| 33 |
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 Wells, Fargo & Co. San Jose, Oct. 28 (1869). Blue oval
datestamp on 3c Pink on Buff entire (U59) with Wells Fargo & Co. printed frank to street address in Philadelphia, clear strike of "Union Pacific R.R. Nov. 1" route agent's circular datestamp, Phildelphia receiving backstamp, neatly docketed,
Very Fine, carried by Wells, Fargo & Co. on Central Pacific R.R. from San Jose to Cheyenne, given to route agent on Union Pacific R.R. for transport east (Image)Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com |
E. $ 500-750
SOLD for $350.00
Will close during Public Auction |
| 34 |
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 Wines & Co.'s Express. Fully readable strike of
straightline handstamp and clearly struck "Republica de Nicaragua, Admon de Correos de Granada" double-oval handstamp on circa 1856 blue folded cover to Christian Russ, in care of Adolphus Russ, San Francisco, edges slightly age-bleached,
reinforced along folds with hingesA FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF MAIL SENT FROM A MEMBER OF WILLIAM WALKER'S FILIBUSTERING CAMPAIGN IN NICARAGUA AND CARRIED BY G. H. WINES EXPRESS. G. H. Wines & Co.'s Express, founded in 1855,
provided service from San Francisco to Sacramento, where they connected with Rhodes & Whitney's Express to serve the mines. The company also became involved with the Accessory Transit Company's steamship operation (the Vanderbilt Line) to provide
coast-to-coast service via Nicaragua. Their agent, J. A. Ruggles, was appointed postmaster of Nicaragua after William Walker became president of Nicaragua in 1856, following his invasion of that country. Walker's private residence was located in the
Wines Express office in Granada (El Nicaraguense, May 31, 1856). After Walker's defeat by allied Central American and British forces, the company was disbanded in 1857. The addressee, Charles Christian Russ, was born in Saxony, Germany, in
1795 and died in San Francisco in June 1857. His son, Adolphus Gustave Russ, was also born in Germany and succeeded his father in business, becoming one of the wealthiest citizens of San Francisco (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/biographies/r/russ-adolphus.txt ). This letter might have been sent by a friend or member of the family, who
was accompanying Walker on his expedition to Nicaragua. Very few examples of the Wines & Co. express markings are known on mail from Nicaragua. This is one of three reported from one of Walker's men, and the only one addressed to San
Francisco. Ex Berthold, Dale-Lichtenstein and Walske (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com |
E. $ 3,000-4,000
SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction |
