April Internet Auction

Fort Wrangle, Alaska, Oct 19, 1894 (Alaska Territory), partial datestamp duplexed with diamond fancy cancel ties 5¢ chocolate (223) and five 10¢ green (225) singles on reduced cover front to Cooperstown Pa., needle holes and thread from use on mailing label; stamp and cover faults, Fine appearance, Prepaid 55¢ for 55 ounces, or 3lbs 7oz fourth-class package rate .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

The 4th Class rate, 1879-1913, was 1¢ per ounce. Thus, this piece of a legal-size envelope has postage for 55 ounces. At that time, the weight limit for 4th class mail was 4lbs. From the needle holes around the periphery of this item, plus one remaining piece of thread, the envelope was used a mailing label sewn to, probably, a soft bundle.

Fort Wrangle, Alaska was a very early military post, established in 1868 on the site of a Russian post of 1834. It was on the the site of present day Wrangell in the Alaska Panhandle area, well south of Sitka. There were no U.S. Army personnel at Fort Wrangle from 1877 to circa 1897.

Marysville Cal. 'Paid by Stamps' Apr 19, neat blue cds with matching grid cancel on 1855, 10¢ pale green (U16a) buff entire to O'Fallen Station, Illinois; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

Deadwood, Dak. Apr 22, 1887 (Dakota Territory), cds duplexed with "D" grid cancel ties 2¢ red brown (210) on corner card cover to Penn Yan N.Y., F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $20 - 30.

Flandreau, Dakota, Feb 10, 1882, perfect bold strike duplexed with circled star cancel on 3¢ green entire to Racine Wisc., Feb. 13th arrival backstamp, Extremely Fine and choice Dakota Territorial use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

Lead city, Dak. Dec 12, 1886 (Dakota Territory), indistinct purple cds ties 2¢ red brown (210) on Homestake Mining Co. corner card cover to Penn Yan N.Y., Dec. 17 arrival backstamp; small edge tear.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.

Lead City, Dak. May 15, 1888 (Dakota Territory), sharp cds with grid cancel tying 2¢ green (213) on Homestake Mining Company corner card cover to Penn Yan N.Y., May 18th arrival backstamp; lower right corner nicked, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $40 - 60.

"Sleepy Creek, Sept 1st" (South Carolina Gold Mining), manuscript postmark with "Free" rating and free franked "J. Dorn, P.M." as postmaster on 1855 folded letter to New York City, some interesting mining content " …can you get no offer for that mine, we have got out some 4 or 5 thousand Bushels of flint ore and about 4 thousand Bushels of Slate ore at that which I would guarantee to average 20 cents per bushel…the large rock I sent from the Elbert Dorn mine I would be willing to pay $4.00 Dollars to have it ground up to know how much gold it contained per bushel… ", letter continues about selling his mining interest in some operations for $10,000, Very Fine and interesting, Unlisted town in ASCC .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

The Dorn Gold Mine is an area of nineteenth century mining operations consisting of horizontal shafts, vertical pits and a larger trench which extends approximately 200 feet. There are no above surface remains of mill buildings which stood at the site. The mine is one of the most important gold mine sites in the state. The mine was struck in 1852 by William Dorn, who excavated nearly one million dollars in gold before the vein was exhausted in the late 1850s. Dorn used slaves to excavate the dirt and employed several different types of mills to process the gold. Dorn became a wealthy man but lost much of his fortune after the Civil War. The mine was sold in 1869 to inventor Cyrus McCormick, who spent over $200,000 in a futile search for another rich strike. In 1882 McCormick ceased his search for gold and began selling his land which would become the town of McCormick.

"Dorns Mines, Decr. 30th" (South Carolina Gold Mining), manuscript postmark with "Free" rating and free franked "J. Dorn, P.M." as postmaster on 1859 folded letter to Savannah Ga., some interesting mining content "…I am the same man that you stayed with at Sleepy Creek, I moved here three years agoe and formed a copartnership with my Brother for ten years, we done a fine business the two first years and made nearly 30000 Dollars clear each year, but this year we will not clear ten thousand and the old part of the mine has failed at about ninety feet and drove for the vein at the depth of 115 feet…"; small bleach spot, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

The Dorn Gold Mine is an area of nineteenth century mining operations consisting of horizontal shafts, vertical pits and a larger trench which extends approximately 200 feet. There are no above surface remains of mill buildings which stood at the site. The mine is one of the most important gold mine sites in the state. The mine was struck in 1852 by William Dorn, who excavated nearly one million dollars in gold before the vein was exhausted in the late 1850s. Dorn used slaves to excavate the dirt and employed several different types of mills to process the gold. Dorn became a wealthy man but lost much of his fortune after the Civil War. The mine was sold in 1869 to inventor Cyrus McCormick, who spent over $200,000 in a futile search for another rich strike. In 1882 McCormick ceased his search for gold and began selling his land which would become the town of McCormick.

Fort Madison, I.T., Jan 31 (Iowa Territory), bold red cds with matching "Paid" straightline and ms. "10" cent rating on 1842 folded letter to Clerk of District Court, Keosanqua, Iowa; filing docketing and stain, Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.

"Winchester Ky. Nov 29", manuscript postmark and ms. "25" rating on 1836 folded cover to Fredericksburg Va., inside docketed, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

"Clear Fork Ky, 15th July 1834", manuscript postmark with matching "25" cent rating on folded letter to Frericksburg Va.; some edge flaws and wear, Very Fine, Unlisted in ASCC .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

1837 (Jul. 26) New Orleans Express Mail, folded letter with blue "New Orleans La. Jul 29" cds and "Express" rating with double-weight "1.50" rating to Hartford Conn.; some fold splitting and wear, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $40 - 60.

St. Anthony's Falls, M.T., Feb 10 (Montana Territory), partial cds cancels 3¢ red (U10) Nesbitt buff entire to Stowe, Vermont; flap torn and edge wear, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $20 - 30.

Helena, Montano, Aug 27 (Montana Territory), sharp cds struck partly off-cover duplexed with quartered cork ties 3¢ rose (65) on 1867 orange cover to Lyonsport, Indiana, docketed "Augt 27/67, F. Hepburn, Congratulatory" at left, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.

"Grace, M.T. May 16th 1884" (Montana Territory), manuscript postmark with matching pen strokes canceling 2¢ red brown (210) on W.W. McCall corner card cover to Vienna Wood River, Idaho Territory, ms. "Recd May 22nd 84, Puts Garfield interest in my charge"; edge flaws and wear, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.

Sante Fe, N.M. Aug 26 (New Mexico Territory), double-circle cds with matching circular grid cancel on circa 1860 cover to North Bloomfield, Ohio; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

Santa Fe, N. Mex. May 6 (New Mexico Territory), sharp cds with matching grid cancel ties 3¢ dull red (26) , nicked top left, on legal-size cover endorsed "Official Business" to Lieut. W.B. Lewis, 8th Infy. Fort Craig N.M., forwarded with pencil "Ford 3" rating to Albuquerque, original letter datelined "Asst. Qmr. Office, Santa Fe. May 5, 1861" from Capt. J.L. Donald requesting travel reimbursement after mileage disallowed, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

Fort Lawn, S.C. "6/5", fancy oval postmark ties well centered 3¢ green (207) on deep orange cover to Chester S.C.; reduced at left, F.-V.F. and rare town.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

Camp Crook, S. Dak. Jun 20, 1892 (South Dakota), cds with matching bold four-ring cancel on 2¢ green entire to New York N.Y., Jun. 28th arrival backstamps, Very Fine and rare early Harding County town use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $40 - 60.

Fort Worth Tex. Dec 6, bold balloon-style cds cancels 3¢ red (U10) bff entire to Salem Ill.; small spindle hole and erosion spot at top, a Very Fine use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.

Hyrum, Utah. Nov 29, 1881 (Utah Territory), blue ocatagon datestamp duplexed with three-ring cancel on 3¢ green entire with additional ms. "X" cancel to Illinois; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine strike.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

Seattle, W.T. Oct 22 (Washington Territory), cds with matching target cancel ties 3¢ red, grilled (94) on orange cover to Olympia, Washington Territory; reduced slightly at right, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $50 - 75.

Fort Spring, W.Va., M. Mann, P.M. Jul 31, 1889 (West Virginia), sharp cds with bold target cancel on 2¢ green entire to Lieut. John D. Barrette, Washington Barracks, Washington D.C., Aug. 1st arrival backstamp; reduced at right with small edge tear, bit of paper loss on back, a Very Fine strike.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $40 - 60.

Fort Spring W.Va. May 1, 1890 (West Virginia), sharp cds and four-ring cancel on 2¢ lake (219D) on cover with purple fancy "D.Y. Huddleston, General Merchandise" scroll corner card handstamp to Millboro Va., May 2nd arrival backstamp, original receipt enclosure for order, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $30 - 40.