9th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Sale 1139 — U.S. Treasures of Philately from The Irwin Weinberg Inventory
Sale Date — Wednesday, 9 November, 2016
Category — Back-of-Book Issues
10c Orange, Special Delivery (E3). Mint N.H. wide top imprint and plate no. 552 strip of four, brilliant color, nice margins and centeringVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND FRESH MINT NEVER-HINGED WIDE TOP IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE 10-CENT 1893 SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE.
Unlisted as Mint N.H. Scott Retail as hinged
10c Gray Violet, Special Delivery, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (E15c). Mint N.H. bottom left corner margin block of six containing three error pairs, bright color, top error pair with some red ink on gum, Very Fine, surprisingly rare in a multiple any larger than a block of four, Power Search does not list another in this size or larger since our 1975 Rarities sale, Scott Retail as three Mint N.H. pairs
30c Deep Brown, Special Printing (J13). Unused (no gum), proof-like impression, classic special printing cameo on reverse, couple thin spots, Fine appearance, only approximately 179 examples reached the public, ex Clifford Cole
$2.00 on $1.00 Offices in China (K16). Top imprint, plate no. 5782 and letter "A" block of sixteen, Mint N.H. except position 8 small mark on gum, deep rich color, centered to top left, positions 10 and 14 small natural inclusionsFINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE LARGE MULTIPLE OF THE $2.00 ON $1.00 OFFICES IN CHINA ISSUE, CONTAINING A MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK. THIS IS THE FIRST MINT NENEVR-HINGED PLATE BLOCK WE HAVE OFFERED SINCE OUR 1999 RARITIES SALE.
The $2.00 Offices in China plate block is exceeded in rarity only by the $1.00 value. We have offered only one other since 2010. The last example in Mint N.H. condition was offered in our 1999 Rarities sale.
Scott Retail as plate block of six and singles
30c Navy (O44). Used block of four, nicely centered, cork cancels, light creases or wrinkles, top right short perf, otherwise Fine, very rare, possibly one of only two known used blocks of this value, ex Ward and Mainberger
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, vivid color, single unpunched perf at top, accompanying certificate states small closed tear at top which is all but impossible to detect, Fine appearing example of this rare stamp, with 1986 P.F. certificate
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Original gum, lightly hinged, top right corner sheet margins, Fine example of this scarce stamp, with 1977 P.F. certificate
1c-90c War, Plate Proofs on Card, Diagonal Blue Handstamp "Specimen" Ovpts (O83P4S-O93P4S). Complete set with Plett Ty. 3 serif ovpts., 3c with inverted handstamp, virtually all large to huge margins, pretty pastel colorsVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COMPLETE SET OF WAR DEPARTMENT CARD PROOFS WITH BLUE TYPE 3 "SPECIMEN" OVERPRINTS. ONLY ONE SET OF THIS TYPE IS RECORDED.
These handstamped "Specimen" overprints were the subject of an outstanding study by Michael Plett, presented in Chronicle 227 (Aug. 2010). These overprints are distinct from the Scott listed "Specimen" overprints on perforated stamps, and are believed to originate from the archives of foreign governments. War Department card proofs exist with each of the four different types of "Specimen" overprints (as described and named by Plett), but only one set of each type is recorded.
Ex Markovits and "Lake Shore".
1c-90c War, Specimen Ovpt. (O83S-O93S). Without gum as issued, bright colors, 1c natural s.e. at right, a few minor flawsFINE-VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND SCARCE COMPLETE SET OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING.
Other than the 1c, 2c and 7c values, between 104 and 119 copies of the War Department Special Printings were sold (the 30c has the smallest sale quantity). It ranks fifth in rarity, just after the Navy Department set.
2c Carmine, Complete 25c Booklet With Experimental Cellophane Interleaving (BK80a). Comprising two panes of six No. 634d, BIA Cover Type IV-c.3-4, wonderfully fresh and Fine-Very Fine, this is one of 56,000 booklets made in the spring of 1928, despite a fairly substantial quantity made this is extremely rare and only the second we have encountered (the other ex Beutel)
3c Deep Violet, Complete 37c Booklet With Experimental Cellophane Interleaving (BK84a). Comprising two panes of six of No. 720b, Very Fine, 30,000 of these booklets were issued in July of 1936, and as is the case with the BK80a Experimental Interleaving Booklet offered in the previous lot this is extremely rare, only the second we have encountered (the other ex Beutel)
Naco, Arizona, Registry Exchange Label, Handstamped Name (FX-NA2). Magenta office name handstamp and blue "6367" regsiry number on label, small part of selvage wrapped around edge of 2c entire to Sonora, Mexico, with set of 1c-5c Jamestown (328-330), extra 2c for total of 12c, tied by "Westfield Mass Sep. 13" (1907) duplex datestamp, purple "R Naco., Son." backstamp numbered "825", "Nogales, Ariz. Registered Sep. 24, 1907" double-circle backstampVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE NACO, ARIZONA, REGISTRY EXCHANGE LABEL ON COVER WITH A FULL SET OF THE JAMESTOWN ISSUE.
The U.S. Scott Specialized Catalogue recently began listing the various U.S. registry exchange labels. The labels from Naco, Arizona, are among the rarest. Scott lists just two examples of the handstamped variety and one other with the manuscript name, but this is not one of the counted examples, since it was part of a lot purchased by Irwin Weinberg in a Siegel sale decades ago and was unrecognized for its rarity at that time.
4c Grant, Artist's Drawing for 1903 Hartford Manufacturing Co. Entire (U390-E; Undersander E108B var). Pencil drawing on 85 x 97mm card, pencil "No. 1" at top and "If the stamp were a trifle smaller I think it would be an improvement" at left, red manuscript "X" thru design, with tissue overleaf with pencil note "The name 'Grant' a little more prominent & the stamp smaller. JHR", Very Fine, unique, unlisted in Undersander book
1c Black on Buff, Postal Card, Double Impression, One Inverted (UX10a; USPCC S10a). Mint card, nicely balanced and displaced impressions, offset of another on back, minor edge wrinkles at rightVERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THIS ERROR CARD.
Ex Cunliffe
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