Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — Columbian Color Error Strip, Trans-Mississiippi Issue Rarities
The finest of the 4¢ Columbian Blue color error plate number multiples--one of the greatest United States commemorative rarities extantDESCRIPTION
4¢ Columbian, Blue Error of Color (233a), strip of four from the lower right of the plate of 200 with “AMERICAN BANKNOTE COMPANY.” imprint, plate “No. 17” and plate letter “D”, original gum, very deep shade of the Blue color, which resulted from an ink mixture error and exists in lighter and darker shades
PROVENANCE
* Benjamin D. Phillips (bought in H. R. Harmer sale, 10/4/1966; collection sold privately to Weills, 1968)
* Bought by William H. Gross privately from Hagendorf/Columbian
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* David Lidman, Treasury of Stamps: 1,200 Rare and Beautiful Stamps in Color, fig. 137, p. 79
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1998)
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine; right stamp has negligible small thin spot at center
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/94.pdf
One of two extant plate number blocks of the 8¢ Trans-Mississippi error from the only pane ever discovered without horizontal perforationsDESCRIPTION
8¢ Trans-Mississippi, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (289a), bottom margin block of four with “BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING” imprint and plate number 609, block containing two error pairs, original gum, deep rich color, detailed impression, choice centering
PROVENANCE
Pane of 50 (as discovered):
* Robert Watts (discoverer), sold privately to Herman Lewis for $8
* Sold privately to William S. F. Pierce (Pierce divided the pane into three units--he kept block of 20 with top and bottom plate blocks)
Block of 20 with plate blocks: Sold by Pierce to New England Stamp Co.
Bottom plate number block (offered in this sale):
* Col. Edward H. R. Green, Part 26, Harmer, Rooke sale, 3/25-29/1946, lot 236, to Eno
* Amos Eno, Harmer, Rooke sale, 5/18/1954, lot 125
* H. R. Harmer 1000th Sale, 4/11/1956, lot 589, to Cole
* Arthur Hetherington, “Quality” collection, H. R. Harmer sale, 10/27/1983, lot 22, to Weills for Kobacker
* Arthur J. Kobacker, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/25/1991, lot 531, to Hagendorf/Columbian (sold privately to William H. Gross)
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Donna O’Keefe, Linn’s Philatelic Gems 4, p. 144
* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1957 and 1983)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine; a few natural gum wrinkles as usual
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/95.pdf
Rare 50¢ Trans-Mississippi plate block of eightDESCRIPTION
50¢ Trans-Mississippi (291), block of eight from bottom of right pane with “BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING” imprint and plate number 603, half arrow and straight edge at left, original gum, hinge remnants and sliver reinforcements, remarkably fresh, exceptionally choice centering for this Bureau commemorative issue
CONDITION NOTES
* Fine-Very Fine; slight natural gum creases
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi plate block of fourDESCRIPTION
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292), block of four from bottom of left pane with “BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING” imprint and plate number 606, original gum, left pair Mint N.H., other two stamps previously hinged, deep shade, fresh paper
CERTIFICATION
* Professional Stamp Experts (2001)
CONDITION NOTES
* Fine-Very Fine
This is the only $2.00 Trans-Mississippi plate number block of six--one other plate block of 25 is known to survive--making it the rarest of all non-error United States commemorative plate blocksDESCRIPTION
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293), block of six from top of left pane with “BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING” imprint and plate number 613, original gum, previously hinged, astoundingly well-centered, deep rich color
PROVENANCE
* “Ambassador” collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 5/2/1966, Sale 300, lot 337
* Arthur J. Kobacker, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/25/1991, lot 536, to Weills for Dr. Test
* Dr. Charles E. Test, “Westport” collection, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 2/2/1994, lot 24, to William H. Gross
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1994)
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine; very slightly oxidized color at left and right
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/98.pdf
The unique 50¢ Trans-Mississippi cover postmarked on the First Day of Issue--one of the most outstanding of all United States First Day coversDESCRIPTION
50¢ Trans-Mississippi (291), left straight edge margin with centerline, rich color, tied by “collector friendly” lightly struck Washington, D.C. oval cancel, five-line purple “REGISTERED/JUN 17 1898/WASHINGTON, D.C./Sub-Station No. 29/No. 768” registry datestamp with manuscript number struck on June 17, 1898, First Day of Trans-Mississippi Issue cover, manuscript return address “J. M. Bartels, Washington”, typewriter address to “Herrn Hermann August Kah., Baden-Baden, Germany”, red “23679” handstamped registry number, New York “Exchange” registry label (number 59442), backstamped with “New York, N.Y., Regy. Div. 6-18 1898” double-oval datestamp and purple “6/18/98” in circle registry datestamp over flap, Baden-Baden receiving backstamp (Jun. 26, 1898), blue crayon “337” on flap
PROVENANCE
* Fred Langford, Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions, 1/24-27/2012, Sale 45, lot 1377, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Henry Scheuer, “The King of First Day Covers,” Virtual Stamp Club http://www.virtualstampclub.com/king_fdc.html
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (2011)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/99.pdf
The magnificent Trans-Mississippi Complete Set cover to England with all nine values, totaling $3.80 postage--a spectacular cover, which is one of three known with the entire setDESCRIPTION
1¢-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (285-293), the complete set of nine values, $1.00 well-centered, $2.00 centered to top, lightly cancelled and tied by New York Station P double-oval cancels, purple framed “REGISTERED/ OCT 7 1898/BRANCH P.O./STATION P/NEW YORK P.O.” registry datestamp on large blue cover with printed addess to The Bank of British North America, in London, England, the name “C. A. Hoare” is written above the bank name, sender’s ship directive “Per S.S. Etruria”, red and black London receiving datestamps (Oct. 15 and 17), transit and receiving backstamps, red wax seals
PROVENANCE
* Ethel B. McCoy (collection sold privately)
* Dr. Alfred S. Martin, Siegel Auction Galleries, 3/30/2005, Sale 893, lot 156, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* United States Specialist, October 1972
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1986)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine appearance; all stamps have slight creasing or small fault; left side of cover has been refolded underneath to reduce size for exhibit page, some mounting glue stains on back
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/100.pdf