Sale 1227 — Outstanding United States Stamps and Gold Coins
Sale Date — Monday-Friday, 19-23 October, 2020
Category — 1881-87 American Bank Note Co. Issues (Scott 205-218)
6c Rose (208). Block of four, original gum with some tiny blue adherences, rich color, top left stamp single gum soaked perf, appears Fine, a rare original-gum block, the sub-shade Brown Red (208a) is much more common in block form
10c Brown (209). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression, well-balanced margins, Very Fine, with 1992 and 2018 P.F. certificates
10c Brown (209). Top imprint and plate no. 550 strip of five, center stamp Mint N.H., others h.r., wide margins and beautiful centering, Extremely Fine
4c Blue Green (211). Original gum, lightly hinged, choice centering with wide margins at sides, strong color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $625.00)
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing (211B). Mint N.H., radiant color, fresh and Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing (211B). Mint N.H., pretty shade, Very Fine, pencil signature on gum
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (211Bc). Block of sixteen with complete "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint in top selvage and two imperforate-between pairs at center, original gum, the two imperforate-between pairs are lightly hinged, bottom error small hinge slivers sensibly reinforce a few perf separations, three other stamps with slightly disturbed gum, deep rich color, attractive centering, trivial internal perf separations, light creases including one very light that affects error pairs -- these imperfections are inconsequential given the unique nature of this blockVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURVIVING BLOCK OF THE 2-CENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH THE FULL "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." IMPRINT. AN EXCEPTIONAL RARITY OF THE BANK NOTE COMPANY PERIOD.
In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.
We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. This unique block of sixteen, which was in the Siegel 1974 Rarities sale (lot 113), probably comes from the sheet once owned by Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our 2009 sale of the Alan B. Whitman Collection is the second largest multiple. These two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are a block of four (offered in Siegel Sale 1224, lot 155) and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer."
Ex Ackerman and from our 1974 Rarities sale. Scott value for the ex-Whitman top margin horizontal strip of six is $35,000.00. This complete block of sixteen is unlisted in Scott.
1c Ultramarine (212). Beautiful centering with Jumbo margins all around, rich color, New York oval registry cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a phenomenal stamp of massive proportions, ex "Natalee Grace", with 1999 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $225.00), only one grades higher and two others share this grade
2c-4c 1887 Issue (213-215). Mint N.H. rich colors, fresh and Very Fine group, each with P.F. certificate from 1994-2000
2c Green (213). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 658 block of ten, bright color, remarkably intact, Fine, scarce in this post-office fresh condition, ex "Silver Lake", with 2004 P.F. certificate
5c Indigo (216). Original gum, lightly hinged, well-centered, strong color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $525.00)
30c Orange Brown (217). Block of four with bottom selvage and showing mostly complete double row of perfs, handsomely centered with rich color, New York duplex cancel with top pair essentially face-free, Extremely Fine, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate
30c Orange Brown (217). Block of four, well-centered -- particularly the right pair which has extra wide margins, vibrant color, double-struck New York oval cancel, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, despite its modest catalogue value used blocks of this issue are seldom encountered, with 2005 P.F. certificate
90c Purple (218). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, well-balanced margins, Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 1999 P.F. certificate
90c Purple (218). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade on bright paper, fresh and Very Fine, with 1991 P.F. certificate
90c Purple (218). Mint N.H. block of four, deep rich color, Fine, a rare Mint N.H. block -- almost every well-centered N.H. block has been broken for singles, so this is as good as it gets -- Scott value $10,000.00 as singles
90c Purple (218). Block of four, original gum, two small h.r., deep rich color, fresh and Fine, an attractive original-gum block
90c Bright Purple (218 var). Radiant color in the Bright Purple sub-shade, face-free strike of circular datestamp, unusually wide and balanced margins, most recent certificate notes reperfed at right, Extremely Fine appearance, a beautiful stamp in this sub-shade, with 1998 P.F. and 2020 P.S.E. certificates
90c Purple (218). Block of four, rich color, outstanding centering throughout with wide margins, bold strikes of oval registry cancel, bottom right stamp single unpunched perf at right, Extremely Fine block, scarce in this quality, with 1987 P.F. certificate