Western Overland Routes



 


13 August 2018 Update - The sale is over. Any unsold items have been moved to regular inventory on the census site. Page is here.


Section 7. The Colorado Routes, 1858 to 1861

For background information, see my one page summary PDF file here
also, Chapter 12 in MWE book here
 


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Ordering Information - Items that have grayed-out stock numbers and prices have been sold but prices will remain online as a value guide and reference. Please email me to confirm availability and order by stock number.

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 #4139
 
sold $15,000

[Earliest known letter from the Denver gold mining region, 1858], letter datelined “South Platte Near the Rocky Mountains” on October 28, 1858, prepaid 3˘ (#26), letter from "Pinky" Stout to Cherry Fork, Ohio mentions, “An officer of the army at Fort Kearny who came out with us returns tomorrow,” entered the mails with December 4 postmark of Pacific City, Iowa, further details see page here

 

(MWE, Figure 12-3)  ex Baughman, Risvold and Walske
#4140
 
sold $27,500

[Leavenworth City & Pike’s Peak Express, earliest known westbound letter], 5 April 1859 cover from Stouts, Ohio to Cherry Creek, Kansas Territory (now Denver), manuscript origin postmark and 3c stamp, endorsed by sender to be carried "by way of Fort Larimie" but sent on the third westbound trip of the LPPE

The Leavenworth City & Pike’s Peak Express (LPPE) began operations from Leavenworth on April 18, 1859 and from Denver on May 10. It operated under that name for three months. Westbound mail bore no year date while eastbound included the 1859 year date.

 

(MWE Figure 12-6), ex Haas, Jarrett, Risvold and Walske
#4141
 
sold $12,500

[Leavenworth City & Pike’s Peak Express], June 1, 1859 by LPPE in Denver City, year dated postmark used in Denver, carried on 7th LPPE eastbound trip, entered the mails for Ohio with Leavenworth City K.T. postmark of June 12
 

(MWE Figure 12-7), ex Walske
#4142
 
sold $6,500

[Jones & Russell's Pike Peak Express Co.], Denver City, Dec 29 1859 datestamp on cover to Vermont, prepaid with two copies 3c Dull Red (#26), carried over the Platte River Route and entered the mails with Leavenworth City Jan 6 1860 datestamp, cover corner stain at bottom left

ex Knapp, Risvold and Walske
#4143
 
sold $3,500

[Jones & Russell's Pike Peak Express Co.], Denver City, May 3 1860 datestamp on cover to Mrs. Stout at Cherry Fork, Ohio, prepaid with 3c Dull Red (#26) and entered the mails with Saint Joseph, Mo. blue May 16 1860 datestamp, cover edge wear,

 

Original letter of Pinkie Stout primarily regarding his success in real estate, "I made another sale today 2 more lotts for $1000 making in all $3,400 which I have recd in all ... I will be able to return by July or 1st of August with from 5 to 8 thousand ready cash, pretty good summers work ain't it...."
 

(MWE Figure 12-14), ex Walske
#4144
 
sold
$1,750

[The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company], Denver City, K.T. Jun 2 1860 oval transit datestamp on cover from the mines to Wisconsin, originated from the mines with Hinckley & Co's Express Denver City "Jun 2" datestamp and manuscript "H," sideways, endorsement next to the handstamp indicating express fees prepaid, after carriage by Hinckley's to the COC&PP office in Denver, the cover was carried east and entered the mails with 3c dull red (#26) tied by blue Saint Joseph Mo postmark, conjunctive use


(MWE Figure 12-20), ex Walske
#4145
 
sold $1,900

[Frank of The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company], Denver City, K.T. dateless frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire to Newton, Iowa, another Jun 14 dated strike applied when it  was carried by COC&PP Express, entered US mails at Saint Joseph, Missouri with blue June 21 1860 postmark, unusual with frank on front
 

ex Barkhausen, Vogel and Walske
#4146
 
sold
$1,250

[The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company], Denver City, K.T. Jun 28 1860 oval datestamp on cover to Ohio, entered the mails with 3c dull red (#26) tied by blue Saint Joseph Mo Jul 5 postmark, cover reduced slightly at left, PF cert

 

ex Walske
#4147
 
sold $2,500

[The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company], Denver City, K.T. Jul 31 1860 oval datestamp on 3c red Nesbitt entire, sender endorsed "via Overland" to California, entered the US mails with Saint Joseph, Mo Aug 9 1860 postmark, at this date the overland route from Saint Louis was the Southern Butterfield route, San Francisco "Due 7" handstamp, an exceptional westbound use

 

ex Walske
#4148
 
sold $17,500

[C.O.C. & P.P. Express Label], the "Direct Your Letter Care" black on magenta label tied to 3c red Nesbitt entire with their Frank on back flap, by Denver City, K.T. Oct 30 1860 oval datestamp, the frank on reverse is atypically dated with "Oct 7" date, front with additional datestamp at left, handstamp, entered the mails with Leavenworth City Kas Nov 6 postmark, image of reverse here

(MWE Figure 12-18), ex Stach and Walske
#4149
 
price $2,500

sold
$2,000

[The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company], St Joseph, Mo. Nov 17 (1860) oval transit datestamp on westbound cover addressed to Mountain City, Jefferson Territory, cover had been mailed with blue Brownsville, Nebraska Territory Nov 13 postmark and 3c dull red (#26) tied by matching cancel, sender endorsed at foot "Via St. Joseph & COC & PP Express," very fine

ex Walske
#4150
 
sold $2,750

[Hinckley & Co's Express Denver City], Nov 13 1860 datestamp on "Hinckley & Co's Express Mail, Fast Run, Paid Through" franked 3c red Nesbitt entire to Wisconsin, entered the mails with Saint Joseph, Mo Nov 22 datestamp

ex Dale- Lichtenstein and Walske
#3382
 
price $2,500

now
$1,500

 

[COC&PP Frank used from Denver, 1861] Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, Denver City K.T. undated oval "frank" indicating prepayment of express fees on back of 3c red Nesbitt entire used to Belmont, New York, COC&PP Denver City Jan 8 (1861) oval datestamp when turned over to the express company and green COC&PP St. Joseph, Mo Jan 14 oval datestamp when it arrived in the express office at St. Joseph, entered mails with Saint Joseph Jan 15 green double circle postmark, cover edges restored, very fine use datestamps of both COC&PP offices and dateless frank, image of reverse here

ex Kramer
#4153
 
sold $17,500

[Auraria, Kansas Territory] (now Denver, Colorado), "June 15” manuscript “K.T.” Kansas Territory period postmark on 3c red Nesbitt entire to Pacific City, Iowa, the earliest recorded postmark of Auraria and carried on the "Phantom Contract" trip of L&PP Express, free of express charges, to Leavenworth on the June 17 L&PP coach from Denver

(MWE Figure 12-10), ex Risvold and Walske
#4154
 
sold $10,000

[Auraria, Kansas Territory, Willis' Last Contract Mail], cover to Illinois with 3c dull red tied by "Auraria K.T., Aug 23 1859" two line postmark carried on Willis’ last "Auraria postmaster" contract run to Fort Kearney, long original letter, cover edge soiled


(MWE Figure 12-12), ex Risvold and Walske
#4155
 
sold $4,750

[Denver City Tombstone Postmark, Aug 23 1860, Temporary Contract Period] and matching cancel tying 3c dull red to cover to Ohio docketed as having enclosed a August 16, 1860 letter from the Nevada City mines, "Hinckley & Co.’s Express Denver City August 23," manuscript "8" (cents) express rate for carriage to Denver  carried by the COC&PP to St. Joseph under a temporary U.S. mail contract, postmarked type in use only at end of August

(MWE Figure 12-21), ex Bauer and Walske
#4156
 
sold $1,500

[Minnesota to Denver City, Third Inbound Contract Trip], cover with 3c dull red (#26) used from Stillwater, Minnesota to Denver, carried in the third contract mail to Denver, which was carried by the COC&PP and arrived on August 29th, "Denver City K.T. Aug 29 1860" tombstone postmark atypically used as an arrival marking, some light staining

(MWE Figure 12-22), ex Bauer and Walske



Richard Frajola (July 29, 2018)