage. the berths were double & three high. The winds howled wildly & tho waves dashed madly against the sides of the ship with an unwelcome war at every lurch of which produced a corresponding one of the stomach & few were able to contain their almost exhausted contents. A multitude of heads projected from the berths & those below not unfrequently found a stream of bile on each side while the floor was literally a sea of vomit…I had vomited till I felt quite sure if anything remained in my stomach it would be by the hardest but was not a little surprised to find that a small Jonah 8 inches long was slowly making his exit from my throat…" the letter goes on to describe the trip across the Isthmus and then trip on to San Francisco in some additional detail, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (26MB). (Image1)

Est. $300-400
Selling for...$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
784     68 image1861, 10¢ green. Printed address on cover postmarked "Albion, N.Y. Sep 15 1865" double circle on cover with part town marking tying 10¢ 1861 issue adhesive (well centered) with printed address "Mr. George F. Sawyer, U.S.N., 3d Assistant Engineer, U.S. Sloop of War Lancaster, Care of United States Consul, Panama, N.G."; notation on verso "Received at Panama Sept 26th, Ans. Oct 1st, 1865"; opened roughly top with piece of front missing at upper left, missing most of backflap, Very Fine, Nice naval printed address.
Scott No. 68; Estimate $150 - 200. (Image1)

Est. $150-200
Selling for...$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
785       imagePanama Jan 18 67 Transit. British transit marking three-line black handstamp on 1867 cover from Chile to New York, franked with Chile 1858, Columbus, 5c pale orange and vertical pair of 1862, 10¢ blue on bluish tied by barred "Cancelled" oval handstamp; postmarked red "Santiago, Chile 2 Jany 1867" double circle datestamp, with italic "34" black rate handstamp and "N. York Steamship" black circular handstamp as well as "34" and crayon "24" rate markings; hint of light cover edge wear around, Very Fine, a rare incoming cover from Chile to the United States.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

A RARE 1858-62 5C AND 10C COLUMBUS ISSUE COMBINATION USAGE FROM SANTIAGO. (Image1)

Est. $750-1,000
Selling for...$375.00
Will close during Public Auction
Western Name of Boat Markings
LotNo. Symbol CatNo. Lot Description
786       imagePER STR COLUMBUS. Red straight line handstamp with manuscript "Ship 42" rate (40¢ trans-continental rate + 2¢ ship Captain fee) on folded letter datelined "Victoria, New Zealand, 9th March 1850" postmarked with red "San Francisco Cal 6 Jun" cds to New York; two vertical file folds, left one with some minor staining, still Very Fine, ex-Knapp & Jessup.
Estimate; $750 - 1,000.

A RARE USAGE FROM NEW ZEALAND AND CARRIED BY GEORGE LAW'S "COLUMBUS" FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO PANAMA ON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE.

On June 6th 1850, George Laws steamship "Columbus" arrived at San Francisco and on June 19th she started the first of only two voyages to Panama (Columbus carried mail on her maiden round voyage and a second voyage to Panama). Allen had a "Per Str. Columbus" straightline directional handstamp made up to indicate that these letters were to be bagged for Law's Line and not the contracted carrier. It appears this arrangement was made without consulting Washington D.C., and probably after intervention by William Aspinwall, the arrangement ended after only three round trips. (Image1)

Est. $750-1,000
Selling for...$375.00
Will close during Public Auction
787       imageEmpire City. Bold red two-line handstamp clearly struck on a brown cover (1849) addressed to Amos P. Catlin in San Francisco, "Care of Mr. Vandemark." The fee for the Empire City Line was paid per the manuscript "Paid" at the upper right, so the purser added the EMPIRE CITY marking to the letter and took it on the ship in a closed bag, Carried on the Empire City Line steamer Empire City from New York to Chagres and across the Isthmus to Panama City, where it was turned over to the U.S. Despatch Agent for further transmission on the Steamer Panama by the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., the cover entered the San Francisco Post Office with boxed "40" rate handstamp applied, trivial cover wear, Extremely Fine and rare.
Estimate; $4,000 - 6,000.

AN OUTSTANDING STRIKE OF THE "EMPIRE CITY" STEAMER HANDSTAMP AND ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE EMPIRE CITY LINE'S NAME-OF-SHIP MARKING. ONE OF THE MOST MOST IMPORTANT EARLY CALIFORNIA COVERS.

An almost identical cover from the same correspondence and only other example was recently sold in the Siegel Sale #1331, Lot 1023 (09/2024) for $8000 hammer price. (Image1)

Est. $4,000-6,000
Selling for...$2,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
788       imagePr Steamer Empire City Aug 16. Manuscript sender's endorsement at lower left of cover with manuscript "Pd" (Paid) at upper right, no postal markings, on buff cover to San Francisco, minor toning at upper left, Very Fine and rare.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

The S.S. "Empire City" (1700 tons) was owned variously by Howard & Son's Empire Line; the Pacific Mail Steamship Company (PMSC), which held the mail contract on the Pacific portion of the Panama Route; and the United States Mail Steamship Company (USMSC), which held the mail contract on the Atlantic portion of the Panama Route. Howard & Son's were early competitors to the USMSC on the Atlantic side of Panama. The PMSC acquired the "Empire City" from Howard & Son's and became competitors on the Atlantic side after the Law's Line affair in 1850. That event led the Post Office Department to require that mail agents accompany the mails on all contract sailings by the PMSC and the USMSC. The USMSC acquired the "Empire City" from the PMSC after the two subsidized steamship companies agreed to confine their seafaring activities to the sides of the Isthmus corresponding to their mail contracts. (Image1)

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
789       imagePer StR Isthmus. Red-orange straight line handstamp with matching "San Francisco 17 July / 40" integral rate (due) cds with manuscript "pr Isthmus" at lower left on cover to New London, Conn., 40 cent rate period dates this cover to 1850; light markings typical of this red-orange color, edge wear and light soiling in places, backflap half missing, Fine and rare, Scarce use of the Steamer Isthmus handstamp used on mails send via George Law's line of steamers for only five months in 1850., ex-Vogel.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

Although the Pacific Mail Steamship Company had an exclusive government contract to carry the mails, Law offered the San Francisco postmaster the use of his ships to convey mail. On May 14, 1850 the postmaster agreed only on condition that the sender's had to indicate carriage by Law's steamers. This agreement was a breech on the government contract and was eventually terminated after five months. (Image1)

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
790       imageSteam Manzanillo. Full bold strike of oval handstamp on folded cover from Cuba to San Francisco, postmarked on arrival by "San Francisco, Cal. Aug 11, 1865" double cds (Williams SAF-600), correct double rate of 20¢ with manuscript blue crayon "20" due marking; additional handstamp at lower left "Suarez Lienau Y Ca, Habana" in blue; minor wrinkling near center, Extremely Fine.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

San Francisco used a set of four oval steam markings indicating origin used in association with the four stops of the PMSS Co. ships running from Panama to San Francisco: Panama, Mazatlan, Acapulco, and Manzanillo. There are 47 covers total recorded by Richard Frajola and only 4 for Manzanillo. This being the finest example. (Image1)

Est. $1,000-1,500
Selling for...$500.00
Will close during Public Auction
791       imageSteamer Tennessee. Black on orange passage ticket, "First Cabin, From San Juan Del Norte to New York, Voyage No. 1", "York" of New York crossed out and manuscript "Orleans" added, signed by the Purser and pencil dated "le 16 Octobre 1856", Very Fine,

A RARE EARLY TICKET ON THE TENNESSEE FROM NICARAGUA TO NEW ORLEANS. (Image1)

Est. $300-400
Selling for...$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
792       imageSteamship Winfield Scott. Light but readable straight line handstamp in red on cover to New Orleans with "Steamship" written out in full versus the normal "Steamer", with manuscript "P Steamer Winfield Scott" postmarked "New Orleans, La Dec 5" in red with circular "Steam 5" matching; cover originated from New York as evidenced by small embossed label on backflap "Elliman Brothers New York" and light red handstamp on verso "Forwarded by Davis Brooks & Co. New York", Very Fine, with 1981 P.F. certificate.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE WITH THE SPELLING "STEAMSHIP" VERSUS THE NORMAL "STEAMER."

Davis, Brooks & Co. (handstamp on verso) were the original owners of the Steamer Winfield Scott, and transported passengers in the Atlantic Ocean between New York and New Orleans. The vessel's ownership was later transferred to the New York and San Francisco Steamship Company Line. It carried passengers from Panama City to San Francisco in the Pacific Ocean. Ownership was again transferred on July 8, 1853 to the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., which company owned it at the time it was wrecked.

Articles by Rick Mingee and Dr. James Milgram in the March, 2018 and Sept, 2018 issues of Western Express detail the postal history artifacts from the Steamer Winfield Scott. Mingee census WS-1. (Image1)

Est. $1,000-1,500
Selling for...$500.00
Will close during Public Auction
793       imageSteamer Winfield Scott. Perfect strike of red straight line handstamp with "10" manuscript rate marking, on 1851 folded letter datelined "Steamship Winfield Scott, New Orleans, 4 Decr 1851", manuscript endorsement "Winfield Scott" at lower left, an Extremely Fine gem, Unlisted in the Mingee census.
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000.

PERHAPS THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE STEAMER WINFIELD SCOTT MARKING. (Image1)

Est. $1,500-2,000
Selling for...$750.00
Will close during Public Auction
794       imageSteamer Winfield Scott. Two strikes of red straight line handstamp at lower left of cover with manuscript "10" rate marking on buff cover to New York; somewhat rounded lower right corner, F.-V.F. and rare, Mingee census #WS-4 (March, 2018 Western Express).
Estimate; $500 - 750.

The Winfield Scott was a 1,291-ton steamer built in New York City in 1851 and put into service along the Pacific Coast route in 1852. The steamer was purchased by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company from the New York and San Francisco Line in July 1853. One round trip between San Francisco and Panama for the PMSC was completed before the Winfield Scott was stranded and lost on her second trip for the company off Anacapa Island in the Santa Barbara Channel on Dec 2, 1853. The five mail bags, passengers, crew and cargo (including gold specie) were saved. Nine examples of this two-line handstamp are recorded, of which two were carried before the "Winfield Scott" was commissioned into the Pacific service. (Image1)

Est. $500-750
Selling for...$250.00
Will close during Public Auction
Western Express - Adams to California Penny Post
LotNo. Symbol CatNo. Lot Description
795       imageAdams & Co. Express, 59 Broadway, New York. Red shield corner card on cover addressed to "Robert R. Carrington, Purser Steamer New Orleans, Care of Geo: Mouton Esq, Adams & Co., Melbourne, Australia", shipped to Sydney with manuscript "found on the River Hunter" endorsement, postmarked "Sydney, N.S.W., My 23, 1855" and red "Ship Letter, G.P.O. Victoria, Free, My 30, 1855" all on reverse, included is original enclosure datelined "New York Aug. 4/'53", written by Robert's brother, John Carrington with fascinating steamship news, some cover wrinkles at right, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $150 - 200. (Image1)

Est. $150-200
Selling for...$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
796       imageAdams & Co.'s Express. Three covers with Adams Express markings, first is cover to Sonora with blue "Adams & Co Stockton Oct 9" (Thomas ADA-100) circular company handstamp, second is folded cover to San Francisco with several strikes of blue circular company handstamp "Sacramento Dec 15" (Thomas ADA-100) with boxed "PAID" matching handstamp, and third is folded cover with uncancelled 1851 3¢ and blue oval handstamp "Adams & Co.'s Express San Jose" (Thomas ADA-103), Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (6.9MB). (Image1)

Get Market Data for [United States Collection] View Visual Pricing Guide Make Sample Census

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
797       imageAdams & Co Express. Manuscript endorsement at lower left of brown cover addressed to William F. Christie or John J. Deland, Melbourne, Australia with lengthy instructions written to "Express Agent" on both the front and verso of cover; two letters enclosed both datelined "Feb 22 1855 Horse Heads" (New York), mostly business contents, but with several points of discussion of post office and express operations; also "…If you find to a certainty, that he [referring to the addressee] has sailed for England or America, and no mistake, get all his letters from the Express Office & Post Office & come home. But don't return home nor touch one of his letters unless you know to a certainty that he is dead or has returned home, and have found out all about it-whether he is or what has become of him. Don't spare any trouble or expense in tracing him out…", edge wear around, F.-V.F., a very rare Adams Express item which operated in Australia.
Estimate; $400 - 600. (Image1)

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
798       imageAdams & Co.'s Express, Jackson, Sep 12. Small red oval handstamp (Thomas ADA-101) on buff cover to Columbia (California), Extremely Fine, one of only three examples of this handstamp reported to date, a wonderful fresh example of this type Adams' handstamp, ex-Jarrett.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Adams & Co. operated a substantial express system between 1849 and 1855, when the failure of its banking operations led to its demise. (Image1)

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
799       imageAdams & Cos. Express, Monterey. Red double-oval handstamp (ADA-103) and matching oval "PAID" handstamp on blue folded 1854 letter datelined "Monterey 30th Dec. 1854" to San Francisco Cal., additionally struck by blue "Adams & Co., San Jose, Jan 3" oval datestamp (ADA-101); light filefold, Very Fine, a nice cover with different Adams Express markings.
Estimate; $500 - 750. (Image1)

Est. $500-750
Selling for...$250.00
Will close during Public Auction
800       imageAdams & Co.'s Express Stockton. Blue rope oval handstamp (ADA-104) on 1852 blue folded business letter to Mokelumne Hill, Very Fine, an unusually sharp strike of this early Adams handstamp, one of four known examples of this handstamp.
Estimate; $300 - 400. (Image1)

Get Market Data for [United States Collection] View Visual Pricing Guide Make Sample Census

Est. $300-400
Selling for...$150.00
Will close during Public Auction

Previous Page, Next Page or Return to Table of Contents

StampAuctionNetwork® is a registered trademark of Droege Computing Services, Inc | StampAuctionCentral and StampAuctionNetwork® are Copyright © 1994-2026 Droege Computing Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Mailing Address: 20 West Colony Place, Suite 120, Durham NC 27705 | If you want to talk to me about anything other than selling your stamps, call 919-403-9459 and ask for Tom Droege, or email support@stampauctionnetwork.com We can help you evaluate or sell your collection so... Click here for help selling your Collection. Once you follow the instructions we can talk. But first we have a process. Sign up for a paid or free membership | Lost your Links? Return to StampAuctionNetwork® | Instructional Videos - Master StampAuctionNetwork® | Sign up for our Newsletter | Terms and Conditions.