Sale 1024 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used Stamps of the United States, Part One: 1847-1868 Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 7 June, 2012
Category — 12c 1851-56 Issue (Scott 17)
12c Black (17). Position 51L1, huge margins all around including "ENGRAVERS, Phila. New York, Bost" portion of imprint in sheet margin at left, intense shade on bright paper, light strike of town datestamp leaves design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE GEM. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE FINEST USED IMPRINT SINGLE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE. A REMARKABLE STAMP.
Our informal census of imprint copies of Scott 17 contains only six examples, including four with imprint at left and two with imprint at right. Of these, only three are thought to be sound. The only other example located in Power Search was sold in 1968. The example offered here, showing a significant portion of the imprint (as opposed to only part at top or bottom) is very desirable.
Ex Koppersmith, Klein and our "J & J" auction. With 1988 P.F. and 2011 P.S.E. certificates.
12c Black, Part India Paper (17 var). Large margins to barely in at top right, detailed impression, unobtrusive strike of blue Philadelphia datestamp, small thin spot, light crease at top left corner, still a Fine example of this scarce paper variety, the 3c and 12c 1851 Issue are both found on Part India paper, which is a hand-made silky paper that varies in thickness within the same sheet, the Neinken 12c 1851-57 book (pp. 61-64) quotes from earlier publications by Ashbrook, Chase and Jaeger, which describe the look and feel of Part India stamps as "undoubtedly from the very first impressions from the Twelve Cent plate. The engravings are very sharp and resemble die proofs or plate proofs on India. The shades of both these items are of the earliest known, the distinctive grayish;" according to Dr. Amonette this paper is a mixture of pure rag stock and fiber from the inner bark of the bamboo tree, with 1980 P.F. certificate
12c Black, Very Thin Paper (17 var). Horizontal pair, huge margins including part of four adjoining stamps, ample at right, crisp shade and sharp impression, neat strikes of red grid cancels and part of matching circular datestampFRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING USED PAIR OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE ON VERY THIN PAPER.
The thin papers are often associated with Part India. The Part India is described by Ashbrook as "undoubtedly from the very first impressions from the Twelve Cent plate. The engravings are very sharp and resemble die proofs or plate proofs on India. The shades of both these items are of the earliest known, the distinctive grayish."
Ex Klein and Wagshal. Light purple backstamps. With 1989 and 2010 P.F. certificates. Scott Catalogue has just listed this variety for the first time, starting with the 2012 U.S. Specialized Catalogue. Scott Retail as singles.
12c Black, Printed on Both Sides (17c). Printed in the same orientation as design on the front, back of stamp shows clear impression of two stamps at top and a fainter impression of two additional stamps at bottom, front of stamp with large margins to in and black grid cancel, back of stamp also shows slight offset, tiny corner crease at bottom rightFINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF THE 1851 ISSUE. ONLY TWO ARE RECORDED.
Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate.
Our list of printed-on-both-sides stamps is included as an appendix to this catalogue. The variety is known on the three denominations issued in 1851 -- 1c, 3c and 12c -- but not on the imperforate stamps issued in 1855 (10c) and 1856 (5c).
Reports have varied as to how many copies of the 12c 1851 printed on both sides are known. Brookman reported that he knew of four. However, we have only been able to locate two complete stamps, and this is the number widely used by students today. None is known unused. The other copy, ex Ishikawa, is shown below.
Offered in our 1967 and 1991 Rarities sales. Ex "J & J" Collection.
For our online census of Scott 17c: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/17c/17c.pdf