Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

Letter Express (Wells) (Inter-City Express) (Part I):

Lot

Lot Description

1293

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Pink Glazed (96L1). Top left sheet margin block of ten, original gum, mostly large margins, slight soiling at upper left, creases in two directions (couple breaks in paper)

VERY FINE DESPITE MINOR CREASING. THE ONLY RECORDED BLOCK OF ANY OF THE WELLS' LETTER EXPRESS ISSUES. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PHILATELIC ITEMS SURVIVING FROM THE 1844 INDEPENDENT MAIL ERA.

Henry Wells, William Fargo and D. Dunning formed Wells & Company's Letter Express in early 1844 to provide letter-carrying service between Buffalo N.Y. and points west of Buffalo, including the Great Lakes region. Offices were established in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee. By connecting with Pomeroy's Letter Express at Buffalo -- who in turn arranged for local delivery with Boyd's in New York City -- the Wells-Pomeroy-Boyd independent mail route was able to carry letters from the western frontier to the doorstep of a New York City addressee for considerably less than the post office charged for less-reliable service. The Letter Express ceased operations in November 1844, before all of the eastern inter-city expresses were effectively put out of business by the July 1845 postal reforms.

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.

All of the Letter Express stamps are scarce to rare. Pairs and strips are known in used condition and are rare. Unused or uncancelled multiples are extremely rare. This is the only block, unused or used, of any of the Letter Express issues we have located among the Sloane, Costales and Abt files.

Ex Weekes and Boker. (Image)

E. 7,500-10,000

1294

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Pink Glazed (96L1). Vertical pair, large to huge margins all around, neat ms. cancels (not tied), correctly prepaying 12-1/2c (two stamps) rate on Sep. 24, 1844 folded letter from Cleveland to New York City street address, Extremely Fine, very rare pair of the oval Letter Express stamp, ex Boker (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1295

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Pink Glazed (96L1). Four cut-to-shape stamps neatly arranged in slightly overlapping positions, each with neat ms. "X" cancel (not tied), properly used on Sep. 14, 1844 folded letter from Cuyahoga Falls O. to New York City, letter mentions draft enclosed -- double the 12-1/2c (two stamps) rate -- file fold clear of stamps, Very Fine, a spectacular multiple-rate franking (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1296

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Pink Glazed (96L1). Full to large margins, two corners slightly clipped, ms. "X" cancel (not tied), used on folded letter to New York City, pencil street address and "Boyd's City/Express Post/July 23, 9 O'C" framed datestamp for local delivery, ms. "Collect 6-1/4", letter datelined Buffalo, Jul. 20, 1844, the upper portion of interior lettersheet has been cut out and the phrasing of letter "Above we hand you our accept L. B. Terry's dft..." indicates that the Buffalo correspondent was mailing something received from another place, which may explain the Letter Express stamp and Collect notation on the cover -- it is also possible the stamp has been added to a cover carried by Pomeroy from Buffalo to New York City, thus offered on its on merits (Image)

E. 300-400

1297

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Green Glazed (96L2). Two full margins, others slightly in, ms. "X" cancel (not tied), affixed with wax wafter on Aug. 3, 1844 folded letter from Cleveland to Detroit, tiny tear at top, Fine, extremely rare use of Letter Express stamp for 6-1/4c (one stamp) rate between two mid-west locations (Image)

E. 500-750

1298

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Green Glazed (96L2). Horizontal pair, originally a strip of three, but a wretched vandal cut one of the stamps out, the remaining pair has huge margins and sheet margins, uncancelled, tied by filing crease on Aug. 19, 1844 folded letter from Toledo to Coneant O., letter mentions two additional letters enclosed, thus three-times 6-1/4c rate, very rare and presentable (Image)

E. 500-750

1299

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black on Pink, Green Glazed (96L1, 96L2). Three 1844 folded covers, one with 96L1 cut to shape, others with 96L1 and 96L2 full-margined stamps, all creased by filing folds, two from the Shepard correspondence to Buffalo, other to Stephen G. Austin in Buffalo, scarce, accompanied by People's Line receipt with Goddess of Commerce vignette used on stamps, ex Abt (Image)

E. 400-500

1300

Letter Express (Wells), 5c Black, 10c Black on Pink Glazed (96L1, 96L3). One 5c with slightly rounded margins on one side, others have large margins, 10c typical oxidation, minor faults, Very Fine appearance, scarce (Image)

315.00

Part III - Locals H-Z continued...