Sale 972 — The Laila Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Monday-Tuesday, 27-28 April, 2009
Category — 1917-19 Issues (Scott 482A-524)
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia, Imperforate, Schermack Ty. III Private Perforation (482A). Deep rich color on bright white paper, Schermack perforations completely intact at right including portion of adjoining stamp, margin barely clear of design at left, cancel leaves design characteristics clearly visible, small thin spot at bottom right mentioned on accompanying certificatesFINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY 40 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS MAJOR 20TH CENTURY RARITY.
Scott 482A, like its more famous predecessor, Scott 314A, was issued imperforate by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and sold to the Schermack Company for use in its patented stamp-affixing machines. The Schermack "Sealer and Stamper" machine typically applied stamps one at a time, and, in most cases, the hyphen-hole perfs on one side would be cut off. Unlike Scott 314A, the release of imperforate sheets printed from the experimental Type Ia plates escaped the notice of contemporary collectors, and, therefore, this stamp has a very small survival rate.
Our updated census of Scott 482A published in the Zoellner catalogue and available at our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/482A/482A.pdf records three covers, one unused single, a used pair and 34 used singles for a total of 40 stamps. Most examples are either cut well into the design or have the Schermack perfs trimmed away on one side.
Schermack Type III stamps are often cut into the design by the oblong perforations or miscut with one side of the perforated margin missing. This problem for collectors, which meant very little to contemporary users of the stamps, resulted from two consecutive events. First, the sheets were perforated with the Schermack holes, creating an opportunity for misalignment between the stamps. Second, when the strip of stamps was fed through the Schermack affixing machine, the cutting blade did not always align with the space between stamps.
Census No. 482A-CAN-21. With 1993 and 2005 P.F. certificates.
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Mint N.H. double error in block of twelve, huge margins all around with significant portions of all 18 adjoining stamps, luminous color on post office fresh paperEXTREMELY FINE. AN INCOMPARABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE DOUBLE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF TWELVE. A MOST IMPRESSIVE MULTIPLE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 2002 P.S.E. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. II, Coil (491). Pair, radiant color, margins ample to wide all aroundVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND SCARCE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT ROTARY TYPE II COIL.
Unlike many other issues, the horizontal coil is actually scarcer than the vertical coil. It was in production for only a short period of time before being replaced by the Type III, Scott 492.
With 2001 P.S.E. certificate
1c-$1.00 1917-19 Issue (498-499, 501-514, 516-518). Mint N.H. except 8c and $1 values lightly hinged, 11c with full top right corner selvage, 2c defective, bright colors, overall fresh and Very Fine-Extremely Fine set, five with P.F. certificates (two are copies)
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Mint N.H. with selvage at right, nicely centered with wonderful depth of color, Very Fine and choice, with 1993 P.F. certificate
5c Rose, Error (505). Mint N.H. single error in strip of three with two normal 2c stamps, center stamp the error, brilliant color, wide margins, Very Fine and choice
20c Light Ultramarine (515). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, almost perfectly centered with wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1993 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine (519). Mint N.H., choice centering with well-proportioned margins, rich color and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF SCOTT 519.
This stamp was created in 1917 when a small excess supply of the imperforate Scott 344 was returned in from the post office in New York City to the Bureau. Rather than credit the New York post office for the returned postage, the Bureau preferred to perforate the sheets. They were then returned to the post office in New York and placed on sale.
Ex Piedmont. With 1990 and 2000 P.F. certificates
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Mint N.H., top sheet margin with plate no. 8179, choice centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PRISTINE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE NUMBER SINGLE OF THE $2.00 ORANGE RED & BLACK. RARE IN THIS CONDITION.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Mint N.H., deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, Very Fine and choice