Proofs and Essays

Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.

Proofs and Essays

Safety Paper Essay for 5-Cent 1869 Issue
Sold by the Siegel firm in September 1999 (Sale 816, lot 1422)
Realized $3,250 hammer

Essays and Proofs form an unique and fascinating collecting area. This area is primarily concerned with the methods of production used to create postage stamps. Essays can be unadopted designs, or slightly altered versions of adopted designs. Proofs are then made of adopted designs, for several purposes:

To confirm the color or to test unadopted colors (Trial Color Proofs)

As a means of checking on the progress of engraving of the die (Large Die Proofs). Many Large Die proofs should technically be classified as Essays, since there can be minor differences in the designs as compared to the issued stamps

For presentation purposes. Prior to 1894, private companies printed United States stamps. Proof books were assembled as either presentation albums for dignitaries, or as Bank Note company salesman's sample books. Many presentation proofs or proofs from saleman's albums will show evidence of binding at the left margin, and many have overleaf pages.

Perhaps some of the most sought-after and well-known proofs are those from the 1903 printing for the Roosevelt Presentation albums. These are designated by Scott catalogue as P2, and are often found on their original gray card backing. Approximately 85 albums were assembled. Few of these exist intact today.

Introduction to Roosevelt Small Die Proofs on Wove Paper (Scott P2)

Introduction to Panama-Pacific Small Die Proofs on Wove Paper (Scott P2a)

Go to the catalogue for the Falk Finkelburg Collection
of U.S. Essays and Proofs (Siegel Sale 816)

Home	Current Catalogues	Retail Offerings	Prices Realized	Submit for Sale	Search	Siegel Encyclopedia	Resources	E-Mail