Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Mark D. Larkin and the Dr. Roy W. Tess Collections. continued...

**1867-68 Grilled Issue (A, C, D and Z Grills):**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
415		3c Rose, A. Grill (79). Quartered cork cancel, usual small faults, appears Very Fine, an extremely difficult stamp in any condition	850.00	250.00
416		3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Well-centered with immense margins, light cds, clear grill, small lightened stain spot, otherwise Extremely Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)	850.00	600.00
417		3c Rose, C. Grill, Imperforate (83a). O.g., lightly hinged, large even margins, well-defined grills (break thru on a few points), bright shade, Extremely Fine, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)	1,850.00	725.00
418		3c Rose, C. Grill, Imperforate (83a). Pair, o.g., ample to large margins, sharp grill points (few breaks in grill), fresh and Very Fine, small red backstamps, with 1983 P.F. certificate	1,850.00	750.00
419		2c Black, D. Grill (84). Perfectly centered with wide balanced margins, quartered cork cancel EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AFTER THE 1-CENT AND 15-CENT Z GRILLS, THE 2-CENT D GRILL IS THE RAREST OF THE GRILLED ISSUES. The grilling device equipped with the D Grill was probably refitted with the E Grill on or about February 9, 1868. Based on the earliest known usages of the 2c D Grill (2/15/68) and 3c E Grill (2/19/68), we believe that the conversion from the D to the E Grill took place only one or two days after sheets of the 2c were first run through the D-equipped machine. The great rarity of 2c D Grills, relative to all other regularly produced grills bears out this theory. Only a few exist in this quality. With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)	2,250.00	6,750.00
420		2c Black, D. Grill (84). Well-centered with wide even margins, sharp impression with clear grill points, faint cancel, reperfed at top, otherwise Extremely Fine example of this very difficult stamp	2,250.00	1,400.00
421		2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Well centered with huge margins for this stamp, full and clearly-defined grill showing all of the points, well-struck radial cancel, long full perfs EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AMONG THE FINEST EXISTING USED EXAMPLES OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL. AN OUTSTANDING STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT. If this stamp was an ungrilled 2c Black Jack, it would merit the highest rank among used examples. The plates used to print these stamps failed to provide enough space between subjects for the large 12-gauge perf holes. Consequently, most Black Jack stamps have perfs touching the design on one or two sides. This scarcity of centered copies multiplies exponentially when the Z Grill is factored into the equation. Only a small quantity of 2c sheets were grilled during the period when the Z device was active -- after the D Grill, the Z is the rarest of Black Jack grilled stamps -- and discriminating collectors are well aware of the rarity of well-centered examples of 85B. This stamp's centering and margin width both far exceed the standard of the issue. With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)	800.00	3,750.00

1867-68 Grilled Issue (A, C, D and Z Grills):

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

415

3c Rose, A. Grill (79). Quartered cork cancel, usual small faults, appears Very Fine, an extremely difficult stamp in any condition

850.00

250.00

416

3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Well-centered with immense margins, light cds, clear grill, small lightened stain spot, otherwise Extremely Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

850.00

600.00

417

3c Rose, C. Grill, Imperforate (83a). O.g., lightly hinged, large even margins, well-defined grills (break thru on a few points), bright shade, Extremely Fine, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)

1,850.00

725.00

418

3c Rose, C. Grill, Imperforate (83a). Pair, o.g., ample to large margins, sharp grill points (few breaks in grill), fresh and Very Fine, small red backstamps, with 1983 P.F. certificate

1,850.00

750.00

419

2c Black, D. Grill (84). Perfectly centered with wide balanced margins, quartered cork cancel

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AFTER THE 1-CENT AND 15-CENT Z GRILLS, THE 2-CENT D GRILL IS THE RAREST OF THE GRILLED ISSUES.

The grilling device equipped with the D Grill was probably refitted with the E Grill on or about February 9, 1868. Based on the earliest known usages of the 2c D Grill (2/15/68) and 3c E Grill (2/19/68), we believe that the conversion from the D to the E Grill took place only one or two days after sheets of the 2c were first run through the D-equipped machine. The great rarity of 2c D Grills, relative to all other regularly produced grills bears out this theory. Only a few exist in this quality.

With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)

2,250.00

6,750.00

420

2c Black, D. Grill (84). Well-centered with wide even margins, sharp impression with clear grill points, faint cancel, reperfed at top, otherwise Extremely Fine example of this very difficult stamp

2,250.00

1,400.00

421

2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Well centered with huge margins for this stamp, full and clearly-defined grill showing all of the points, well-struck radial cancel, long full perfs

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AMONG THE FINEST EXISTING USED EXAMPLES OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL. AN OUTSTANDING STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.

If this stamp was an ungrilled 2c Black Jack, it would merit the highest rank among used examples. The plates used to print these stamps failed to provide enough space between subjects for the large 12-gauge perf holes. Consequently, most Black Jack stamps have perfs touching the design on one or two sides. This scarcity of centered copies multiplies exponentially when the Z Grill is factored into the equation. Only a small quantity of 2c sheets were grilled during the period when the Z device was active -- after the D Grill, the Z is the rarest of Black Jack grilled stamps -- and discriminating collectors are well aware of the rarity of well-centered examples of 85B. This stamp's centering and margin width both far exceed the standard of the issue.

With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)

800.00

3,750.00