Sale 904 — Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Saturday, 10 December, 2005
Category — 1857-60 Issue
1c Blue, Ty. I (18). Unusually choice centering, pretty pastel color, grid cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2005 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (20). Precise centering, beautiful shade on bright white paper, face-free cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. IV (23). Recut once at top and once at bottom, barest trace of cancel, brilliant color, choice centering, Extremely Fine, the perforated 1c 1857 stamps from Plate 1 Late are rarely found in this sound high-grade condition, with 2005 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. V (24). Mint N.H., bright color, choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90), Scott Retail as hinged
3c Rose, Ty. I (25). Block of four, fresh color and rather well-centered for this tightly-spaced plate, neat town datestamp, extra wide perforated margin at right showing full spacing between stamps and parts of the adjoining designs (some blunted perfs along this side), bottom left stamp minor thin spot. ##VERY FINE FOR THIS EXTREMELY RARE USED MULTIPLE OF THE PERFORATED 3-CENT TYPE I 1857 ISSUE.Until Toppan Carpenter made new 3c plates with wider spaces between stamps to accommodate the perforations, they simply perforated sheets printed from the earlier Type I plates, beginning in early 1857. As this rare used block demonstrates, the narrow (and irregular) spacing was not well-suited for applying perforations.
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (26). Mint N.H. bottom selvage block of four, brilliant color, unusually choice centering for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE. A WONDERFULLY FRESH MINT NEVER-HINGED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1857 3-CENT TYPE II ISSUE.
With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged block of four
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Beautifully centered with perfs clear all around, deep rich color on fresh paper, bold red quartered cork cancel, tiny natural inclusion at left not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE AND CHOICE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT TYPE II ORANGE BROWN. COLORED CORK CANCELLATIONS ARE EXTREMELY RARE ON THIS ISSUE.
The Orange Brown is much scarcer used than unused. Examples in this superb used condition are rare, and very few exist with anything other than the standard grid cancel.
With 1990 P.F. certificate
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Original gum, lightly hinged, crisp impressionEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT TYPE II 1860 ISSUE.
Unlike its Orange Brown counterpart, the 5c Type II in Brown was not on hand in post offices when the 1861 demonetization order took effect. Therefore, original-gum examples of Scott 30A are far scarcer than Scott 30. The narrow spacing between subjects on the plate, as well as Toppan Carpenter's imprecise perforating, leaves collectors with very few well-centered original-gum examples.
With 2005 P.F. certificate
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Original gum, small h.r., rich colorVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT BROWN 1860 ISSUE.
With 2003 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. II (32). Perfectly centered with well-balanced margins, pretty pastel color, light cancel leaves design clearly visible, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 1997 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
10c Green, Ty. IV (34). Position 55L1, recut at bottom, unused (no gum), deep rich color on bright paper, well-balanced margins with perforations well clear of the design on all sidesEXTREMELY FINE. THE 10-CENT TYPE IV PERFORATED 1857 ISSUE IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS IN SOUND UNUSED CONDITION. THIS SUPERB STAMP POSSESSES REMARKABLE FRESHNESS.
The 1857 10c Type IV stamps come from eight positions scattered throughout Plate 1 that have the top, bottom or both lines recut. Only 4% of all 10c Plate 1 stamps produced were Type IV's, and an even smaller percentage was issued with perforations. A review of our computerized auction records for Scott 34 in unused condition found only two other sound examples.
With 2004 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. V (35). Pretty shade nicely contrasted by red circular datestamp, choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90)
24c Gray Lilac (37). Original gum, lightly hinged, crisp impression, choice centering with balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
With 2002 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90)
30c Orange (38). Radiant color nicely contrasted by blue grid cancel, wide margins for this difficult issue, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, scarce in such choice condition, with 2005 P.F. certificate
90c Blue (39). Original gum, very lightly hinged, deep rich color, choice centeringVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. A STAMP OF GREAT VISUAL APPEAL.
With 2004 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates