Sale 1024 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used Stamps of the United States, Part One: 1847-1868 Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 7 June, 2012
Category — 2c-24c 1863-68 Issue (Scott 73-78)
2c Black (73). Intense shade and proof-like impression on bright paper, choice centering with wide and balanced margins, neat strike of negative Star in Circle fancy cancel of Boston, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 1990 and 1996 P.F. certificates
2c Black, Printed on Both Sides (73f). Back printed in same orientation as the front, strongly showing equal parts of four stamps, front of stamp with choice centering and grid cancel, toned at upper leftEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK JACK PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES. ONLY FOUR USED AND ONE UNUSED EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED. THIS IS THE MOST VISUALLY APPEALING PRINTED-ON-BOTH-SIDES VARIETY WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED, WITH AN EXTREMELY STRONG IMPRESSION ON BACK SHOWING PART OF FOUR STAMPS. IT IS ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE ON THE POPULAR "BLACK JACK" ISSUE.
Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate.
Our list of printed-on-both-sides stamps is included as an appendix to this catalogue. The 2c Black printed-on-both-sides stamps are known with the orientation of the back impression the same or inverted in relation to the design on the front, which indicates more than one sheet was printed. The inverted impression on back is a result of the sheet being turned 180 degrees before it was put on the press the second time.
Our census of the 2c Black Jack printed on both sides, shown at left and available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/73f/73f.pdf , records four used and one unused example of this rarity. The example offered here shows the strongest impression on back of any known. This also is the only example with perforations on all sides that has not been reperfed.
Census No. 73f-CAN-01. Ex MacKay and Metzger (where illustrated on the front cover of the catalogue). Illustrated in Brookman, Vol. II, p. 10. With 2002 P.F. certificate.
2c Black, Laid Paper (73g). Showing clear horizontal laid lines, centered to bottom right, tied by light strike of Vermont town datestamp and fancy cork cancel on piece, few slightly nibbed perfs at right not mentioned on accompanying certificate, partly lifted to confirm the paper's characteristicsFINE APPEARANCE. THE 2-CENT BLACK JACK ON LAID PAPER IS ONE OF THE RAREST BLACK JACK VARIETIES. ONLY FOUR COPIES HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION.
The 2c Black Jack on laid paper is one of the rarest production varieties (as opposed to a plate variety). The other rare Scott-listed variety is printed on both sides (offered in the previous lot). Our census of this variety, illustrated below and available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/73g/73g.pdf , records just four used copies. None is known unused.
Census No. 73g-CAN-01. Ex Metzger. With 1969 and 2002 P.F. certificates.
3c Scarlet (74). Bold strike of "D" oval grid duplex cancel of New York City, brilliant color, single pulled perf and small corner crease at top rightFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT SCARLET CANCELLED BY THE NEW YORK CITY OVAL DUPLEX CANCELLATION. ONLY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THIS ISSUE WERE ACTUALLY SENT THROUGH THE MAILS.
As documented by Jerome S. Wagshal in a series of Chronicle articles (Nos. 56, 60, 61 and 62), Carl F. Rothfuchs, a Washington D.C. stamp dealer, obtained a supply of the 3c Scarlet in 1893 -- probably from the Post Office Department in exchange for his assistance with the Columbian Exposition -- and sold them with pen marks and original gum. A small number were also used by J. W. Scott, who posted letters with some of his supply to validate his claim that these stamps were legitimate postage. Today, there are perhaps five copies cancelled in this manner. We offered one in 2001 (Twigg-Smith collection), and another in our recent sale of the Wagshal collection.
With 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as with the more common penstrokes cancel
5c Red Brown (75). Fiery shade, incredibly intense color on bright white paper, well-centered with nicely proportioned margins leaving outer projections well clear of perforations on all four sides, segmented cork cancel struck at leftEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1862 IN THE MOST INTENSE SHADE OF THE RED BROWN SPECTRUM.
Brookman notes "I consider the used Red Brown to be more scarce than Buff but the Buff is more scarce unused". Accompanied by cover bearing 1c Blue (63) from Boston to N.C., from which this stamp originates.
Ex Newbury. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,200.00). Only three have graded higher to date.
5c Brown (76). Gorgeous centering with Jumbo margins, rich color and proof-like impression, long and full perforations all around, bold strike of segmented cork cancel and also part of red circular datestamp at lower leftEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 5-CENT BROWN WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
Brookman notes "it is far from easy to find a copy that is well-centered". We agree. Most copies, even those with high grades, tend to have small margins. This is due to a combination of factors, including the design of the stamp, which has an outer frameline and corner ornaments that project outwards, and the spacing of subjects on the plate, which left little room for the perforations.
With 2003 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $1,300.00 as 95, unpriced in SMQ as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade.
5c Dark Brown (76a). Intense color in the Dark Brown shade, sharp proof-like impression, bright paper, well-proportioned margins, bold strike of open grid cancel, Extremely Fine, a beautiful example of this desirable shade, ex Chapin, with 1990 P.F. certificate
15c Black (77). Unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with wide and balanced margins, intense shade and proof-like impression, neat strike of quartered cork cancel attractively frames Lincoln's eye, tiny corner perf crease at bottom left not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Extremely Fine appearance, a difficult issue to obtain with superior centering, with 1997 P.F. certificate.
24c Lilac (78). Bright color, crisp impression, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins, unobtrusive strike of target cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 24-CENT IN THE LILAC SHADE. A BEAUTIFUL STAMP.
Ex Hinrichs. With 1995 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,350.00). Only four have graded higher to date and only three others share this grade.
24c Grayish Lilac (78a). Deep rich color and proof-like impression, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, light cancel leaves entire design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 24-CENT IN THE GRAYISH LILAC SHADE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.
With 2001 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,750.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only three others share this grade.
24c Gray (78b). Intense color in the true Gray shade on bright paper, well-balanced margins, neat strike of target cancel, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful example of the 24c Gray, with 1996 P.F. certificate
24c Blackish Violet (78c). Perfectly centered with well-balanced margins, deep rich color on crisp paper, neat strike of circle of wedges cancelEXTREMELY FINE. THE 24-CENT BLACKISH VIOLET IS THE MOST DIFFICULT STAMP OF THE 1861-66 SERIES TO OBTAIN -- EITHER UNUSED OR USED -- IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
A thorough search through past auction catalogues will demonstrate how rare this stamp is in either used or unused condition. With regard to used stamps, this shade was lacking from the Ishikawa, Grunin, Klein, Caspary and Twigg-Smith collections. The Zoellner collection contained an original-gum single even though the rest of the series was obtained in used condition, because a suitable used stamp was never offered. The superb used single in our Sale 878 (lot 324, realized $22,000 hammer) was stolen from a Fedex courier and has not been recovered.
Our census of Scott 78c, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/78c/78c.pdf , records a total of 36 used examples of this issue, of which only 31 have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation. We also record nine on cover plus three unused, for a total of 48 potential examples. Of the used off cover copies only ten are confirmed as sound, and of these ten only four have decent centering (one of which is the stolen copy). This leaves only three used copies which are confirmed as sound and centered -- Census Nos. 01 (ex Dr. Morris), 02 (offered here) and 30 (ex Floyd).
With 1994 and 2005 P.F. certificates.
24c Lilac, Printed on Both Sides (78d). Back printed inverted in relation to the front, back of stamp with clear impression of bottom half of stamp split halfway between perforations, other side rich color, tied by bold blue "DPO" cancel on bright orange cover to Heidelberg, Germany, brownish-red "Summerfield Ala. June 1867" circular datestamp with date in manuscript, red "New York Brem. Pkt. Paid 12 Jun. 27" credit datestamp, blue "America Uber Bremen Franco" transit handstamp, receiving backstamp, stamp lifted from cover for displayVERY FINE. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES RARITY ARE RECORDED. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED SOUND EXAMPLE AND THE ONLY ONE ON COVER.
Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate. The inverted impression on back is a result of the sheet being turned 180 degrees before it was put on the press the second time.
Our list of printed-on-both-sides stamps is included as an appendix to this catalogue. Only one other example of the 24c printed on both sides is known (shown below). It has an "1867" manuscript cancellation (matching the year date on this cover), and its backside impression is identical to the stamp offered here. Without question, the two came from the same sheet. The other stamp has a defect at bottom right, while the stamp offered here, with its original cover, is sound.
Ex Isleham, where it was erroneously described as reperfed at left (a subsequent P.F. certificate and our own examination confirms that the perforations are genuine), and ex Drucker. With 1986 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as on cover
For our on-line census of Scott 78d: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/78d/78d.pdf