Sale 1116 — United States Stamps and Possessions
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 16-17 December, 2015
Category — Air Post incl. Specialized Air Post Special Delivery
6c Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1). Mint N.H., gorgeous centering and color with unusually wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a phenomenal stamp, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $1,700.00), only two have graded higher
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Mint N.H. centerline block of four, outstanding centering, deep rich color, Extremely Fine Gem with 1984 and 2009 P.F. certificates, Scott Retail as singles without regard to the position
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Top arrow, double plate no. and double "TOP" block of 12, faintly hinged (if at all), bright colors, position 11 a particularly Jumbo example, Fine-Very Fine
10c Lindbergh, Booklet Pane, Tab at Bottom (C10a var). Complete unexploded booklet of two Mint N.H. panes (BKC1 var), bottom pane with tab at bottom (Position H) and top pane with normal tab at top (Position J), bright colors, fresh and intactVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT LINDBERGH AIR POST ISSUE WITH THE TAB AT BOTTOM. VERY FEW ARE KNOWN.
There was strong public demand for the Lindbergh issue in booklet form, so the Post Office decided to issue this with six stamps per booklet. They were first placed on sale on May 26, 1928. The discovery of the inverted pane was first made in 1938, and fewer than a half-dozen others have since been discovered. According to a letter from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (reproduced in the Bureau Specialist), they state that it is possible that the pane of inverted stamps may have originated from a sheet that became reversed during processing (cutting apart into the individual panes), and would have been assembled with the panes in reverse unless discovered before final assembly.
With 2001 P.S.E. certificate. We have offered only one other since keeping computerized records, from our 2010 sale of the Beutel collection. It was an exploded booklet
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., 65c with minor gum skips and bends, $1.30 with small natural paper inclusion, $2.60 with small gum skip and light fingerprint on gum, Fine-Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Rich colors, 65c natural gum wrinkle at right, Fine-Very Fine set
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Small accumulation, unused incl. 65c (four, two with thins), $1.30 (four, one with corner sheet margins, $2.60 (four, two Mint N.H. with gum skips), also used set of all three, most of the unused with h.r., generally Fine centering with a few Very Fine
65c Graf Zeppelin (C13). Extra wide margins and choice centering, "Lakehurst, N.J." straightline cancel, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp with a scarce cancel, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $300.00)
$1.30 Graf Zeppelin (C14). Extra wide margins and precise centering, neat machine slogan cancel, rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $900.00)
$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C15). Outstanding centering with wide margins, neat machine slogan cancel, deep rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,300.00)
5c Winged Globe, Air Post (C16). Mint N.H., excellent centering, rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $600.00)
25c Trans-Pacific (C20). Mint N.H., flawless centering, brilliantly fresh, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $450.00), this is the highest grade awarded
Great Seal Experimental Die Proof, Vignette of the Air Post Special Delivery Issue. Die proof on India mounted on 150 x 202mm card, signed by Letter Engraver George A. Payne, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing "in-house" vignette die 6472, with "Engraver's Stock Proof, Authorized by RKP" violet handstamp on reverse, the initials are manuscript which stand for Robert Ponickau who engraved the vignette, also with "63305B" control marking in blue, the central vignette eventually being used for the creation of Nos. CE1-CE2, couple trivial corner creases at bottom of little significanceVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE GREAT SEAL EXPERIMENTAL DIE PROOF MOUNTED ON CARD. A UNIQUE ITEM AND AN ESSENTIAL PIECE FOR ANY AIR POST SPECIAL DELIVERY COLLECTOR.
Page 15 of The Airmail Special Delivery Stamps of the United States by Ralph L. Sloat states this die was originally meant for the U.S. Railroad Administration Pass Face 523. It was eventually used for the Air Post Special Delivery stamps. The Engraver Ponickau is also known for the 8c Trans-Mississippi and the frames of the Pan-American Issue among other designs.
With 2010 P.F. certificate
16c Black, Air Post Special Delivery, Large Die Trial Color Proof on India (CE1TC1e). On 203 x 152mm card with full die sinkage, trivial corner crease at bottom right of little significance (far away from die)VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE LARGE DIE TRIAL COLOR PROOF OF THE 16-CENT AIR POST SPECIAL DELIVERY STAMP. ONE OF ONLY TWO EXAMPLES BELIEVED TO EXIST.
Undercatalogued in Scott. With 2010 P.F. certificate
16c Dark Blue, Air Post Special Delivery, Small Die Proof on Wove (CE1P2). Measuring 45 x 27mm, large margins all around, bold colorVERY FINE. AN ENORMOUSLY RARE SMALL DIE PROOF OF THE 16-CENT AIR POST SPECIAL DELIVERY. ONE OF A FEW EXAMPLES BELIEVED TO EXIST.
With 1979 P.F. certificate
16c Dark Blue, 16c Red & Blue, Air Post Special Delivery, "Specimen" Overprint (CE1S-CE2S). Each with diagonal "Specimen" overprint in green, stamps affixed to small ledger piece as is the case with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) specimen reference sets from the Portuguese postal authority in Lisbon, each with trivial light toning and surface scrapes, No. CE1 with light gum staining at right edge, Fine, no more than nine examples were distributed, of which very few have survived, each with 2000 P.F. certificate
16c Dark Blue, Air Post Special Delivery (CE1). Lightly hinged, full top plate no. 21314 block of six, signed Franklin D. Roosevelt, intense color, fresh and Very Fine, illustrated on page 6 of The Airmail Special Delivery Stamps of the United States by Ralph L. Sloat who goes on to say that Roosevelt suggested the design of this stamp and eventually approved it
16c Dark Blue, Air Post Special Delivery (CE1 var). Wide top plate no. F21315 block of six, with gum applied to both sides, bottom row with about 50% gum applied, full on top row, well-centered, diagonal natural pre-printing paper crease, small adhesion on top right stamp and top row with gum skip, otherwise Very Fine, a scarce error in a choice format with gum applied to both sides of stamps, with 2009 P.F. certificate
16c Red & Blue, Air Post Special Delivery, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (CE2a). Mint N.H. with selvage at left, pencil positions of 16-17 noted on reverse, wonderful centering, brilliant colorVERY FINE. A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 16-CENT RED & BLUE AIR POST SPECIAL DELIVERY HORIZONTAL PAIR, IMPERFORATE VERTICALLY.
Datz states that only 10 pairs are recorded. With 1983 P.F. certificate
16c Red & Blue, Air Post Special Delivery, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (CE2a). Mint N.H. centerline block of four, each stamp with pencil position number on back (22-23/27-28), well-centered, fresh colors, bottom pair with light natural gum creaseVERY FINE. THE UNIQUE CENTERLINE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 16-CENT RED & BLUE AIR POST SPECIAL DELIVERY, HORIZONTAL PAIR, IMPERFORATE VERTICALLY.
A single sheet of this error was discovered at a Buffalo N.Y. post office. It was ultimately broken up by H. E. Harris & Co. after showing the complete sheet at the 1947 New York City CIPEX Show. Datz states that 10 pairs are recorded. Very few blocks are known to exist including the unique plate block of six.
With 2001 P.S.E. certificate. Scott Retail as two normal pairs
First American Rocket Airplane Flight, Feb. 23, 1936. Three items, two with No. CE1 used with special flight stamps in blocks of four, one in green on cover to Albion Penn. with green cachet and the other in red on card to Springfield Mass. with violet cachet, each tied by "Hewitt, N.J. Feb. 23, 1936" circular datestamp and signed Willey Ley, the last No. 771 with red special flight stamp in block of four on card to Albion Penn. with green cachet, only five covers with blocks of four are known and the Farley Issue is the unique usage
16c Red & Blue, Air Post Special Delivery (CE2). Tied by "Redding Calif., Aug. 24, 1943" machine cancel on "Postage Free" Prisoner of War cover to American solider held in Hoten Camp in Mukden, Manchuria, censor tape at left, Japanese censor chop, "553" in crayon which was the prisoner's identification indicating the cover was delivered to him, also includes original enclosure, stamp with natural pre-printing paper crease, cover slightly reduced at left, Very Fine, the is the only recorded Air Post Special Delivery stamp used on a POW cover, the cover traveled on the second voyage of the diplomatic exchange vessel M. V. Gripsholm from New York on Sept. 2 which made an exchange with the Teia Maru in Mormugao (Portuguese India)