Sale 989 — 2010 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 19 June, 2010
Category — France
FRANCE, 1852, 10c Pale Bister on Yellowish (10; Yvert 9). Horizontal pair, large and even margins all around, tied by large "499" in diamond of dots, "Bracieux 26 Juin 53" double-circle datestamp on folded printed marriage notice to Onzam, transit and receiving backstamps, Extremely Fine, a beautiful cover, small handstamps at lower right (incl. Calves)
FRANCE, 1852, 25c Blue on Bluish (11; Yvert 10). Original gum, lightly hinged, large and even margins, beautiful colorFRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1852 25-CENTIMES LOUIS NAPOLEON ISSUE.
Yvert e3,650
FRANCE, 1854, 5c Green on Greenish (13; Yvert 12). Horizontal strip of ten from the top row of the sheet and with sheet margin on three sides, large margin to clear at bottom right, original gum, h.r. in sheet margin at top only, a few are possibly Mint N.H., few creases, left and right stamps each with small thin spotVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE AND DESIRABLE ORIGINAL-GUM STRIP OF TEN OF THE 1854 5-CENTIMES NAPOLEON III ISSUE, WITH WIDE SHEET MARGIN AT TOP AND WITH SHEET MARGINS AT SIDES
Signed in pencil in sheet margin. Yvert e10,000 as singles. Scott Retail as singles
FRANCE, 1860, 10c Bister on Yellowish, Ty. II (14c; Yvert 13Ba). Block of four, original gum, top stamps h.r., large to huge margins incl. sheet margin at right, vibrant color, few trivial natural gum wrinklesEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1860 10-CENTIMES TYPE II. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE SHEET MARGIN.
Yvert e3,600 as block of four. Scott Retail as singles
FRANCE, 1853-54, 20c Blue on Bluish, 40c Orange on Yellowish (15, 18; Yvert 14A, 16). Two singles of each, large margins to clear, cancelled by "ESTRANGERO/BARCELONA" two-line handstamps on blue 1862 folded letter to Barcelona, blue Marseilles company handstamp indicates origin, neat "Barcelona 15 SET 62" backstamp, neat "3" handstamp, light vertical file fold well away from stamps, Very Fine, a scarce and desirable usage
FRANCE, 1853, 20c Milky Blue, Ty. I (15b; Yvert 14Af). Block of eight with vertical gutter with guideline and also sheet margin at top with guideline, original gum, h.r., top left stamp small thin speck, few flaws in gutter and sheet marginVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL BLOCK OF THE 1853 20-CENTIME ISSUE, WITH THE PRINTER'S LAYOUT LINES.
Yvert e2,800 as singles with no premium for the layout lines (which are typically priced at more than double the normal price). Scott Retail as singles
FRANCE, 1853, 15c Dark Blue, Ty. I (15 var; Yvert 14Ab). Block of four, horizontal strip of five and six singles, generally large margins to few just in, tied by diamond of dots cancels, "Valreas 10 Mai 56" double-circle datestamps on blue folded letter to China, Marseilles and Hong Kong backstamps, manuscript rates, most stamps affected by light file folds, part of one double-circle datestamp enhanced, still Very Fine appearance and an unusual franking to a rare destination
FRANCE, 1853, 25c Blue on Bluish (17; Yvert 15b). Original gum, single hinge mark, huge margins all around incl. sheet margin with printer's guide at bottom, bright color, thin spot entirely in sheet margin at guidelineEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 25-CENTIMES NAPOLEON III ISSUE WITH PRINTER'S GUIDE AT BOTTOM.
Brun backstamp. Yvert e5,500. Scott Retail with no premium for the guide
FRANCE, 1854, 80c Dark Carmine (19 var; Yvert 17A). Original gum, large and even margins all around, tiny thin speckEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1854 80-CENTIMES NAPOLEON III ISSUE IN THE DISTINCTIVE DARK CARMINE SHADE.
Yvert e7,000. This shade is unlisted in Scott. Scott Retail as normal shade
FRANCE, 1854, 80c Carmine Rose (20 var; Yvert 17Ab). Block of four, original gum, h.r. at top, large and even margins all around, beautiful color, diagonal crease affects top left and bottom right stamps, few minor paper imperfectionsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE AND DESIRABLE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1854 80-CENTIME IN THE CARMINES ROSE SHADE.
Yvert e11,200 as singles. If one applies the same multiplier used for the basic shade then the block should catalogue e14,000. This shade is unlisted in Scott. Scott Retail as singles of the normal Rose shade
FRANCE, 1860, 80c Dull Carmine (20 var; Yvert 17Ae). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, large margins all around, distinctive color which is remarkably freshEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1860 80-CENTIMES NAPOLEON III IN THE DULL CARMINE SHADE.
Purple Gilbret & Koehler dealer's backstamp at bottom right, Yvert e8,000 as singles. This shade unlisted in Scott. Scott Retail as singles of normal shade
FRANCE, 1860, 80c Rose on Pinkish, Tete-Beche Pair (20a). Back-to-back arrangement, huge margins to clear, cancelled by neat strikes of "1896" in diamond of dots cancelsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND USED TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE 1860 80-CENTIMES NAPOLEON III ISSUE. A BEAUTIFUL TETE-BECHE PAIR.
The only recorded tete-beche position on this sheet is from Position 150 from the right pane. The example offered here shows part of the sheet margin at right and bottom. Only three unused are recorded.
Yvert e15,000.
FRANCE, 1860, 80c Rose (20). Horizontal pair, large margins except touched at top, scissors cut and crease, tied by Anchor in Diamond of Dots French Maritime cancel, used with Mexico, 1864, 4r Green, Eagle (24), "Veracruz 38. 1866" overprint, full to large margins, tied by "Franqueado Vera Cruz Abril 15" circular datestamp, partly readable "1 Mexique 1 15 Avril 66" octagonal datestamp and "P.P." framed handstamp on folded cover to the Vice Consul of Spain at Matamoros, slight wear and faint toning around edgesVERY FINE. A FABULOUSLY RARE MIXED-FRANKING COVER AND POSSIBLY THE ONLY COMBINATION OF THE MEXICAN 4-REALES EAGLE AND FRENCH IMPERFORATE NAPOLEON ISSUES EXTANT.
The few known covers bearing Mexican and French stamps during this period typically have a Mexico 2-reales stamp. This 4-reales double-rate usage is exceedingly rare (see Mexican Maritime Mail, Schimmer and Heath, p. 122-129).
With 2005 MEPSI certificate
FRANCE, 1853, 1fr Lake (21; Yvert 18). Original gum, h.r., deep rich color (almost a Dark Carmine), huge margins all around, tiny thin spot at top in margin onlyEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1853 ONE-FRANC IN A DARK SHADE.
Yvert e8,000
FRANCE, 1853, 1fr Lake (21; Yvert 18). Block of four with large top sheet margin and "C.F." initials, original gum, small h.r., large margins all around, beautiful rich color in the Yvert-listed Carmine shade, minute natural pinhole in lower left stampEXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1853 ONE-FRANC NAPOLEON.
Ex Gill-Burrus. Miro backstamp. With 1967 Robineau-Behr certificate. Yvert e40,000. Scott Retail as singles
FRANCE, 1862, 1fr Lake, Re-Issue, Tete-Beche (21d; Yvert 18e). Horizontal tete-beche pair with face-to-face orientation, original gum (brownish in places), large margins, rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB TETE-BECHE PAIR OF THE 1862 ONE-FRANC NAPOLEON RE-ISSUE.
With Brun photo certificate. Yvert e30,000
FRANCE, 1853, 1fr Lake (21; Yvert 18). Huge margins to clear, tied by perfect strike of etoile cancel, "Paris 17 Mars. 54" double-circle datestamp on cover to St. Gervais, neat strike of "Via De Pt. Readvoise" two-line handstamp, also small red boxed "PD" handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, light file folds well away from stampVERY FINE. A RARE FRANKING OF THE 1853 ONE-FRANC NAPOLEON III ISSUE ON A DOMESTIC COVER.
Signed in pencil. Yvert e7,500 as on cover