Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

UNITED STATES LOCALS Wells Fargo & Co

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1861 Inscription "PONY EXPRESS WELLS, FARGO & CO.", value in dollars

Genuine, image obtained from a Siegel auction
(Genuine stamps)

  $1 red
  $2 green
  $2 red
  $4 green
  $4 black

I do not know if these stamps are genuine as well:

(Pony Express 4 Dollars)

Forgeries, examples:

Forgery!
Forgery, reduced size, bogus value of 3 dollars.

Forgeries with the "ES" of "EXPRESS" joined, I've been told that these forgeries were made by Taylor. Some of them with an elliptical "PONY EXPRESS SERVICE" cancel and other with mute cancels.

In this forgery of the 4 $ value, the tail of the horse is very 'bushy'.

A genuine 2 $ stamp with a bogus fancy 'jumping horse' cancel.

Other forgeries

Very dubious items.

Cut from a stamp album?

A 1 $ blue 'facsimile' stamp, the word 'Facsimile' is printed at the back in red.

I've also seen the values 1 $ green, 1 $ red, 2 $ green, 2 $ red, 4 $ green and 4 $ black with this 'Facsimile' printed at the back of the stamps. The word 'Facsmile' is printed in green, black or red. In the 2 $ the '2' has no curved bottom, but is flat in these facsimiles. In the 4 $ value, the '4' is too small when compared to a genuine stamp.

1862 Value in cents

(Genuine stamps)

  10 c brown
  25 c blue
  25 c red

I've been told that the next stamps are 'reprints':

Note that the tail goes much higher in the above stamps than in the genuine stamps.

A sheet with 5 columns of 5 values printed in black. They 4$ values have two lines across the stamps. They were made in 1897.

Forgeries of the 25 c blue and 25 c red stamps. The tail of the horse is rather 'bushy'. The letters in "PONY EXPRESS" have shading on them.

A souvenir sheet in a similar design, issued for the "Chicago Hobby Show 1935" with the word "FACSIMILE" written at the bottom:

1861 "WELLS, FARGO & CO" in a belt

(Genuine stamp)

(Genuine, reduced size)

  $1 blue

I've been told that the next stamp is a reprint, I have no further information:

In most forgeries there is a line between '1/2 oz.' and '$1.00'.

(Forgery)

A forgery made by (or inspired by an image of) Moens. Next to it the same forgery(?) in red color.

1861 Newspaper stamps

(genuine, reduced size, image obtained from a Siegel auction: http://www.siegelauctions.com/1999/817/yf817280.htm#293 )

(Paid, One Newspaper over our California Routes)

(I've been told that this stamp is forged)

(Paid, One Newspaper over our routes in the U.S.)

6 different types exist of these newspaper stamps: A black stamp with inscription 'TO BE DROPPED IN NEW YORK POST OFFICE' and 5 blue stamps ('OVER OUR CALIFORNIA ROUTES' (4 types) and type with inscription 'OVER OUR ROUTES IN THE US'.

I've been told that this stamp is a forgery made by the forger Taylor

Forgery, made by Taylor (first type)

Another forgery made by Taylor (different from the above one).

Very dubious stamp, most likely another forgery. The label with "WELLS, FARGO & CO" is shorter.

Another very dubious stamp.

Covers, example:

I've seen labels with the head of an Indian chief and inscription "WELLS FARGO & COMPANY EXPRESS FRANK FOR FREE TRANSPORTATION OF SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS ON COVER OF THIS BOOK" in 50 Pounds red (1905) and 50 Pounds blue (1904).

Forged covers by Carion

The Western Express Blacks Express were forged by Georges Carion. He added fake cancels to genuine Wells Fargo envelopes. The following text can be found on http://www.westerncoversociety.com/library/expresses/expresses_52.htm:
Most collectors of western material consider all Black & Co.'s items to be recent fabrications. All of the known covers are addressed to Samuel Grosh or Reynolds & Co. (considered to be part of the Tandler correspondence) and have a genuine red Wells Fargo Sacramento hand stamp applied to a stampless cover. The Black & Co. Express franks were believed to have been added to deceive buyers by Georges Carion, a Bay Area stamp dealer; however, Wiltsee in his "Pioneer Miner and Pack Mule Express" (p106) notes that it operated between Sacramento and San Francisco but gives no information on its background.
(See also 'Philatelic Forgers their Lives and Works' by V.E. Tyler for more information).

Carion forged envelope 'Samuel Grosh' envelope of Wells Fargo with added forged 'Black & Co' cancel.

Most likely Carion forgeries of the 'Tandler collection'. Genuine envelopes of the Wells Fargo & Co with additional cancels added to them.