Sale 972 — The Laila Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Monday-Tuesday, 27-28 April, 2009
Category — 1857-60 Issue (Scott 18-39)
1c Blue, Ty. I (18). Original gum, single hinge mark at top, choice centering with balanced margins, brilliant color, long and full perforations all aroundEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE I. A STAMP WITH TREMENDOUS VISUAL APPEAL.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (20). Position 63L12 with prominent double transfer at top which is especially noticeable in the letters at top, original gum, rich color, Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail without premium for the double transfer
1c Blue, Ty. III (21). Plate 4, original gum, h.r., rich color on bright paperVERY FINE. A SCARCE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE PERFORATED 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE III STAMP.
This stamp was made from Plate 4, which had narrow spacing between stamps. It originally produced imperforate stamps and was used only briefly after the introduction of perforations in 1857 before being discontinued. The narrow spacing on the plate, combined with the difficulties experienced when perforations were first introduced, accounts for the rarity of well-centered stamps made from this plate.
With 1957 and 2005 P.F. certificates
1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (22). Original gum, single hinge mark, intense shade with characteristic plate wash from Plate 11, long and full perforations all around, showing wide break in outer line at top and full line at bottom (the characteristic of the type)VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE IIIA, WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TYPE.
With 1988 and 2002 P.F. certificates
1c Blue, Ty. IV (23). Slightly disturbed original gum, recut once at top and twice at bottom, rich color on bright paper, clearly showing the recut lines, long and full perforations all aroundVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE IV, WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TYPE.
Only 21 positions were recut once at top and twice at bottom. With 1968 and 2005 P.F. certificates not mentioning the recutting.
1c Blue, Ty. V (24). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, pretty shade, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1986 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, Ty. I (25). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, intense impression, choice centeringVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 3-CENT TYPE I ISSUE.
Ex Vineyard. With 1995 P.F. certificate
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, Scott Retail as hinged
5c Brick Red (27). Original gum, bright shade and very fresh, accompanying certificate notes "lightly soiled at top", an opinion which we believe is not only harsh, but totally inaccurateVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT BRICK RED SHADE -- IN OUR OPINION, THE BRICK RED IS ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS OF THE CLASSIC PERIOD IN SOUND CONDITION WITH ORIGINAL GUM.
After surveying dozens of classic United States sale catalogues, we found approximately twenty stamps with original gum, allowing for duplicate offerings and excluding the one known original-gum block. Of the stamps we counted, about half had perfs touching two sides or were deeply cut into on one side. Almost two-thirds had stains or small faults.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
5c Indian Red (28A). Part original gum, beautiful color in the true Indian Red shade, detailed impression clearly showing the lathework background, light diagonal crease and two small corner creases at top rightFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT INDIAN RED ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST ORIGINAL-GUM STAMPS IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY -- ONLY FOUR INDIAN RED STAMPS WITH ANY AMOUNT OF GUM ARE CONTAINED IN OUR RECORDS.
Our search of old auction catalogues and the records of the Philatelic Foundation yielded only ten unused examples of Scott 28A. Of these, only four have been described as having any gum whatsoever. These are: 1) the stamp offered in the Whitman sale (Siegel Sale 968, lot 37, realized $130,000 hammer), previously in the 1941 C. A. Brown sale by Harmer, Rooke & Co. where described as "full original gum", also ex 1968 Rarities sale and A. T. Seymour Collection (Siegel Sale 373, Apr. 23, 1970, lot 35) where described as "large part original gum" and 2005 Rarities sale (lot 102, realized $75,000 hammer); 2) the "Ambassador" copy (Siegel Sale 300, Apr. 27, 1966, lot 45A), described as part original gum, also ex Argentum (Siegel Sale 807, Feb. 23, 1999, lot 76) where described as "unused (traces of gum)"; 3) the Caspary/Lilly copy, described in both catalogues as full original gum and with light horizontal crease, offered in our auction of the Hoffman Collection (Siegel Sale 956, lot 35, realized $180,000 hammer); and 4) the example offered here, ex Geisler.
Ex Geisler. With 1996 and 2007 P.F. certificates
5c Brown (29). Original gum, choice centering side-to-side and with wide margin at bottom, attractive shade, fresh and Fine, with 1995 A.P.S. and 2002 P.F. certificates
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Original gum, attractive warm shade, wide margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Original gum, crisp impression, three wide margins, long and full perforations all aroundVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1860 5-CENT BROWN TYPE II.
With 1996 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. I (31). Full original gum which has been slightly disturbed (described on accompanying certificate as "unused, original gum, previously hinged"), bright color and detailed impression, expertly repaired at bottom where there was a pulled perfFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 PERFORATED 10-CENT TYPE I.
The scarcer types of the perforated 10c 1857 are rarely found with original gum. Although the perfs touch at right, this Type I stamp has a wide bottom margin which clearly shows the type characteristics.
Ex Hoffman. With 2002 P.S.E. certificate
10c Green, Ty. II (32). Unused (no gum), bright color on crisp paper, choice centering with well-balanced margins, small stain spot removedEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE II.
With 1987 and 2007 P.F. certificates
10c Green, Ty. III (33). Original gum, deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, long and full perforations all aroundFRESH AND FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE III.
With 2004 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. IV (34). Position 74L1, recut at top, part original gum, pretty shade but with light stains at bottom, centered to rightVERY GOOD APPEARANCE. THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE IV IS ONE OF THE RAREST CLASSIC UNITED STATES ISSUES TO FIND IN UNUSED CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WITH TRACES OF ORIGINAL GUM.
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 were issued with perforations. We have only offered two others with any gum in the past ten years.
With 1956 and 2000 P.F. certificates
10c Green, Ty. V (35). Original gum, h.r. at top, rich color, wide and balanced margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 P.F. certificate
12c Black (36). Plate 1, original gum, almost perfect centering with perforations evenly framing design and showing outer frameline on all four sidesEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE PERFORATED 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE 1 IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE IN SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
Any multiple of the 1857 12c Black from Plate 1 will demonstrate the narrow layout of this plate, which produced Scott 36. Even when the perforations are aligned between stamps, they still punch out part of the outer frameline. Plate 3, which produced Scott 36B, remedied this problem by allowing more space for perforations.
The stamp offered here is completely sound with original gum. It shows the outer frameline on all four sides virtually without interruption. There are very few examples of Scott 36 that exist in condition comparable to that of the stamp offered here. An example in similar condition realized $9,000 hammer in our Sale 913.
With 1994 and 2005 P.F. certificates.
12c Black, Plate 3 (36B). Original gum, lightly hinged, perfectly centered, intense shade and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE 3.
Ex "J & J". With 1973 P.F. certificate.
24c Gray Lilac (37). Original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color, detailed impression, fresh and Fine, with 1995 P.F. certificate
30c Orange (38). Original gum, bright shade, well-proportioned margins, small translucency at top not mentioned on accompanying certificates, Very Fine appearance, with 1989 and 1999 P.F. certificates
90c Blue (39). Original gum, rich color on bright paper, unusually wide margins on three sidesVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
With 1999 P.S.E. certificate