The Larry Lyons Collection: All Roads Lead to San Francisco continued...

FINE. A RARE COMBINATION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO CITY LETTER EXPRESS HANDSTAMP AND A ONE-CENT 1857 ISSUE STAMP.

This local post was operated by William E. Loomis (who later purchased Carnes City Letter Express) from 1860-61. Fewer than ten examples are recorded in total and Lyons records only this example with a U.S. 1c stamp.

Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. With 2011 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP ON AN ATTRACTIVE TRANSCONTINENTAL COVER. ONLY THREE COVERS KNOWN TO US AND THIS IS THE ONLY COMBINATION WITH A REGULAR UNITED STATES STAMP.

Our records contain five examples of the Red 33L1 stamp. Two additional Type I stamps in black-and-white photos cannot be identified by color. One 33L1 (cut to shape) is contained in the British Library's Tapling collection. Of the four confirmed 33L1's available to collectors, two are used alone on separate covers addressed to Lieut. Col. J. H. Stearns in San Francisco (one ex Middendorf and Geisler, the other ex Wiltsee). The third is an uncancelled stamp off cover (ex Lilly, small faults). This fourth example, offered here, is the only 33L1 cover with a U.S. stamp of any kind; there is only one other California City Letter Express Co. combination cover recorded, with 33L8 and a 10c 1861 used together (also ex Caspary).

Ex Lichtenstein, Caspary and Golden. With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $23,000.00 (Image)

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FRESH AND VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS CO. 33L2 COVERS KNOWN TO US, WHICH ARE THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE BLUE TYPE I STAMP AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.

Our records of 33L2 contain this stamp on cover, another cut-square pen-cancelled stamp on cover to Peter B. Foster (P.F. records) and one cut-square pen-cancelled stamp off cover in the British Library's Tapling collection. We can identify the colors of all but two Type I stamps in our records of black-and-white photos, which makes a precise count impossible at this time.

Ex Chapman, Middendorf and Golden. With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $18,000.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED COVER WITH THE 10-CENT TYPE III STAMP, THE SETTING FROM WHICH THE SIDE ORNAMENTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. AN OUTSTANDING CALIFORNIA LOCAL. ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE IS RECORDED (TORN AND OFF COVER).

Our records contain just two examples of 33L7, the Type III setting in Red; the other is off cover (Siegel Sale 825, lot 1688). In the 1917 Worthington sale (lot 643), this cover was described with the stamp "used as seal on original." Prior to the 1957 Caspary sale, the stamp was lifted and moved to its present position, which allows the address side and stamp to be displayed more effectively. The docketing with 1867 date (probably early 1867) indicates a very late use of the California City Letter Express, which ceased to exist at about this time.

Illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold. Ex Worthington, Caspary, Edwards and Golden. Scott Retail $19,000.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE PRINTED FRANK FOR HOOGS & MADISON'S CALIFORNIA LETTER EXPRESS.

A small number of private posts operated in San Francisco during the 1862 to 1867 period, including Frey's Valentine Express, Appleton's Valentine Express, Hoogs & Madison, Robinson & Co., George A. Carnes, William E. Loomis, Gahagan & Howe and the San Francisco City Letter Express (under different owners). Stamps and franked envelopes were issued by these local posts.

This distinctive horse-and-rider design is one of the rarest of the private local post envelopes, with only four recorded by Lyons. The horseman woodcut was also used by the San Francisco Alta at the head of the column in which news arriving by the Pony Express was displayed (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS STYLE PRINTED FRANK FOR HOOGS & MADISON'S CALIFORNIA LETTER EXPRESS.

A small number of private posts operated in San Francisco during the 1862 to 1867 period, including Frey's Valentine Express, Appleton's Valentine Express, Hoogs & Madison, Robinson & Co., George A. Carnes, William E. Loomis, Gahagan & Howe and the San Francisco City Letter Express (under different owners). Stamps and franked envelopes were issued by these local posts.

The distinctive horse-and-rider design is the better known of the California Letter Express Co. franked envelopes with only four recorded by Lyons (one offered in the previous lot). This is the only recorded example of this style without the horse-and-rider design (Image)

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