Sale 989 — 2010 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 19 June, 2010
Category — 1847 Issue
5c Dark Brown (1a). Original gum, lightly hinged stitch watermark, huge margins to full, deep rich color in the classic early Dark Brown shadeVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
With 2000 P.F. certificate as Red Brown No. 1, but it is clearly the early Dark Brown shade
5c Dark Brown (1a). Mint N.H., large margins to full, gorgeous Dark Brown shade and razor-sharp impression from a very early printing, the paper and gum are fresh and pristine except for a small adherence on the gum at bottom right in the margin, to us this looks like the same color as the printing ink and may be a natural by-product of productionFRESH AND FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
A thorough review of our auction records using Power Search produced only two other 5c 1847 stamps described as Mint Never-Hinged. One is the top stamp in a vertical pair, which is ex Caspary and Drucker (Siegel Sale 851, lot 2). The other originally formed a pair with this stamp and was offered in our sale of the Whitman Collection (Siegel Sale 968, lot 1, graded XF-Superb 95).
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate
5c Red Orange (1c). Large to huge margins all around, radiant color in the true Red Orange shade which is nicely complemented by blue grid cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE DISTINCTIVE AND DESIRABLE RED ORANGE SHADE.
According to a series of articles by the late Calvet M. Hahn in the Collector's Club Philatelist, the Red Orange shade was printed some time during the fourth and last printing, which took place in December 1850. The stamp offered here was part of an important West Coast collection built before World War II. It was acquired privately by "Argentum" through Raymond Weill and later sold by the Siegel firm as part of the "Argentum" collection (Sale 807). Because this stamp was hidden in an album for nearly 50 years, its color is much stronger than that of most Red Orange examples seen today.
Ex Argentum and Chapin. With 1994 and 2005 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $25,000.00). Only one other shares this grade, which is the highest awarded to date. This statistic has not changed in over a year.
10c Black (2). Unused (no gum), phenomenally huge and balanced margins all around, intense shade and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO AN UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THIS ISSUE, AND ONLY THIS STAMP HAS ACHIEVED THIS GRADE.
The Act of March 3, 1847, signed by President Polk, specified that Postmaster General Cave Johnson "be authorized to prepare postage stamps, which when attached to any letter or packet, shall be evidence of the payment of the postage." The law's effective date was July 1, and the Post Office acted immediately to secure a contract with Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and (the new partner) Edson, so that stamps could be distributed by that date. The Washington vignette is based on the iconic image painted by Gilbert Stuart.
With 1970 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 90 in No Gum condition (and unpriced above the grade of 85 with gum), SMQ $21,500.00 as 90). This is the highest grade awarded to date to any unused example of this issue -- the next highest grade is an 85.
5c Red Brown, 10c Black (1, 2). Matching pair of folded letters to Pilkington Brothers & Co. in Blackburn, England: 5c horizontal pair (Positions 99-100R) in deep Red Brown shade with full even margins, tied by black grids, "New Orleans La. Jan. 16" (1848) circular datestamp, "1/-" rate handstamp also tying pair, "America/Liverpool/FE 13/1848" transit datestamp and Blackburn (Feb. 14) receiving datestamp on back, letter written on printed prices-current list; 10c (Position 30R) with full to large margins, intense shade and impression, tied by black grid, "New Orleans La. May 7" (1848) circular datestamp, "1/-" rate handstamp, Liverpool (May 30, 1848) and Blackburn (May 31) backstampsAN EXTREMELY FINE AND SPECTACULAR MATCHED PAIR OF 1847 ISSUE COVERS TO ENGLAND. TOGETHER THEY FORM AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION PAGE.
Both covers offered here were carried by Cunard steamships during the period when mail transported on American packets was subjected to a British charge of one shilling, which led to the U.S. Retaliatory Rate period from July to December 1848. The 5c cover was carried on the Cunarder Cambria, departing from New York on Jan. 29, 1848, and arriving at Liverpool on Feb. 13. The 10c cover was carried on the Cunarder Britannia, departing from Boston on May 17, 1848, and arriving at Liverpool on May 30.
Ex Jack Dick, Sevenoaks and Latshaw. With analysis letter from Calvet M. Hahn and 1981 and 2007 P.F. certificates
5c Red Brown, 10c Black (1, 2). Two matching covers to Miss E. E. Turner in South Boston Mass., first with overlapping singles of 5c from a later printing, tied by red grids, matching "Saint Louis Mo. 10 Jun. 17" integral-rate circular datestamp, second with single 10c tied by red "Saint Louis Mo. 10 Nov. 26" integral-rate circular datestamp, latter with tiny sealed tear at bottom center of stampEXTREMELY FINE. A MARVELOUS MATCHING PAIR OF 5-CENT AND 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE COVERS FROM THE CELEBRATED TURNER CORRESPONDENCE. ARTISTICALLY FRANKED AND BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED.
The 5c cover is ex Greene, Sweet and Haas. The 10c cover is ex Emerson. Each with 2007 P.F. certificate
10c Black (2). Full margins to clear, bright shade, cancelled by green grid with matching "Tallahassee Flor. Mar. 24" circular datestamp on buff cover to North Fairhaven Mass., cover expertly silked and part of top flap repaired, some manuscript removed from left edge of coverVERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON COVER AND CANCELLED BY A GREEN GRID.
The Tallahassee post office is one of the few known to have used green ink to cancel the 1847 Issue.
10c Black, Vertical Half Used as 5c (2b). Left half, large margins, tied across the cut by red square grid, matching "New-York Jun. 18" circular datestamp on blue 1851 folded letter to Carbondale Penn., light horizontal file fold barely affects stampEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE VERTICAL BISECT OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE. ALTHOUGH THE NEW YORK POST OFFICE WAS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST, 1847 BISECTS FROM THERE ARE UNUSUAL.
In The United States 1847 Issue: A Cover Census by Tom Alexander, he records a total of 868 10c 1847 Issue covers used from New York. Of these, only 20 bear bisects, a very small percentage. The New York post office never ran out of 5c stamps, so 10c bisects were only used by senders who did not have their own supply of 5c stamps on hand.