Swart & Co's Express advertised briefly in 1854. Their route was by steamer from San Francisco to Oakland, Clinton, Alameda, Union City, San Pablo and Martinez.

 

Swart & Cos Express, Oakland blue oval handstamp on November 28, 1854 folded letter from Union City to San Francisco, 3¢ stamp (#11) as required, manuscript "please delivery immediately" endorsement two reported examples of this express, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Walske

(page image, stock #9080, $4,000) (sold)

Swift & Co's Express (1855 - 1859)

Swift’s from a base in San Francisco this express operated to Bodega, Petaluma and Santa Rosa. Swift connected with Wells Fargo for additional service.
 

Swift & Co's Express, Paid, frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, McKay correspondence, conjunctive use with "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Steamboat" blue oval handstamp, partial backflap, illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, two reported examples of this style frank, ex Barkhausen, Lichtenstein (1950 Costales sale), Haas, Edwards and Whitington

(page image, stock #9081, $2,500) (sold)

Swift & Co's Express, Paid, medallion frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used from Santa Rosa to San Francisco, McKay correspondence, conjunctive use with Wells, Fargo Petaluma blue oval datestamp, "From Santa Rosa House, Santa Rosa" imprint at lower left, no backflap but still one of the finest examples of this frank, ex Whitington

(page image, stock #9082, $500) (sold)

Taylor's Express (Apr 1851 - Apr 1852)

L. W. Taylor operated a semi-monthly express from Shasta, via Hamilton City, Yuba City and Marysville to Sacramento. He operated prior to the date of his advertisement of June 1851. His last ad appeared on April 28, 1852. He connected at Sacramento with Gregory's Express for onward service to San Francisco.

Taylor's Express, Shasta, April 10, manuscript sender's notation on cover to Monroe, Wisconsin, entered the mails with red Sacramento City April 17 postmark and "40" rate handstamp, three reported examples of this express, no handstamp markings known, ex Pearce and Walske

(page image, stock #9083, $6,000)(sold)

Todd & Co's Express (Jul 1850 - Oct 1851)

Alexander Todd was one of the first express men in California. In July 1850 he took E. W. Colt as a partner under the Todd & Co's Express name. They operated between San Francisco and Stockton mines until Todd joined with Reynolds to form Reynolds, Todd & Co's Express in October 1851.
 

Todd & Co. Express shield handstamp on inbound cover addressed to "Sutters Mines, Calavaras County, California," Boston, Massachusetts red November 11 (1850) origin postmark and matching "40" rate handstamp,  manuscript sender's endorsement "Todd & Co. Express from San Francisco" & light "2.00" pencil express rate due, some minor wrinkles, ex Jessup, Pearce, Walske and Whitington

(page image, stock #9086, $1,500) (sold)

Todd & Co. Express Stockton on January 30, 1851 folded letter from Stockton to San Francisco, matching "PAID" handstamp, three reported examples of this Todd's Stockton handstamp, ex Knapp

(page image, stock #9084, $2,500)(sold)

Todd & Co. Express Stockton on January 1851 folded cover from Stockton to San Francisco by Todd & Co's Express, matching "FREE" handstamp, conjunctive use with Berford & Co's Express for carriage from San Francisco to San Jose, addressed to Gov. McDougall three reported examples of this Todd's Stockton handstamp, this the only conjunctive use, ex Vogel and Walske

(page image, stock #9085, $3,000)(sold)

(C.A.) Todd's Express (Apr 1853 - Sep 1853)

C. A. Todd, no relation to Alexander Todd, purchased Reynolds, Todd & Co's Express on April 22, 1853. He operated his express between San Francisco and Stockton by steamer and ran daily stages from Stockton to the mines along the Moquelumne and Stanislaus Rivers. He he sold the company to Wells, Fargo & Co on September 1, 1853.
 

From Todd's Express Office Sonora, somewhat light boxed handstamp on March 7 1853 letter from Sonora to San Francisco, "PAID" in oval, letter of W. Walton is a recommendation for a man who has been working in the mines since the fall of 1850

(page image, stock #9087, $300) (sold)

Forwarded By Todd's Express San Francisco, clearly struck blue oval handstamp and matching, octagonal "Not Paid" handstamp on cover to Tuttletown, near Sonora, California, illustrated in Letters of Gold, page 221, ex Haas, Edwards and Whitington

(page image, stock #9088, $1,000) (sold)

Vera's Express (1855 -1857)

After working with Meek serving the Feather River mines, J.N. Vera became a partner in Meek & Power's Express. Meek sold out to Vera in 1855 and became a partner in Singer, Meek & Co's Feather River Express. Vera operated to Oroville where he connected with Wells, Fargo and evidently quit the business circa 1857.
 

Vera's Express, Paid ornate frank printed vertically at left of Wells, Fargo franked 3c red Nesbitt entire addressed to Marysville, endorsed "Paid Pollard 4/-" reflecting express charges paid to agent for valuable letter, black on orange Wells, Fargo label at top with  “Oroville, Cal” handstamped office at foot, indicia “tied” by red wax seal at corner with indicia was originally bent back and affixed to the reverse with the same wax seal, the printed Vera frank partially torn away at left, but has been professionally restored, illustrated in Nathan and Letters of Gold, page 222, five recorded examples of frank, ex Clifford, Haas, Edwards and Whitington

(page image, stock #9089, $3,500)(sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co.  (Jul 1852 - May 1895)

The famous bank and nationwide express was formed by Henry Wells and William Fargo on March 18, 1852 when other directors of American Express did not wish to open offices in California. Agents of the new firm arrived in California in July 1852 and after a long series of acquisitions, including Gregory's Express, Todd's Express, and Hunter's Express, they had 24 branch offices in operation by January 1855. With the collapse of Adams & Company in February 1855, and after surviving the financial panic of that year, Wells Fargo emerged as the dominant banking force and leader in the express business. They began to abandoned their domestic letter carrying activities as announced in April 20, 1895 newspaper article here. Those activities ended on May 24, 1895.
 

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Steamboat, mostly clear blue oval handstamp on cover to San Francisco, pencil "Paid Kelley" above address, Kelly was the regular Wells, Fargo messenger onboard PMSS steamships operating via San Francisco, use from pre 1855 period, ex Barkhausen, Clifford and Whitington

(page image, stock #9090, $500) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Sacramento, blue double oval handstamp on September 15, 1852 folded letter addressed to letter addressed to Samuel Brannan, the first publicist of the California Gold Rush and its first millionaire at San Francisco, a very early use, ex Clifford, Kramer and Walske

(page image, stock #9091, $1,500) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Benecia, double oval handstamp on circa December 1853 cover from Benicia to San Francisco, "Free" handstamp as endorsed "Hubert Assembly," ex Mader

(page image, stock #9092, $500) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, special blue oval handstamp on February 28, 1855 issue of San Francisco Prices Current and Shipping List newspaper, this large style Wells, Fargo & Co's California Express handstamp only on newspapers

(page image, stock #9104, $450) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Marysville, blue oval handstamp tying 3c dull red (#11) to December 18, 1854 folded letter to San Francisco

(page image, stock #9093, $450) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Sacramento, red oval handstamp on cover with W.F. & Co. Precanceled 3c dull red (#11) used to San Francisco, PF cert, fewer than ten recorded, ex Vogel and Walske

(page image, stock #9094, $4,500) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. first style frank with "Paid" above and "Over our California and Coast Routes" (45mm) beneath on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, endorsed "with package $1 at top and "Mr A.C. Manning Please deliver" at foot authorizing delivery for additional fee to be paid by recipient, minor stain to right of indicia, ex Whitington

(page image, stock #9095, $1,000) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Marysville, blue oval handstamp on franked 3c Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, first style frank

(page image, stock #9096, $350) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. first style, red transcontinental frank with "Paid" above and "Through our Atlantic and California Express" beneath on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Vergennes, Vermont, carried by Wells, Fargo via Panama and entered mail at New York with their "Nov 30" postmark, docketed as received December 1, 1855, cover tear at top, and early use of this frank, ex Parsons Todd and Whitington

(page image, stock #9097, $500)

Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Plymouth, Indiana, entered the mails with New York Dec 28 postmark for onward transmission, light creases, ex Whitington

(page image, stock #9098, $300) (sold)

Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Lancaster, Ohio, entered the mails with New York Jan 30 postmark for onward transmission, cover wrinkles at right, ex Percy Doane and Whitington

(page image, stock #9099, $300) (sold)

G. H. Wines & Co's Express  (1855 - 1857)

G. H. Wines express was founded in 1855 by G.H. Wines. They provided service from San Francisco to Sacramento where they connected with Rhodes & Whitney's Express to serve the mines. In addition to service to mining areas, the company developed a transatlantic service. They were the primary transport for Walker's filibuster troops to Nicaragua and evidently hoped to gain had Walker been successful in his take-over attempt. They were out of business by mid 1857.
 

Wines & Co's Express, black straight line handstamp with pencil "No 2 Bolin Green" on small cover from California to Baltimore, Maryland, reverse with light strike of blue oval "G.H. Wines & Co's, California Express,  No. 2 Bowling Green, New-York," pencil note on reverse, indicates "letter dated 1/31/1856," carried by Wine & Co's express via Nicaragua on Vanderbilt Line steamers, ex Whitington

(page image, stock #9100, $7,500)(sold)

Wines & Co's Express, Paid, fancy spread eagle illustrated frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to from San Francisco to Sacramento City, cover minor edge faults, ex Walske and Whitington

(page image, stock #9101, $4,500) (sold)

Table of contents