Sale 1251 — The John B. Field Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 2-3 March, 2022
Category — 1901 Pan-American Issue (Scott 294-299)
1c-10c Pan-American (294-299). Mint N.H., rich colors, better centering than normally seen, Extremely Fine set
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1c Green & Black, Pan-American (294). Three Mint N.H. stamps, including Fast, High and Sinking Ships, rich colors, Very Fine-Extremely Fine examples of these shifted vignettes
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2c Carmine & Black, Pan-American (295). Mint N.H., deep shade, precise centering with unusually wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate showing bottom selvage which has been removed (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $325.00)
2c Carmine & Black, Pan-American (295). Single hinge mark, vignette shifted strongly to top left, wide margins, Extremely Fine, scarce with such a pronounced shift, the chimney and smoke are fully into the frame
10c Yellow Brown & Black, Pan-American (299). Mint N.H., rich colors, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2022 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $850.00)
1c Green & Black, Pan-American (294). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, double plate nos. 1116/1117 and arrow block of ten, deep rich colors, attractive centering and margins, fresh and Very Fine
1c-2c Pan-American, Vignette Shifts (294-295 var). Mint N.H. imprint and plate no. blocks, 1c bottom left corner block of 12 with plate nos. 1136/1139 and arrow and "Floating Boat" or "Rising Boat" vignette shift, smokestacks on some touch the frame at top, particularly on the left stamps, 2c bottom left corner plate no. 1078 block of eight with "Flying Train" vignette shift, the smoke touching the frame at top, Very Fine pair of significant upward vignette shifts, Scott value as normal
2c Carmine & Black, Pan-American (295). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 1078 and half arrow block of eight, natural slightly short gum bottom row, fresh and Very Fine
2c Carmine & Black, Pan-American (295). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 1092 block of six, brilliant color, fresh and Very Fine
4c Deep Red Brown & Black, Pan-American (296). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 1145 block of six with plate printers' initials in selvage, deep rich color, attractive centering and marginsVERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 4-CENT PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
With 2018 P.F. certificate.
5c Ultramarine & Black, Pan-American (297). Bottom imprint, double plate nos. 1140/1141 and arrow block of ten, original gum, left pair and and top right stamps lightly hinged, otherwise Mint N.H., rich colors and proof-like impressions, choice margins and centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE BOTTOM DOUBLE PLATE NO. BLOCK OF 10 OF THE 5-CENT PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
Bottom plate blocks of ten are more desirable, because they show plate numbers from both the vignette and frame plates. A Power Search review found only a few other examples offered in our sales in the last 25 years.
5c Ultramarine & Black, Pan-American (297). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 1140 block of six, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, beautiful centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A GORGEOUS MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 5-CENT PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
Ex Nicholas Weil and Dobkin. With 2006 P.S.E. certificate
8c Brown Violet & Black, Pan-American (298). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, double plate nos. 1150/1143 and arrow block of ten, intense colors, post-office fresh and intactEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED BOTTOM DOUBLE PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF TEN OF THE 8-CENT PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
Bottom plate blocks of ten are more desirable, because they show plate numbers from both the vignette and frame plates. A Power Search review of our sales in the last 30 years found only two other Mint N.H. examples of the 8c offered in this format (one in a full pane), plus one other hinged
10c Yellow Brown & Black, Pan-American (299). Mint N.H. top left corner imprint, plate no. 1151 and half arrow block of ten, long string of Bureau plate printers' initials, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, choice centering throughout, pos. 7 with light gum creasesVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE BLOCK OF TEN OF THE 10-CENT PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE.
A Power Search review of our sales over the past 25+ years found only this single example of a Mint N.H. 10c Pan-American top plate block of ten, encompassing the corner selvage and the half arrow.
Ex Curtis and from our 2002 Rarities sale. With 2002 P.F. certificate
1c-10c Pan-American (294-299). Complete set, tied by cork cancels, purple "Albany N.Y. Dec. 6, 1901 Registry Div." three-line datestamp on cover to Guam, printed return address from Secretary of State in Albany with manuscript notation of sender's name, San Francisco registry label and transit backstamp (Dec. 12), small cover tear at top from opening just barely affects 1c stampVERY FINE. A RARE SET OF THE PAN-AMERICAN ISSUE ON A REGISTERED COVER SENT TO GUAM.
Under the Treaty of Paris, signed December 10, 1898, Spain ceded Guam to the U.S. effective April 11, 1899. Mail during the first few years is scarce, and this full set of the Pan-Americans on a registered cover is exceedingly rare.