Sale 983 — The Hampshire Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday, 23 February, 2010
Category — 1851-56 Issue
1c Blue, Ty. Ib (5A). Position 8R1E, huge margins to barely touched incl. sheet margin at top, beautiful warm shade, neat strike of circular datestamp leaves the design characteristics clearly visibleVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IB FROM PLATE ONE EARLY FROM ONE OF THE TWO POSITIONS THAT FURNISHED THE BEST TYPE IB EXAMPLES.
Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp from Plate 1 Early. Six positions on Plate 1E furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib -- Positions 3-6R and 8-9R -- distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms were burnished away. Positions 6R and 8R had less of the bottom erased than the other Type Ib positions, and for this reason they are more desirable examples of the type.
Ex Dauer. With 1994 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $13,800.00)
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Original gum, barest trace of hinging (almost appears Mint N.H.), large margins all around, deep rich color and choice proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. A GORGEOUS LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE II. SCARCE IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION.
With 2004 P.S.E. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Recut once at top and twice at bottom, original gum, large margins to just touched, fresh and Very Fine, with 2008 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II-IV (7-9). Positions 4-5R1L, Position 4R1L is the only one on Plate 1L which was not recut, thus this pair is a combination of Types II and IV, unused (no gum), margins mostly clear to ample with a large top sheet margin showing the characteristic burr above Position 4R, the Type IV is recut at bottom, negligible small thin spotsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE UNUSED MULTIPLE FROM THE TOP ROW OF PLATE 1 LATE, CONTAINING POSITION 4R1L, THE ONLY TYPE II ON THE REWORKED PLATE.
The two positions in this pair, 4R and 5R, were Type Ib positions on Plate 1 Early. When Plate 1 was reworked by re-entering subjects from the transfer roll and strengthening the tops and bottoms of 199 of the 200 positions, only 4R1L was left without any form of recut. 5R was recut, and impressions are classified as Type IV. 4R became Type II because some of the design at the bottom was burnished away. However, both 4R and 5R on Plate 1 Late still show the complete design at top, and both have strong double transfers from re-entries made when the plate was reworked.
Examples of 4R1L are very scarce, and unused copies are rare. This unused multiple containing 4R1L is an important rarity for the 1851 Issue specialist. A review of our auction records with Power Search produced a small number of used examples, but not one other unused 4R1L turned up. There must be others outside the present scope of our database, but clearly this is an extremely rare item.
Ex Hansen. With 1985 and 1999 P.F. certificates
5c Red Brown (12). Large margins to clear of projection at right, original gum, lightly hinged, bright color and detailed impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM AND FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE.
Sound, original-gum examples of the 5c 1856 Issue are extremely rare, and probably fewer than six exist with margins around the entire design.
Ex Caspary and Hoffman. With 1976 and 1998 P.F. certificates.
10c Green, Ty. II (14). Original gum, lightly hinged, three large to huge margins incl. part of adjoining stamp at top, ample at left, deep rich colorVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1855 10-CENT TYPE II.
Ex Argentum. With 1982, 1999 and 2008 P.F. certificates
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Original gum, large even margins, rich color on bright paperEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1855 10-CENT TYPE III.
Ex Hoffman. With 2006 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
12c Black (17). Disturbed original gum, large margins to clear, pretty shade, Very Fine, an attractive original-gum example, with 2000 P.F. certificate