2013 Rarities of the World continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLE FOLDED LETTER SENT UNDER COVER FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK, THEN FORWARDED TO BOND STREET BY GREIG'S CITY DESPATCH POST.

Cornelia Ray was a member of the famous Prime family of New York, whose patriarch, Nathaniel, was the head of the preeminent banking firm, Prime, Ward & King. This letter was sent by Cornelia to her mother in March 1842, while she, her husband and their children were staying in Paris. This letter was carried under cover on a vessel that sailed from France to New York. On arrival it was forwarded to 22 Bond Street by the City Despatch Post at 1:00 p.m. on March 29. The privately-operated City Despatch Post was bought by the government in August 1842 and re-established as the U.S. City Despatch Post carrier department. Two similar covers are known from the same correspondence, sent in 1844 and bearing the United States City Despatch Post 3c Black on Blue Green Glazed carrier stamp (Siegel Sale 1005, lots 240-241). (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE BROWN & McGILL'S CARRIER STAMP TIED ON COVER. ONLY SIX OR SEVEN TIED EXAMPLES ARE BELIEVED TO EXIST.

Ex Wagshal. With notes attesting to authenticity by Robert Myersburg and Richard Frajola. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COVER BEARING A PAIR OF THE WELLS' LETTER EXPRESS 10-CENT STAMP DEPICTING A MARINE CHARGING ASHORE WITH SWORD AND FLAG.

The stamps issued by Wells' Letter Express are remarkable both for the purpose they served and for their distinctive designs. The oval 96L1-96L2 stamps depict the Goddess of Commerce surrounded by bales and barrels with a merchant vessel in the background -- symbols of private enterprise and the robust economic growth of America during the 1840's. The circular 96L3-96L4 stamps depict an American marine charging ashore with sword raised and Union Flag waving, and a naval vessel in the background. This design, chosen for stamps that would be used in the Great Lakes region, has been described as a commemoration of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812, which may or may not be accurate.

This cover, along with the rest of a Wells' Letter Express study collection, was stolen from the residence of noted Buffalo collector Pitt Petri in 1967. It was recently reunited with Mr. Petri's family due to the efforts of a good samaritan. It is now offered to the market for the first time in more than 50 years (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY FIVE GENUINE COVERS EXIST WITH THE 10-CENT SCARLET LETTER EXPRESS STAMP, MAKING THIS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL 1844 INDEPENDENT MAIL USES.

The stamps issued by Wells' Letter Express are remarkable both for the purpose they served and for their distinctive designs. The oval 96L1-96L2 stamps depict the Goddess of Commerce surrounded by bales and barrels with a merchant vessel in the background -- symbols of private enterprise and the robust economic growth of America during the 1840's. The circular 96L3-96L4 stamps depict an American marine charging ashore with sword raised and Union Flag waving, and a naval vessel in the background. This design, chosen for stamps that would be used in the Great Lakes region, has been described as a commemoration of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812, which may or may not be accurate.

Our records contain five 10c Scarlet covers as follows: 1) Jul. 19, 1844 Boyd's delivery date in NYC, sent from Cleveland with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Worthington, Hollowbush, Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 369), 2) Sep. 28, 1844, folded letter from Buffalo to Miller & Co., NYC, double rate, stamp tied by ms., ex Caspary, Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1304) and Kuphal (Siegel Sale 925, lot 1036, 3) Oct. 4, 1844, folded letter from Monroe Mich. to Dwight Johnson, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, ex Perry, Schwartz, 4) [Date unknown] 1844, folded letter from [origin unknown] to Willet P. Ward, NYC, with Scarlet 96L4 and Pomeroy's 117L1, Sloane's records, and 5) [Date unknown] 1844, folded cover from [origin unknown] to Mrs. Jane Bruce, Boston Mass., the cover offered here, ex Petri. The three combination frankings each bear a Pomeroy's stamp, affixed by Wells to credit Pomeroy with their share of the prepaid postage.

This cover, along with the rest of a Wells' Letter Express study collection was stolen from the residence of noted Buffalo collector Pitt Petri, in 1967. It was recently reunited with Mr. Petri's family due to the efforts of a good samaritan. It is now offered to the market for the first time in more than 50 years

With 1954 P.F. certificate stating the stamp is genuine but declining opinion as to whether it originated (we believe it does). Scott Retail as tied on cover $9,250.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE PONY EXPRESS COVER BEARING A COMBINATION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO RUNNING PONY OVAL AND THE SAME OFFICE’S OVAL HANDSTAMP.

This cover was part of the Pony Express mail that left San Francisco on Wednesday, November 28, 1860, and arrived at St. Joseph on December 11 after a trip of 13 days.

FKW Census E41. Trip ET-52. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A VERY RARE PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH THE $2.00 HORSE & RIDER FIRST ISSUE AND TWO BOLD STRIKES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO RUNNING PONY OVAL.

The Paid” in oval handstamp was a standard marking used by Wells, Fargo & Company, but its function on Pony Express covers is not completely understood. The Paid” oval is recorded on nine Pony Express covers carried during Phase II (Interim Phase) from April 1 to June 30, 1861 (FKW census). An additional five covers carried during Phase III (July-October 1861) have the same Paid” oval. The fact that certain covers have the adhesive Pony Express stamp affixed over the Paid” indicates that it was applied to those envelopes prior to being stamped for the Pony service.

The FKW census recorded 37 covers with the $2.00 Red First Issue. This cover left San Francisco on June 29 and arrived in St. Joseph after a 12-day trip. Four days later, on July 15, it reached Washington Townsend (1813-1894), a prominent West Chester Pa. lawyer and prosecuting attorney for Chester County, as well as deputy attorney under the Pennsylvania State Attorney General. He served as a delegate to both Whig and Republican presidential conventions and later served as a Republican member of Congress from 1869 to 1877.

FKW Census E108. Trip ET-113. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EASTBOUND PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH THE WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY $1.00 HORSE & RIDER SECOND ISSUE AND POSTMARK SHOWING ENTRY INTO THE MAILS AT THE ATCHISON POST OFFICE. THIS WAS CARRIED ON THE FIRST EASTBOUND TRIP TO ATCHISON.

This cover was carried on the trip that departed San Francisco on Wednesday, September 11, 1861, and arrived at Atchison on September 23. The Pony Express stamp pays the government contract rate of $1 per half-ounce, and the shift to Atchison as the point of entry into the U.S. mails was due to Confederate military incursions into central Missouri in September 1861.

Congress awarded the mail contract along the Central Route to the Overland Mail Company on March 12, 1861, effective July 1. The contract paid $1,000,000 per year for mail/passenger service along the Central Route and required the company ...during the continuance of their Contract, or until completion of The Overland telegraph, to run a Pony Express semi-weekly at a Schedule time of ten days eight months of the year and twelve days four months of the year...” This period of operation is known as Phase III, which corresponds to Rate Period 4 (July 1-October 26, 1861). During this period, Wells, Fargo & Co. issued new stamps and envelopes to reflect the agreed-upon government contract rate of $1 per half-ounce for the Pony Express. In addition, Wells, Fargo & Co. charged a fee for service in California (10c if a franked envelope was used, 25c if not) and U.S. postage (10c per half-ounce).

On September 3, 1861, the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad experienced a horrific tragedy when bushwhackers burned a bridge over the Platte River, causing a derailment that killed between 17 and 20 people and injured 100 more in the Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy”. Starting with the Pony Express mail that left San Francisco on September 11, 1861 (ET-134, arriving September 23, which carried the cover offered here), the entry point for mail became Atchison. The FKW census records 25 covers sent thru Atchison, including one with the Pony Express stamp missing. Two others are known used on this same trip.

FKW Census E158. Trip ET-134. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARING COVER WITH THE $1.00 HORSE & RIDER SECOND ISSUE TIED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO RUNNING PONY OVAL DATESTAMP AND CARRIED DURING THE FIRST MONTH OF THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACT PERIOD.

Commencing July 1, 1861, the Pony Express was authorized by Congress to carry mail at the rate of $1.00 per half ounce. An additional fee was charged by Wells, Fargo & Co. to carry mail from San Francisco to the western terminus at Placerville, which is represented by the printed frank on this entire. The contract also stipulated the mandatory U.S. postage charge of 10c per half ounce. This cover beautifully combines all three postage elements and was carried on the fourth eastbound Pony Express trip after the new rates and stamps were introduced. Although the Scott Catalogue lists the July 1861 issue Pony Express stamps (143L3-143L6) with other private post issues, we wish to emphasize that these stamps were issued under the terms of a government mail contract, therefore, they have semi-official status.

FKW Census E119. Trip ET-119. Illustrated in Collectors Club Philatelist in an article by H.C. Needham and Dr. V. M. Berthold (Oct. 1927, p. 186) (Image)

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VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND SCARCE COVER WTIH THE VIRGINIA CITY PONY EXPRESS 10-CENT BROWN.

Scott Retail of $4,000.00 makes no sense, considering that the ratio of 10c Brown to 25c Blue covers is 1:3 (according to Gamett census). Our auction history backs up this statement as the last three 10c Brown covers we have offered have all realized more than $10,000 (Image)

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