• 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...

Western Express - Reynolds to Todd & Bryan's continued...
LotNo. Symbol CatNo. Lot Description
901       imageForwarded by Reynold & Co. Express. Black oval company handstamp (REY-100) on buff cover from Pennsylvania to San Francisco, postmarked "Westchester, Pa. Sep 23" with manuscript "40" rate marking, docketed "answered Nov 20, 1850", the small manuscript "2" above the address reflects Reynold's $2.00 express fee; edge wear & a few creases, Very Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600. (Image1)

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
902       imageForwarded by Reynold & Co. Express. Black company oval handstamp (REY-100) on blue 1851 folded letter with red "Boston, Mass Mar 10" (1851) cds and matching "40" rate marking to "Mr Pilsbury Hodgkins, Stockton, Cala." where Reynold's Express picked it up for delivery to "Mormon gulch Southern Mines", Very Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600. (Image1)

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

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
903       imageReynolds Express. Small black double-line shield company handstamp (REY-105) on cover originating from Massachusetts, postmarked "New Bluffton, Ms May 10" (1850) cds with manuscript "40" rate to San Francisco; the dates of operation for this express (Jan, 1850 to Oct 7, 1851) and the 40 cent rate date this cover to 1850 or 1851; small tear at bottom & slightly reduced at left, Extremely Fine and rare, ex-Grombacher ("Edwards").
Estimate; $1,500 - 2,000.

TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS EXPRESS HANDSTAMP ARE RECORDED IN THOMAS' BOOK CENSUS, HOWEVER WE ARE AWARE OF FOUR EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE HANDSTAMP - THIS BEING PERHAPS THE FINEST.

Angevine Reynolds formed this express along with A. S. Reynolds and J. P. D. Wilkins, operating from the southern mines to Stockton and Sacramento. They connected with Todd & Company for transport to San Francisco and with Adams & Company for the Eastern States and Europe. Reynolds & Co. also had connections with Gregory's Express in late 1851. A new company, called Reynolds, Todd & Company's Express, was formed in 1851 when A. S. Reynolds left the company and Angevine Reynolds and J. P. D. Wilkins combined with Todd's. (Image1)

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

Est. $1,500-2,000
Selling for...$750.00
Will close during Public Auction
904       imageReynolds & Co Express, San Francisco, Stockton & Sonora. Blue double oval company handstamp (REY-103) on buff cover from New York with their integral rate handstamp "New-York Apr 26 40" to San Francisco; docketing at top left "May 26th, 1851" [receipt] and "Aug 2nd" [reply]; some corner wear, Very Fine, one of only two reported examples of this type Reynolds handstamp.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

Reynolds would have picked up this cover at the San Francisco post office and taken it to the addressee (Tasheira) in the Southern Mines. (Image1)

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

Est. $500-750
Selling for...$250.00
Will close during Public Auction
905       imageReynolds & Co.'s Express, Stockton - San Francisco, Sonora. Origination blue company oval (REY-104) on backflap of cover that entered the mails with "San Francisco Cal. Oct 15" (1851) cds and "10" rate marking cover to Goffstown, New Hampshire; couple trivial hinge reinforced edge tears, Very Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

ONE OF ONLY SIX REPORTED EXAMPLES OF THIS HANDSTAMP.

Reynolds & Co.'s Express operated from January, 1850 to October, 1851. Given that this cover has a 10¢ rate marking, it can be dated to 1851 and has to be one of the very last covers carried by Reynolds & Co.'s Express. (Image1)

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

Est. $400-600
Selling for...$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
906       imageRumrill's Express. Pair of cover with Rumrill Express markings, first is cover originating with "Franklin Mills O. Dec 3" black cds and manuscript "10" rate marking addressed to Frank Rumrill in Marysville, California with partial blue oval handstamp "F. Rumrill & Co's Northern Express Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co." (Thomas RUM-104), original contents (now missing) from his fiancé/wife Henrietta Stewart were from Dec 3, 1853 based on pencil notation, second cover originating with "Georgetown Ky Sep 1" (likely 1854) red cds franked with manuscript cancelled 1851 3¢ dull red addressed to Mrs. James Haun, Marysville, Cal. and redirected to "opposite mouth Nelson Creek, Plumas County" with black circular company handstamp "F. Rumrill & Co's Express Connecting at Marysville with Wells, Fargo & Co."; cover with numerous repaired tears, impossible to say if stamps originate on this cover (sold "as is"), Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (2.8MB). (Image1)

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
907       imageSan Francisco Letter Express. Blue oval Running Pony handstamp on locally addressed cover, F.-V.F., a scarce local-post marking, ex-Needham.
Estimate; $300 - 400. (Image1)

Est. $300-400
Selling for...$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
908       imageCare of Singer & Co's Express via Marysville. Manuscript directive of sender on cover originating at Garrettsville, Ohio and sent to "Meeker Flat, North Fork Feather River, Plumas County, California", postmarked "Garrettsville, O., Mar 23" cds and manuscript "R Lee P. M. Free" free frank, with ornately bordered corner card of dry goods merchants Lee & Mills, the "Lee" being Garrettsville postmaster R. Lee, single ink smear in manuscript postmaster free frank, flap torn, Very Fine.
Estimate; $150 - 200. (Image1)

Est. $150-200
Selling for...$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
909       imageThomes & Skadan's Express, Susanville & Reno, {Connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. "PAID" printed frank (THO-001) on 3¢ green Reay entire (U82) to San Jose, with partial conjunctive "Wells Fargo & Co. Reno Feb 1" blue handstamp; slightly and irregularly trimmed at right, Fine and rare.
Estimate; $200 - 300. (Image1)

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
910       imageTodd & Bryan's Express. Wonderful clear strike of small shield handstamp (TOD-100) and "Columbus" straightline handstamp (TOD-200) on folded letter to Florida, Missouri, entered the mails with "San Francisco, 17 June / 40" large cds with integral rate in red and light strike of "Per Str. Columbus" straightline postal handstamp (TOD-600) in matching red, letter (2½ pages) is from a miner to his mother back home and datelined "Tuoloma (sic) County, State of California, June 2d A.D. 1850" even though California was not yet a state at the time, the writer describes Tuolumne County as a "wild barren mountainous country" and himself as "shut out as it were from all the social blessings of life, which is the fate of all who are in pursuit of the only desirable thing that this country abounds in (that is gold)…I have been doing very well during the last ten days, I have taken out of the dirt over three hundred dollars… I have taken out one piece in company with three others with whom I am now working that weighs 20 ounces the value of which is over 300 dollars and a variety of others weighing from 5 to 30 dollars," some soiling & edgewear/splitting, vertical file fold pressed out, F.-V.F., cover illustrated in Nathan's Franks of Western Expresses (page 208) and Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 150), ex-Wagner, Hawley, Haas & Drew.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

A VERY RARE EXAMPLE OF A SHIP ENDORSEMENT APPLIED BY AN EXPRESS COMPANY.

This cover was carried on the first departure of the non-contract Law's Line SS "Columbus" from San Francisco on June 18, 1850. Endorsements were required for letters to be carried on non-contract ships, and Todd & Bryan's Express was clearly prepared. Todd & Bryan's Express was one of the first express companies to emerge during the California gold rush. They operated from the southern mines to Stockton and thence to San Francisco. This cover was sent a month before Bryan left the partnership and the company was renamed simply Todd & Co.'s Express. Complete images:
View gallery or Download PDF (5.8MB). (Image1)

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

Est. $2,000-3,000
Selling for...$1,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
Western Express - Todd to Robinson
LotNo. Symbol CatNo. Lot Description
911       imageTodd & Co. Express. Sharp strike of small black double-line shield company handstamp (TOC-100) on blue 1850 folded letter with straight line "FROM STOCKTON" Todd's handstamp (TOC-600) to San Francisco, vertical file fold, Very Fine and choice, a lovely example of this rare early California express company.
Estimate; $500 - 750. (Image1)

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

Est. $500-750
Selling for...$250.00
Will close during Public Auction
912       imageTodd & Co. Express. Sharp strike of small black double-line shield company handstamp (TOC-100) on small cover originating with "Rising Sun, Ind. Jan 13" cds and "40" in circle rate handstamp addressed to Stockton; carried by Todds with their "$2" rate handstamp to "Hawkeye" (very light pencil notation); cover is silked and repaired including tear through company handstamp, Very Fine appearance, a nice appearing example of this popular Todd's shield handstamp with the express fee handstamp.
Estimate; $200 - 300. (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
913       imageForwarded by Todd's Express San Francisco. Sharp strike of blue company oval handstamp (Thomas TOE-100) with matching company double oval "NOT PAID" handstamp on bluish legal size cover to Stockton, Extremely Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

C.A. Todd's Express operated from Apr 22, 1852 to Sep 1, 1853, serving the southern mines. (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
914       imageFrom Todd's Express Office Sonora. Blue so-called tombstone handstamp (Thomas TOE-104) on brown cover to San Francisco with manuscript "With 30 ozs Dust" and "CC" at lower left (Todd's designation for Carson Creek, the origin of this cover); slight wrinkling and staining at left, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Charles A. Todd purchased all the assets of Reynolds, Todd & Company and continued to operate from San Francisco and Stockton serving the southern mines. Todd made inroads along the Sacramento River to points above Sacramento, but faced tough competition from Adams & Co. in that area. At first, Todd connected with Gregory's Express, but later shared an office in San Francisco with Wells Fargo and connected with them for services to the Eastern States. Todd sold his operation to Wells Fargo in Sep, 1853, giving them control of the routes to the southern mines, where they began to compete with Adams. (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
915       imageTodd & Co.s Express Stockton. perfect strike of tiny black company oval handstamp (TOC-106) with straight line italic "PAID" (TOC-200) on blue folded letter to San Francisco; money letter endorsed "with $76 50/100", business contents datelined "Stockton Jan 10th 1851", Extremely Fine and rare, ex-Jessup, illustrated in Letters of Gold.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ONLY ABOUT A HALF-DOZEN OF THESE MARKINGS ON COVER, THIS BEING CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN.

Alexander H. Todd and E. W. Colt formed Todd and Company's Express following Benjamin L. Bryan's departure from Todd & Bryan's Express on Jul 13, 1850. E. W. Colt operated out of Stockton and served the southern mines through merchant agents, while A. H. Todd anchored the operation in San Francisco. They connected in San Francisco with Adams & Company and in Sacramento with Hawley & Company. Later, they also connected with both Freeman and Reynolds & Company in Sacramento. They extended a line, by steamer, to Portland and Oregon City and brought L. W. Newell into the partnership to work out of Sonora. The partnership disbanded in Oct, 1851 with Colt and Newell taking the Oregon California express operation, as Newell & Company. Todd then combined the remaining California operation with Reynolds & Company to form Reynolds, Todd & Co.'s Express. (Image1)

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

Est. $1,000-1,500
Selling for...$500.00
Will close during Public Auction
916     U35 imageEnvelope, 1861, Nesbitt 3rd Issue, 3¢ pink on buff. Blue oval handstamp (Thomas TRA-101) with Tracy & Co. Oregon Express PAID printed frank (Thomas TRA-007) on 3¢ pink on buff entire (U35) to Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon; docketed at left "March 18/62"; couple tiny seal tears at top, Very Fine, a scarce Oregon express.
Scott No. U35; Estimate $200 - 300. (Image1)

Get Market Data for [United States U35] View Visual Pricing Guide Make Sample Census

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
917       imageTracy & Co. Portland Jun 12. Six strikes of blue double circle datestamp (Thomas TRA-100) on two 3¢ red Star Die entires (U26) with Tracy & Co. printed franks (Thomas TRA-007) as paste ups on legal size envelope; one of the entires covers most of the second, address portion of paste-up absent; vertical file folds, F.-V.F. and attractive.
Estimate; $150 - 200. (Image1)

Est. $150-200
Selling for...$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
918       image(Tracy & Co.'s) Salmon River & Nez Perces Express, PAID 50 CENTS. Black printed frank (TRA-604) at lower left of 3¢ pink entire with Wells Fargo printed frank (WFE-030) at top center and conjunctive blue handstamp oval "Wells Fargo & Co [indistinct]" to Eureka, Humboldt County, California; light water stain & slightly irregularly trimmed at right, Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300. (Image1)

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
919       image(Tracy & Co.'s) Salmon River & Nez Perces Express. Paid 75 Cents. Black printed frank at lower left (Thomas TRA-606) with red Wells, Fargo & Co. printed frank on 1853-55 10¢ green Nesbitt entire (U16) to Wisconsin, entered mails with "New York Aug 15 1862" black cds; included is original enclosure datelined "Florence City July 5th 1862" which reads, in part, "…I have just received a latter from Adams dated June 21st he is on John Days River. He had a good trip from Virginia City, he is about three hundred miles from here, a part of his company came on through (they arrived here two weeks ago), and the rest went to John Days River to prospect for gold… direct his letters as well as mine to Portland Oregon and then we will have them sent to us by express…This is the most disagreeable climate I ever lived in, on day it will be hot enough to roast a person and the next day cold enough to freeze…K.G. Armstrong," cover faults including indicia replaced & one sideflap replaced, three small, clear corner mounts are affixed to enclosure, Fine appearance, an excellent mining letter from Idaho.
Estimate; $200 - 300. (Image1)

Est. $200-300
Selling for...$290.00
Will close during Public Auction
920       imageTruman & Co.'s Express Jan 28. Bold oval handstamp (Thomas TRE-100) on 1864 3¢ Nesbitt entire to San Jose with black company printed frank with San Francisco office location imprint below (TRE-003), Extremely Fine and rare, only a small handful of Truman's Express covers have the company handstamp.
Estimate; $300 - 400. (Image1)

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.