The Adams & Co. Stamps


Adams Express "Newspaper" Stamps 

The Adams & Co. "newspaper stamp" is listed in Scott's catalog as shown in the illustration below from 2004 Specialized Catalog Of United States Stamps & Covers.


Reproduced from the Scott 2004 Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps & Covers. Copyright 2003
Scott Publishing Co., Sidney, OH 45365 and reproduced with their permission.

I find record of four used examples of this Adams Newspaper stamp. All are shown below. The design is similar to a genuine Wells, Fargo newspaper stamp issued in the mid 1860's (Scott #143LP3). 

Two of these Adams newspaper stamps bear Adams & Co Georgetown oval cancels in blue. These identical cancels, with same two dates but in orange, are shown on the page here. The other two stamps shown below bear the same thin lined Sacramento double circle cancel also shown on the linked page. 

As these cancels appear on the two Adams fantasy envelope stamps produced in the 1870's and sold by Wuesthof, I conclude that the Adams newspaper stamps are also fantasy productions sold by Wuesthof.

blue Georgetown Jan 14 cancel
ex Ferrari (sale #10) and Hall
blue Georgetown Nov 3 cancel
ex Caspary
black Sacramento double circle narrow lined cancel
ex Ferrari, Worthington, F.W. Hunter and Hall
black Sacramento double circle narrow lined cancel
ex Needham (from Sloane records)

For reference, the Adams newspaper stamps are very similar in design concept to the Wells Fargo newspaper stamp shown below (Scott #143L2) although more crudely executed. This particular style of Wells Fargo newspaper stamp does not exist used.


Richard Frajola (July 12, 2004)