Sale 913 — 2006 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 13 May, 2006
Category — 1847 Issue
5c Red Brown (1). Original gum, lightly hinged, large to huge margins incl. sheet margin at right, bright color, faint natural vertical gum bend not mentioned on accompanying certificateEXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM SHEET-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
With 1985 P.F. certificate
5c Dark Brown (1a). Original gum, large even margins all around, deep rich color and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE FULL-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE DARK BROWN SHADE. A TRUE CONDITION RARITY.
A search of our computerized records shows that the last sound four-margined original-gum example of the 5c Dark Brown we offered was a pair in our 1993 Rarities sale.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
5c Orange Brown (1b). Large part original gum, bright color, large even margins all around, faint horizontal crease along top framelineVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE ORANGE BROWN SHADE.
With 2005 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (1). Position 100R with enormous bottom right corner sheet margins, 6mm at right and 10.5mm at bottom, huge margins other sides, fresh and bright color, crisp impression, light strike of red grid cancel, tiny corner crease at far edge of sheet margin at top rightEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FAMED NEWBURY CORNER SHEET-MARGIN COPY OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST CORNER-MARGIN EXAMPLES OF THIS STAMP IN EXISTENCE.
Ex Newbury and Grunin.
10c Black (2). Position 91L with huge bottom left corner sheet margins, approximately 12mm at bottom and 5mm at left, other two margins are enormous, sharp proof-like impression, neat strike of red New York square grid cancel, very faint vertical crease and trivial corner crease at far bottom left of sheet marginEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS STAMP HAS THE LARGEST MARGINS OF ALL KNOWN USED CORNER-MARGIN COPIES OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE. A TRULY REMARKABLE STAMP.
In Philip Wall's census of the 10c 1847, which encompasses both the Levi records and decades of searching through auction catalogues, he records fourteen used stamps, one unused stamp and one on cover with self-evident corner sheet margins. Another three or four covers can be added to this count (the recently-discovered cover is offered in lot 514). Other stamps can be plated to the position but do not show significant sheet margins. This example has the widest sheet margins of all.
Ex Newbury.
10c Black (2). Position 10L, huge margins all around incl. enormous top right corner margins, 3-4mm at right and 8mm at top, intense early impression, tied by red square grid, matching "New-York Aug. 25" circular datestamp on blue 1847 folded letter to Vienna N.Y., faint vertical file folds well away from the stampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST CORNER-MARGIN COPY OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ON COVER. FROM A NEW DISCOVERY AND OFFERED TO THE MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME.
In his extensive census of the 10c 1847 issue with corner sheet margins, Philip T. Wall records a total of sixteen used stamps on or off cover (another three or four covers have since been recorded). Others can be plated as corner margin positions but do not show significant sheet margins. Many of these have faults, the most common being creases in the selvage.
This cover comes from a new find of eleven 5c and 10c 1847 covers, which were discovered in 2004 in Geneva N.Y. Nine of the eleven are addressed to Samuel Baldwin (one cover with 5c Orange Brown stamps is shown here, but not included in the lot).
With 2006 P.F. certificate.
5c Red Brown (1). Positions 91-92R with enormous bottom left corner sheet margins, 6mm at left and an amazing 13mm at bottom, huge margins other sides, rich color and detailed impression, neat strikes of red grid cancels and part of matching town datestamp, tiny corner crease in extreme tip of the sheet marginEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FAMOUS "NORCROSS" PAIR -- WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE THE FINEST PAIR IN EXISTENCE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
Ex Emerson, Norcross and Klein. With 1975 P.F. certificate. Last offered in our 2002 Rarities sale, where it realized $32,500 hammer
5c Red Brown (1). Position 100R with huge bottom right corner sheet margins, 11.5mm at right and 5mm at bottom, huge margins other sides, beautiful rich color nicely contrasted by red grid cancel, certificate notes faint horizontal and vertical creases, which are almost invisibleEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A MAGNIFICENT CORNER-MARGIN COPY OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
Ex Newbury. With 1982 P.F. certificate. Last offered in our 2002 Rarities sale, where it realized $6,250 hammer.
5c Red Brown (1). Vertical pair, huge even margins all around, rich color, beautiful deep blue "Troy N.Y. Nov. 26" circular datestampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. VERTICAL PAIRS OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE ARE SCARCE, AND THIS PAIR IS AMONG THE FINEST EXTANT.
With copy of P.F. certificate for cover from which this pair was removed. Last offered in our 2002 Rarities sale, where it realized $6,250 hammer
5c Grayish Brown (1a). Horizontal pair, large even margins all around, brilliant color, neat strikes of red grid cancelsEXTREMELY FINE A PRETTY USED PAIR OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE GRAYISH BROWN COLOR.
With 1979 P.F. certificate
5c Orange Brown (1b). Horizontal pair, large margins all around, brilliant color nicely contrasted by blue "10" integral-rate town datestampsEXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING USED PAIR OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE DISTINCTIVE ORANGE BROWN COLOR.
With 1988 P.F. certificate.
5c Brown, Double Transfer Ty. B (1-B). Position 90R1, large to huge margins incl. part of sheet margin at right, rich color nicely contrasted by red grid cancel which leaves the double transfer clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE WITH THE DOUBLE TRANSFER TYPE B.
In addition to the doubling of the top and bottom framelines, this stamp also shows a very prominent plate bruise in the margin at bottom left.
5c Brown Orange (1d). Horizontal pair, large margins to just in at left, rich shade, slight gum staining and small inclusion in left stamp, cancelled by two clear strikes of red Sunburst fancy cancel with matching "Little Miami R.R. Jun. 10" route agent's circular datestamp on cover to Newtown Pa., couple light gum residue spots on coverVERY FINE. A NEW DISCOVERY. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE LITTLE MIAMI RAILROAD "SUNBURST" FANCY CANCELLATION ON THE 1847 ISSUE.
According to the Alexander census, two Little Miami R.R. route agents received 1,000 5c and 200 10c 1847 stamps. The Brown Orange shade of the pair on this cover indicates 1851 usage. There are four other Little Miami R.R. cover with 1847 stamps in the Alexander census, including two 5c covers (8/7/1850 and 5/3/18??), a strip of five and single 10c on legal-size cover (6/1/1851, ex Wyer) and a single 10c (3/16/18??). None of these has the Sunburst fancy cancel. According to Remele, the Little Miami R.R. was chartered in 1836 and completed between Cincinnati and Xenia in 1845. It was eventually incorporated into the Philadelphia railroad system.
Fancy "killer" cancels are extremely rare in the 1847-51 period. The term "killer" to describe the cancel was actually used by New York Postmaster Robert H. Morris. Although fancy rate markings from the pre-stamp era were used to cancel 1847 stamps, fancy cancels created for the specific purpose of "killing" stamps did not become popular until the 1850's. Fancy "killer" cancels on 1847's, such as the St. Johnsbury Vt. Scarab, Trenton N.J. Star and Binghampton N.Y. Herringbone, have been known to collectors and highly prized for years. This Little Miami R.R. Sunburst, to the best of our knowledge, has not been recorded before the recent emergence of this cover in an estate.
With 2006 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (1). Large margins to just in, tied by two bold strikes of red grids, matching "New Orleans La. Jun. 15" circular datestamp on 1851 folded cover to Bordeaux, France, red "Colonies &c. Art. 13" framed accountancy handstamp, bold "15" decimes due handstamp, London, Calais and Bordeaux transits, light horizontal file fold at top barely affects stamp, still Fine, attractive and scarce usage
10c Black (2). Original gum which is only lightly hinged, large even margins all around, intense shade and impression, completely soundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT STAMPS TO OBTAIN IN SOUND, ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION WITH FOUR LARGE MARGINS. A SPECTACULAR STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.
The early imperforate issues are often found with margins close or cutting into the design, because of the difficulty in manually cutting along the narrow gap between stamps. This stamp was part of a pair that was divided in 1990 (this being the sound stamp). It is difficult to remember the last time a sound, four-margin 10c 1847 with original gum was offered in the marketplace.
With 1981 and 1990 P.F. certificates and pair. With 1990 P.F. certificate as single.
10c Black (2). Large part original gum, large to huge margins all around, intense shade and impression, faint vertical crease visible on back onlyEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE FOUR-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
With 1969 and 1994 P.F. certificates.
10c Black (2). Large margins all around, detailed impression, two clear strikes of blue Philadelphia "Paid" lozengeEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, COMBINING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WIDE MARGINS, DETAILED IMPRESSION AND AN ATTRACTIVE "PAID" CANCEL.
With 1984 P.F. certificate
10c Black (2). Huge margins all around, intense shade and impression, blue grid cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM USED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE WITH A BLUE CANCEL.
With 1987 P.F. certificate
10c Black (2). Large even margins all around, intense shade and proof-like impression, neat strike of red grid cancelEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.
With 1993 P.F. certificate
10c Black (2). Position 83R, large margins to full, tied by red grids, matching "U.S. Express Mail Boston Mass. Apr. 23" circular datestamp on folded cover to Philadelphia, fesh and Very Fine cover from the Ludlow Beebee correspondence, with 1990 P.S.E. certificate
10c Black (2). Large margins to just barely in at bottom, tied by bold strikes of red grid cancels, matching "New Orleans La. Feb. 2" circular datestamp on 1851 folded letter to Brownsville Tex., light vertical file folds well clear of stamp, Very Fine, scarce usage of the 10c 1847 Issue to Texas, signed Ashbrook