Part II - LOCALS A - G continued...
SPECIAL NOTE: Lot Numbers with an "A" preceding them will be offered in three special sessions. Please refer to the Arrangement of the Sale web page for the schedule.
| Lot | Lot Description | ||
| A | 858 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Red, Type I (33L1). Margins touching to
slightly in at top and bottom, projections cut into at sides, rich color,
small ms. cancel (not tied as usual), used with 10c Green (68),
well-centered, trivial corner crease, tied by cogwheel with "San Francisco
Oct. 10, 1862" double-circle datestamp on cover to Brooklyn N.Y.FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP ON AN ATTRACTIVE TRANSCONTINENTAL COVER. ONLY THREE COVERS KNOWN, OF WHICH 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, other ex Wiltsee). The third is an uncancelled stamp off cover (ex Lilly, small faults). This fourth example 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 and Caspary. (Image) |
E. 10,000-15,000 |
| A | 859 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Blue, Type I (33L2). Full bottom margin, side
projections cut into, slightly in at top right, cancelled by ms. line (not
tied as usual), used on cover to Lieut. Col. J. H. Stearns in San
Francisco, pencil "476 Montgy" street addressFRESH AND VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO 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 and Middendorf. (Image) |
E. 10,000-15,000 |
| A | 860 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Green, Type I (33L3). Margins into left
projections but only slightly into right, also slightly in at top and
bottom but showing part of an overlapping impression at bottom,
uncancelled, used on cover to C. Walcott Brooks, a local addressee, with
"J.B." initials embossed on flap, two vertical creases clear of
stampFINE. THE ONLY 33L3 COVER RECORDED AND ONE OF THREE CONFIRMED EXAMPLES OF THIS RARITY. Our records contain just three stamps that we can positively identify as 33L3, the 10c Green Type I: 1) this cover, 2)the cancelled stamp in the following lot and 3) a cut-to-shape off-cover stamp in the British Library's Tapling collection. Two other Type I stamps shown in black-and-white photos in our records cannot be identified by color. Ex Chapman and Middendorf. (Image) |
E. 10,000-15,000 |
| A | 861 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Green, Type I (33L3). Tips of side projections
cut into, margins clear at top and large at bottom, usual ms. cancel,
additionally cancelled by San Francisco circular grid and trace of
datestamp, the word "Obsolete" is written in ink on back, slight
creases and toningFINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY RECORDED CALIFORNIA LETTER EXPRESS STAMP WITH A HANDSTAMPED CANCELLATION. THE DISTINCTIVE SAN FRANCISCO GRID AND DUPLEX DATESTAMP WERE USED IN THE MID-1860'S AND ON THIS STAMP THEY PROVIDE DEFINITIVE PROOF OF THE LEGITIMACY OF THE HOAG'S & MADISON'S POST. This stamp is one of three confirmed examples of 33L3, including one in the British Library's Tapling collection. The other confirmed 33L3 available to collectors is the cover offered in the previous lot. Of all used examples of the Hoag & Madison stamps, including covers and stamps cancelled by pen, only this stamp is cancelled by the San Francisco post office's distinctive grid. As such, it provides irrefutable evidence establishing the post's period of operation (mid-1860's) and the use of California City Letter Express stamps on mail sent through the mails. Ex Ferrary and Mason. With 1956 P.F. certificate and 1972 Friedl certificate co-signed by Bloch and Boker. (Image) |
E. 5,000-7,500 |
| A | 862 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Blue, Type II (33L5). Cut to shape but mostly
clear of frame pieces, only the projections at sides are cut into,
lightened ms. "X" cancel, very slight diagonal creaseFINE. BY FAR THE FINER OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT BLUE TYPE II, 33L5. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL LOCAL POST STAMPS. Our records contain only two examples of the 10c Type II in Blue. The other stamp is repaired with the upper left corner added and is affixed to a non-contemporary cover (ex Richardson, sold in our Sale 627). The stamp offered here is in much finer condition. Ex Ferrary and Mason. With 1956 P.F. certificate and 1972 Friedl certificate co-signed by Bloch and Boker -- both certificates describe the stamp as unused, but in fact it has a lightened pen cancel, which is inconsequential in a stamp of this great rarity. (Image) |
E. 7,500-10,000 |
| A | 863 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Green, Type II (33L6). Three huge margins with
full projections at sides, touched at top, cancelled by two short ms.
lines, used on red and blue Flag and "Our Country" Globe Patriotic
cover to Charles H. Brooks at 571 Sansome Street, backflap removed, the
stamp was originally affixed upside down next to patriotic design where it
was lightly creased by a file fold -- it was moved to its present position
before the 1957 Caspary saleEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT GREEN TYPE II STAMP -- THE ONLY 33L6 KNOWN ON COVER AND THE ONLY CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMP RECORDED ON A PATRIOTIC COVER. ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING ITEMS OF AMERICAN LOCAL POSTS AND WESTERN POSTAL HISTORY. Our records contain only two examples of 33L6: the cover offered here and the unused stamp offered in the following lot. Ex Caspary and "Edwards". Illustrated in Nathan book and Coburn's Letters of Gold. With 1991 P.F. certificate. (Image) |
E. 20,000-30,000 |
| A | 864 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Green, Type II (33L6). Unused (no gum), three
enormous margins, well clear at top, fresh and brightEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT GREEN TYPE II STAMP -- THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF ANY OF THE CALIFORNIA CITY LETTER EXPRESS STAMPS. Our records contain only two examples of 33L6: the unused stamp offered here and the cover offered in the previous lot. Ex Caspary, Lilly, Boker and Richardson. (Image) |
E. 15,000-20,000 |
| A | 865 |
 California City Letter Express
Co., San Francisco, 10c Red, Type III, Without Ornaments (33L7). Ample
to large margins, neatly cancelled by ms. line (not tied), used on yellow
cover to J. L. Wimmer, Summer Street House, with light pencil docketing
"1867 Moore Claim", stamp originally affixed as a seal over
backflaps (as described in Worthington sale), moved to upper right corner
of front of envelope for display purposesVERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT TYPE III STAMP, THE SETTING FROM WHICH THE SIDE ORNAMENTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. AN OUTSTANDING CALIFORNIA LOCAL. Our records contain just one confirmed example of 33L7, the Type III setting in Red. 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 usage of the California City Letter Express, which ceased to exist at about this time. Illustrated in Nathan book. Ex Worthington and Caspary. (Image) |
E. 15,000-20,000 |