Sale 968A — The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Two: 1870-1901 Issues
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 14-15 April, 2009
Category — 1895-98 Watermarked Bureau Issue (Scott 264-278)
1c Blue (264). Mint N.H. with part imprint selvage at top, deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, choice centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90 Jumbo)
2c Carmine, Ty. I (265). Mint N.H., radiant color on bright paper, wide margins, almost perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1993 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95), only one stamp has graded higher to date
2c Carmine, Ty. II (266). Mint N.H. with plate no. 132 at right, vivid color and proof-like impression, gorgeous centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1895 TY. II WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 1998 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). Only one stamp has graded higher to date and no others share this grade
2c Carmine, Ty. II-III (266-267). Horizontal combination block, Mint N.H., beautiful bright color, choice centering, Extremely Fine, combination blocks are rarely encountered in this superb Mint N.H. condition, with 2002 P.S.E. and 2007 P.F. certificates
2c Carmine, Ty. II-III (266-267). Horizontal combination pair, Mint N.H., vibrant color, choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. III (267). Mint N.H., with plate no. 437 selvage at left, wide margins, bright shade, tiny natural inclusion in bottom margin, Extremely Fine, with 1981 P.F. certificate
3c Purple (268). Mint N.H., almost perfectly centered, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 1998 P.F. certificate
4c Dark Brown (269). Mint N.H., exceptionally wide margins and near perfect centering, dark shade and crisp impression, fresh and Extremely Fine, a lovely stamp, with 1995 P.F. certificate
5c Chocolate (270). Mint N.H., unusually choice centering with Jumbo margins, deep rich color, proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 1995 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). Only two have graded higher to date and only five others share this grade.
6c Dull Brown (271). Barest trace of hinging (P.F. certificate calls Mint N.H.), rich color on bright paper, beautifully centered, Extremely Fine, with 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95)
8c Violet Brown (272). Mint N.H., with plate no. 249 selvage at top, choice centering, dark shade on bright fresh paper, Extremely Fine, with 1985 P.F. certificate
6c Dull Brown, USIR Watermark (271a). Original gum, lightly hinged, clear "I" of watermark, rich color on bright white paperVERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1895 ISSUE WITH USIR WATERMARK.
The 6c USIR Watermark is considerably rarer than the 8c, especially in original-gum condition. We record seven original-gum copies. However, we are not certain how many of the stamps in multiples have the "I" or "R" portion of the watermark. Of the recorded singles, one has perfs touching the design at top, and one is also very close on one side. The pair with original gum in the P.F. records is a top sheet margin horizontal pair, with part of the imprint above the left stamp. There was also a pair centered to top with a straight edge at left in the Lilly collection, as well as a strip of three centered to top in the Col. Green collection.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
8c Violet Brown, USIR Watermark (272a). Top imprint and plate no. 58 strip of three, original gum, barely hinged, stamps show S-U-R watermark and selvage shows I-S-U watermark (vertical orientation), wide margins and choice centering -- especially the right pair -- wonderful deep rich color and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. THE FINEST OF THE THREE RECORDED IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIPS OF THE 8-CENT 1895 BUREAU ISSUE WITH THE "USIR" WATERMARK ERROR.
The "USIR" (United States Internal Revenue) watermark error occurred when a supply of paper reserved for revenue stamp production was used for printing the 6c and 8c postage stamps. Our records contain only three imprint and plate number strips of the 8c (a plate block of six is part of the Miller collection at The New York Public Library).
Ex Close, B. D. Phillips and Weill Stock. With 1989 and 2001 P.F. certificates.
10c Dark Green (273). Mint N.H., with plate no. 305 selvage at bottom, beautiful centering with extra wide top and bottom margins, intense shade and impression, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1983 P.F. certificate
15c Dark Blue (274). Mint N.H. with part imprint selvage at bottom, incredibly deep rich color on bright paper, proof-like impression, choice centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 15-CENT WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E.
With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). Only one stamp has graded higher to date and no others share this grade
50c Orange (275). Mint N.H., nicely centered, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 1994 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276). Mint N.H., well-balanced margins and nicely centered, intense shade, Very Fine and choice, with 1994 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276). Block of four, original gum, previously hinged, crisp shade and impressionFINE-VERY FINE. A HANDSOME AND SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE 1895 $1.00 TYPE I BUREAU ISSUE.
With 1985 and 2008 P.F. certificates
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (276A). Mint N.H., intense shade and detailed impression, choice centering with well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $1.00 TYPE II WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE STAMP IN THIS REMARKABLE POST-OFFICE FRESH CONDITION.
As an indication of rarity, we have only offered four other Mint N.H. examples of the 1895 $1.00 Type II since keeping computerized records. Of those, only two could be considered to have Extremely Fine centering.
Ex Odeneal. With 1992 and 2007 P.F. certificates
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Mint N.H., rich color and proof-like impression, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $2.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IN THE BRIGHT BLUE COLOR. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE STAMP IN MINT NEVER-HINGED AND CENTERED CONDITION. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
As an indication of rarity, we have offered only nine of this shade and three of the Dark Blue shade (including the one in this sale) in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records.
With 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). Only one other stamp shares this grade and none have graded higher in the P.S.E. Population Report
$2.00 Dark Blue (277a). Mint N.H., deep rich color in the true Dark Blue shade, post office-fresh paper, wide and balanced margins, long and full perforations all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1895 $2.00 DARK BLUE WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN SOUND AND CENTERED MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION. A TRUE CONDITION RARITY.
As an indication of rarity, we have only offered two other Mint N.H. examples of this issue in the past fourteen years. This is easily the finest of the three.
Ex Odeneal. With 2005 and 2007 P.F. certificates (the latter graded XF 90)
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, beautiful deep shade, unusually choice centeringVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1895 $2.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
Blocks of the dollar-value Bureau Issue are rarely encountered in this choice condition. As more blocks are broken to feed the market for high-quality singles, blocks such as this are becoming increasingly rarer.
With 2008 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Mint N.H. with plate no. 85 at bottom, deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression on fresh paper, perfect centering with long full perfs all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN INCOMPARABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- BY FAR THE HIGHEST GRADE TO DATE. A REMARKABLE STAMP THAT WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPROVE UPON.
The $5.00 watermarked Bureau issue is an exceedingly rare stamp in sound, well-centered Mint N.H. condition. We have offered only four singles plus a plate number and imprint strip of three since keeping computerized records. This stamp is without question the finest Mint N.H. example extant.
With 1994 P.F. certificate for a strip of three, with 1995 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98). This is the highest graded example in the P.S.E. Population Report. The next highest grade for a Mint N.H. stamp is 85