1c Blue (63). Unusually
wide margins and choice centering, bright shade, fine impression, pretty
red New York City circular datestamp, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1992
P.F. certificate (Image)
3c Pink (64). Near perfect
centering, very wide margins, beautiful bright color in the true Pink
shade, clearly struck blue Sprinfield O. double-circle
datestampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY PINK SHADE. A MATCHLESS COMBINATION OF QUALITY AND COLOR.
Ex Klein. With 1959 P.F. certificate (Image)
3c Pink (64). Block of
four, unused (no gum), beautiful bright shade, unusually well-centered,
faint pressed-out vertical creases as almost always found in unused
examples of the early PinkVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A VERY RARE AND ATTRACTIVE BLOCK IN A SHADE DESCRIBED BY ASHBROOK AS "AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE COLOR."
Ashbrook's signed note identifying the color and commenting on its "excellent" quality is made in pencil on the back. Ex Bechtel (Image)
3c Pink (64). Bottom
imprint and plate no. 12 block of twelve, unused (no gum), beautiful bright
Pink color, extraordinarily well-centered, very faint vertical crease thru
third row as almost always found in the unused Pink, lower left vertical
pair rejoined and some perf separations reinforced with hinge
sliversTHE UNIQUE AND FAMOUS 1861 3-CENT PINK PLATE NUMBER BLOCK FROM THE LUFF, WORTHINGTON, HIND AND WATERHOUSE COLLECTIONS. THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE PINK AND THE ONLY KNOWN PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF ANY SIZE.
The early Pink shade is exceedingly rare in unused condition and even more so in block form. Virtually all of the few known blocks are faulty to a serious degree. This unique plate number block was featured prominently in the Worthington, Hind and Waterhouse collections, during which time it was affixed to a piece of mounting paper, which has since been removed. The color, centering and condition of this block are remarkably fine, and its importance as a key position block of the 1861 Issue is widely acknowledged (see Ashbrook article in Stamps, March 1946, also Chapin's A Census of United States Classic Plate Blocks 1851-1882, p. 15).
With 1965 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail for two blocks and four singles (without gum) is $69,000.00--the plate block is unlisted, but other 1861 plate blocks of eight are priced from three to four times the value of two ordinary blocks (Image)
3c Pigeon Blood Pink
(64a). Vertical pair with full corner sheet margin, each stamp
cancelled by the distinctive dotted grid used at Philadelphia in the Autumn
of 1861, remarkably well-centered, the color is rich with a noticeable
bluish hue that is characteristic of the Pigeon Blood Pink shade, top stamp
has a slightly rounded cornerEXTREMELY FINE PAIR OF THE ELUSIVE PIGEON BLOOD PINK, AND EARLY AND VERY RARE EARLY SHADE.
Ex Koppersmith. With 1989 P.F. certificate. The pair is unlisted in Scott--value for two singles (Image)
3c Rose (65). Perfectly
centered, rich color, olive green town circular datestamp, Extremely
Fine Gem (Image)
3c Lake (66). Full
original gum, extraordinary margins and choice centering, deep rich color
and proof-like impression on crisp white paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THE LAKE SHADE, A TRIAL PRINTING RARELY FOUND WITH SUCH SUPERB CENTERING.
Ex Hetherington and Klein. With 1961 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as No. 66 (in Trial Color section) (Image)
5c Brown Yellow (67a).
Absolutely perfect centering, deep rich color in dark brownish shade, fine
impression, lovely contrasting blue Baltimore circular
datestampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE RAREST REGULARLY-ISSUED STAMPS IN THIS SUPERB CONDITION.
Ex Grunin and Klein. With 1988 P.F. certificate as a Buff (Image)
5c Buff (67). Phenomenal
centering with wide margins all around, beautiful shade with bright yellow
pigment, neat Boston "Paid" gridEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN EXTRAORDINARILY CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE BRIGHT BUFF--A GREAT RARITY IN THIS QUALITY.
Ex Klein. With 1980 P.F. certificate (Image)
5c Buff (67). Block of
four, the four stamps almost completely separated, expertly rejoined except
for a slight tell-tale misalignment of upper left stamp, cancelled by
unusual small blue grid cancel, beautiful deep rich color,
well-centered for this issueFINE-VERY FINE. ONLY THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS OF THE 5-CENT BUFF ARE KNOWN, USED OR UNUSED, AND NONE IS SOUND. THIS IS ARGUABLY THE MOST ATTRACTIVE OF THE KNOWN BLOCKS.
Ex Chanin and Bechtel. Scott Retail $9,500.00 based on pen-cancelled block from the 1988 Klein sale (Image)
10c Dark Green (68a var).
"TAG" double transfer, extra wide margins all around, intense shade and
early proof-like impression, red cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem (Image)
12c Black (69). Perfectly
centered, wide even margins, neat circle of wedges cancel, Extremely Fine
and choice, ex Sheriff (Image)
24c Red Lilac (70).
Gigantic margins all around, intense color in a deep red shade, neat grid
and trace of red cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a spectacular stamp, ex Klein,
with 1984 P.F. certificate (Image)
24c Dark Red Lilac, "Boston
Purple" (70 var). Intense shade and impression, beautifully centered,
Boston "Paid" in oval cancel (associated with early 1861 shades), Extremely
Fine Gem, the rare and distinctive Boston Purple and Rich Red Lilac shades
are described in an article by William K. Herzog (Chronicle 124),
this stamp is ex Caspary, Moody (where described as "Red Violet") and
Klein, with 1988 P.F. certificate as Red Lilac
(Image)
24c Brown Lilac (70a).
Perfectly centered with incredibly wide margins all around, lovely pastel
shade and fine impression, sharp strike of handsome blue target
cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a truly beautiful 24c 1861 stamp, ex Grunin and
Klein, with 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)
24c Steel Blue (70b). The
true early Steel Blue color in an unusually intense and proof-like shade,
virtually perfect centering, neatly cancelled by Boston "Paid" grid at the
bottom of the stamp well clear of Washington's face, Extremely Fine Gem,
the 24c Steel Blue is rarely found with the intensity of this impression, a
true condition rarity, ex Klein and Renne, with 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)
24c Violet, Thin Paper,
"Cincinnati Blue Violet" (70c var). A distinctive and rare Violet color
originating at Cincinnati in 1863-64 and described by William K. Herzog in
Chronicle No. 117--well-centered, bold Cincinnati grid and part of
datestamp, Very Fine and choice, Herzog speculates that the Blue Violet
comes from an early printing in 1861 that remained unsold in the Cincinnati
post office (possibly placed at the bottom of a subsequent shipment and not
used until 1863), with 1991 P.F. certificate as Violet
(Image)
24c Pale Gray Violet, Thin
Paper (70d). Remarkably well-centered, intense shade and proof-like
impression on thin crisp paper, circle of wedges cancel, Extremely Fine, an
exceedingly scarce early shade, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)
30c Orange (71). Block of
four, full original gum, bottom pair very lightly hinged, near perfect
centering, brilliant fresh color on bright white paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM BLOCK. PROBABLY THE ONLY SURVIVING BLOCK IN THIS EXTRAORDINARILY CHOICE CONDITION.
Ex Lilly and Klein. With 1968 P.F. certificate. The Scott Catalogue assigns a very small block premium (Image)
30c Orange (71). Perfectly
centered with wide margins all around, bright early shade, vivid color and
impression, lovely contrasting blue Baltimore circular datestamp,
Extremely Fine Gem, Scott Catalogue notes "Values for No. 71 are for copies
with small margins, especially at sides. Large-margined examples sell for
much more", ex Grunin and Klein, with 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)
90c Blue (72). Block of
four, full original gum, lightly hinged, exceptionally well-centered,
beautiful pastel shade on bright fresh paper, well-formed perforations all
aroundEXTREMELY FINE. THIS 90-CENT 1861 BLOCK--SUPERBLY CENTERED AND AS FRESH AS THE DAY IT WAS ISSUED--IS THE FINEST KNOWN BLOCK WITH ORIGINAL GUM.
There are several blocks of the 90c 1861 with original gum that are centered strongly to left, have a consistently dark shade and malformed perforation holes (see Caspary sale for examples). This block is unlike that group. Its distinctive pastel shade, precise centering and well-formed perforations are desirable characteristics not found in the other known blocks. We have never encountered another 90c 1861 block of this quality.
Acquired by Mr. Zoellner by private treaty and offered at auction for the first time in more than half a century (Image)
90c Blue (72). Nearly
perfect centering, wide margins, bright shade, red cross cancel,
Extremely Fine Gem, this stamp remained on Mr. Zoellner's want list for
twelve years--it is remarkably difficult to obtain in centered, sound
condition with an attractive cancellation--with 1985 and 1994 P.F.
certificates (Image)