Sale 1187 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 July, 2018
Category — 1902-08 Issues (Scott 300-320)
1c Blue Green, 2c Carmine, Booklet Panes of Six (300b, 301c). Including seven 1c and two 2c, one 1c Mint N.H., rich colors, few different positions such as 1c Position D with plate no., few small faults, overall Fine
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1c Blue Green, Booklet Pane (300b). Rich color, bold oval registry cancels, a few faults and missing tab at top, Fine appearance and extremely rare, our census of Scott 300b in used condition is available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/300b/300b.pdf and includes only three intact panes with tabs plus three others without tab (including the example offered here and one on cover), Census No. 300b-CAN-04
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2c Carmine, Booklet Pane of Six (301c). Position E with horizontal guideline, Mint N.H., brilliant color, well-centered, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, a fresh and choice Mint N.H. booklet pane, with 2015 P.S.A.G. certificate
2c Carmine, Booklet Pane of Six (301c). Position D with plate no. 1664 at top right, bright color, neat strikes of New York oval registry cancel, attractive centering and margins, some reinforced perf separationsFINE-VERY FINE AND RARE USED BOOKLET PANE OF THE 2-CENT 1902 WASHINGTON -- OF EVEN GREATER RARITY WITH THE PLATE NUMBER SELVAGE.
According to Johl, the proofs of this stamp were considered masterpieces, but when the stamp was issued in red using the wet paper printing method it was widely criticized. Washington's nose was excessively red and the details of the design were lost. The New York Times wrote that "if not labelled Washington it could be taken for Adams, Madison or Monroe". Faced with such criticism the Post Office Department rushed a replacement stamp into use -- the 2c Shield issue (Scott 319 and 320) -- less than nine months later.
Our census of used Scott 301c, available at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/301c/301c.pdf , includes six with full tabs and an additional four without tabs (three are on cover). Of the examples with tabs, four have the plate no.
Census No. 301c-CAN-05.
4c Brown (303). Bottom imprint and plate no. 2299 block of six, h.r. along horizontal row between stamps, rich color, Fine
6c Claret (305). Mint N.H. left imprint and plate no. 1598 block of six, with long string of plate printers' initials in selvage, lovely color, fresh and Fine
15c Olive Green (309). Left imprint and plate no. 3208 block of six, rich color, detailed impression, center left stamp h.r., others either lightly hinged or Mint N.H., fresh and Fine
50c Orange (310). Top imprint and plate no. 1602 block of six, vibrant color, h.r., partly removed causing top center stamp to have small thins, bottom center stamp tiny nick at bottom, few sensibly reinforced perf separationsFINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 50-CENT 1902 ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE FROM THE TOP POSITION.
As an indication of rarity, none was offered in our sales of the MLG or Saddleback collections. We have offered two others since 2000, including one from the top position. Prior to that, one has to go back to 1992 to find another in our auctions from the top position (which was the same one we offered in 2015).
With 2008 P.F. certificate
50c-$5.00 1902 Issue (310-313). $2.00 with particularly light hinging, brilliant colors, Fine set of the high-values of the 1902 Issue
$2.00 Dark Blue (312). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, fresh and Fine, with 1985 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Dark Blue (312). Bottom imprint and plate no. 1630 strip of three, h.r., perfs just in at bottomFINE AND RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER MULTIPLE OF THE $2.00 1902 ISSUE.
Only four plate blocks of six are recorded by Lewis Kaufman, and they have similar centering to the strip offered here. This is an excellent alternative, since the plate block of six catalogues $40,000.00. This is also the first imprint and plate number strip we have offered since 2014
$5.00 Dark Green (313). Slightly disturbed original gum from hinge removal, rich color, Very Fine
4c Brown, Imperforate, Schermack Ty. III (314A). Wavy-line machine cancel, full Schermack perfs at right, just touched at top and left, natural pre-printing paperfold at bottom not mentioned on accompanying certificateA FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT 1908 IMPERFORATE, SCOTT 314A. ONLY 32 USED SINGLES ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.
With the rising popularity of vending and affixing machines, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing received numerous requests from manufacturers for supplies of imperforate stamps, which could then be privately perforated to conform to each firm's machine. In May 1908, a supply of 25 sheets (400 stamps per sheet) of the 4c 1902 Issue, without perforations, was delivered to the Schermack Mailing Machine Co. in Detroit. The entire supply was cut into coils with Schermack Type III perforations, designed for the firm's patented affixing machine and delivered to the Winfield Printing Co. for use on mass mailings of advertising material. Approximately 6,000 were used on a mailing for Hamilton Carhartt Manufacturer, and almost all of the 4,000 balance were used on a mailing for Burroughs Adding Machine Co.
Our census of Scott 314A incorporates the records of The Philatelic Foundation, the Levi records (which represents over 40 years of auction sales) and our own computerized sales history, and is available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/314A . The census reveals a startling fact -- there are only 32 used singles (two on piece), two used strips of three (one in the Miller Collection at The New York Public Library), a used pair and four covers (one of which bears a strip of three), for a total of 46 used stamps.
Census No. 314A-CAN-07. With copy of 1962 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Imperforate (315). Top imprint and plate no. 2953 block of six, large margins all around, pos. 1, 4 and 5 Mint N.H., top center stamp h.r., others lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, Very Fine, especially desirable from the top plate position -- we have offered only two others from this position in the past ten years -- with 2007 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Imperforate (315). Top margin block of four with arrow and Ball Marker, top pair barely hinged, bottom pair Mint N.H., large margins other sides, deep rich color, Very Fine and choice, the blue Ball Marker, caused by ink settling into indentations from a Brinnell plate hardness measuring device, is only found on the top, right and left arrow blocks, some arrow blocks do not have the Ball Markers at all, with 2018 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as hinged position block
5c Blue, Imperforate (315). Block of four, two stamps lightly hinged, top right and bottom left stamps Mint N.H., large margins, fresh, Extremely Fine, with 2002 P.S.E. certificate (two copies), Scott Retail as singles
5c Blue, Coil (317). Pair, two h.r., deep rich color and detailed impression, well-centered for this difficult coilVERY FINE AND CHOICE PAIR OF THE 5-CENT BLUE VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were printed and then perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were then hand pasted together to form rolls. As such, they are almost always strongly centered to one side. The futility of attempts to find sound and centered examples has resulted in very few even being considered for grading -- only three pairs and five singles have been graded (highest grade for a pair is 85).
With 1989 and 2015 P.F. certificates
5c Blue, Coil (317). Lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE SINGLE OF THE 1908 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317.
The 5c 1908 Coil stamps, which were stripped by hand, are almost always strongly centered to one side. It is surprisingly scarce as a single -- most are still part of pairs.
With copy of 1982 P.F. certificate for strip of four
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Pair, deep rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE. A LOVELY PAIR OF THE SCARCE ONE-CENT 1908 HORIZONTAL COIL.
Signed Ward and Spencer Anderson. With 1999 P.S.E. certificate. With 1952, 2003 and 2015 P.F. certificates.
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Pair, rich color, left stamp tiny indentation in left "1"FINE PAIR OF THE ONE-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318.
Ward backstamps. With 1991 P.F. certificate
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Lightly hinged, intense shade, attractive margins and centering, Very Fine, a collectible sound example of this coil rarity, with 2012 P.S.A.G. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Booklet Pane of Six, Horizontal Watermark (319g var). Position D with plate no. 3299, single h.r., lovely colorFINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE PLATE NUMBER BOOKLET PANE OF THE 2-CENT SHIELD ISSUE WITH HORIZONTAL WATERMARK.
As described in U.S. Booklets and Booklet Panes (p. 52), during late December 1906 to January 1907, sheets from eight plates were printed using horizontally watermarked paper, delivered in error by the manufacturer, rather than the normal vertically watermarked paper.
2c Scarlet, Ty. I, Imperforate (320b). Mint N.H., huge margins all around including part of five adjoining stamps and wide part imprint at left, brilliant color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $750.00), we don't know why this wouldn't qualify for Gem 100 Jumbo status
2c Carmine, Coil (322). Pair, radiant color, few perf separationsFINE PAIR OF THE SCARCE 1908 2-CENT SHIELD HORIZONTAL COIL.
With 1990 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (322). Brilliant color, wide marginsFRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 322.
Ward backstamp. With 1989 P.S.E. certificate for pair