Lot 616 1899 Klondike Gold Rush Cover, mailed registered from Dawson N.W.T. (c.d.s. dated MAR.29.1899) to Anthracite, Alberta (broken circle receiver is dated 26 days later on APR.23) through Victoria B.C. (APR.19 on back) with RPO “/ C. & V.R.P.O / BC” dated APR.21 on back. There are other interesting markings such as “STAMPS FALLEN OFF IN TRANSIT” (probably a 2c and 5c) and “RECEIVED AT VICTORIA B.C. / IN DAMAGED CONDITION” and back shows a neat (coloured) reverse imprint of a 2c purple Queen Victoria Numeral stamp (indicating the cover would have gotten wet at some point), as well as a very fine wax crown seal reading “C.P.R.Y. / B.C.” in red (would have been applied aboard the train to officially seal the cover and its contents). Last but not least is a manuscript note on back in purple reading “Rec’d in bad ord. / open, contents / intact $15 A.T.” – the front also has a note in the same colour pencil reading “P.M. Please Verify”.
The cover is accompanied by a several page original draft of a most fascinating article written by the owner, Louis Sidney Crosby on the cover, and the history of the gold rush surrounding it. The article “A Cover From the Trail of the Ninety-Eight” was published in Topics in September 1951. We also enclose a letter and registered cover from Topics Editor at the time Gordon P. Lewis thanking him for his submission. An interesting glimpse into Canadian philately of the early 1950s. This cover and its contents were put away in 1962 when Mr. Crosby passed, and were discovered in 2017 by his great granddaughter. Estimate C$500.
