Sale 1266 — The Melvin Getlan Collection of U.S. Vending & Affixing Machine Perfs, Part 2
Sale Date — Wednesday, 19 October, 2022
Category — The Attleboro Stamp Co.:
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Perf teeth show at top and bottom, characteristic notch at bottom and cut slant to lower right, tied by "Attleboro Mass. Aug. 3 8-AM 1909" waving flag machine cancel on Attleboro Stamp Co. corner card cover to Montgomery Ala., purple "4" in circle at left, receiving backstamp (Aug. 5), stamp with slight toning at left, cover with small edge flaws and light toningOVERALL FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COVER BEARING THE ONE-CENT ATTLEBORO PRIVATE VENDING MACHINE COIL.
In 1909 the Attleboro Stamp Company employed a stamp-affixing machine to apply postage to bulk mailings of its price lists and editions of the Attleboro Philatelist. Although the company served stamp collectors, the Attleboro coil appears to have been a purely utilitarian product, limited in its scope to the basic 1c and 2c stamps necessary for mailing and not intended to create new varieties for collectors. Examples of these coils are scarce to rare, especially on cover or wrapper.
With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott value $12,500.00 on cover.
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Strip of five, original gum, h.r. including where a few separations sensibly reattached, rich color, characteristic notches at bottom of each stamp and cut slant to lower right, top stamp thin spotVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS STRIP OF FIVE IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ATTLEBORO PRIVATE PERFORATION.
The Belasco book notes a strip of four is the largest recorded multiple, so he was apparently unaware of the existence of this strip of five.
With 2009 P.S.A.G. certificate. Scott value $3,300.00 as two pairs
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Strip of four, original gum, h.r., perfs sensibly reinforced or reattached, rich color, characteristic notches at bottom of each stamp and cut slant to lower right, few thin spots, otherwise Fine, a rare strip of four of the 1c Attleboro, Scott value $3,300.00 as two pairs
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Guide line pair, original gum, h.r., perfs sensibly reinforced, rich color, characteristic notches at bottom of each stamp and cut slant to lower right, both stamps thin spots, small tear at bottom of bottom stamp, otherwise Very Fine, a rare guide line pair of the 1c Attleboro, probably no more than five guide line pairs exist (including those in strips of four), with 1989 P.S.E. certificate
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Pair with perforations thru top stamp and bottom stamp with paste-up at bottom, original gum, barely hinged (if at all), characteristic notches at bottom of each stamp and cut slant to lower right, Fine, a remarkable variety which probably comes from the point at which the perforations stopped and started again but out of alignment, with 1995 P.S.E. certificate, Scott value $1,650.00 as normal pair without premium for the paste-up at bottom or the shifted perfs
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Perf at top left and bottom right, characteristic notch at bottom and level cut, Attleboro Mass. duplex cancel, Very Fine, scarce in used condition, with 1995 A.P.S. certificate
1c Green, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (343). Rich color, bold strike of "Attleboro Mass." registry oval cancel, characteristic notch at bottom and level cut, Fine, especially desirable with the Attleboro cancel, with 1989 P.S.E. certificate
2c Carmine, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (344). Pair, choice centering, characteristic notches at bottom of each stamp and level cut, tied by perfect strike of "Attleboro Mass." double-oval handstamp on mostly complete brown "The Attleboro Philatelist" wrapper to Williamsport Pa.VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT ATTLEBORO PRIVATE VENDING MACHINE COIL, SCOTT 344, OF WHICH JUST ONE OTHER UNUSED PAIR IS KNOWN. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF 20TH CENTURY UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
In 1909 the Attleboro Stamp Company employed a stamp-affixing machine to apply postage to bulk mailings of its price lists and editions of the Attleboro Philatelist. Although the company served stamp collectors, the Attleboro coil appears to have been a purely utilitarian product, limited in its scope to the basic 1c and 2c stamps necessary for mailing and not intended to create new varieties for collectors -- the opportunity was certainly there to use a wide range of underlying stamps but Collingswood, proprietor of the company, seems to have resisted the urge.
The Belasco book notes that advertisements in the Attleboro Philatelist only mention the 1c stamps and the 2c Alaska-Yukon. The existence of the unused pair became known after Collingswood passed away, and came from his estate. That unique unused pair and this unique used pair on a wrapper must have been made by Collingswood at the same time as the 1c stamp. The unused pair was retained by Collingswood and this pair was used by him to pay postage on a mailing.
Scott value $20,000.00 (footnote indicates the listed pairs, unused and used on wrapper, are each unique).
2c Alaska-Yukon, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (371). Strip of four with guide line between left stamps, original gum, h.r. where perfs either sensibly reinforced or reattached, characteristic notches at right, cut slant to lower right, right stamp small thin spot at top right (does not affect the line pair)VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 2-CENT ALASKA-YUKON ISSUE WITH ATTLEBORO PRIVATE VENDING MACHINE PERFORATIONS. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THIS ISSUE.
The Belasco book notes that a strip of four is the largest recorded multiple. Scott value $13,000.00 as a guide line pair and normal pair.
2c Alaska-Yukon, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (371). Paste-up pair, original gum, barely hinged (if at all), rich color, characteristic notches at right in each stamp and relatively level cutsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE PASTE-UP PAIR OF THE 2-CENT ALASKA-YUKON ISSUE WITH ATTLEBORO PRIVATE VENDING MACHINE PERFORATIONS.
With 1997 P.S.E. certificate
2c Alaska-Yukon, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (371). Disturbed original gum, rich color, characteristic notch at right and cut slant to lower right, small thin spots, Very Fine appearance, with 1989 P.S.E. certificate, Scott value as a pair $4,000.00
2c Alaska-Yukon, Attleboro Stamp Co. Private Perforations (371). All four perf teeth intact, characteristic notch at right and cut slant to lower right, tied by "Attleboro Mass. Sep. 23 7-30PM 1909" waving flag machine cancel on greenish blue cover with F. Percy Collingwood return address and typewritten address to Augustus Kiusalas in Foxboro Mass., receiving backstampEXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE COVER WITH THE 2-CENT ALASKA-YUKON ISSUE WITH ATTLEBORO PRIVATE VENDING MACHINE PERFORATIONS.
The Belasco book notes that the 2c Alaska-Yukon with Attleboro perforations is "known used on a very few covers that were all mailed by Collingwood." With 1989 P.S.E. certificate. Scott value $10,000.00 on cover.