Sale 1357 — 2025 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 June, 2025
Category — Essays and Proofs
1c-90c 1857 Reprints, Plate Proofs on Card (40P4-47P4). Complete set of eight blocks of four with matching bottom sheet margins, ample to large margins other sides, brilliant colors on dazzling white cards as fresh as the day they were printed
EXTREMELY FINE BOTTOM MARGIN BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1857 ISSUE REPRINT PLATE PROOFS ON CARD — CUT FROM THE LILLY SHEETS.
The complete sheets of India and card proofs from the Josiah K. Lilly collection, which were formerly in the Earl of Crawford and Ackerman collections, were dispersed in Siegel Sale 321 in September 1967. The sheets were divided into panes of 100 (or half sheets of 50, depending on the plate format) after the sale. One set of panes remains essentially intact in a private collection. The other set of panes has been further subdivided into smaller multiples over the years. This exceptionally fresh sheet margin set comes from that division.
Ex Earl of Crawford, Ackerman, Lilly and Ambassador Middendorf.
1c-90c 1861-66 Issue, Panama-Pacific Small Die Proofs on Wove (63P2a/78P2a). Set of 10 proofs, all denominations of the regular 1861 Issue including the ultra rare No. 67P2a in Buff, large margins, characteristic toning on many as almost always seen on these issues, few with small faults
VERY FINE. AN EXCEPTIONAL ASSEMBLAGE OF ALL TEN VALUES OF THE 1861 ISSUE PANAMA-PACIFIC SMALL DIE PROOFS.
From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of one of mankind's greatest engineering achievements, the Panama Canal. The Post Office Department decided to prepare a limited number of proof sets showing every United States stamp printed up to the time of the exposition. A total of 413 different designs were made. Only two sets were officially prepared, but it is widely recognized that between three and five of each were made. These included Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Philippines and other special use stamps.
We offered the set of ten 1861 Panama-Pacific proofs in our 2018 auction of the Richard Drews collection (Sale 1195, lot 75), but that set had the Premiere Gravure 5c Brown in place of the 5c regular issue. Our recent Sale 1346 contained another set similar to the one offered here, as well as a single 5c Buff. The Finkelburg collection did not contain an example.
This set includes, in order of denomination, Nos. 63P2a, 73aP2a, 65P2a, 67P2a, 68P2a, 69P2a, 77P2a, 78P2a, 71P2a and 72P2a. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a set of Panama-Pacific small die proofs representing all ten of the denominations issued between 1861 and 1866.
Nos. 68P2a, 69P2a, 77P2a and 78P2a with P.F. certificates from 1979-1993. 63P2a and 71P2a with 2022 P.S.A.G. certificates.
1c-90c 1861-66 Issue, Plate Proofs on Card (63P4/78P4). Complete set of eight blocks of four, ample to mostly large margins, gorgeous colors as fresh as the day they were printed
EXTREMELY FINE SET OF BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1861 ISSUE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD — CUT FROM THE LILLY SHEETS.
The complete sheets of India and card proofs from the Josiah K. Lilly collection, which were formerly in the Earl of Crawford and Ackerman collections, were dispersed in Siegel Sale 321 in September 1967. The sheets were divided into panes of 100 (or half sheets of 50, depending on the plate format) after the sale. One set of panes remains essentially intact in a private collection. The other set of panes has been further subdivided into smaller multiples over the years. This exceptionally fresh sheet set comes from that division.
Ex Earl of Crawford, Ackerman and Lilly.
15c-90c 1869 Pictorial Inverts, Plate Proofs on Card (120aP4, 121aP4, 122aP4, 129aP4). Large margins, rich colors
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SET OF 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE INVERT PLATE PROOFS. ONLY ONE SHEET OF 100 OF EACH WAS PRODUCED.
The card proof sheets of 100 of the four inverted high values of the 1869 Pictorial issue were prepared for and displayed at the Atlanta International Cotton Exposition in 1881. They were printed in response to the publicity surrounding the actual inverted stamps that began to appear in the 1870s. The sheets were somehow acquired by James A. Petrie of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, at the close of the exposition. Petrie claimed that he rescued the inverts along with the trial color card proof sheets (the "Atlanta" trial color proofs) just before they were to be burned. For some years he tried to sell his find and in 1895 he began to advertise them in the philatelic press, finding no takers. In 1903 he sold them to James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford, one of the great collectors of stamps, essays, proofs and philatelic literature at the turn of the 20th Century. In November 1915 the Earl of Crawford’s collection was purchased by John A. Klemann of the Nassau Stamp Company in New York. It was Klemann who eventually cut up the sheets.
Each with 2024 P.S.E. certificate.
15c-90c 1869 Pictorial Inverts, Plate Proofs on Card (120aP4, 121aP4, 122aP4, 129aP4). Large margins, rich colors
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SET OF 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE INVERT PLATE PROOFS. ONLY ONE SHEET OF 100 OF EACH WAS PRODUCED.
The card proof sheets of 100 of the four inverted high values of the 1869 Pictorial issue were prepared for and displayed at the Atlanta International Cotton Exposition in 1881. They were printed in response to the publicity surrounding the actual inverted stamps that began to appear in the 1870s. The sheets were somehow acquired by James A. Petrie of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, at the close of the exposition. Petrie claimed that he rescued the inverts along with the trial color card proof sheets (the "Atlanta" trial color proofs) just before they were to be burned. For some years he tried to sell his find and in 1895 he began to advertise them in the philatelic press, finding no takers. In 1903 he sold them to James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford, one of the great collectors of stamps, essays, proofs and philatelic literature at the turn of the 20th Century. In November 1915 the Earl of Crawford’s collection was purchased by John A. Klemann of the Nassau Stamp Company in New York. It was Klemann who eventually cut up the sheets.
Ex Hewitt and Price. Each with 1985 and 2016 P.F. certificate.
15c-90c 1869 Pictorial Inverts, Plate Proofs on Card (120aP4, 121aP4, 122aP4, 129aP4). Large even margins, rich colors on bright white cards
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SET OF 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE INVERT PLATE PROOFS. ONLY ONE SHEET OF 100 OF EACH WAS PRODUCED.
The card proof sheets of 100 of the four inverted high values of the 1869 Pictorial issue were prepared for and displayed at the Atlanta International Cotton Exposition in 1881. They were printed in response to the publicity surrounding the actual inverted stamps that began to appear in the 1870s. The sheets were somehow acquired by James A. Petrie of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, at the close of the exposition. Petrie claimed that he rescued the inverts along with the trial color card proof sheets (the "Atlanta" trial color proofs) just before they were to be burned. For some years he tried to sell his find and in 1895 he began to advertise them in the philatelic press, finding no takers. In 1903 he sold them to James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford, one of the great collectors of stamps, essays, proofs and philatelic literature at the turn of the 20th Century. In November 1915 the Earl of Crawford’s collection was purchased by John A. Klemann of the Nassau Stamp Company in New York. It was Klemann who eventually cut up the sheets.
Each with 1990 P.F. certificate.
1c-90c Continental Bank Note Co. Issue, Atlanta Trial Color Proofs on Card (156TC4-166TC4, 179TC4). Complete set of 12 denominations in all five colors, including the 5c (Scott 179TC4), full to large margins, brilliant colors
VERY FINE SET OF ATLANTA TRIAL COLOR PROOFS OF THE 1871 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE ISSUE.
The Atlanta trial color plate proofs on card were prepared for display at the 1881 International Cotton Exposition in Atlanta. Only one sheet each color was printed. The sheets were somehow acquired by James A. Petrie of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, at the close of the exposition (along with the 1869 invert card proof sheets). Petrie claimed that he rescued the proofs just before they were to be burned. They were cut up into one set of blocks of eight, two sets of blocks of four, pairs and singles. These are often offered either by denomination or in other smaller groupings. It is difficult to assemble the complete set of an issue as offered here.
2c-90c 1887-88 Issue, Plate Proofs on Card (213P4-218P4). Bottom imprint, plate no. and half-arrow blocks of 12, brilliant colors, large even margins on other sides, 3c with inconsequential small thin spot at bottom edge of sheet margin from mount removal
EXTREMELY FINE. A SPECTACULAR AND EXTREMELY RARE COMPLETE SET OF PLATE BLOCKS OF THE 2-CENT THRU 90-CENT 1887-88 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE, FROM THE LILLY SHEETS.
It is interesting to note that all values in this set have the American Bank Note Co. imprint except the 90c, which has the National Bank Note Co. imprint.
These plate blocks come from the Lilly sheets that were broken up after the 1967 sale, and no other plate blocks on card of any denomination were located with Power Search for this series. The extremely rare 1c value from the 1887 Issue, Scott 212P4, is not known to exist as a plate block — the largest multiple known is a unique block of four (even a single is very rare).
Unpriced in Scott as plate blocks. Scott value as ordinary blocks of four is approximately $4,000, but this set of plate blocks is obviously more valuable.
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on Card (230P4-245P4). Complete set of blocks of four, each with matching left sheet margins, large even margins other sides, brilliant colors throughout
EXTREMELY FINE. AN ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE SET OF THE 1893 COLUMBIAN ISSUE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD WITH LEFT SHEET MARGINS — CUT FROM THE LILLY SHEETS.
The complete sheets of India and card proofs from the Josiah K. Lilly collection, which were formerly in the Earl of Crawford and Ackerman collections, were dispersed in Siegel Sale 321 in September 1967. The sheets were divided into panes of 100 (or half sheets of 50, depending on the plate format) after the sale. One set of panes remains essentially intact in a private collection. The other set of panes has been further subdivided into smaller multiples over the years. This exceptionally fresh set comes from that division.
Ex Earl of Crawford, Ackerman and Lilly.
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on India (230P3-245P3). Blocks of four on original card backing with matching left sheet margins, large even margins other sides, brilliant colors as fresh as the day they were printed, remaining on the original cards has allowed the India paper to be free of the defects commonly found
EXTREMELY FINE BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1893 COLUMBIAN ISSUE PLATE PROOFS ON INDIA, ON ORIGINAL CARD BACKING WITH LEFT SHEET MARGINS — CUT FROM THE LILLY SHEETS.
The complete sheets of India and card proofs from the Josiah K. Lilly collection, which were formerly in the Earl of Crawford and Ackerman collections, were dispersed in Siegel Sale 321 in September 1967. The sheets were divided into panes of 100 (or half sheets of 50, depending on the plate format) after the sale. One set of panes remains essentially intact in a private collection. The other set of panes has been further subdivided into smaller multiples over the years. This exceptionally fresh sheet margin set comes from that division.
Ex Earl of Crawford, Ackerman and Lilly.
1901 Pan-American Issue, Essay Collection (294-E thru 299-E). Exceptional collection of 16 different essays and one trial color proof, covering each of the six denominations, every one is believed to be unique and most are ex Rosenthal, included are the following:
(1c) Black, Vignette Only Die Essay on India (294-E5 var) — Four items, including three unlisted in Scott, first is 30 x 25mm photographic essay of the vignette reduced to stamp size showing clouds, ship and waves, unlisted in Scott; the next three items are die essays on India of vignette only, each shows a distinctly different level of completeness of the engraving, unique group which is ex Rosenthal
1c Green & Black, Progressive Die Essay on India (294-E Unlisted) — On 107 x 88mm card with full die sinkage, showing notches at centers with axis marks to help align the two plates, differs from final design with long lines in the water, ship and sky unfinished, few scuffs on India well away from design, Very Fine and unique, ex Rosenthal, unlisted in Scott but counted at the same $4,750 price as the 2c detailed below
2c Black, Preliminary Pencil Drawing of Frame on Tracing Paper (295-E2) —114 x 83mm, showing pencil drawing of the frame with outline letters, signed by designer "Ostrander Smith 1-9-0-0", issued stamp mounted at center for comparison, some flaws due to the fragile nature of the paper including vertical split, still Very Fine, unique pencil hand-drawn essay, ex Rosenthal and on his exhibit page
2c Carmine & Black, Progressive Die Essay on India (295-E6) — On 175 x 136mm card with full die sinkage, showing notches at centers with axis marks to help align the two plates, vignette incomplete near frame and on the train cars, frame color slightly oxidized, Very Fine and unique, ex Rosenthal
4c Deep Red Brown & Black, Progressive Die Essay on India (296-E3) — On 108 x 90mm card with full die sinkage, showing notches at centers with axis marks to help align the two plates, vignette incomplete with lines missing at base of Capitol dome and above the driver's head, Very Fine and unique, ex Silberberg and Rosenthal, with 1974 and 1985 P.F. certificates
(5c) Black, Vignette Only Die Essay on India (297-E5) — 175 x 132mm card with full die sinkage, pencil frame drawn around vignette with "5ct" on card, the vignette is incomplete but still shows great detail, blue control no. 5465 on back, Very Fine and unique, ex Rosenthal
(5c) Black, Vignette Only Die Essay on India (297-E6) — On 202 x 150mm card with full die sinkage, showing vignette more strongly engraved, blue control no. 1169210 on back, Very Fine and unique, ex Rosenthal
8c Black, Preliminary Pencil Drawing of Frame on Tracing Paper (298-E2, 298-E3) — Each 114 x 83mm, showing pencil drawing of the frame partially completed and with significant differences from the adopted design, each signed by designer "Ostrander Smith 1-9-0-0", some flaws due to the fragile nature of the paper including pieces out barely affecting design on one, Very Fine appearance and unique, ex Rosenthal and on his exhibit pages
8c Pan-American, Photo Reduction on Tan Paper (298-E6) — 34 x 26 mm, showing original artwork photographically reduced to stamp size on photosensitive paper, fresh and Very Fine, this is the only we have encountered, ex Rosenthal
8c Brown Violet & Black, Progressive Die Essay on India (298-E7) — On 111 x 91mm card with full die sinkage, showing notches at centers with axis marks to help align the two plates, frame scroll and ornaments incomplete, vignette incomplete at right and in building at left in foreground, Very Fine, a unique essay combining both unfinished frame and vignette, ex Silberberg and Rosenthal, with 1974 and 1985 P.F. certificates
8c Violet & Black, Trial Color Small Die Proof on Wove (298TC2b) — Wonderful color, full margins, may be unique, with 1986 and 2014 P.F. certificates, this proof realized $6,250 hammer in our 2015 Rarities sale
10c Black, Preliminary Pencil Drawing of Unadopted Design on Tracing Paper (299-E2) — 150 x 110mm and attached to 171 x 135mm card, depicting radically different design than the one adopted with eagle and flags at center, denomination at top instead of bottom, Very Fine, remarkable and unique, ex Silberberg and Rosenthal, note on back reads by Raymond Ostrander Smith, Designer for the B.E.P. and signed by Clarence Brazer
10c Yellow Brown & Black, Progressive Die Essay on India (299-E6) — On 111 x 91mm card with full die sinkage, showing notches at centers with axis marks to help align the two plates, the frame is complete but the vignette is incomplete in mast, smoke stack and sky, fresh and Very Fine, unique, ex Rosenthal, with 1985 P.F. certificate
To repeat a word once more, this is a unique collection and a rare opportunity to acquire a full survey of essays for the 1901 Pan-American issue. See our PDF scan for the full collection. Scott value for 13 of the items, not counting the first four items which are unlisted, exceeds $28,000
$2.00-$20.00 State, Plate Proofs on India (O68P3-O71P3). Complete set of sheets of ten, wonderfully fresh, trivial small India paper thins in selvage
EXTREMELY FINE. BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF ONLY FOUR SURVIVING SETS OF COMPLETE SHEETS OF THE ICONIC DOLLAR-VALUE STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUE. A MAGNIFICENT UNIT FOR EXHIBITION.
The dollar-value State Department issues were printed in sheets of ten with black imprint and both color plate numbers at top and with green imprint at bottom. Ex Sayers and Price.
3c Pony Express, Small Die Proof on Wove (894P2). Brilliant color, Very Fine and rare, we have only encountered one other proof of the Pony Express 80th Anniversary issue, with 1991 P.F. certificate