Sale 1310 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Dragonfly Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 February, 2024
Category — 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue (Scott 285-293)
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Bi-Color Large Die Essays on India (285-E8a to 293-E7a). Complete set, die sunk on 196 x 147 card with no hybrids, wonderful fresh colors, a couple cards with some binding adhesive on edge (perhaps from a salesman's book), $2.00 with a couple toned specks on the India paper not affecting the design, overall bright and pristine
VERY FINE SET OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI BI-COLOR LARGE DIE ESSAYS.
Of the 166 sets printed in these colors, many were hybrids. This fresh set contains no hybrids.
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Large Die Proofs on India (285P1-293P1). Complete set, die sunk on 180 x 123mm cards and bound in original presentation book, with Gold "Trans-Mississippi" and "John E. Stearns" imprints on front cover and tissue paper interleaving, gorgeous colors, some very minor top edge toning and $1.00 with tiny card nick
very fine. a beautiful and rare presentation album with the trans-mississippi issue large die proofs.
Various books or albums were created during the late 19th century by Bank Note companies for sales samples or other presentation purposes. Very few remain intact like the 1898 Trans-Mississippi book offered here. The single-color large die proofs for this issue are even scarcer than the bicolored essay sets.
From our 1990 Rarities sale and ex Bakwin. Scott value $7,950 without premium for the book.
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Large Die Proofs on India (285P1-293P1). Complete set, die sunk on approximately 157 x 107mm cards, deep rich colors, accompanied by letter from Third Assistant Postmaster General dated July 30, 1898 and addressed to "Mr. R.H. Russell, Publisher, New York N.Y.", contents read "I take pleasure in sending you herewith a set of die-proofs of the Trans-Mississippi series of postage stamps. The thanks of the Department are again tendered for the kind permission given by you to use the two Remington pictures constituting part of the designs for this series of stamps" and signed by John Merritt, few with light toned spots
VERY FINE. A RARE COMPLETE SET OF LARGE DIE PROOFS OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WITH A HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT LETTER RELATING TO two of the design SUBJECTS.
Two of the iconic images from this set were based on Frederick Remington paintings — the 8c "Troops Guarding Train" and the 50c "Western Mining Prospector", which Remington titled "The Gold Bug". The letter from the Post Office Department thanking the Mr. R. H. Russell for their use in the series is a wonderful historical accompaniment to the die proof set.
Ex "Lake Shore" and Bakwin.
1c Dark Yellow Green, Trans-Mississippi (285). Deep rich color and proof-like impression, perfectly centered with wide margins, neat waving flag machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Morton, with 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only one grades higher (at 98J) and one other shares this desirable grade
2c Copper Red, Trans-Mississippi (286). Mint N.H. with full top imprint selvage, beautiful centering with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem
2c Copper Red, Trans-Mississippi (286). Choice margins and centering, rich color, wavy line machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), only five used stamps grade higher and four share this grade
4c Orange, Trans-Mississippi (287). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, beautifully centered with wide balanced margins, Extremely Fine, ex Wingate, with 1987 and 2018 P.F. certificates
5c Dull Blue, Trans-Mississippi (288). Beautifully balanced wide margins, deep rich color on fresh paper, light registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, ex Myerson and Morton, with 2011 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98), only one used example grades higher (at 98J) and only three others equal this 98
8c Violet Brown, Trans-Mississippi (289). Precise centering, deep rich color on crisp paper, lightly cancelled, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Helton, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), only six used stamps grade higher (highest is 98)
10c Gray Violet, Trans-Mississippi (290). Perfectly centered with Jumbo margins, deep rich color, sharp proof-like impression, bold cancel at lower right leaves design clearly visible, most recent certificate (which no longer accompanies) states "tiny thin at lower right", Extremely Fine appearance, ex Twigg-Smith and "Natalee Grace", with 2009 P.S.E. certificate as sound and graded Superb 98 (SMQ $1,800), 2013 P.S.E. certificate was graded VF 80 due to the tiny thin, which we fail to detect
50c Sage Green, Trans-Mississippi (291). Impressively wide margins and precise centering, deep rich color, bold strike of registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Helton, with 2006 P.F. (XF-Superb 95) and 2012 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95), only three grade higher (highest is a 98)
$1.00 Black, Trans-Mississippi (292). Excellent centering with balanced margins, intense shade, oval registry cancels, Extremely Fine, with 2014 P.F. certificate (XF 90 XQ)
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Intense color as fresh as the day it was printed, bright paper, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with well-balanced margins, unobtrusive strike of circular datestamp cancel leaves entire design clearly visible
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP, WITH GORGEOUS COLOR, CHOICE CENTERING, UNOBTRUSIVE CANCEL AND OVERALL FRESHNESS, IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
The design of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi depicts the Eads bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The original engraving was used on the admission ticket to the Republican Convention of 1896, which nominated William McKinley as candidate for president. The stamp, issued during the McKinley administration, illustrates the natural boundary between East and West and so was appropriate for the Trans-Mississippi issue.
All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day's run on June 3, 1898. The $2.00 was printed in sheets that have narrower spacing between the horizontal rows than between the vertical columns. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to obtain stamps with top and bottom margins that equal the sides. This stamp essentially achieves that unnatural effect, which could only occur when the horizontal perforations were applied in such a way that the holes impinged on the space allocated to the rows above and below.
Brookman notes "the $2.00 is not easy to obtain well-centered as many of these stamps seem to be perforated close to the top and its color is such that it cancels rather badly. This combination makes fine used copies difficult to obtain. I consider it more difficult to obtain in choice used condition than any of the high values of the Columbian issue."
Ex Rubin, "Natalee Grace", Helton, Myerson and Morton. With 1997, 2009 and 2021 P.F. certificates. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95). Only one grades higher (at 98, we have never offered it) and five others share this desirable grade.
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Crisp impression, faint cancel at right leaves entire design clearly visible, choice centering with well-proportioned margins
EXTREMELY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With 1998 and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90). Only seven grade higher.
Trans-Mississippi Postal Cards. Complete set of ten 1c Postal Cards (UX14) plus one extra, each illustrating different building at the Exposition, fresh and Very Fine set, also includes a few Trans-Mississippi tickets and a cancelled 2c No. 286 on a postcard with the same design as the stamp, George Wentz handstamp, Very Fine