Sale 1025 — 2012 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 26 June, 2012
Category — 1869 Pictorial Issue: Essays, Proofs and Specimens
[No Value] George T. Jones Grant Essay on India (112-E1b). Black with light violet safety overprint, full margins to clear, unusual application of safety overprint which leaves portrait clear, tiny corner crease at top leftVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE GEORGE T. JONES ESSAY FOR THE 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, DEPICTING ULYSSES S. GRANT.
We have offered this essay with full safety overprint and with safety overprint at bottom only, but this is the first we have seen with the overprint missing the portrait, which was no doubt deliberate.
1c Black, Die Essay on White Ivory (112-E5b). 50 x 54mm, bright shade and gorgeous impression, fresh and Very Fine, ex Juhring
1c Carmine on Buff, 1869 National Bank Note Company Essay, entire (Underander E35Ab). Rich color, fresh, Very Fine example of this scarce essay, this is the first example we have offered in this color since keeping computerized records, Undersander catalogue value
10c Lincoln, Die Essay on Ivory Paper (116-E1e). Complete set of all four colors, approximately 63 x 74mm and each with imprint at bottom, Black Brown small thin spotVERY FINE. A SCARCE COMPLETE SET OF THE 10-CENT LINCOLN ESSAY ON IVORY PAPER.
Ex Ainsworth.
15c Black, Ty. II, Frame Only Essay on India (119-E1a). On 87 x 110mm card with full die sinkage, detailed impressionVERY FINE. A SCARCE FRAME-ONLY ESSAY FOR THE TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
We have offered only one other since keeping computerized records (ex Lake Shore), and it did not show the full die sinkage area.
15c Orange Brown, Die Essay on Scarlet Safety Paper, Ty. 10 Underprint (129-E4). Large margins, brilliant colorsVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH TYPE 10 SAFETY UNDERPRINT.
Scarce with such wide margins and in such wonderful condition.
90c Lincoln, Dark Navy Blue, Large Die Essay on India (122-E4a). With Lincoln vignette mounted in place, large margins to full, minor paper wrinklingVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE 90-CENT LINCOLN ESSAY WITH VIGNETTE PASTED IN PLACE.
Ex Lake Shore
10c Black, 1869 Pictorial, Large Die Trial Color Proof on India (116TC1). On 39 x 40mm card, detailed impressionVERY FINE TRIAL COLOR LARGE DIE PROOF OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
Very few are known in Black -- this is the only example offered in any of our auctions, including specialized 1869 collections or Essay/Proof collections over the past ten years.
Ex Long. With 2008 P.F. certificate.
15c Deep Blue, Large Die Trial Color Proof on India (118TC1). Off-card and reduced to size of a "large margined" stamp, bright color, typical India paper imperfections, Very Fine appearance and very rare, this is the first we have offered in this color since our "European" collection in 1999, Scott Retail as full size
1c-90c 1869 Pictorial Issue, Atlanta Trial Color Plate Proofs on Card (123TC1-132TC1). Complete set (less the one newly-listed unique 90c color combination), large margins, deep rich colorsVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE COMPLETE SET OF 1869 PICTORIAL ATLANTA TRIAL COLOR PLATE PROOFS.
The Atlanta trial color plate proofs on card were prepared for display at the 1881 International Cotton Exhibition in Atlanta. Only one sheet of 100 in each color was printed. Very few have been kept together as intact sets.
1c-90c 1869 Pictorial Issue, Plate Proofs on India (112P3-117P3, 120P3-122P3, 129P3, 120TC3). Complete set of all values in blocks of four including both colors of the 24c (Green and Reddish Lilac now listed as Scott 120TC3), 15c Ty. III, 30c part imprint plus an extra block, 90c frame plate no. 22 and part imprint in Carmine, 3c corner margins plus an extra block, 1c bottom margin, otherwise large margins, some faults as often associated with this fragile paperFINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE SET OF INDIA PLATE PROOF BLOCKS OF THE 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH BETTER POSITION PIECES AND BOTH SHADES OF THE 24c VALUE.
The 24c value comes in two distinctly different vignette shades, and we have argued that the scarcer second shade differs so substantially from the issued color that it should be separately listed. Starting in 2012 the Scott Specialized Catalogue began listing the second shade in the trial color proof section as Green and Reddish Lilac (unpriced and counted here as a second block of 120P3).
1c-90c 1869 Pictorial Issue, Plate Proofs on Card, Ty. 1 Specimen Ovpt. (112P4S-117P4s, 120P4S-122P4S, 129P4S). Full set with 11.5 mm sans serif ovpts. in all capital letters (Plett Ty. 1), 10c and 30c in black, others in red, 15c is Type III design, large margins, bright colors, 3c, 6c and 24c some very slight toning at topVERY FINE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE SET OF 1869 ISSUE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD WITH THE TYPE 1 "SPECIMEN" OVERPRINT.
In Chronicle 227 (included with lot), Michael Plett concludes his multi-year research into the card proof "Specimens" with an outstanding article which traces their history and presents detailed census data for all the known examples. There were four different types of "Specimen" overprints applied to card proofs, and each proof that bears one of the types is likely unique. The 1869 card proofs are found with all four types on various denominations, but only the Type 1 is found on all 10 denominations. This set, from the Brazer collection, is therefore the only available complete set of 1869 card proofs with the same overprint type.
Each accompanied by 1990 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, "Specimen" Overprint, Ty. H (116SH). Bold Type H "Specimen" overprint, central thin spot, appears Fine, an extremely rare example of the Type H overprint on the 1869 issue which may well be unique, Scott Catalogue lists only Types A and B on 1869 stamps, with 1978 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail for No. 116 with Type A overprint $1,750.00
12c Green, "Specimen" Overprint., Ty. A (117SA). With additional tiny manuscript "X", clear to wide margins, small internal paper wrinkle near top not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Very Fine for this rare "Specimen" overprint and much better centered than other examples we have come across, with 1991 P.S.E. certificate