J.W. Hoag & Co., Contra-Costa Express, San Francisco, mostly clear red double lined oval express company marking, matching boxed 'Paid', used on 3c Red on buff Nesbitt entire, indicia uncancelled, to Warm Spring (Cal.), indelible purple pen date 'Dec. 5, 1856' possibly not contemporary, part T. backflap missing, minor edgewear, still quite fresh and fine, very scarce, this small comany operated between Oakland and San Francisco and Warm Springs, illustrated in Nathan