Sale 1279 — The Magnolia Collection: Classic Uruguay Stamps and Covers
Sale Date — Tuesday, 28 March, 2023
Category — 1858 First Issue - 240 Centesimos
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Dull Vermilion (6). Complete reconstruction of 29 Transfer Types (one blank space where 180c error transfer was removed), all unused (with the exception of Transfer Type 11 lightly used), several shades present ranging from Dull Vermilion to Deep Red, most with large balanced margins, a couple with close margins, condition generally above the norm for plating examples but the occasional small flaw may be present, mostly Fine-Very Fine, a scarce and useful complete reconstruction, Scott $4,500.00 as basic shade
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Dull Vermilion (6). Transfer Type 18, tight margins to just touching frameline at top left and right, used with 1859, 60c Gray, Thin Numerals (7), large margins to clear, tied on small piece by clear strike of "Admon de Correos, Montevideo, 29 DICe, 1859" oval datestamp, 240c with overall soiling and toned spotsFINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY THREE MIXED-ISSUE FRANKINGS OF THE 1858 FIRST ISSUE AND 1859-60 THIN OR THICK NUMERALS ISSUES RECORDED. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE WITH THE 240-CENTÉSIMOS HIGH VALUE.
The 240c 1858 First Issue is very rare in used condition, with some believing approximately ten used stamps are known and one on cover. The combination with the 1859 Thin Numerals stamp is quite remarkable. We have located three combinations:
1) 180c Green (5) and 60c Brown Lilac (13), used on 1860 folded cover to Buenos Aires, ex Hoffmann, Bustamante, "Concordia", and "Tito"
2) 180c Dark Green (5a) and 60c Gray Lilac (7a), used on small piece with Montevideo Mar. 15, 1860 datestamp, ex Caspary and "Concordia", offered in this sale as lot 69
3) 240c Dull Vermilion (6) and 60c Gray (7), used on small piece with Montevideo Dec. 29, 1859 datestamp, ex "Concordia" and "Tito", the example offered here
Ex "Concordia" and "Tito". With 2008 Rocha certificate.
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Dull Vermilion, Se-Tenant with Blank Space (6e). Transfer Types 16-18/22-[23]-24/28-30 in a block of nine with blank space 6 at center, Positions 154-156/166-[167]-168/178-180, original gum, top and bottom stamps with h.r., center stamps Mint N.H., rich color, horizontal crease between second and third rows, small tear at top of first stampVERY FINE APPEARING BLOCK OF NINE OF THE 240-CENTÉSIMOS 1858 ISSUE WITH THE BLANK SPACE POSITION AT CENTER. A FASCINATING AND RARE TRANSFER VARIETY, ESPECIALLY AS A SE-TENANT BLOCK OF NINE.
The 240c printing stone of 204 subjects, arranged in seventeen rows of twelve, was created by making six separate transfers from the intermediate transfer block of thirty for the first fifteen rows (180 subjects). To make the two bottom rows (24 subjects), the printer divided the transfer block into two blocks of twelve. The transfer block of thirty included one 180c design in error, which was transferred to seven positions on the printing stone. After a short print run, the printer erased the 180c transfers and left seven blank spaces, rather than entering the correct 240c transfers. The block offered here comes from the lower right section of the sheet (Positions 165-166-[167]-168), containing blank space 6, which can be identified by the tiny dot outside the top left corner of the stamp at right.
Backstamped "EJL" (Lee). Scott $5,000.00 as se-tenant pair.
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Dull Vermilion, Thick Paper, Se-Tenant with Blank Space (6d variety). Transfer Types 17/22-[23]-24/29 in a cross-shaped block of five with blank space 1 at center, Positions 29/40-[41]-42/53, original gum, bright shade on Thick Paper, vertical crease between stamps at right, tiny margin tears at top left and top right of stamp at bottom, small ink mark on bottom stampVERY FINE. ONE OF PERHAPS TWO OR THREE 1858 240-CENTÉSIMOS MULTIPLES ON THICK PAPER CONTAINING THE BLANK SPACE VARIETY. A WONDERFUL EXHIBITION ITEM.
The 240c printing stone of 204 subjects, arranged in seventeen rows of twelve, was created by making six separate transfers from the intermediate transfer block of thirty for the first fifteen rows (180 subjects). To make the two bottom rows (24 subjects), the printer divided the transfer block into two blocks of twelve. The transfer block of thirty included one 180c design in error, which was transferred to seven positions on the printing stone. After a short print run, the printer erased the 180c transfers and left seven blank spaces, rather than entering the correct 240c transfers. The block offered here comes from the top left section of the sheet (Positions 29/40-[41]-42/53), containing blank space 1.
The vast majority of 1858 Issue stamps are found on normal paper, but the 180c and 240c are also found on a very thick paper, single examples of which are quite scarce. Only one block of the 180c on thick paper is recorded (offered in lot 70), and very few blocks of 240c on thick paper are recorded. The cross-shaped block offered here contains blank space 1. It is a Dull Vermilion color, and the paper is very thick. The blank space shows tiny traces of the erased 180c transfer.
The 1936 Plumridge & Co. sale of the Emmanuel J. Lee collection of Uruguay listed a block of four "cast as a cross, dull vermilion" (lot 1444), which must be this block on thick paper. The Hoffmann collection contained a block of nine which he described as "very thick paper," but it was not described as such in the 1982 Corinphila sale. We are not aware of any other 240c blank space examples on thick paper.
Ex Gordon N. John. Each position backstamped "EJL" (Lee). Signed G. Bolaffi and A. Diena. Unlisted in Scott
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Pale Red, Se-Tenant with Blank Space (6e). Transfer Types 16-18/22-(23)-24 in a block of six with sheet margin at bottom and blank space 7 at bottom center, Positions 196-198/202-(203)-204, unused (no gum), rich color and strong impression, part of right tablets of right vertical pair expertly repaired and small thin in bottom margin, neither detracting from overall appearanceVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE RAREST TRANSFER VARIETIES OF SOUTH AMERICAN PHILATELY, ONLY A SMALL HANDFUL OF MULTIPLES OF THE 240-CENTÉSIMOS 1858 ISSUE ARE KNOWN WITH THE BLANK SPACE POSITION, THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE WITH SHEET MARGIN FROM THIS BLANK SPACE POSITION 7.
The 240c printing stone of 204 subjects, arranged in seventeen rows of twelve, was created by making six separate transfers from the intermediate transfer block of thirty for the first fifteen rows (180 subjects). To make the two bottom rows (24 subjects), the printer divided the transfer block into two blocks of twelve -- Positions 181-186/193-198 containing transfer types 1-12 and Positions 187-192/199-204 containing transfer types 13-24. The transfer block of thirty included one 180c design in error, which was transferred to seven positions on the printing stone. After a short print run, the printer erased the 180c transfers and left seven blank spaces, rather than entering the correct 240c transfers. The block offered here comes from the bottom right section of the sheet.
Ex Banchs, Hoffmann, and "Tito". With 1981 Diaz and 2009 Rocha certificates
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Deep Vermilion, Se-Tenant with Blank Space (6e). Transfer Types 22-[23]-24, Positions 100-[101]-102, horizontal strip of three with blank space 3 where 180c error transfer was removed, unused (no gum), large margins, deep shade and strong impression, horizontal creaseVERY FINE DESPITE LIGHT CREASING. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST FASCINATING TRANSFER VARIETIES OF SOUTH AMERICAN PHILATELY. VERY FEW MULTIPLES OF THE 240-CENTÉSIMOS 1858 ISSUE ARE KNOWN WITH THE BLANK SPACE POSITION.
The 240c printing stone of 204 subjects, arranged in seventeen rows of twelve, was created by making six separate transfers from the intermediate transfer block of thirty for the first fifteen rows (180 subjects). To make the two bottom rows (24 subjects), the printer divided the transfer block into two blocks of twelve. The transfer block of thirty included one 180c design in error, which was transferred to seven positions on the printing stone. After a short print run, the printer erased the 180c transfers and left seven blank spaces, rather than entering the correct 240c transfers. The strip offered here comes from the middle left section of the sheet (Positions 100-[101]-102), containing blank space 3.
Ex Gordon N. John. Scott $5,000.00
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Brown Red (6b). Transfer Types 29-30/5-6, block of four, original gum, h.r., large margins, intense shade and sharp impression, very fresh, horizontal crease in margin between stamps and another in top pairEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED BLOCK OF THE 1858 240-CENTÉSIMOS IN THE RARE AND DISTINCTIVE BROWN RED COLOR. AN IMPORTANT CLASSIC MULTIPLE OF URUGUAY.
The normal color of the 240c is Vermilion (in dull, bright or deep shades), but the stamps were also printed in a distinctive Brown Red (listed in Scott as Brick Red), which is an entirely different ink mixture. It is reported that one multiple of the Brown Red was divided and sold by Jean-Baptiste Moens, a 19th century Belgian stamp dealer, but the existence of duplicate positions prove that at least two different multiples reached collectors. Single examples of the Brown Red are very scarce and desirable, and only two multiples have been recorded, both of which are in the "Magnolia" collection -- the only known block offered here and the strip of four with blank space in lot 83.
Robert Hoffmann displayed this block in the exhibit of Uruguay that won the Grand Award at FIPEX in 1956. In the inventory accompanying the exhibit Hoffmann described it as "unique," and gave its provenance as "ex-Guinle collection," referring to Dr. Guglielmo Guinle, a noted South American philatelist during the 1930s.
Ex Dr. Guglielmo Guinle, Robert Hoffmann, and Gordon N. John. Backstamped Soto Hermanos and signed Diaz.
URUGUAY, 1858, 240c Brown Red, Se-Tenant with Blank Space (6b variety). Transfer Types 21-22-[23]-24, horizontal strip of four with blank space 6 from the lower right section of the sheet, Positions 165-166-[167]-168, original gum, h.r., large margins, intense shade and sharp impression, very fresh, vertical and diagonal creases in blank space (one reinforced with hinge)EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF A BLANK SPACE IN A MULTIPLE OF THE 1858 240-CENTÉSIMOS IN THE RARE AND DISTINCTIVE BROWN RED COLOR. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF CLASSIC URUGUAY.
The 240c printing stone of 204 subjects, arranged in seventeen rows of twelve, was created by making six separate transfers from the intermediate transfer block of thirty for the first fifteen rows (180 subjects). To make the two bottom rows (24 subjects), the printer divided the transfer block into two blocks of twelve. The transfer block of thirty included one 180c design in error, which was transferred to seven positions on the printing stone. After a short print run, the printer erased the 180c transfers and left seven blank spaces, rather than entering the correct 240c transfers. The strip offered here comes from the lower right section of the sheet (Positions 165-166-[167]-168), containing blank space 6, which can be identified by the tiny dot outside the top left corner of the stamp at right (lightly circled in pencil on this strip).
The normal color of the 240c is Vermilion (in dull, bright or deep shades), but the stamps were also printed in a distinctive Brown Red (listed in Scott as Brick Red), which is an entirely different ink mixture. It is reported that one multiple of the Brown Red was divided and sold by Jean-Baptiste Moens, a 19th century Belgian stamp dealer, but the existence of duplicate positions (this strip and a single in Sale 1236, lot 2884) prove that at least two different multiples reached collectors. Single examples of the Brown Red are very scarce and desirable, and only two multiples have been recorded, both of which are in the "Magnolia" collection -- the only known block offered in lot 82 and the strip of four with blank space offered here.
This strip was owned by Alfred F. Lichtenstein, who included it in his exhibit of Uruguay at the International Philatelic Exhibition held in Montevideo in April 1931 (reported by E. J. Lee in The Postage Stamps of Uruguay, page xii). After Lichtenstein's death in 1947, his daughter, Louise Boyd Dale, sold the strip and other Uruguay rarities to Robert Hoffmann, who featured it in his Uruguay exhibit, which captured the Grand Award at the 1956 FIPEX exhibition in New York City. In the inventory accompanying the exhibit Hoffmann described it as "unique." It was sold in the 1982 Corinphila sale of the Hoffmann collection to Enrique M. de Bustamante and was part of his wife's Grand Prix International exhibit.
Illustrated under "Gems" in Marcos Sivera Antunez El Correo en el Uruguay. Ex Lichtenstein, Dale, Hoffmann, Bustamante and Gordon N. John. Signed Diaz and Holcombe. Unlisted in Scott.