Todd & Co's Express Stockton. Perfectly clear strike of double-line oval handstamp (Thomas TOC-106) and manuscript "Free" on folded cover to Gov. John McDougall in San Jose, sender's routing "Per Todd & Co. & Berford's Express" and notation "Stockton Journal", conjunctive use with "Berford & Cos. Express San Francisco Cal." double-oval handstamp (Thomas BER-101a) and matching "FREE" handstamp, pencil notation "Jan. 20/51" presumably referring to contents which are no longer present, part of one flap removed, light file folds, Very Fine, carried by Todd & Co. from the Stockton mining region to San Francisco, then by Berford & Co. south to San Jose, it appears that Todd carried mail free for the Stockton Journal and other publishers, a virtually identical cover is pictured in Nathan (p. 24), ex W. Parker Lyons, Dale-Lichtenstein and Lyons, with 2004 P.F. certificate

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