Power Search™ Results
48 Selected Lots, Page 1 of 5
General/Issue
Date
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, slightly disturbed original gum, rich color, few minor perf separationsFINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Blocks of this issue are uncommon. Only 26,350 stamps were printed from Plate 107, and according to Luff 3,357 were destroyed.
Bottom plate block of the $4.00 Columbian Issue--one of only three plate blocks recorded (all bottoms) and the finest of the three-- a highlight of the Gross collection and of 19th century United States philatelyDESCRIPTION
$4.00 Columbian (244), block of six from bottom of left pane with "AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY." imprint and "No. 107" plate number, original gum, five stamps Mint N.H., top right stamp narrow hinge remnant, gorgeous centering and margins, vivid color on bright and extraordinarily fresh paper
PROVENANCE
Colonel Stillwell (sold by order of U.S. Trust Company), Siegel Auction Galleries, 5/31/1972, Sale 413, lot 244
Arthur J. Kobacker, Christie's Robson Lowe, 9/25/1991, lot 522
Bought privately from Harry Hagendorf (Columbian Stamp Co.)
CONDITION NOTES
Extremely Fine
SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)
$635,000.00
HISTORY AND COMMENTARY
A Superb $4.00 Columbian Plate Block
The $4.00 Columbian, depicting "Isabella--Columbus," is based on an unknown portrait of Queen Isabella and a portrait of Columbus from a painting by Lorenzo Lotto. The vignette was engraved by Alfred Jones and the frame and lettering by George H. Seymour. 26,350 stamps were printed from Plate 107, and according to Luff 3,357 were destroyed.
For the Columbian series, all of the 1¢ stamps and most but not all of the 2¢ stamps were printed from 200-subject plates, with horizontal guide arrows between the two panes of 100. The perforating machine simultaneously applied horizontal perforations and cut the 200-stamp sheets into panes of 100, normally leaving a trace of the guide arrow on the straight edge of each pane. Some of the 2¢ stamps and all of the 3¢-$5.00 stamps were printed on smaller presses from plates of 100 subjects, with no guide arrows. When the perforating machine applied horizontal perforations to sheets from the 100-subject plates, the cutting blade, in the same position, removed either the top or bottom sheet margin (and plate number), depending on how the sheet was fed into the perforator, reducing by half the potential number of Columbian plate blocks that might have been available to collectors. This is also why so many Columbian stamps are reperforated at top or bottom rather than at the sides--10 stamps from every 100-subject sheet (or pane) would have a straight edge at either top or bottom. The 100-subject sheets were then divided into panes of 50 for distribution and sale at post offices. The undivided full sheets of 100 were only available from the Philatelic Agency in Washington D.C.
All of the values printed from 100-subject plates are known with both top and bottom plate blocks except for the 50¢ and $4.00, from which only bottom plate blocks are known. As explained, depending on how the sheet was fed into the perforator, either the top or bottom selvage was cut away and a straight edge was left in its place. For the 50¢ and $4.00, it appears that the entire supply was fed into the perforator in the same manner, preserving the bottom selvage and eliminating all top plate blocks (or any kind of top selvage). It is interesting that top and bottom plate blocks of the other dollar values exist.
The $4.00 Columbian plate block is of the utmost rarity. Only three examples are recorded:
1) Bottom left plate no. 107 block of ten with left selvage, ex Crocker
2) Bottom right imprint and plate no. 107 block of six, tiny surface scuff and tiny thin speck, Extremely Fine centering, ex Lilly and "World's Fair" collection (Siegel Sale 1055, lot 61)
3) Bottom left imprint and plate no. 107 block of six, five stamps Mint N.H., sound and Extremely Fine, ex Col. Stillwell and Kobacker, offered in this sale.
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, original gum, rich colorFRESH AND FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
This block is remarkably fresh with excellent color.
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, vivid colorFRESH AND FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 2017 P.S.E. certificate
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, original gum, hinge marks, remarkably well-centered, vivid color, some rejoined horizontal perforationsVERY FINE AND ATTRACTIVE ORIGINAL GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate
$4.00 Columbian (244). Bottom imprint and plate no. 107 block of six, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps lightly hinged, vibrant color, tiny surface scuff in top left stamp and a tiny thin speck in bottom right stamp, of no real significanceEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCKS OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. ONE OF THE GREATEST COMMEMORATIVE RARITIES IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
Our records contain three plate blocks of the $4.00: 1) bottom imprint and plate no. 107 block of ten with left selvage, plate no. at right, ex Crocker; 2) bottom plate no. 107 block of six, plate no. at left, ex Lilly, the block offered here; and 3) bottom plate no. 107 block of six, plate no. at right, ex Kobacker, currently in the William H. Gross Collection. None are known from the top positions.
Ex Lilly. Illustrated in Chronicle 150 (page 116). With 1992 P.F. certificate which states "Genuine, previously hinged in the top stamps only, top left with small surface scrape, bottom right with tiny thin." This is the first plate block we have offered in all of our Rarities sales and auctions since 1994.
$4.00 Columbian (244). Left part imprint selvage block of eight, original gum, lightly hinged, rich color on bright paper, few sensibly reinforced perf separations, pos. 6 pulled perf at bottom leftVERY FINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF EIGHT OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN. LARGE MULTIPLES OF THIS ISSUE ARE RARE -- THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST RECORDED.
The largest recorded unused multiple of the $4.00 Columbian is the unique imprint and plate number block of ten (ex Crocker and still intact). Multiples larger than four stamps are rare. The block offered here was part of the remarkable find of Columbian sheets and blocks offered by Harmer's of London on November 30, 1954. The find, comprising 10,422 unused stamps, was offered as a single lot. This and two other multiples originally formed a block of 20.
Scott Retail as two blocks of four
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color on bright paperFINE-VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
This block is remarkably fresh with excellent color.
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, original gum, fresh color and well-centeredVERY FINE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Blocks are surprisingly scarce -- we have only offered five others since 2002.
With 1994 P.S.E. and 2011 P.F. certificates
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, slightly disturbed original gum, h.r. and small adherence on gum of bottom left stamp, fresh color and well-centered, couple perf separations at leftVERY FINE. A SCARCE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Blocks are surprisingly scarce -- we have only offered four others since 2002.