Sale 755 — 1993 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 20 November, 1993
Category — 1851-56 Issue
1c Blue, Ty.Ia (6). Pos. 95R4, ample even margins, right ornament just touched, rich color and fine impression, lightly canceled, Very Fine, with 1993 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. Ia (6). Pos. 100L4, ample margins to just barely in at bottom, lightly canceled, Fine, with 1983 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Pl. 2, block of four, original gum, ample to large margins, just touched at bottom left, deep rich color, fine impression, light gum creasing and small thin in bottom right stamp, Very Fine appearance
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 2, block of four, original gum, three large margins, in at bottom, beautiful shade and impression, top pair thinned, small faults at bottom, a fresh and attractive appearing block
1c Blue, Ty. III, Position 99R2 (8). Unused, three large margins showing wide breaks at top and bottom, just in at left, bright color, lightly creased and cleaned to remove staining noted on 1952 P.F. certificate, otherwise Fine, a rare unused stamp
1c Blue, Ty. III, Position 99R2 (8 var). Large margins incl. part of bottom sheet margin, just barely into ornaments at left, tied by grid cancel on light blue folded printed circular datelined Philadelphia, June 1, 1856, handsomely addressed to Washington Pa., fresh and Very Fine cover, a rare stamp from the best Type III position
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Horizontal block of eighteen, pos. 23-28/43-48R1L, unused with several stain spots, ample margins to in at bottom, slight thinning and small faults, still an impressive large multiple from Plate 1L, Scott Retail $7,875.00+
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Horizontal strip of ten, positions 51-60L1L, ms. cancels, margins vary from large toward the center to slightly in at end stamps, unusual printing ink blob on pos. 56, few faint creases and small break in ms. at right, still Fine-Very Fine quality for this rare multiple, with 1970 P.F. certificate
3c Orange Brown (10). Block of fourteen, positions 72-76/82-86/93-96LO, full to large margins except just in at bottom of position 82, full original gum, rich color and wonderful prooflike impression, vertical creasing throughout with some reinforced separation at right, other than some scattered toned specks the gum is unusually fresh and apart from reinforcements is never hingedA REMARKABLE EXHIBITION QUALITY MULTIPLE OF THE SCARCE ORANGE BROWN. THE LARGEST KNOWN BLOCK FROM PLATE O AND ONE OF THE LARGEST ORANGE BROWN BLOCKS EXTANT
Identified only recently as an Orange Brown
3c 1851 Issue, "Provisional Postage Due Label". Sheet selvage with large part of imprint and plate "No. 2", small tear, ms. "5" numeral in selvage, affixed to brown cover addressed to Easton Pa., bold "New-York Ship Jul. 22 5 cts" cds with integral due rate, the original letter enclosed is datelined "Camp Puerta Cabellos, Honduras, Friday, May 22, 1857" from a surveyor with the Honduras Railroad Co., marvelous contents regarding journey, activities, living conditions, etc.; from a lot of five covers from the same correspondence originally offered in our 1979 Rarities sale, of which only two had "5" cents labels made from the selvage of the 3c 1851, only this one was fully identifiable from the imprint; the South America-U.S. Steamship Service rate was 10c, so presumably the label plus handstamped marking represented the total postage due; nothing else like this has ever surfaced, the cover is separated and rejoined along the edges, o/w Fine
5c Red Brown (12). Unused, large margins, rich color, small stain spot, crease ending in small tear, Extremely Fine appearance, rare unused, with 1976 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (12). Original gum, two ample margins, others touching to just in, dark shade, very rare with original gum, with 1990 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (12). A magnificent used single, enormous margins incl. right sheet margin and part of adjoining stamp below, deep rich color, lightly canceled by New Orleans cds, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. certificate
THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE ON OR OFF COVER AND THE ONLY INTACT BLOCK ON COVER PAYING THE PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL RATE TO GERMANY
Our records show nine blocks of the 5c 1856 stamp, including an original gum block, four off-cover blocks, and four blocks on cover. This block of six is the largest of all recorded multiples. The Rohloff collection contained a block of five (originally a block of six, from which one stamp was removed), and all others are blocks of four. When discovered by philatelists, this block of six was folded over the edge of the letter, and the lettersheet was stained along the fold. To improve its appearance, the block has been pressed to reduce creasing, and the lettersheet has been cut and mended.
An important classic United States cover, which has rarely appeared in the marketplace. Illustrated in the Hill book
ONE OF NINE RECORDED 5-CENT 1856 BLOCKS, OF WHICH ONLY FOUR ARE ON COVER
The correct Prussian Closed Mail rate was 30c, and there is evidence that this was originally a block of six, from which two stamps at top were cut. The block has small tears at bottom and a skilfully repaired scrape in the bottom right stamp. The cover is somewhat worn and creased.
An extremely rare and attractive multiple. Ex Gibson
5c Red Brown (12). Vertical pair, ample margins to just in at top and lower right, rich color and neatly tied by grids, bold "Auburn N.Y. Apr. 16" cds on buff cover to the U.S. Mint at San Francisco, Fine, domestic usage of the 5c 1856 is quite scarce
10c Green, Ty. I (13). Unused, large even margins, rich color, very fresh, couple tiny negligible corner creases, Extremely Fine appearance, rare unused, with 1984 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. I (13). Pos. 100R1, Double Transfer, unused, three large margins, touched at lower left, rich color, Fine and rare unused, with 1993 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Large even margins, sharp impression, full original gum, small h.r., very fresh and choice, Extremely Fine
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Rich color, large even margins, small part o.g., small corner creases at bottom, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1993 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. II-III-IV (14,15,16). Block of sixteen, positions 42-45/72-75L1THE REMARKABLE BLOCK OF SIXTEEN CONTAINING FIVE RECUT POSITIONS, INCLUDING THE ONLY POSSIBLE BLOCK OF TYPE IV
The recut stamps are positions 54-55/64-65/74, comprising a block of five beginning with the two righthand stamps in the second row and ending with the third stamp in the bottom row, large margins to just in at top left and along right side, grid cancels and faint pencil, dark shade, sealed tear at top right, horizontal crease at center between stamps, negligible wrinkling in bottom half and short sealed tear at lower left.
Few large multiples from the left pane of Plate 1 exist. This block is believed to be the largest containing the rare Type IV recut stamps
10c Green, Ty. II/III (14-15). Block of four, top pair Ty. II, bottom Ty. III, large even margins, neat Boston "Paid" grid, red grid and New York credit cds, rich color, vertical crease in left pair ends in sealed tear at top and bottom, Extremely Fine appearance
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Unused, large margins, rich color and fine impression, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Unused horizontal strip of three, positions 42-43L1, mostly ample to large margins, end stamps faintly creased at corners, Fine-Very Fine appearance, with 1993 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. IV (16). Position 64L1, Recut Top and Bottom, large margins, deep rich color, neat town cds, Extremely Fine, the most desirable of 10c recut positions, with 1980 P.F. certificate
12c Black (17). Unused right sheet margin block of four, ample margins, fine impression, faults incl. scissors cut, scuffs and creasing, still an appealing and scarce block, with 1968 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $11,000.00
12c Black (17). Horizontal block of eight with part right sheet margin, mostly large margins, just touched at bottom right, town cds, Very Fine