Sale 1072 — The New Helvetia Collection of Western Expresses
Sale Date — Tuesday, 24 June, 2014
Category — Western Expresses: Adams & Co. thru Swift & Co.


VERY FINE. ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF ADAMS & COMPANY'S PRINTED FRANK, OF WHICH ONLY TWO HAVE ADHESIVE STAMPS. THIS IS THE FIRST PRINTED FRANK USED BY ANY OF THE WESTERN EXPRESS COMPANIES. A COVER OF GREAT HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AND ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
Adams & Company set up its California and Oregon business in December 1849 under the direction of William B. Dinsmore of New York and Daniel H. Haskell of Boston, with Alvin Adams as a third partner. Dinsmore left shortly thereafter. In 1852 I. C. Woods joined the firm and two years later became a partner. Its business in the shipment of gold, merchandise, parcels and letters flourished, and its related banking operations established Adams & Co. as a major force in the economic development of the West. All of this figuratively turned to dust in February 1855 with the failure of Page, Bacon & Company, a prominent banking firm. Two days later Adams Express collapsed as depositors rushed to withdraw their gold from a concern that was already weakened by competition (source: Wiltsee, The Pioneer Mule and The Pack Mule Express).
The significance of Adams & Company's printed franks is two-fold: first, they were produced in 1853, making them the earliest franks actually printed on envelopes or stamped entires; and, second, their function "was to facilitate the deposit of mail in letter boxes after the normal business hours of the express. Much like a printed adhesive stamp, these could be used to prepare letters for mailing so that they could be deposited in a box and without having to wait in line if the express office was still open." (Frajola).
With the Dale-Lichtenstein dispersal, the number of recorded examples of the Adams & Co. frank rose to seven, including three slightly different formats on plain envelopes, both stamped and stampless, and the 3c Nesbitt entire. Only two covers have adhesive stamps; both addressed to Sarah L. Davidson in Uniontown, Alabama, each with a pair of the 3c 1851.
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein and Walske. With 2008 P.F. certificate


VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE EAST-TO-WEST ADAMS & COMPANY EXPRESS COVER CARRIED OUTSIDE OF THE MAILS. THE VANDERBILT "VIA NICARAGUA" OVAL MARKING APPLIED AT THEIR NEW YORK OFFICE ON WESTBOUND LETTERS IS EXTREMELY RARE.
Although handled entirely outside the government mails, this cover was prepaid 6c by the sender in New York City, as required by law, effective January 13, 1854. It was carried from New York to San Juan del Norte by the Vanderbilt Line's Star of the West (depart March 20, arrive March 30), then by the Vanderbilt Cortes from San Juan del Sur to San Francisco (depart April 2, arrive April 16). At San Francisco, Adams & Co. datestamped the cover and carried it to Stockton on their regular express route.
Ex Walske






EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB STRIKE OF THE RARE "BERFORD'S CALIFORNIAN EXPRESS" OVAL, OF WHICH ONLY THREE ARE REPORTED.
Berford & Co.'s Letter and Package Express was founded by Richard G. Berford in the Fall of 1849. The express operated between coasts and advertised that it had offices in San Francisco, Sacramento (T. J. Bayless), San Jose (Plitt) and Stockton. In December 1850 Berford & Co. advertised that they were the only express with service to San Jose. The dark blue large oval handstamp at lower left was applied by the San Jose office. Only two others are reported.
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein and Walske






EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE CLEAREST STRIKES OF THE FEW KNOWN COPLEY & CO. MINERS' EXPRESS COVERS. A RARE TRANSCONTINENTAL USE WITH THE DISTINCTIVE MARYSVILLE "PAID BY STAMPS" CIRCULAR DATESTAMP.
This express between Marysville and the Gibsonville Ridge and Feather River mining camps was operated briefly in 1855-56 by Jack Copley. Examples of his distinctive "Miners' Express" handstamp are very rare (six reported). This cover was carried from San Francisco to Panama on the PMSS Oregon (depart February 11, arrive March 11), then by the USMSC George Law from Aspinwall to New York (depart March 6, arrive March 15).
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein and Walske


VERY FINE. ONE OF FIVE REPORTED EXAMPLES OF THE SHORT-LIVED GRAY'S CALIFORNIA EXPRESS, WHICH OPERATED BETWEEN SACRAMENTO AND SAN FRANCISCO.
This cover was carried from New York to Chagres on the USMSC Georgia (depart July 13, arrive July 25), then by the PMSS California from Panama to San Francisco (depart August 3, arrive August 23). Gray's California Express carried mail between Sacramento and San Francisco. The few known examples are dated from 1850 through mid-1851, and the firm's offices were closed by May 1852. This cover was delivered by Gray's Express to the Sacramento mining camps.
Ex Vogel and Walske








EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT STRIKE OF THE RARE HAWLEY & CO. FANCY SHIELD EXPRESS HANDSTAMP, OF WHICH FIVE ARE REPORTED, INCLUDING TWO WITH THE "FROM SAN FRANCISCO" STRAIGHTLINE.
By the end of 1849 the steamboat route between San Francisco and Sacramento was serviced by two major operators: the People's Line and the Union Line. Hawley & Co.'s Express had exclusive rights to carry mail on the two People's Line steamboats, the Senator and New World, which departed on alternating days of the week.
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein and Walske


VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE DISTINCTIVE HORSE-AND-RIDER HANDSTAMP OF HUNTER & COMPANY'S EXPRESS ON A COVER TO A GOLD PROSPECTOR AT BIG BAR, CALIFORNIA.
Alexander Hunter started his semi-weekly express in May 1851 and served all forks of the American River, including Big Bar. Hunter sold his business to Wells, Fargo & Co. in July 1854 and became their Placerville agent. Approximately ten examples of this horse-and-rider marking are reported, this being among the more desirable in terms of use and quality.
With 1988 P.F. certificate


VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO REPORTED EXAMPLES OF THE HUNTER & COMPANY AUBURN OFFICE HANDSTAMP. A WONDERFUL GOLD RUSH ERA EXPRESS COVER, WITH THE DESTINATION MINING CAMP "SECRET DIGGINS RAVINE" NEATLY DOCUMENTED ON THE COVER BY THE ADDRESSEE, WHO WAS THE FEMALE POSTMASTER AND WIFE OF THE ADDRESSEE.
This cover was sent by railroad from Maine to New York, where it was placed on board the USMSC Georgia for Havana (depart March 24, arrive March 30). It was carried from Havana to Chagres on the USMSC Cherokee (depart March 31, arrive April 5), then by the PMSS California from Panama to San Francisco (depart April 8, arrive April 28). Between April 28 and the receipt date of May 5, it was carried outside the mails by Hunter & Co., whose Auburn office applied the handstamp and $1.25 charge to New Castle, located near the Secret Diggins Ravine.
For information about the Towle family of Avon, Maine, go to http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clementsmss/umich-wcl-M-2888.12tow?view=text Ex












VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO REPORTED EXAMPLES OF THIS SWIFT & COMPANY EXPRESS FRANK, AND A DESIRABLE CONJUNCTIVE USE WITH WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY'S STEAMBOAT SERVICE.
Swift & Co. operated in San Francisco, Bodega, Petaluma and Santa Rosa. They connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. for service on other routes. This was carried from Petaluma to Bodega, then by Wells, Fargo & Co. steamboat service to San Francisco.
Illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold. Ex Lichtenstein, Barkhausen, Haas and Edwards.