United States Stamps continued...

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE ONLY RECORDED USED PAIR OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE. NO OTHER USED MULTIPLES ARE KNOWN.

This pair is part of a "set" of bicolor 1869 Re-issue pairs -- 15c, 24c, 30c and 90c values -- each cancelled by targets. The 15c and 24c, both vertical pairs, also have portions of blue crayon strokes applied, similar to registered mail passing through the British post office. The existence of this set was revealed in an Aug. 1985 Chronicle article. It is believed that the four pairs were originally used on one or more pieces of registered mail addressed to the English stamp collector, Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, from whose collection the four pairs emanated.

The 15c, 30c and 90c pairs are illustrated here. The 90c pair was offered in our sale of the Zoellner collection and realized $25,000 hammer. The 15c pair was sold in our 2001 Rarities sale for $5,500 hammer. In October, when we offer the Drucker Family collection, the 30c pair will be on the auction block. We would enjoy seeing a determined collector reunite the four pairs for the first time since the Waterhouse sale.

Ex Waterhouse and Juhring. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

With 1992 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

With 1977 P.F. certificate (only stating genuine) (Image)

VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

With 1997 P.S.E. certificate (Image)