Lot 141
1857 (Jun. 8) San Francisco Cal., franked paste-back usage bearing blue "Wells Fargo & Co. San Francisco Express" handstamp tying 5¢ red brown (12), pastel-like shade, large margins except top right corner of stamp cut away, on long amber envelope with "Wells, Fargo & Co." printed frank, manuscript "Recd…Sealed June 8th 1857" docketing, address would have appeared on the envelope glued to verso, cover faults include restored clipped corners at right affecting stamp, additional stamp placed behind to enhance appearance, Fine. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 40, fig. 4-12.
Estimate 7,500 - 10,000
ONE OF TWO RECORDED 5¢ 1856 ISSUE USAGES ON AN EXPRESS COVER.
The Wells Fargo fee for private carriage was 10¢ per ½ ounce at this time, and was prepaid when the franked envelope was purchased. Usually the franks appear on government 3¢ or 10¢ envelopes. Exceptionally, franks are also known on legal-size blank envelopes used for larger enclosures.
|
| |
| Realized $5,000 |
