Sale 959 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Monday-Wednesday, 23-25 June, 2008
Category — Revenues (First thru Third Issues)
1c Proprietary, Perforated, Contemporary Counterfeit (R3 var). Uncancelled, note on back regarding origin, Fine and rare
4c Playing Cards, Perforated (R21c). Lovely fresh color and neat handstamp cancel, Fine, one of the "keys" to completion of First Issue perforated stamps
30c Foreign Exchange, Imperforate (R51a). Ample to large margins, perfect strike of "Paid J.G.K. S.S. Jun. 4 1863" steamship company circular datestamp probably indicating use for foreign exchange, Very Fine
$1.00 Life Insurance, Imperforate (R71a). Large margins, ms. cancel, Extremely Fine
$1.00 Probate of Will, Imperforate (R76a). Large margins, neat ms. Dec. 12, 1869 cancel, Extremely Fine
$3.00 Manifest, Imperforate (R86a). Large margins all around, deep rich color, light ms. cancel, Extremely Fine Gem
$10.00 Mortgage, Imperforate (R95a). Horizontal pair, large margins to full, rich color, 1863 ms. cancels, tiny corner crease at top right, still Very Fine, scarce pair
$15.00 Mortgage, Imperforate (R97a). Large margins to full, intense color, light ms. cancel, tears at top and bottom, appears Very Fine
$20.00 Conveyance, Imperforate (R98a). Full to large margins, bright color, ms. "Ship 'Herald of the Morning' M.B.A., Jany 5, 1854" (date refers to document, not to date of use), Very Fine and choice, accompanied by background info on the Herald of the Morning clipper ship
2c Blue & Black, Center Inverted (R104a). Choice centering, bright colors, neat "1/4/1872" ms. cancel, certificate notes "small natural inclusion crop out at center", utterly trivialEXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT SECOND ISSUE WITH INVERTED CENTER.
The Joyce, Zoellner and Tolman stamps are consecutively dated in manuscript by the same user (12/27/1871, 1/2/1872 and 1/4/1872, respectively). With 2006 P.S.E. certificate
$1.30 Blue & Black, Second Issue (R119). Unused (no gum), bright color, Very Fine and choice, rarely seen in unused condition, Scott Retail as used
$10.00 Blue & Black, Second Issue (R128). Choice centering, magenta ms. May 15, 1872 cancel, Extremely Fine
$200.00 Red, Blue & Black, Second Issue, "Small Persian Rug" (R132). Unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins, rich colors, neat "Dec. 27, 71 H.G.N." ms. cancelEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE $200.00 "SMALL PERSIAN RUG" ISSUE. SCARCE IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION.
With 1998 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates
$500.00 Red Orange, Green & Black, Second Issue, "Large Persian Rug" (R133). Choice centering with mostly wide margins, deep rich colors and detailed impressions, blue "J. Wingate, (Jany 1?), New York" and embossed New York Surrogate's Seal, almost full original gumEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB WELL-CENTERED AND SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE CELEBRATED $500.00 LARGE PERSIAN RUG. A RARE STAMP IN SUCH OUTSTANDING CONDITION AND ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STAMPS IN ALL OF PHILATELY.
Only 204 were issued, and it is safe to say that most examples are faulty to some degree.
Unlisted in Kingsley census. With 2007 P.F. certificate
$500.00 Red Orange, Green & Black, Second Issue, "Large Persian Rug" (R133). Rich colors, neat manuscript cancelVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS "LARGE PERSIAN RUG" STAMP.
Examples of this oversize stamp are usually found with faults to varying degree, due to its size. The example offered here, free from any faults and with deep rich colors, is a great rarity.
Illustrated in Kingsley book (Census No. 6-4). With 2005 P.F. certificate
5c Orange & Black, Third Issue, Inverted Center (R137a). Affixed to small part of document and tied by herringbone cancel, bright color, extra wide margins, beautifully centered, tiny tear at leftEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT THIRD ISSUE INVERT WITH EXTRAORDINARILY WIDE MARGINS AND CHOICE CENTERING. ONLY 21 EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN IN TOTAL.
In his privately published census, Larry Lyons records 20 examples. Of these, three are on a part document. Of the 17 off-document copies, 13 have faults of varying degrees, the most common being creases (9). The example offered here was apparently unknown to Lyons and is ex Tolman.