Sale 1279 — The Magnolia Collection: Classic Uruguay Stamps and Covers
Sale Date — Tuesday, 28 March, 2023
Category — 1857 Second Diligencia & 1858 Unissued
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3B). Unused, without gum, huge margin at right including portion of adjoining stamp, other sides ample to clear of design but into frameline in places, strong color and well-defined impression, minute pinpoint thin speck, Very Fine appearance, a rare unused stamp with less than 40 singles thought to exist, Scott $2,750.00
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3B). Unused, without gum, huge margins at sides and bottom including traces of adjoining framelines, just into design at top, rich color, Fine and scarce, only about 40 unused examples are thought to exist, Scott $2,750.00
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Pale Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3Bc). Unused, without gum, mostly huge to large margins except just touching design at top left, fresh color in this lighter shade, small repaired thin and slight soiling, otherwise Fine and very scarce unused stamp with less than 40 thought to exist, with 2007 Moorhouse certificate, Scott $2,750.00
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Indigo, Second "Diligencia" Type (3Bd). Unused, without gum, huge to large margins on three sides, touching design at left, intensely rich shade and razor-sharp impression, Fine, a rare unused example of this distinctive shade, less than ten singles are thought to exist, with 1991 Rocha certificate, Scott $3,000.00
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3B). Large to ample margins all around including traces of adjoining stamps and sides, exceptionally rich color and sharp impression, tied by manuscript "X" cancel on folded letter datelined Montevideo February 1, 1859, and addressed to San Jose, lightened stain at centerVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 60-CENTAVOS SECOND "DILIGENCIA" DESIGN TYPE ON COVER. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST COVERS OF THE 13 RECORDED AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TIED ON COVER.
Due to exceptionally tight spacing, the "Diligencia" issues are generally found with margins cut in on at least one side. The vast majority of covers are found with stamps uncancelled or untied which was customary. To find an example with complete margins, overall freshness and tied to cover is remarkably rare.
Our census of Scott 3B covers, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/uruguay/scott/3b, contains thirteen covers comprising all No. 3B's regardless of shade. This is the only example which is actually tied to the cover by the manuscript cancel--all others are either uncancelled or with pen cancel only defacing the stamp.
Census no. 3B-COV-05. Ex Sciarra and "Tito". Signed A. Diena and Bolaffi. With 2009 Rocha certificate.
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3B). Large margins at top and left, ample to touching design at right and bottom, affixed to blue folded cover with Montevideo January 26, 1859, origin docketing and addressed to Rocha, stamp with slight edge soiling from adhesive and cover with minor bleach spots, violet "Soto Hermanos, Montevideo" oval handstamp on backFINE AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 60-CENTAVOS SECOND "DILIGENCIA" TYPE ON COVER. ONLY 13 COVERS ARE RECORDED.
Our census of Scott 3B covers, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/uruguay/scott/3b, contains thirteen covers comprising all No. 3B's regardless of shade.
Census no. 3B-COV-01. Ex Bustamante. Signed Buhler. With 1993 Holcombe certificate
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Pale Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3Bc). Large to full margins, just clear of design at right though missing frameline, cancelled by manuscript "X" and affixed to folded cover with Montevideo Jun. 18, 1858 origin docketing and addressed to Pineiro in Rocha, stamp with trivial toned spot of little consequenceVERY FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST OF THE 13 RECORDED COVERS WITH THE 60-CENTAVOS SECOND "DILIGENCIA" TYPE. IT IS ALSO ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED IN THIS PALE BLUE SHADE. AN IMPORTANT "DILIGENCIA" COVER AND KEY TO ANY MAJOR COLLECTION OR EXHIBIT.
This cover completed the entire eastern stagecoach route from Montevideo to Rocha via Pando, Maldonado, and San Carlos. The cover offered here is addressed to Vicente Pineiro in Rocha and emanates from the famed "Seijo" find. Don Anselmo Seijo was an early collector and scholar of Uruguayan philately and, in 1892, was offered this correspondence intact. At the time, the genuineness of this second design type was being questioned by some of the leading philatelists in Europe. The three covers from this Pineiro correspondence helped solidify their genuineness and confirm their legitimate postal use.
Our census of Scott 3B covers, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/uruguay/scott/3b, contains 13 covers, comprising all No. 3B's regardless of shade. We record only two examples in this Pale Blue shade--the other is offered in lot 44.
Census no. 3Bc-COV-04. Ex Seijo, Marco Del Pont, Hoffmann, and "Tito". With 1981 Diaz and 2009 Rocha certificates.
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Pale Blue, Second "Diligencia" Type (3Bc). Large margins at bottom and including trace of adjoining stamp at right, mostly ample to clear on other sides except small nick at top left, affixed to folded cover datelined Montevideo January 31, 1859, and addressed to Rocha, stamp with non-contemporaneous adhesive at leftFINE AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 60-CENTAVOS SECOND "DILIGENCIA" ISSUE ON COVER. ONLY 13 COVERS ARE RECORDED WITH ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE IN THIS PALE BLUE SHADE.
This cover completed the entire eastern stagecoach route from Montevideo to Rocha via Pando, Maldonado, and San Carlos.
Our census of Scott 3B covers, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/uruguay/scott/3b, contains thirteen covers comprising all No. 3B's regardless of shade. We record only two examples in this Pale Blue shade--the other is offered in lot 43.
Census no. 3Bc-COV-07. Ex Hoffmann. With 1981 Diaz certificate (as "Azul" though we feel this falls into the Pale Blue category)
URUGUAY, 1857, 60c Indigo, Second "Diligencia" Type (3Bd). Large margins at bottom and part of adjoining frameline at left, slightly at top and right, deep rich color in this distinctive shade, intensely rich impression, cancelled by manuscript "X" and affixed to folded letter datelined Montevideo January 4, 1859, and addressed to RochaFINE. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 1857 60-CENTAVOS SECOND "DILIGENCIA" INDIGO BLUE COLOR ON COVER. OF THE 13 RECORDED COVERS, ONLY THREE HAVE A STAMP IN THE INDIGO SHADE.
This cover completed the entire eastern stagecoach route from Montevideo to Rocha via Pando, Maldonado, and San Carlos.
Our census of Scott 3B covers, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/uruguay/scott/3b, contains thirteen covers comprising all No. 3B's regardless of shade. We record only three examples in this Indigo shade (nos. 3Bd-COV-02, 3Bd-COV-03, and 3Bd-COV-09).
Census no. 3Bd-COV-02. Ex Hoffmann, "Concordia", and "Tito". Signed Diaz. With 2008 Rocha certificate.
URUGUAY, 1858, 180c Green, 240c Red, Unissued "Diligencia" Stamps. Exceptional assemblage of the two values printed neatly mounted on exhibit page with transfer types noted, 180c with two singles and two horizontal pairs, 240c with three singles, each example with ample margins to touching outer frameline, unused (no gum), one 180c Green pair with part original gum, fresh colors, few small flaws including light thins and small stain on one 240c exampleFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE GROUP OF THE 1858 UNISSUED "DILIGENCIA" STAMPS.
These two stamps were prepared for use on letters to Argentina, but they were withheld from release because the inscription, "Diligencia," which means stagecoach, was inaccurate for mail carried by ferry across the Rio de la Plata. It is believed that all surviving examples were found in the papers of the Director General at the Post Office. The central vignette is the same design used for the 1858 Sun Issue, so the presumption is the frame was quickly modified to create the new issue by March 1858.
URUGUAY, 1858, 180c Green, Unissued "Diligencia" Issue. Top left corner sheet-margin block of 77, comprising two complete transfer blocks of 28 (7 by 4) and the first three rows of a third causing the characteristic misplaced alignment of the clichés, original gum, strong impressions showing variation in shades, creasing which has been reinforced with hinges and some minor soilingVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF EITHER VALUE OF THE UNISSUED 1858 "DILIGENCIA" ISSUE. AN EXCEPTIONAL SHOWPIECE AND ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT "DILIGENCIA" ISSUE ITEMS IN EXISTENCE.
There are only three multiples of either value larger than a block of four. The next largest multiple of the 180c is a block of 14 (ex Hoffmann and "Tito") and a block of nine (ex "Tito"). The largest 240c multiple is a block of four (ex Wonner, Hoffman, "Concordia" and "Tito").
The two stamps were prepared for use on letters to Argentina, but they were withheld from release because the inscription, "Diligencia," which means stagecoach, was inaccurate for mail carried by ferry across the Rio de la Plata. It is believed that all surviving examples were found in the papers of the Director General at the Post Office. The central vignette is the same design used for the 1858 Sun Issue, so the presumption is the frame was quickly modified to create the new issue by March 1858.
Ex Hoffmann, Bustamante, "Concordia", and "Tito". With 1981 Diaz, 1993 Holcombe, and 2008 Rocha certificates.