Sale 1279 — The Magnolia Collection: Classic Uruguay Stamps and Covers
Sale Date — Tuesday, 28 March, 2023
Category — 1859 Thin Numerals - 60-80 Centesimos
URUGUAY, 1859, 60c Gray Lilac, Thin Numerals (7a). Vertical block of six, Types 11-12/13-14/15-16, original gum, large h.r., mostly full margins, crisp shade and impression, diagonal crease through lower right stamp, pencil writing on back including a heavily impressed line, still Very Fine, scarce original-gum block of the 60c Thin Numerals, each stamp with red Soto Hermanos handstamp, ex Lee and Gordon N. John, illustrated as part of type reconstruction in Lee book (figure 36, plate 1)
URUGUAY, 1859, 60c Lilac, Thin Numerals (7). Large margins to ample at left, tied by red "Admon de Correos, Montevideo, 14 JULIO 1859" oval datestamp on folded cover to Paysandu, stamp with slight soiling at bottom and cover with edge faults, otherwise Fine, this is the earliest recorded use of the 60c on cover, used less than a month after issuance on Jun. 26, 1859
URUGUAY, 1859, 60c Gray Lilac, Thin Numerals (7a). Large margins, fresh color and strong impression, tied by blue "Admon de Correos, Rep. O. Del-Urug, Cerro Largo" oval cancel on ca. 1861 folded cover to Montevideo, Extremely Fine, a choice example on cover, ex Moorhouse Estate
URUGUAY, 1859, 60c Gray Lilac, Thin Numerals (7a). Large margins to ample at right, strong impression, tied by "Admon de Correos, Rep. O. Del-Urug, Arredondo" oval cancel on folded letter datelined Sep. 7, 1859 and addressed to Montevideo, Very Fine, a very scarce cancellation, signed Soto Hermanos, with 1980 Diaz certificate
URUGUAY, 1859, 60c Gray Lilac, Thin Numerals (7a). Huge to large margins on each side, deep shade and strong impression, tied by "Admon de Correos, Rep. O. Del-Urug, Carmelo" oval cancel on folded letter datelined Jan. 14, 1862 and addressed to Montevideo, manuscript "Urgente" at top, cover expertly repaired at sides for aesthetic purposes not affecting stamp (not noted on certificate), Extremely Fine appearance, a particularly late use for the Thin Numeral issue, ex Diaz and Provera, with 1993 Holcombe certificate
URUGUAY, 1859, 80c Orange, Thin Numerals (8). Block of four, Positions 184-185/196-197 (Types 12-11/14-13), large margins all around, beautiful true Orange shade, manuscript "15" on back of bottom right stamp bleeds thru slightly, slight creases and faint toned spots, none seriously detracting from beautiful appearanceEXTREMELY FINE OVERALL APPEARANCE. AN IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE MULTIPLE OF THE URUGUAY 1859 80-CENTÉSIMOS THIN NUMERALS ISSUE. ONLY ONE OTHER BLOCK IS RECORDED.
There are two recorded blocks of the 1859 80c Thin Numerals issue, both unused; the only other unused multiple is a pair, and the largest used multiple is a strip of three. The block offered here is the Lichtenstein-Dale-Hoffmann block. It was exhibited by Alfred F. Lichtenstein in his display of Uruguay at the May 1940 Collectors Club Centenary Exhibition. After Alfred's death in 1947, his daughter, Louise Boyd Dale, sold a number of major Uruguay rarities to Robert Hoffmann, whose exhibit captured the Grand Award at the 1956 FIPEX exhibition in New York City. The presence of this block in both exhibitions is confirmed by photographs of the exhibit pages.
The other recorded block, also an unused block of four (Positions 21-22/33-34), is ex Sciarra and was offered in the Spink-Investphila sale of the "Tito" collection (Part 1, Mar. 16, 2012, lot 1057). The description states "orange-yellow" and the shade in the catalogue photo appears to be a bit more yellow than the color of the block offered here. We do not know if the two blocks are actually in different shades.
Signed Soto Hermanos and Diaz. Ex Lichtenstein, Dale (by inheritance), Hoffmann (purchased privately from Dale), and Gordon N. John.
URUGUAY, 1859, 80c Orange Yellow, Thin Numerals, "180" for "80" Variety (8 var). Transfer Type 3, clearly showing traces of "1" before "80" from an improperly transferred cliché, large margins to ample at left, bright shade, tied by fancy scarab cancel leaving the denomination clear, "Renta de Correos, Salto, 21 OBRE, 1859" circular datestamp at left with additional strike at bottom left on folded letter to MontevideoVERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE ON COVER OF THE 80-CENTÉSIMOS FROM TRANSFER TYPE 3 CLEARLY SHOWING THE REMAINING "1" FROM THE "180" CENTÉSIMOS STONE USED TO CREATE THE 80-CENTÉSIMOS PLATE. SOME CONSIDER THIS AN ACTUAL 180-CENTÉSIMOS ORANGE YELLOW "ERROR OF COLOR."
This variety occurred on Transfer Type 3 on early printings of the 80-centésimos. The 80c plates were made from the 180c stones with this cliché improperly transferred still revealing the "1". This stamp on cover is proof that despite the issuance of the 180c in October 1859, it was printed prior to the 80c, which was issued June 26, 1859. This particular example shows a strong presence of the "1", which some specialists classify as a 180-centésimos color error.
Ex Henry C. Gibson, Dr. Hubbard and Moorhouse Estate
URUGUAY, 1859, 80c Dark Orange, Thin Numerals (8 var). Large balanced margins, rich color, tied by clear strike of "Admon de Correos, Montevideo, 23 ABRIL 1860" oval datestamp on folded cover to Buenos Aires from the Armstrong correspondence, Very Fine, an unusually dark shade which the Rocha certificate notes as "unique with this shade", also interesting to note this underpaid the single rate which should have been 120c but was not assessed any payment due, ex "Concordia" and "Tito", signed Diaz, with 1962 R.P.S. and 2008 Rocha certificates
URUGUAY, 1859, 80c Orange, Thin Numerals (8). Large to full margins, intensely rich shade and strong impression, tied by "Administracion de Correos, Montevideo, SUCURSAL" oval cancel on folded letter datelined Aug. 14, 1860, and addressed to Perdido, cover forwarded to final destination by Diego McEntyre per the directive at bottom, Very Fine, Soto Hermanos backstamp, with 1981 Diaz certificate
URUGUAY, 1859, 80c Orange, Thin Numerals (8). Large to full margins on each side, vibrant shade, tied by crisp strike of "Admon de Correos, Montevideo, 19 AGOSTO 1859" oval datestamp on large folded cover to Paysandu, sender's blue oval handstamp, Very Fine, a choice example on cover, with 2018 P.F. certificate