The "Erivan" Collection of Western Postal History

bold strike of circular datestamp on 1849 folded letter to Boston with boxed "40" rate handstamp, interesting contents about opening a shop datelined September 30, very fine, the boxed rate handstamp arrived in San Francisco between the September 1 and October 1 sailings

red datestamp with matching "40" rate handstamp on 1850 folded lettersheet to Richmond, Virginia, very fine cover from the Crittenden correspondence 

black datestamp on folded lettersheet to Boston originating in Shanghai, China, dated December 20, 1852, endorsed "via California", red crayon "Ship" and handstamped "12" rate, very fine

datestamp on cover to Crowland, Welland County, Canada West, red "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "15" rate, printed illustrated advertisement on reverse for Woodward's What Cheer House, original enclosure datelined "San Francisco Dec 30th 1856", light wear, very fine, the What Cheer House was a male-only hotel opened in 1852 which permitted no liquor on the premises and housed San Francisco's first free library and first museum

double circle datestamp with matching straightline "Ship.12" on incoming cover to Ellington, Connecticut from Kanagawa, Japan, endorsed "Curlew to Cala", 1863 docketing most likely in error, very fine double rate ship cover from the Hall correspondence

double circle datestamp on locally-addressed 10c Green entire, "San Francisco Post Office" imprint at top with "By calling at my private office, southeast corner of the building, you will receive a valuable letter, R.F. Perkins, P.M.", filing hole through indicia and light wear, fine appearance

double circle datestamp on incoming 3c Pink entire, endorsed "pr. Steamer 21 March" at top left, black straightline "Due7" and "Purser" handstamps, small tear at top, otherwise very fine, carried as a loose steamship letter from Panama and charged a blanket 10c rate

octagonal handstamp on 1853 folded letter originating with red "New York Paid Mar 21" datestamp, pencil "12" rate (double the 6c rate to San Francisco), addressed in care of "Messr. G.B. Post Co., San Francisco, Cala" for their transmittal to Honolulu, Hawaii, additional blue oval "Oriental Line Agents Ogden & Haynes" handstamp, "Rec'd May 9 '53" docket on reverse, contents related to the sperm oil trade, file fold, very fine, an...

illustrated printed frank with horse and rider, used locally to San Francisco street address, insignificant toned spot at top left, otherwise fresh and extremely fine, Hoogs & Madison also produced rare local adhesives, illustrated in Letters of Gold
Pearce
Haas
Edwards Collection (Christie's Robson Lowe, 1991)

unused Type 5 frank on 3c Red Nesbitt entire, very fine and fresh

Type 4 frank on 3c Red Nesbitt entire to San Francisco, "Stockton Cal. Oct 25" datestamp, and "Penny Post Co Stockton" circular handstamp, reverse with printed advertisement for the Penny-Post Company with list of cities, couple light vertical creases, otherwise very fine, one of just 16 recorded in the Frajola census, ex-Barkhausen