Sale 993 — The Wagshal Collection, Part 1: 1845-69 Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 29 September, 2010
Category — 1851-56 Issue Off Cover (12c)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
261
12c Black (17). Position 51L1, huge margins including "ENGRAVERS Phila. New York, Bos" portion of imprint, just in at upper right and touched at bottom, intense shade and impression, neat strike of circular datestamp, faint vertical printed line in sheet margin where plate number was usually engravedFINE-VERY FINE. THIS IMPRINT COPY PROVES THAT PLATE ONE, WHICH PRODUCED ALL IMPERFORATE 12-CENT STAMPS, DID NOT HAVE A PRINTED PLATE NUMBER. A PHENOMENAL EXHIBITION ITEM.
Until the discovery of this item by Earl Oakley, it was not known whether the plate used to print the imperforate 12c stamp had a plate number. According to a summary of previous knowledge in article by James A. Allen in the 1851 Sesquicentennial book, three plates were made. Plate 3, which was used to print Scott 36B, has a plate number printed in the selvage. The stamp offered here proves that Plate One did not. No stamps have been definitively recorded from Plate 2, and it may never have been used.
As far as early classic U.S. plates are concerned, several did not have the plate numbers indicated, but this appears to have changed quickly. For example, on the 1c stamps, Plate 1 did not have the plate number, but it was added when the plate was reworked in 1852 (Plate 2 was numbered from the start). For the 3c 1851, Plates 1E, 2E, 5E and 0 all have imprints but no plate numbers, and these were among the first plates used.
Ex Oakley and Ishikawa. First described in Chronicle (No. 40, October 1961). Illustrated in Neinken's 12c plating book which was published in 1964. Illustrated in Jon Rose's Classic United States Imperforate Stamps.
E. 3,000-4,000
3,500
262
12c Black (17). Vertical pair, Positions 70R/80R1, huge margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at top and "Toppan, Carpen" portion of imprint at right, intense shade and proof-like impression, three strikes of "Philadelphia Pa. ? 31" circular datestamp, tiny scissors-cut at bottom rightVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A PHENOMENAL VERTICAL PAIR OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE, WITH PART OF THE IMPRINT AT RIGHT.
Ex Emerson. Last offered in our 1968 Rarities sale.
E. 3,000-4,000
1,900
Back to Top263
12c Black (17). Large to huge margins all around including part of adjoining stamp at top, bright shade, neat strike of circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp
300
275
Back to Top264
12c Black (17). Huge margins to full including part of adjoining stamp at top, unusually deep shade, light strike of large Boston "Paid" grid cancel, tiny thin speck, Extremely Fine appearance
300
180
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12c Black (17). Large to huge margins including significant part of adjoining stamp at bottom, bright shade, bold strike of grid cancel and also with clear red London transit circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice, with 1986 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail with no premium for the cancel
300
250
Back to Top266
12c Black (17). Huge margins to full including part of adjoining stamps at top and right, bright shade and crisp impression, unobtrusive strike of grid cancel, Very Fine and choice
300
425
Back to Top267
12c Black (17). Huge margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at bottom, detailed impression, stitch watermark, unobtrusive cancel, Very Fine and choice
300
160
Back to Top268
12c Black (17). Ample to full margins, intense shade and proof-like impression, face-free strike of red circular datestamp, few trivial nicks at top, otherwise Very Fine
330
275
Back to Top269
12c Black (17). Large margins all around, detailed impression, neat strike of circular datestamp, Very Fine
300
170
Back to Top270
12c Black (17). Position 43L1, recut at bottom left, huge margins to full including part of adjoining stamps and bottom and right, bright shade, neat strike of circular datestamp and also part of magenta manuscript at right, Very Fine, with 1998 P.F. certificate
375
200
Back to Top271
12c Black (17). Horizontal pair, huge margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at left, bright shade, light strike of blue circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice, a pretty pair
680
400
Back to Top272
12c Black (17). Horizontal pair, huge margins to in at lower right including sheet margin at right, neat strikes of magenta grid cancels, light corner crease at top right, Fine appearance
800
325
Back to Top273
12c Black (17). Positions 6-9/16-19R1, block of eight, large margins to in, deep shade, neat strikes of blue circular datestamps, left stamps small flawsFINE. A RARE LARGE USED BLOCK OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
Scott Retail as two blocks of four
11,000
1,800
Back to Top274
12c Black, Thin Paper (17 var). Horizontal pair, huge margins all around including part of four adjoining stamps, bright shade, crisp impression, neat strikes of red grid cancels and also part of matching circular datestamp, fresh and Extremely Fine pair of this interesting variety, the thin papers are often associated with Part India, ex Klein, light purple backstamps, with 1989 P.F. certificate, the thin paper variety is unlisted in Scott
E. 1,000-1,500
5,000
Back to Top275
12c Black, Thin Paper (17 var). Huge margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at right, detailed impression, light strikes of blue and red cancels, tiny corner crease at top right, Very Fine appearance, with 1987 note from Dr. Amonette stating that the paper is .0021mm thick, Scott Retail as normal
330
450
Back to Top276
12c Black, Part India (17 var). Large margins to just in, Gray Black shade, bold strike of grid cancel, stamp defective but Fine appearing, a scarce variety which we believe is undercatalogued in Scott, the eminent student and plater of this issue, Mortimer Neinken, stated that only fifteen copies had been either seen by him or reported to him, with 1979 and 1986 P.F. certificates
1,100
0
Back to Top277
12c Black, Double Transfer (17 var). Position 27R1, showing clear double transfer in letters at both top and bottom and also along framelines at bottom right and lower left, huge margins to full, light strike of cancel leaves entire design clearly visible, some slight toning on back, Very Fine appearance, ex Card
325
425
Back to Top278
12c Black, Double Transfer (17 var). Position 27R1, showing signs of the double transfer in lettering and in some framelines at bottom and left, full margins to clear, remarkably detailed impression on bright paper, neat strike of red credit circular datestamp, light diagonal crease at top, Fine appearance
355
180
Back to Top279
12c Black, Triple Transfer (17 var). Position 17R1, huge margins including part of adjoining stamp at bottom, intense shade, the various transfers can be seen throughout the design including top left corner and letters at top and bottom, deep shade, unobtrusive strike of circular datestamp, fresh and Extremely Fine, a great rarity of the issue, Scott Catalogue lists two different positions as triple transfers (Positions 5R1 and 49R1) but does not list this position, the Neinken plating study published by The Collector's Club does not show this as a triple transfer but does show what must be part of three different framelines at top right, Scott Retail as one of the listed positions
450
600
Back to Top280
12c Black, Triple Transfer (17 var). Position 5R1, huge margins to clear, showing several additional guide dots in top margin as well as other plating marks, bright shade, neat strike of circular datestamp as well as some manuscript, light diagonal crease at top left and thin spot at top center, still Very Fine appearing example of this desirable position
450
400
Back to Top281
12c Black (17). Positions 31-32R1, horizontal pair, right stamp with prominent plate crack in bottom right rosette, huge margins to full including part of four adjoining stamps, light strike of blue circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice example of this rare position, with 1993 note from Dr. Amonette
E. 750-1,000
450
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