Sale 1084 — The Curtis Collection: 1847-1901 Stamps and Covers
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 5-6 November, 2014
Category — 3c-5c 1857-60 Issue (Scott 25-30A)
3c Rose, Ty. I (25). Block of four, original gum, h.r., proof-like impression, intense shade on bright paper, centered to top, top left stamp trivial natural inclusionFINE. A VERY RARE AND BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE TYPE I PERFORATED 3-CENT 1857 ISSUE.
The distinctive characteristic of Type I -- complete outer framelines -- is often difficult to see on a single copy due to the narrow spacing on the plate. The framelines are easily seen on this block.
With 1953 Miro certificate. Scott Retail $15,000.00
3c Rose, Ty. I (25). Positions 39-40/49-50L4, block of four with right sheet selvage, blue "Westchester Pa. Oct. 14, 1857" circular datestamps, perfs mostly scissors-separated at bottom, some toning, otherwise Fine-Very Fine, a scarce used block, Scott Retail $7,000.00
3c Claret, Ty. II (25A). Lovely bright color, well-balanced margins, cancelled by bold Wilbraham Mass. circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, a scarce sound and centered example of this better type, which has recut inner lines, with 2010 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,000.00), this is the highest grade awarded, accompanied by piece from which this originated
3c Rose, Ty. II (25A). Tied by "Aug. 1" straightline, matching "Spuyten Duyvil N-Y." dateless handstamp on small cover to New York City, light toning and stamp with perf faults, Fine appearance, ex Wagshal
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Left imprint and plate no. 23 block of 20, top stamps and three at bottom either small h.r. or lightly hinged, twelve stamps Mint N.H., radiant color, well-balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF TWENTY OF THE 1857 3-CENT TYPPE III, WITH TWELVE MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMPS.
Ex Neinken, Grunin, Klein and Wampler. Scott Retail $4,450.00 as plate block of eight, two blocks of four and two pairs with no premium for the Mint N.H. stamps.
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Left imprint and plate no. 25 block of twelve, original gum, lightly hinged with a few possibly Mint N.H., bright color, slightly dry printing, few perf separations sensibly reinforced, top stamps light horizontal crease, Very Fine appearance, Scott Retail $3,550.00 as plate block and two pairs
3c Dull Red, Ty. IV (26A). Positions 49-50/59-60L10L, block of four, natural s.e. at right, neat strike of circular datestamp, bright color, top left stamp small crease, bottom left stamp toned spot mostly on back, otherwise Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail $2,500.00
3c Dull Red, Ty. IV (26A). S.e. at left, tied by "Rome N.Y. Apr. 5, 1859" circular datestamp on buff cover with Professor Wise's illustrated hot-air balloon with the imprint of the famous balloonist Mons. Carlincourt at left, addressed to "Mons. Carlincourt, Aeronaut, Utica", cover restored at left edge where opened, Very Fine appearance, a scarce and beautiful early balloon cover, Carlincourt was the name T. S. C. Lowe assumed early in his career as an aeronaut, his first flight was in Ottawa, Canada, in 1858, he made several flights in the northeast before twice attempting a transatlantic balloon flight, first in 1859 and again in 1860, ex Wagshal
5c Brick Red (27). Radiant color, well-balanced margins with perfs clear of outer projections on all sides, neat 1860 San Francisco circular datestamp, most recent certificate notes "large manuscript marking removed from reverse" which see no evidence of, we do see a tiny perf tear at lower right, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1993 P.S.E. and 1994 P.F. certificates
5c Brick Red (27). Horizontal pair, fresh color, New Orleans circular datestamp and red transit, perfs just in at top, Fine, scarce pair of the 5c Brick Red shade, ex Long, with 1985 P.F. certificate
5c Brick Red (27). Radiant color, tied by well-struck "New Orleans La. Mar. 2, 1859" circular datestamp on blue part-printed Prices Current to Barcelona, Spain, endorsed "Via England", New York transit datestamp, blue "4" and "Rs" handstamps, London, Junquera and receiving backstamps, vertical file fold well away from stamp, stamp with few toned perfs, cover with some natural age bleach spots, otherwise Very Fine, with 2011 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (28). Choice centering with perfs clear of design all around, intense color, neat Aug. 25, 1858 circular datestamp, small repairs at top, Extremely Fine appearance, with 2002 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (28). Block of six with narrow right selvage, wonderfully warm shade, unobtrusive strikes of "Wilmington Del. Jun. 23" circular datestamps, small creases in top right, top center and bottom center stampsFINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE USED BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 1857 5-CENT RED BROWN.
Linn's Stamp Facts notes that only six used blocks are recorded. Most are blocks of four. This is the first used block we have offered since our 2001 sale of the Twigg-Smith collection.
With 2004 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $10,500.00
5c Red Brown (28). Tied by "Washington D.C. Sep. 2, 1858" circular datestamp on cover to Richmond Va., perfs scissors-separated but intact, docketed at left, minor toning at top right of stamp, otherwise Fine and unusual use overpaying by 2c the 3c rate
5c Indian Red (28A). Remarkably deep and intense Indian Red shade, lightly cancelled, faint horizontal crease, otherwise Very Fine, rare, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate
5c Indian Red (28A). Intense shade, cancelled by small pen marks, "Don Pedro's Bar Cal., July 10th" manuscript postmark on cover to Martinez Cal., cover with some edge flaws and soiling, stamp with small tear at right, Fine appearance, a scarce intra-California use of the Indian Red, with 1998 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $5,000.00
5c Indian Red (28A). Horizontal block of six and single, deep rich color, tied by three strikes of "Platteville Wis. Jan. 28, 1859" circular datestamp on bright buff cover to Switzerland, 35c Prussian Closed Mail rate, red "New-York Br. Pkt. Feb. 2" circular datestamp on back, top right stamp with tiny tear, bottom left stamp with small diagonal crease in marginVERY FINE. THE LARGEST RECORDED BLOCK OF THE RARE 1857 5-CENT INDIAN RED SHADE KNOWN ON OR OFF COVER. ONLY ONE OTHER BLOCK, USED OFF COVER, IS RECORDED. ONE OF THE GREATEST COVERS OF THE PERFORATED TOPPAN, CARPENTER ISSUE IN EXISTENCE.
Ex Consul Klep, Henry W. Hill, Ishikawa and Sevenoaks. Illustrated in Ashbrook's Special Service (pp. 515-516) and Brookman, Vol. 1, p. 222.
With 1996 P.F. certificate. A block of four is listed but unpriced in Scott
5c Brown (29). Horizontal strip of four, original gum, lightly hinged, rich color, detailed impressionVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 1857 5-CENT BROWN. THE LARGEST RECORDED UNUSED MULTIPLE OF THIS ISSUE IS A MULTIPLE OF FOUR (BLOCK OR STRIP). A FANTASTIC SHOWPIECE.
The largest recorded unused multiple of Scott 29 is one containing four stamps. Three blocks of four are known -- the most recent was offered in our 2009 Whitman sale and realized $125,000 hammer. Perhaps two or three strips of four are also known.
Ex Caspary. Scott Retail $24,500.00 as strip of three and single.
5c Brown (29). Perfect centering, rich color and detailed impression, neat circular datestamp cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 5-CENT TYPE I BROWN IN THE FINEST ATTAINABLE CONDITION.
Ex Kirke. With 2010 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $10,500.00). Only one other has achieved this desirable grade and none are graded higher
5c Brown (29). Nicely centered for this difficult issue with perfs essentially clear of design all around, beautiful rich color, face-free trace of circular datestamp, Very Fine, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $600.00)
5c Brown (29). Choice centering with wide left interpane margin and centerline, light strike of large Boston "Paid" grid, small fault at upper right, Extremely Fine appearance
5c Brown (29). Vertical strip of three, New Orleans circular datestamps, few faults, still Fine vertical strip
5c Brown (29). Bright color, tied by "Somerset Ky. Aug. 14" circular datestamp with day changed to 15 on buff cover to Frankfort Ky., stamp with tiny tear at bottom, cover slightly reduced at top and left and with small repaired nick at upper left, still Fine Kentucky use, with 2006 P.F. certificate
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Warm shade nicely complemented by New York red grid cancel, Very Fine and choice, a pretty stamp, with 1991 P.F. certificate
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Horizontal strip of three, warm shade, neat strikes of red grid cancel, centered to bottomFINE. A STRIP OF THREE IS THE LARGEST RECORDED USED MULTIPLE OF THE 1860 5-CENT ORANGE BROWN TYPE II.
Four strips of three are known on cover (two vertical and two horizontal) and we have offered two others off cover since keeping computerized records.
With 1988 P.F. certificate
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, pretty shade, better centering than normally seenVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1860 5-CENT TYPE II BROWN. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST CONDITION BLOCKS WE HAVE OFFERED.
The 5c Brown Type II is rarer in unused condition, including in multiples, than the Orange Brown. Unlike the 1861 Orange Brown, the earlier printing in Brown was not left in Southern post offices when the issue was demonetized in August 1861. The largest recorded multiple is the block of 20 offered in our Frelinghuysen sale, followed by a block of nine with plate number and imprint at left, one horizontal block of six (creased thru bottom three stamps) and probably fewer than ten blocks of four. Photos of most of the known blocks can be located on our website using Power Search, which will provide visual confirmation of the generally poor centering and condition of most surviving multiples.
With 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $25,000.00
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Right sheet margin block of four, original gum, deep rich color, top and bottom rows show different "types" of the Ty. II with top row showing projections completely cut away and bottom row showing projections only partly cut away, minor scuff in margin at bottom left of bottom left stampFINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1860 5-CENT BROWN TYPE II.
Probably fewer than ten blocks of four exist.
Scott Retail $25,000.00
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Right selvage block of nine with most of imprint and plate no. 2, original gum, center stamp Mint N.H., others h.r. with few adherences, bright color, few perf separations sensibly reinforced, few faults mostly confined to bottom stampsFINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF NINE OF THE 1860 5-CENT BROWN TYPE II. UNTIL THE APPEARANCE OF THE FRELINGHUYSEN BLOCK OF 20 IN 2012, THIS WAS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE.
The 5c Brown Type II is far rarer in multiples than the Orange Brown. Unlike the 1861 Orange Brown, the earlier printing in Brown was not left in Southern post offices when the issue was demonetized in August 1861. Prior to the emergence of the block of 20 in the long-hidden Frelinghuysen collection, the largest recorded multiple was a block of nine (two known, one ex Klein with a portion of the imprint and plate number, the other offered here).
Ex Worthington and Silsby. Scott Retail $37,250.00 as block of four, strip of three and pair with no premium for the Mint N.H. stamp or the imprint and plate number position.
5c Dark Brown, Ty. II (30A var). Deep shade nicely complemented by red grid cancel, wide and balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine example of the 5c in the Dark Brown sub-shade, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90)
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Block of four, used with 1c Blue, Ty. V (24) and tied on small blue piece, top left stamp small fault at leftFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1860 5-CENT BROWN TYPE II. A BLOCK OF FOUR IS THE LARGEST RECORDED USED MULTIPLE.
Since 1993 we have offered only two used blocks of the 5c Brown Type II -- this and another with blue grid cancels.
Scott Retail $3,250.00
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Rich color, cancelled by grid and tied by "New-York Dec. 24, 1860" circular datestamp on folded cover to Halifax, Nova Scotia, bold "5" due handstamp, vertical file folds including one affecting stamp, otherwise Fine