Auction # 67 - The Westpex Sale

(Benton) Corvallis, Oregon, Feb 1. Cds with reversed "S" (Whittlesey 1, R A) and handstamped "Paid 3" in circle rate marking on stampless embossed lady's cover to Independence, edge wear, top backflap replaced, Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

(Benton) Marysville, O.T., Feb 12/ 51. Early manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R B) and "Paid 40" manuscript rate marking on stampless folded letter (outer sheet only with no contents) to Michigan, a couple small stains, Very Fine, the earliest recorded Marysville manuscript postmark and a rare "40" rate Oregon territorial.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

The Marysville Post Office, which was the...

(Clackamas) Oregon City, Orgn., Dec 28. Early balloon cds (Whittlesey 2, R B-A) and manuscript "40" rate marking on homemade stampless cover to Massachusetts, a couple stains, accompanied by original 1850 letter from a man to his brother with content touching on an array of topics including land claims, Oregon politics, mining, agriculture, and speaking "Chinook jargon" with the Indians while trading with them, F.-V.F.,...

(Clackamas) Oregon City, Orgn., Jul 9. Balloon cds (Whittlesey 2, R B-A) on 1853 6¢ green Nesbitt entire to Washington D.C., uprated to meet the 1855 transcontinental rate with 1851 1¢ blue type IV (bottom right corner selvage copy) and 1851 3¢ orange brown (right selvage copy) both tied by bold pen stroke, indicia cancelled by an additional pen stroke, docket at left, flattened horizontal crease, still Very Fine.
...

(Clatsop) Astoria, Orgn., May 15. Balloon cds with manuscript day (Whittlesey 2, R C) and manuscript "Paid 6" rate marking on stampless folded letter (outer sheet only with no contents) to Joseph Lane, Oregon Territory's Delegate to Congress in Washington D.C., original 1852 letter concerning land claims evidently remains in the archives of the Oregon Historical Society but photocopy accompanies, Very Fine.
Estimate; $...

(Curry) Port Orford, O.T., Aug 22d. Manuscript postmark (Whittlesey unlisted) with manuscript "5" rate marking on stampless folded letter (outer sheet only with no contents) to pioneer Oregonian Joel Palmer as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Dayton O.T. "1854" dockets on the back, Portland, O.T., Sep 11 balloon cds (Whittlesey 3, R A) as transit postmark with Missent straight line handstamp, Very Fine,...

(Douglas) Elkton, Oregon. Two covers from the same correspondence to California, first with Elkton, Ogn., June 8/ 59 manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1 but earlier, R 6), 1857 3¢ dull red type II cancelled by pen strokes and just tied, second with similar Feb 14 manuscript postmark without year date but first day of Oregon statehood if 1859, 1857 3¢ dull red type II (straddle line at left) uncancelled, early statehood...

(Douglas) Scottsburg, Oregon. Pair of stampless covers with "Free, E. R. Fiske P.M." postmaster's free franks from the same correspondence to Massachusetts, first with Scottsburg, O.T., May 6th cds with manuscript month and day (Whittlesey 2, R B), second with Scottsburg, O.T., Sep 16th 1853 manuscript postmark (Whittlesey 1, R B), both with "1853" dockets at left, first with minor corner wear at...

(Douglas) Umpqua City, O.T., May 13, 1857. Cds with year date but manuscript month and day (Whittlesey 2, R B) on cover with 1851 10¢ green type I (Scott 13) cancelled by two strikes of the "1857" year date slug which matches the year date in the postmark, to Kentucky, small edge repairs at top, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.