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Bicycle Mail Cover (116199)

Currency:USD Category:Stamps / United States - Covers Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Bicycle Mail Cover   (116199)
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Envelope, approx 6 x 3-5/8 inches, bearing the defaced emblem of the Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail Route in green in the upper left corner, postmarked August 13, 1894 in Fresno, California. In the upper right is a blue 1-cent stamp, "Columbus in Sight of Land." Cancelled on the reverse in Fruitvale on August 14, 1894. During the so-called Pullman Strike in 1894, mail service was interrupted, and Arthur Banta initiated the Bicycle Mail between Fresno and San Francisco. It include 8 bicycle relays over 210 miles. The service only ran between July 7 and July 16, so how could this one be postmarked in August, you ask? It seems that Mr. Banta became aware of the interest for stamps and covers for the collectors market. Eugene Donze, the engraver of the original die, retained ownership of the design, but Banta would only buy imprints. So Donze defaced a fake die to fool Banta into thinking no more originals would exist. The story of fraud and deception gets more intriguing as time progressed. A good reference can be found at rfrajola.com/Fresno/fresno.pdf which shows examples of the various deceptions and chicanery that took place. The imprint of this cover is known as Die 3.

Provenance: John Reynolds Collection
Country (if not USA):
State: California
City/County: Fresno - San Francisco
Date: