Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue (Scott 285-293)
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Small Die Proofs on Wove (285P2-293P2). Complete set, removed from gray card backing, bright colors, a few minor thins from card removal, Very Fine appearance, only 85 Roosevelt presentation album sets were produced
1c-10c Trans-Mississippi (285-290). Mint N.H. except 8c lightly hinged, bright colors, attractive margins and centering, Fine-Very Fine short set, 5c with 1995 P.F. certificate
1c-10c Trans-Mississippi (285-290). Blocks of four, original gum, several h.r., few with faults incl. thin spots, overall Fine-Very Fine
1c-4c Trans-Mississippi (285-287). Top imprint and plate no. blocks of four, original gum, bottom 2c h.r., 4c narrow selvage, Fine-Very Fine
2c Trans-Mississippi (286). Mint N.H. top left corner selvage imprint and plate no. 701 block of ten, natural s.e. with part arrow at right, rich color, fresh and Very Fine, an attractive large multiple
5c Trans-Mississippi (288). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 602 block of four, rich color, fresh and Fine
8c Trans-Mississippi (289). Bottom imprint and plate no. 643 block of four, original gum, few small h.r. where minor perf separations sensibly reinforced, deep rich color and detailed impression, Fine and attractive
8c Trans-Mississippi, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (289a). With right selvage, original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, wide margins, few natural gum creases as almost always, pencil notation in selvage has been erased but leaves minor indentationEXTREMELY FINE. A DESIRABLE PAIR OF THE 8-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IMPERFORATE HORIZONTALLY, WITH WIDE SHEET SELVAGE AT RIGHT, FROM THE McCOY STRIP.
According to the Neil-Rosenthal book (pp. 115-118), one pane of 50 was discovered by Robert Watts, a stamp clerk at one of the sales windows at the Philadelphia General Post Office, who found it between the wrapping paper of a bundle of stamps. He sold it for double face value ($8.00) to Herman Lewis, a locksmith in Philadelphia. Lewis soon sold it to William S. F. Pierce, who broke it into three pieces: a vertical strip of ten with sheet margin and full arrow at right, a vertical block of 20 containing both plate blocks, and a vertical block of 20 with natural straight edge at left.
The strip of ten was reportedly sold for $15.00 and was taken to Europe when the owner moved there. It returned to the U.S. in the 1930's, when it was broken. Ethel McCoy owned the vertical strip of four with arrow, and the pair offered here was part of that strip. The vertical block of 20 with straight edge at left was sold to Arthur E. Tuttle, a Philadelphia stamp dealer, who retailed them for $10.00 per pair. The block of 20 with both plate numbers was retained by Pierce, who later sold the top and bottom plate blocks to Albert Batchelder of the New England Stamp Co. for $175.00.
With 1992 P.F. certificate. Illustrated as part of the McCoy strip in the Brookman book on page 181.
10c Trans-Mississippi (290). Bottom imprint and plate no. 620 block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, bright shade, fresh and Fine
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Original gum, lightly hinged, wide margins and well-centered, rich color, Extremely Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Block of four with bottom imprint selvage at right, three stamps Mint N.H., top left stamp lightly hinged, rich color and detailed impression, Fine, an attractive block of the 50c Trans-Mississippi Issue, Scott Retail as singles
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Bottom imprint and plate no. 603 block of four with reduced selvage, original gum, top stamps small h.r., bottom stamps lightly hinged, rich color, small piece of selvage used to rejoin perf separations in selvageFINE-VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM PLATE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 50-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
Plate number 603 is the only plate number recorded for this issue
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Mint N.H., intense shade, detailed impression, wide and well-proportioned marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With 2003 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Block of four, original gum, top stamps h.r., bottom stamps lightly hinged, intense shade and detailed impression, reperfed at rightFINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
This is widely regarded as the most beautiful design in U.S. philately.
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Bottom imprint and plate no. 606 block of four, original gum, the gum is pristine except for tiny traces of hinge-sliver removal at points where perfs were reinforced and a small faint hinge mark in selvage, appears never-hinged at first glanceFINE-VERY FINE. A REMARKABLY FRESH AND LIGHTLY-HINGED IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STAMP IN U.S. PHILATELY.
The $1.00 stamp issued for the Trans-Mississippi Exposition was based on an image of cattle in a storm in an engraving by C. O. Murray, a copy of which was loaned to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing by Mrs. C. B. Johnson. The engraving was used as a trademark by an American cattle company, but the image originated in an oil painting by J. A. MacWhirter entitled "The Vanguard", which depicts cattle in the West Highlands of Scotland. The Post Office Department was embarrassed when the painting was identified as the property of the Lord Blysworth, who was sent a formal apology and philatelic memento through the British Ambassador. The memento, a proof item, was donated to the Royal Philatelic Society by Lord Blysworth and hangs today on the walls of the Royal.
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Detailed impression, wide margins, unobtrusive strikes of double oval cancels, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, with 1994 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Slightly disturbed original gum, attractive margins and centering, two corner creases at top left, Extremely Fine appearance
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Bright shade, neat "King's Point Station N.Y." double oval cancel, fresh and Fine, with 1981 A.P.S. and 1992 P.F. certificates
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and proof-like impression, choice centeringVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With 2004 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Bottom imprint and plate no. 613 block of four, original gum, very lightly hinged, rich color and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE FINEST IN TERMS OF CENTERING, FRESHNESS AND GUM.
The design of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi depicts the Eads bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The original engraving was used on the admission ticket to the Republican Convention of 1896, which nominated McKinley as candidate for president. The stamp, issued during the McKinley Administration, illustrates the natural boundary between East and West and so was appropriate for the Trans-Mississippi Issue. All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day's run on June 3, 1898.
There are perhaps three imprint and plate number blocks of six in existence. The imprint and plate number block of four format is also extremely rare.