Sale 1017 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 13-15 December, 2011
Category — 1895 Watermarked Bureau Issue (Scott 264-278)
1c Blue (264). Mint N.H. with top right corner sheet selvage, deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, choice centering with wide and balanced margins, intact perfs at bottom, Extremely Fine Gem
1c Blue, Imperforate (264a). Block of four with sheet margin and plate no. 314 at right, large margins all around, original gum, faint toned spots at lower left, Very Fine appearance, Scott Retail with no premium for the plate number
2c Carmine, Ty. II (266). Right imprint and plate no. 169 block of six, center stamps Mint N.H., others lightly hinged, brilliant color, attractive centering, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 P.F. certificate
3c Purple (268). Mint N.H. with bottom left corner sheet selvage, deep rich color and proof-like impression, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, a pretty stamp
3c Purple, Imperforate (268a). Block of four with plate no. 47 at top, large margins other sides, original gum, single h.r. at top, natural gum crease affects bottom stamps, Very Fine, Scott Retail with no premium for plate no.
4c Dark Brown (269). Top imprint and plate no. 458 strip of three, stamps Mint N.H., h.r. in ungummed part of selvage, rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering throughout, few minor perf separations at top, Very Fine, Scott Retail as singles
5c Chocolate (270). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, gorgeous centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate for block of four
5c Chocolate (270). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 252 strip of three with wide selvage, radiant color on bright paper, choice centering throughout, Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful position strip
6c Dull Brown (271). Mint N.H., bright shade, well-proportioned margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1990 P.F. certificate
6c Dull Brown (271). Top imprint and plate no. 184 strip of three with wide selvage, pretty shade, well-proportioned margins, Very Fine
6c Dull Brown (271). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 373 strip of three, radiant color, wide margins, naturally short gum at top, Fine-Very Fine
8c Violet Brown (272). Top imprint and plate no. 249 strip of three, side stamps Mint N.H., center stamp lightly hinged, rich color on bright paper, well-proportioned margins, small fingerprint on gum of left stamp, Very Fine and choice, Scott Retail as singles
10c Dark Green (273). Right imprint and plate and no. 302 strip of three, stamps Mint N.H., h.r. in ungummed selvage, rich color, choice centering, fresh and Very Fine, Scott Retail as Mint N.H. singles
10c Dark Green, Imperforate (273a). Top imprint and plate no. 305 strip of three, unused (no gum), large margins, bright color, Very Fine, Scott Retail as gummed pair with no premium for the third stamp or position
10c Dark Green, Imperforate (273a). Block of four with part imprint and plate no. 63 at right, part original gum, large margins to full, small thin spot affects bottom stamps, Very Fine appearance, Scott Retail with no premium for the plate no. and part imprint
15c Dark Blue (274). Mint N.H., beautiful intense shade on bright white paper, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. certificate
15c Dark Blue (274). Bottom imprint and plate no. 264 strip of three, right stamp Mint N.H., left stamp barely hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, Very Fine and choice, Scott Retail as singles
15c Dark Blue (274). Top imprint and plate no. 264 strip of three, imprint pair Mint N.H., right stamp barely hinged, intense shade and impression, Fine, Scott Retail as singles
50c Orange (275). Mint N.H., vivid color, balanced margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. certificate
50c Orange (275). Bottom imprint and plate no. 75 strip of three with wide selvage, intense shade and impression approaching the Red Orange sub-shade, unusually choice centering, few perf separations sensibly reinforced at top right, Extremely Fine appearance, an attractive position multiple with great eye appeal
50c Orange (275). Vivid color as fresh as the day it was printed, unusually choice centering with Jumbo margins, neat strike of Minn. registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $800.00 as 95, $2,000.00 as 98), only one has graded higher to date (at 98) and this is the only example to achieve this grade.
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade, attractive margins and centering, Very Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276). Bottom imprint and plate no. 76 strip of three, original gum, detailed impression, few minor perf separations sensibly reinforced at bottom right, small toned spot in selvage only at right, Very Fine-Extremely Fine appearance
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276-276A-276A). Bottom imprint and plate no. 76 strip of three, left stamp Type I, right pair Type II, slightly disturbed original gum, intense shade and impression, choice centering, few perf separations sensibly reinforced, center stamp with tiny scuff on neck, Very Fine-Extremely Fine appearance, a scarce combination multiple, there are only ten positions on the plate which yield combination pairs, and only two which yield imprint and plate number multiples, they tend to appear at auction about every two years
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (276A). Lightly hinged, part imprint selvage at bottom, intense shade and proof-like impression, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $1.00 TYPE II ISSUE.
With 1989 and 2010 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Bottom imprint and plate no. 84 strip of three, side stamps lightly hinged, center stamp h.r., beautiful warm shade, well-balanced marginsVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM MULTIPLE OF THE 1895 $2.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. ONE OF THE RAREST IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER MULTIPLES OF THE ISSUE.
Lewis Kaufman records only five full imprint and plate number blocks of six, all in the Dark Blue sub-shade. The full plate block has a catalogue value of $85,000.00. The multiple offered here, in the Bright Blue shade, is an undercatalogued rarity.
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Bottom imprint and plate no. 84 strip of three, original gum, lightly hinged, better centering than normally seen on multiples of this difficult issueVERY FINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE 1895 $2.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
This is an excellent alternative to a full plate block, which catalogues $85,000.00 -- the last we offered realized $160,000 hammer.
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Beautifully centered, choice color on bright paper, double-oval cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1994 and 2010 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, fresh vivid color, well-proportioned marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. A STAMP WITH TREMENDOUS VISUAL APPEAL.
With 2000 (as Mint N.H.) and 2008 P.F. certificates (OGph, XF 90). With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $3,100.00). This is a difficult stamp to find in the higher grades -- the P.S.E. Population Report lists only seven examples graded higher
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Bottom imprint and plate no. 85 strip of three, end stamps Mint N.H., center stamp small h.r., radiant color and detailed impression on bright paper, well-proportioned marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THREE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE TWO END STAMPS IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
This plate strip is exceptional for two reasons. The first is that very few sound imprint and plate number strips of three are known. The second is that the $5.00 watermarked Bureau issue is an exceedingly rare stamp in sound Mint N.H. condition. We have offered only about a dozen sound Mint N.H. examples since keeping computerized records.
An excellent alternative to a plate block, of which only one exists (and catalogues $200,000.00). Scott Retail as singles with no premium for the position. Ex Chapin. With 1982 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as singles with no premium for the position.