United States and Confederate States Postal History continued...

**Western Mails: Letter Bag Operators thru Western Expresses**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description
1801		12c Black (17). Huge margins to just in at bottom incl. top sheet margin, tied by well-struck "STEAM/SHIP" two-line handstamp on folded letter datelined "San Francisco Septr. 1st 1853" to Boston, perfect strike of red "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" octagonal handstamp, contents states sender made shipments via clipper ships Staffordshire and Golden Fleece and also notes "I have only time to write you this briefly, which I forward by the 'Nicaragua steamer' the mail having closed", light vertical file fold well clear of stamp VERY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF A SHEET-MARGIN 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE USED ON A "VIA NICARAGUA" COVER. This is a double-weight letter, as the normal rate at this time was 6c. Carried on the Brother Jonathan, which departed San Francisco Sep. 1 and arrived San Juan del Sur on Sep. 15. It was then likely carried on the Vanderbilt line's Star of the West, which departed San Juan del Norte on about Oct. 1 and arrived in New York on Oct. 9. Ex Ackerman, Emerson, Knapp and Risvold. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 7,500-10,000 SOLD for $10,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1802		12c Black, Diagonal Half Used as 6c (17a). Bottom right diagonal half, ample margin to just touching frameline, well-tied across the cut by "STEAM/SHIP" two-line handstamp, clear strike of red "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS." octagonal handstamp on blue linen-lined cover to D. & A. Kingsland & Sutton in New York City, sender's route directive "Via San wan de Niceragua" (sic), no dated markings VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING BISECTED USE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE WITH A REMARKABLY CLEAR STRIKE OF THE "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" LETTER BAG OPERATOR HANDSTAMP. According to research by James Allen, the 1st Assistant PMG's first official notice to postmasters that bisected stamps were invalid was published on September 12, 1853 (Chronicle 239). Therefore, this almost certainly originated in San Francisco prior to the official POD announcement. A similar letter from California, arriving in New York on September 25, was treated as unpaid and marked postage due (Siegel Sale 1041, lot 340). (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 4,000-5,000 SOLD for $4,000.00 Will close during Public Auction
1803		3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Horizontal pair, huge margins to in incl. part of adjoining stamp at right, tied by "Via Nicaragua/In Advance of the Mails/Sullivan" oval handstamp on buff cover to Chicago Ill., pair tied by well-struck "New-York Ship Oct. 9" circular datestamp, minor edgewear VERY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE "VIA NICARAGUA" MARKING FROM THE SULLIVAN NEWS OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO. Ex Risvold (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $3,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1804		10c Green, Ty. II (14). Large margins to full, tied by "San Francisco Cal. 21 Apr." circular datestamp on cover to Franklin Mass., rare green "From Noisy Carriers Mail. 77 Long Wharf S.F. CAL." framed handstamp, stamp with small toned spots, slightly reduced at right, Very Fine (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 750-1,000 SOLD for $600.00 Will close during Public Auction
1805		10c Green on Buff, Nesbitt entire (U18). Cancelled by well-struck "San Francisco Cal. 20 Mar." circular datestamp and addressed to Philadelphia, clear strike of "From Noisy Carriers Mail. Long Wharf S.F. Cal." framed handstamp struck in black, 1856 docketing, trivial edgewear, Very Fine, ex Knapp (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 400-500 SOLD for $350.00 Will close during Public Auction
1806		10c Green on Buff, Nesbitt entire (U16). Cancelled by "San Francisco Cal. 5 Feb." circular datestamp to Brunswick Me., clear central strike of "Noisy Carrier's Mail. San Francisco." oval handstamp, minor wear, Very Fine, ex Dale-Lichtenstein (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 750-1,000 SOLD for $550.00 Will close during Public Auction
1807		10c Green, Ty. V (35). Faint toned spot, tied by "Benecia Cal. Jun. 7" circular datestamp on cover to Neponsett Mass. with "From Sacramento, Via Los Angeles" illustrated six-horse stagecoach design, Hutchings & Rosenfield of San Francisco imprint, 1860 docketing, slightly reduced at right, faint bleaching at lower corners VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "FROM SACRAMENTO, VIA LOS ANGELES SIX-HORSE STAGECOACH DESIGN. Our Levi records contain only three examples of this "From Sacramento" design, one of which has that portion crossed out. Ex Jarrett. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 2,000-3,000 SOLD for $7,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1808		10c Green, Ty. V (35). Rich color, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Apr. 6, 1860" circular datestamp on cover to Bow N.H. with "Overland Via Los Angeles, U.S. Mail" illustrated four-horse stagecoach design, stamp with single pulled perf at lower right, Very Fine appearance, a beautiful and scarce cover (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,000-1,500 SOLD for $1,300.00 Will close during Public Auction
1809		10c Green, Ty. V (35). Rich color, tied by perfect strike of "Georgetown Cal. Feb. 25, 1862" circular datestamp on "By the Overland Mail Stage Via Los Angeles! Hurrah! But we Must Have the" with hand pointing towards train illustrated cover to Fort Dodge Iowa, back with pencil "Volcanoville Feb. 19-62" docketing, trivial edgewear, few shortish perfs at left of no consequence VERY FINE. A REMARKABLY RARE ILLUSTRATED OVERLAND MAIL TRAIN PROPAGANDA COVER, USED AFTER THE STAMP WAS DEMONETIZED. Ex Risvold. (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 4,000-5,000 SOLD for $12,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1810		10c Green, Ty. V (35). Tied by neat strike of "San Francisco Cal. Mar. 20, 1860" circular datestamp on yellow cover to Norwich City Conn., with "Via Panama" with illustrated sidewheel steamship design, slightly reduced at right, lightly cleaned, stamp with small irregularity at top left from foreign matter on envelope prior to stamp being affixed VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL COVER WITH THE "VIA PANAMA" ILLUSTRATED SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP DESIGN. Ex Knapp, Haas and Jarrett. Illustrated in Letters of Gold (p. 83) (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 1,500-2,000 SOLD for $7,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
1811		10c Green on Buff, Nesbitt entire (U16). Cancelled by "Sacramento Cal. Mar. 30, 1861" circular datestamp and used to New York, printed "From Thos. S. Fiske & Co. Sacramento" corner card, slightly reduced at right and some slight soiling, Very Fine, nice example of sender's "Via Panama" route directive (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com	E. $ 150-200 SOLD for $120.00 Will close during Public Auction

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