Sale 1116 — United States Stamps and Possessions
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 16-17 December, 2015
Category — 1869 Pictorial Issue (Scott 112-122)
1c Buff (112). Choice balanced margins, fresh color, neat finely carved grid cancel, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1988 P.S.E. certificate
2c Brown (113). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color on bright paper, choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Vertical pair, tied by two mostly complete strikes of "KKK", Skull & Crossbones fancy cancel of Union Mills Pa.VERY FINE. ONE OF THE FEW PAIRS KNOWN WITH THE RARE AND STRIKING UNION MILLS "KKK", SKULL AND CROSSBONES FANCY CANCEL.
Union Mills, Pennsylvania, was the source of several remarkable fancy cancel designs in the 1869-71 period, including the "KKK" Skull & Crossbones, Kleagle Mask (two versions) and the Horse in Hat designs. All indicate Ku Klux Klan activity in this Western Pennsylvania town during the immediate post-war Reconstruction period. John H. Beardsley was the postmaster for a brief period of time -- February 9, 1870, to March 16, 1871 -- which coincides with the creation and use of the Ku Klux Klan cancellations.
This is one of a small number of pieces salvaged from a correspondence. We know of three full covers with this cancel, one of which is in the Hirzel collection at the Swiss PTT Museum.
Ex Knapp, Moody and Eno. With 1997 P.F. certificate
3c Ultramarine (114). Tied by clear strike of Waterbury Chrysanthemum fancy cancel (Rohloff F-3) on small piece, stamp with light diagonal crease ending in small tear at top left (barely noticeable)A VERY FINE STRIKE OF THE FAMOUS AND RARE CHRYSANTHEMUM FANCY CANCELLATION OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.
We estimate there are eight off-cover stamps and three covers with the Waterbury Chrysanthemum cancel. Only two off-cover examples were located with Power Search.
Ex Dr. Jackson and Eno. With 1992 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow (116). Unused (no gum), vibrant color, extra wide margins and perfectly centered, Extremely Fine Gem
10c Yellow (116). Exceedingly well-centered within balanced margins, bright color, Very Fine and choice
10c Yellow (116). Five stamps with better cancels, including well-struck "Hiogo Japan" double-circle handstamp with "Hiogo" complete and clear, Very Fine and beautiful strike of this scarce cancel, others with bold black star, red cork with trace of circular datestamp, bold "New York Ship" and Iowa duplex cancel, Fine-Very Fine and most attractive group
12c Green (117). Original gum, bright shade, wide margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate
12c Green (117). Two, first cancelled by bold strike of Padlock fancy cancel of West Meriden Conn., centered to bottom left, Very Fine strike, scarce cancel on any denomination above the 3c, with 1997 P.F. certificate, second with attractive margins and centering, Very Fine, with 1998 P.F. certificate
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. I, II (118-119). First with wide and nicely balanced margins, rich colors, cork cancel, Very Fine, with 1993 P.F. certificate, second also well-centered on bright white paper, neat cork cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 1996 P.F. certificate
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. I (118). Original gum, fresh colors, centered to right but wide margins on other sides and attractiveVERY FINE. A DESIRABLE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE I 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II (119). Disturbed original gum, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, the vignette is shifted to right, Fine
24c Green & Violet (120). Wide margins, bright colors, unobtrusive cork cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1979 P.F. certificate
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright and fresh colors, perfectly centered with wide margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. THIS MARVELOUS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
The rarity of centered original-gum examples of the 30c 1869 with grill is somewhat obscured by the availability of off-center copies of the 30c with and without grill. If the scope were narrowed to Scott 121 only, and only grades of Very Fine or Extremely Fine were considered, we estimate that fewer than 15 examples would be counted. Among the qualifying stamps, this is without a doubt one of the finest two or three.
With 1986 and 2002 P.F. certificates. With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $32,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only one other
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Unused (regummed), reperfed at left, otherwise Fine, an acceptable unused example
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Well-balanced margins, brilliant colors complemented by red cork cancel, Very Fine and choice, scarce cancelled solely by a red cancel and usually indicative of use of Supplementary Mail from New York City, with 1993 P.F. certificate
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Wide margins and well-centered, fresh colors, neat rosettes cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2015 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
30c Blue & Carmine (121). Well-centered, rich colors, neat circle of wedges cancel, Very Fine, ex Dr. Morris, with 1982 and 1996 P.F. certificates
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Bright colors, clear Japanese "X" cancel, light crease and small thin, Very Fine appearance, scarce
90c Carmine & Black (122). Pastel color, wide margins and choice centering, cork cancel leaves vignette completely visible, Very Fine, with 1998 P.S.E. certificate
90c Carmine & Black (122). Well-centered, lightly cancelled, slight thin in grill, Very Fine appearance, with 1954 Royal Philatelic Society of London certificate