Sale 1084 — The Curtis Collection: 1847-1901 Stamps and Covers
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 5-6 November, 2014
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue (Scott 79-91)
3c Rose, A. Grill (79). Fully impressed grill but mercifully leaving perfs far more intact than normally seen on this experimental all-over grill issue, bold quartered cork cancel, Very Fine and choice, a pretty stamp, the all-over grill was discontinued after a short period of production because the grill interfered with perforations and separation, with 1996 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, A. Grill (79). Horizontal strip of three, quartered cork cancel, typical A Grill centering and separation faults, small and very minor repaired spot at left, still Fine, an extremely rare used multiple of the experimental A Grill, ex Caspary and Zoellner, with 1978 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $5,000.00
3c Rose, A. Grill (79). Centering and perfs superior to typical 3c A Grill stamps, tied by cork and "Cairo Ill. Aug. 18" (1867) duplex datestamp on buff cover to Oakley La. with sender's routing "Via Natchez for Distrobution" [sic], Very Fine, ex Cole, Hill and Martin
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Beautifully centered, bright shade, segmented cork cancel, strong grill, Very Fine and choice, with 1988 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,850.00), only four have graded higher (the highest at 95)
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Rich color, cancelled by cork, "Phila. Pa. Nov. 18" circular datestamp on cover to Bloody Run Pa. and forwarded to Ray's Hill Pa., manuscript "Forwarded" and "Bloody Run Pa. Nov. 19" circular datestamp, Very Fine and unusual use, with 2005 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Tied by circle of wedges cancel, "Kansas City Mo. Nov. 27" circular datestamp on cover to Shelby Basin N.Y., stamp with small corner crease at top right, Very Fine appearance, with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Black, D. Grill (84). Choice centering, intense shade and impression, bold cork cancel, horizontal crease at bottom, light diagonal crease at bottom right, Very Fine appearance, scarce with such choice centering, with 1998 P.F. certificate
2c Black, D. Grill (84). S.e at right, intense shade, clear grill points, cancelled by cork and tied by "Minneapolis Minn. Mar. 17" circular datestamp on buff cover to Des Moines Ia., with printed advertisement from insurance, real estate and collection agent offering services, some slight wear, Fine and rare use of the 2c D Grill on cover, with 1988 P.S.E. certificate, Scott Retail $5,000.00
3c Rose, D. Grill (85). Well-centered with wide margins, sharp grill impression, bold Star in Circle fancy cancel, faint diagonal crease at bottom does not detract from appearance, tiny pinhole at bottom left not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Extremely Fine appearance, rare 3c D Grill with a fancy cancel, with 1999 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, D. Grill (85). Block of four, clear grills, bold "Richmond Va. Jul. 6" circular datestamp and cork cancels, perfs trimmed at left, some overall toning, otherwise Fine, a rare multiple, a block of four is the largest recorded used multiple, this is the first we have offered since keeping computerized records, with 1999 P.F. certificate, listed but unpriced as a block in Scott
3c Rose, D. Grill (85). Bright color, clearly-defined grill easily visible from the front, s.e. at left, tied by cork cancel and "Fond Du Lac Wis. May 1" circular datestamp on buff cover to Houseville N.Y., docketed on stamp, minor edgewear, Very Fine, with 1989 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $1,200.00
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Block of four, traces of original gum, intense shade and impression, clearly-defined grills, rejoined vertically, few other perf separations sensibly reattached, faint overall toningFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL GRILLED ISSUE MULTIPLES. PERHAPS TWO OR THREE ARE KNOWN.
Only a small quantity of 2c sheets were grilled during the period when the Z device was active -- after the D Grill (Scott 84), the Z is the rarest of Black Jack grilled stamps. We were only able to locate two other unused blocks. One was offered in our 1970 Rarities sale and was well-centered (top pair creased), so that may have been broken to feed collector demand for choice singles. The other has perfs into the design on two sides and a few faults.
Ex Allen and Metzger. Scott Retail $75,000.00 as a block and $65,000.00 as two pairs
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Crisp impression, wide margins, neat cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 P.F. certificate
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Bright shade, clearly-defined grill, unusual circle of V's segmented cork cancel, fresh and Fine, with 2005 P.F. certificate
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Intense shade, tied by bold blue circle of wedges and matching "New York City Feb. 18" circular datestamp on locally addressed cover, Fine and scarce
3c Rose, Z. Grill (85C). Block of four with top part imprint selvage, original gum, clearly-defined grills, few tiny holes and thins in grilled areas on three stamps, few shortish perfs at right, top right stamp expert repairFINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 3-CENT Z GRILL WITH PART IMPRINT SELVAGE AT TOP. ONE OF SIX REPORTED UNUSED MULTIPLES OF THIS RARE GRILL ISSUE.
We located six blocks in a survey of past auction sales and using Power Search for our sales. The Caspary collection contained a block of four with top part imprint selvage, which originally formed a full imprint block of eight with the block offered here.
With 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $120,000.00
3c Rose, Z. Grill (85C). Radiant color nicely complemented by blue cork cancel, clearly-defined grill, fresh and Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 2007 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, Z. Grill (85C). Clear grill easily visible on the face of the stamp, cancelled by target, "Clear Spring Md. Feb. 12, 1868" circular datestamp on cover to USS Vermont in New York City Navy Yard, some edgewear including small envelope tear at lower right, Very Fine, a very early use and scarce with a yeardated cancel, for many years this was the earliest documented use (new earliest is Jan. 29), ex Rustad, Ishikawa and Berkun, with 2004 A.P.S. certificate, accompanied by article from Chronicle 92 detailing discovery of this cover, Scott Retail $4,000.00
12c Black, Z. Grill (85E). Intense shade and impression, clear grill, neat strike of red datestamp at lower left, Very Fine and choice, a stamp with great visual appeal
12c Black, Z. Grill (85E). Intense shade and impression, cancelled by target, "Lowell Mass. Mar. 17" circular datestamp on buff 1868 cover to Halifax, Yorkshire, England, red "New York Paid All Mar. 18" circular datestamp, receiving backstamp, stamp lifted and replaced, light waterstaining, otherwise Fine, with 1987 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $3,000.00
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Block of six with top imprint selvage, top stamps and bottom left stamp Mint N.H., other two lightly hinged, brilliant color, clearly-defined grillsFRESH AND FINE. A RARE SOUND BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT E GRILL, CONTAINING FOUR MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMPS. A WONDERFUL CONDITION RARITY BLOCK.
The E Grill was the first regular-production grilled issue, after the experimental grilled issues (A thru D Grills). As with the ungrilled issue, the imprint with plate number is found only at the bottom of the sheet. The printer's imprints without the plate number are located at one side (left or right, depending on the pane) and at top. Brookman reported the existence of a complete pane of 100 in the Worthington sale, but it has not been seen nor photographed and might have been broken. A block of eight with top imprint was offered in our Frelinghuysen sale, with a light gum soak and a few light creases.
Ex Evans and illustrated in the Evans 1c book on p. 49. Scott Retail as block of four and pair with no premium for the Mint N.H. stamps. Scott Retail $27,000.00
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Perfectly centered with wide and well-balanced margins, brilliant color on bright paper, light cancel leaves design clearly visible, strong grill impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1868 ONE-CENT E GRILL IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT STAMPS OF THE SERIES TO OBTAIN WITH SUCH CHOICE CENTERING AND IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED, AND THIS STAMP IS ONE OF ONLY TWO TO ACHIEVE IT.
Ex Tahoe and Merlin. With 2003 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $13,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only one other shares it (offered in our Kirke sale).
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Jumbo margins, brilliant color, clear grill points, cork cancel, tiny corner crease at bottom right, Extremely Fine appearance, this is one of the widest-margined examples of this grilled issue we have ever encountered, were it not for the tiny corner crease we are sure this would grade at the top of the chart, with 2002 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Vertical block of 18, far better centering than would be expected in a large multiple of this issue, deep shade, quartered cork cancels, bottom right stamp has a negligible wrinkle, a few minor separations at topFINE AND SOUND. THE LARGEST RECORDED USED MULTIPLE OF ANY OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT GRILLED ISSUES. A SPECTACULAR EXHIBITION PIECE.
Ex Bechtel and Zoellner. Scott Retail $13,500.00 for three blocks and three pairs
2c Black, E. Grill (87). Block of six with part imprint and plate no. 51 at bottom, original gum, lightly hinged, clearly-defined grills, centered strongly to top leftTHE ONLY RECORDED UNUSED BLACK JACK MULTIPLE SHOWING THE RARE PLATE NUMBER 51. THIS IS ALSO THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE 2-CENT E GRILL.
Ex Allen, Metzger and Hansen. As an indication of rarity, the Scott Catalogue lists a plate number and imprint block of four, but does not list any larger plate block. Scott Retail $12,500.00 as block of four and pair.
2c Black, E. Grill (87). Bright shade and paper, Jumbo margins, neat quartered cork cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1991 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85 Jumbo; SMQ $350.00 as 85, $650.00 as 90)
3c Rose, E. Grill (88). Horizontal block of ten, full original gum, few light creases, Very Good-Fine, rare multiple, Scott Retail $14,100.00 as blocks of four and a pair
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Beautifully centered with Jumbo margins all around, brilliant color, clearly-defined grill, unobtrusive strike of cancelsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 10-CENT E GRILL. A DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND WITH SUCH JUMBO MARGINS. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
With 1997 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $3,350.00 as 95, $9,500.00 as 98). Only two have graded higher (both 98J) and only one other shares this grade (ex Natalee Grace).
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Choice centering with wide margins, rich color on bright paper, segmented cork cancel and trace of red transit cancel at lower left, Extremely Fine, an attractive stamp with nice visual appeal, with 2006 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Block of six, deep rich color and proof-like impression, bold circle of wedges cancel, few small faults are not very noticeable, Fine appearance, this is the largest recorded multiple of Scott 89, the last block we offered was a block of four in 2001, Scott Retail $4,250.00
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Choice centering with wide and balanced margins, clearly-defined grill, crisp impression on bright paper, light strike of cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful stamp, ex Kirke, with 2010 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,250.00), only two have graded higher (highest is 98)
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Intense shade and proof-like impression, clearly-defined grill, unobtrusive cork cancel, tiny corner crease at top right, Very Fine appearance, with 2001 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $400.00)
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Block of six, clear grills, crisp impression, neat strikes of "leaf" fancy cancel, slight wrinkling at top of top right and top center stampsFINE-VERY FINE AND RARE. THIS IS ONE OF THREE RECORDED USED BLOCKS OF SIX, THE LARGEST RECORDED USED MULTIPLE OF THE 1868 12-CENT E GRILL.
Ex Herzog and Hanschen. Scott Retail $3,700.00 as a block of four and pair.
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Clearly-defined grill, sharp proof-like impression, well-balanced margins, neat strike of quartered cork cancel, Extremely Fine, ex Merlin, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,250.00), only three have graded higher (all at 95)
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Bright shade and crisp impression, bold grid cancel, wide margins, Very Fine, with 1993 P.S.E. certificate