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 and Edwards

(stock #275, $3500)

Waldron & Co's Blackfoot Express (1866 - Nov 1867)

In April 1866 Dave Waldron, Sam A. Buchanan and W. Edgar established this express. It ran a weekly service from Walla Walla, Washington Territory to Helena, Montana Territory. In 1867 they confined operation to Montana area serving Phillipsburg, Helena, Dear Lodge and Blackfoot. The firm connected with Wells, Fargo express lines. In November 1867 L.S. Perry took over the Montana lines and the Idaho lines ceased to exist.
 

Waldron & Co.'s Blackfoot Express ornamented, two-line printed frank vertically at left of  Wells, Fargo franked 3c pink 1864 issue entire to Dalles, Oregon, conjunctive use with blue Wells, Fargo Walla Walla  "Apr 13" oval datestamp, slightly reduced at right, two pinholes in indicia, the only reported example, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #276, $4500)

Wells, Fargo & Co.  (Jul 1852 - Apr 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. The abandoned their domestic letter carrying activities as announced in April 20, 1895 newspaper article here.
 

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 and Clifford

(stock #277, $500)

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

(stock #315, $1000)

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

(stock #321, $700)

Wells, Fargo & Co. second style, red transcontinental frank with "Paid" above and "Through our California and Atlantic" beneath on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Clevestown, Ohio, carried by Wells, Fargo via Panama and entered mail at New York with their "Dec 17" (1855) postmark, cover slightly aged and wrinkles

(stock #281, $350)

Wells, Fargo & Co, frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to Placerville, six horse wagon advertising illustration of Booth & Company (B&C marked on load) vertically at left, blue Wells, Fargo Sacramento Apr 8 double circle datestamp

(stock #278, $500)

Wells, Fargo & Co, frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, blue Wells, Fargo Express Stockton oval handstamp, light cover crease

(stock #320, $50)

Wells, Fargo & Co. frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to Sacramento, blue Wells, Fargo Express San Francisco double circle datestamp

(stock #316, $125)

Wells, Fargo & Co. frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to state Senator Berry at Sacramento, blue Wells, Fargo Express Yreka oval handstamp, manuscript "March 8" date at top, John Berry was elected to the senate in September 1857 to serve from Siskiyou County, perhaps 10 known of this frank in blue on 3c Nesbitt, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #279, $1750)

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

(stock #319, $300)

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

(stock #322, $300)

Wells, Fargo & Co. frank overprinting red Freeman & Co. Express frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to Folsom, additional frank vertically at left, blue Wells, Fargo San Francisco Jun 5 (1861) double circle datestamp, these overprints were distributed following the purchase of Freeman & Co's Express in 1860, minor cover edge tear at top

(stock #318, $400)

Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank overprinting green Freeman & Co. Express frank on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, blue Wells, Fargo San Francisco double circle datestamp, entered the mails with New York Aug 24 duplex postmark, docketed "Recd Aug 26/61," these overprints were distributed following the purchase of Freeman & Co's Express, all of the few known uses of the overprinted 10c seem to be dated between June and August 1861, fewer than ten reported examples not counting Pony Express uses, minor edge wear

(stock #282, $1500)

Wells, Fargo & Co. red frank on 10c green star die entire used to Philadelphia, endorsed "Per St. Louis - Via Panama" at lower left, blue Wells, Fargo San Francisco double circle "Apr 11" datestamp, after carriage via Panama, Wells, Fargo delivered to Blood's Local Post for delivery and with their "May 1" double circle datestamp and "2 cts" due, minor soiling, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #283, $1250)

Wells, Fargo & Co. vertical frank on 3c pink 1864 issue entire with all-over design advertising of J.C. Meusdorfer, Dealer in Hats & Caps, Sacramento in pale brown, blue Wells, Fargo double circle datestamp, 1868 docketing at left

(stock #290, $200)

Wells, Fargo & Co. vertical frank with red "W.F & Co." large overprint on 3c pink 1864 issue entire with all-over design advertising of Meagher & Taaffee, Fancy Goods, San Francisco, in pink, used as a paste-back, blue Wells, Fargo San Francisco oval datestamp, the only reported example of this style overprinted frank

(stock #291, $1750)

Wells, Fargo & Co. vertical frank on 3c green 1870 issue entire with all-over design advertising of W.L. Pritchard's Fast Freight Line, "Palisade to Pioche via Mineral Hill, Eureka & Hamilton ..," in pale brown, addressed to San Francisco, blue wells Fargo Palisades (Nevada) oval datestamp, reduced irregularly at right, one of the finer of the few known examples of this design which Nathan classified as an express company frank

(stock #292, $450)

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