Sale 993 — The Wagshal Collection, Part 1: 1845-69 Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 29 September, 2010
Category — 1861-66 Issue Off Cover
5c Brown, First Design (57). Cancelled by neat strike of "Providence R.I. Jun. 22 ?? PM" circular datestamp, rich color, choice centering, faint horizontal crease, small margin thin at upper rightVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY POSTALLY-USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1861 FIRST DESIGN. ONLY 34 IN TOTAL ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.
In 1861 the contract for printing postage stamps was awarded to The National Bank Note Company after Toppan Carpenter's contract expired on June 10, 1861. The designs were changed and the earlier stamps were demonetized, primarily as a means of depriving the seceding states of a form of currency.
National Bank Note Company apparently submitted gummed and perforated samples of their designs. Of the original submitted designs, the 24c and 30c were not altered in any way before approval and use. The original samples for these two denominations were printed in a different shade, and are currently listed in the Trial Color Proof section of Scott Catalogue. A quantity of the 10c First Design was printed and issued from this original plate, although they were likely printed after the normal stamp (Scott 68) was issued. The likely reason is that the original plate was brought into use to keep up with demand for the 10c stamps. Therefore, only the 10c, 24c and 30c plates as originally made were used to print issued stamps. The other denominations -- 1c, 3c, 5c, 12c and 90c -- Scott Nos. 55, 56, 57, 59 and 62 -- were never issued in their original designs. These are called "Premiere Gravures" by students of the issue.
It is likely that a small supply of the original designs and colors reached philatelic hands at an early stage, which accounts for their existence in the hands of collectors. Several other denominations are known cancelled -- a 12c is known with manuscript "New" written across the design -- but the placement and style of cancel means that they cannot conclusively be shown to have gone through the mails, and may be experimental or control cancels. The exception is the stamp offered here, which has an identifiable town circular datestamp cancel, and was probably mailed by a philatelist or stamp dealer.
Our census of Scott No. 57 is available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/57/57.pdf . Census No. 57-CAN-09. With 1951 and 2010 P.F. certificates
10c Green, First Design, Plate Proofs on India (62BP3). Two, in distinctly different shades with one Yellow Green and one Dark Green, large margins, fresh and Very Fine
10c Dark Green, First Design (62B). Rich color well-struck red New York Foreign Mail cancel, reperfed at right (not mentioned on accompanying certificate), Extremely Fine appearance, with 1980 P.F. certificate
10c Dark Green, First Design (62B). Deep rich color nicely complemented by red circular datestamp, tiny corner crease at top left, Extremely Fine appearance
1c Blue, Double Transfer (63 var). Unused (no gum), bright color, clearly showing the double transfer in lettering at bottom and left, centered to right, Fine, a rare variety, accompanied by enlargement showing areas of doubling, listed but unpriced in Scott
1c Blue (63). Rich color, clear patent punch cancel, small tear at bottom, single short perf at left, otherwise Very Fine, scarce as the cancel was designed to destroy the stamp
3c Pink (64). Vertical pair, bright color, clear strikes of green square grid and "Columbus O. Feb. 22, 1862" double-circle datestamp, most recent certificate notes tiny thin spot in top margin which we fail to detectVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE PAIR OF THE 1861 3-CENT PINK WITH BRIGHT GREEN CANCELLATIONS.
With 1967 and 1987 P.F. certificates
3c Rose (65). Thirteen stamps each with double row of perforations, including horizontal strip of three, horizontal and vertical pairs and six singles, three singles with double horizontal perfs, others with double vertical, few small flaws to be expected, a Fine-Very Fine and unusual group of freaks
3c Rose (65). 33 used stamps, mostly with fancy cancels with some elaborate, including four skulls or faces, Eagle, negative lettering, three 3-leaf clovers, large "W", heart, three different "U.S.", Masonic, turtle back, few other better, stamps in mixed condition but cancels generally Very Fine and well-struck, a fascinating group
5c Buff (67). Bright color, cancelled by neat strike of green boxed grid cancel of Columbus O., tiny repaired tear at top, few small perf imperfections, otherwise Fine, a difficult issue to find with a green cancel, this is the only example with a green cancel we have offered since keeping computerized records, with 1987 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow Green (68). Unused (regummed), deep rich color and proof-like impression, Extremely Fine
10c Yellow Green (68). Unusual kiss print at top causing significant doubling especially at top right, neat strike of New York circular datestamp, light diagonal crease at top left, Very Fine appearance, an unusual variety
12c Black (69). Unused (regummed), choice centering with wide and balanced margins, detailed impression, Extremely Fine
24c Steel Blue (70b). Gorgeous color in the true Steel Blue shade, well-proportioned margins, unobtrusive cancel, reperfed, Extremely Fine appearance
30c Orange (71). Block of ten, used with 15c Black (77) and tied by crossroads cancels on piece, also with part of red Honolulu circular datestamp at top right, 1869 company datestamp at top left, few tiny flaws, Fine appearance, a scarce large multiple on piece from Hawaii, this must have been a large package wrapper
90c Dark Blue (72b). Unused (no gum), intense shade and impression, fresh and Very Fine, with 1984 P.F. certificate
2c Black, Triple Transfer (73 var). Part original gum, h.r., showing the triple transfer at top in lettering, detailed impression, toned perf at top left, otherwise Fine, this variety is listed in Scott -- it has a dash for used
3c Scarlet (74). Bold strike of "D" duplex cancel, brilliant color, reperfed at left, short perf at topFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT SCARLET CANCELLED BY A BARRED OVAL DUPLEX CANCELLATION.
As has been documented by Jerome S. Wagshal in a series of Chronicle articles (Nos. 56, 60, 61 and 62), Carl F. Rothfuchs, a Washington D.C. stamp dealer, obtained a supply of the 3c Scarlet in 1893 -- probably from the Post Office Department in exchange for his assistance with the Columbian Exposition -- and sold them with pen marks and original gum. A small number were also used by J. W. Scott, who posted letters with some of his supply to validate his claim that these stamps were legitimate postage. Today, there are perhaps five copies cancelled in this manner. The last we offered with this cancel was in 2001.
Accompanied by 2c Bank Note (210) with same cancel for reference. With 1968 P.F. certificate. Unpriced with this handstamped cancel (Scott Retail $5,500.00 with pen lines)
5c Red Brown (75). Unused (regummed) over thin spot and light horizontal crease, warm shade, Fine appearance, with 1986 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (75). Unusually intense shade, bold strike of "Paid" in oval handstamp, reperfed at left, Very Fine appearance
5c Brown (76). Unusually deep shade approaching Black Brown sub-shade, neat strike of quartered cork cancel and also part of red transit, Very Fine, a stamp of tremendous visual appeal
5c Brown (76). Bright shade, neatly cancelled by part of blue "Registered" straightline handstamp, faint corner perf crease at bottom left, Very Fine appearance
5c Brown (76). Horizontal pair, rich color on bright paper, grid cancels, Very Fine and choice
15c Black, Cracked Plate (77 var). The crack at lower left mostly outside of design, bold cork cancel, Very Fine, an unusual variety, listed but unpriced in Scott
24c Grayish Lilac (78a). Rich color, canceled by well-struck blue "Dietz & Nelson's Express, B.C. & V." handstamp, Extremely Fine strike and stamp, with 1985 P.F. certificate
24c Lilac (78). Cancelled by clear strike of bottom two-thirds of Union Soldier's Head fancy cancel of New York, Very Fine strike of this scarce cancel