Lot 1851
Ft. Kearny O.R. June 5/ 52, fancy oval with eagle, stars, leaves & arrows, in blue with manuscript date, ties 3¢ brownish carmine (11), margins to just in at bottom, on small embossed lady's envelope to Providence, Ky., lengthy original enclosure headed "Little Blue River June 2nd 1852/ 50 miles East of Fort Carney", which describes the hardships of traveling west: "as regards the health of the Emigrants it is not good they are dying on all Sides with various diseases the greatest number with Something Similar to Cholera….I have been told that about 9 thousand wagons are before us"; cover with light toning, Fine and very rare, one of four recorded examples of this marking, all used in June 1852.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
Provenance: Winter
Fort Kearny was established in May 1848 on the south bank of the Platte River, to protect emigrants on the Oregon Trail, and also served as an outfitting point for military expeditions against the Indians before being abandoned in 1871.
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| Realized $4,750 |
