Sale 1134 — The Alan Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 14 September, 2016
Category — 1861-66 Issue First Dsigns and Colors (Scott 55-62B)
1c Indigo, First Design (55). Unused (no gum), choice centering for this stamp with well-balanced margins, top perfs slightly into oval as they are on virtually all known copies, intense shade and impression, single pulled perforation at upper leftVERY FINE CENTERING. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE RARE ONE-CENT 1861 FIRST DESIGN. ONLY 24 ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.
Our census of Scott 55, available at our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/55/55.pdf , contains a total of 26 examples of this stamp, including three with target cancels. Of these, one is in The New York Public Library collection. Of the 22 unused available to collectors, nine have no gum and thirteen have gum. Approximately half are defective to some degree. The example offered here, with a minor pulled perforation at upper left, is a desirable example of this rarity.
Census No. 55-UNC-19. Ex "Bayou" and Hoffman. With 1969 and 2001 P.F. certificates, the former not mentioning the perforation flaw.
3c Brown Rose, First Design (56). Original gum, outstanding centering and margins, rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.F. certificate
3c Brown Rose, Orange Red, First Design (56). Singles of each shade which beautifully contrast, original gum, first with light pre-printing bend described as "fold" on old certificate, appears Very Fine, with 1986 P.F. certificate, second Fine, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate
5c Brown, First Design (57). Unused (part original gum), deep rich color, reperfed at right and corner repair at bottom rightVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT FIRST DESIGN. ONLY 36 EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN.
Our census of Scott 57, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/57/57.pdf , contains a total of 36 copies of this rarity. Of these, one is in The New York Public Library collection. Of the 35 thought to be available to collectors, two are cancelled, 18 have no gum, five have part original gum and ten have full (or nearly full) original gum. Approximately half the full or part original gum stamps in private hands have faults.
Census No. 57-OG-08. Ex Neinken. With 1947 P.F. (no. 787, issued to Raymond Weill) and 2000 P.S.E. certificates. P.F. certificate no. 213809 no longer accompanies. The P.S.E. certificate mentions the reperfing at right but the P.F. certificates do not (we agree with P.S.E.)
12c Intense Black, First Design (59). Unused (no gum), intense shade and impression, light vertical crease, some shortish perfs and a pulled perf at top rightVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY SIXTEEN EXAMPLES OF THE 12-CENT 1861 ISSUE FIRST DESIGN ARE RECORDED. THIS IS THE RAREST OF THE FIRST DESIGNS AND FIRST COLORS.
The 12c is the rarest of the 1861 First Designs and Colors, with a total of 16 examples recorded, including one in the Benjamin K. Miller collection at The New York Public Library. Our census of the 12c 1861 First Design is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/census/59.pdf and contains only three sound copies.
Census No. 59-UNC-01. With 2010 P.F. certificate
24c Dark Violet, First Color (60). Original gum, well-centered, slight fading at right and light corner creasesEXTREMELY FINE CENTERING. ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE 24-CENT 1861-63 ISSUE SHADES.
With 1975 P.F. certificate
30c Red Orange, First Color (61). Unused (no gum), vivid color in the distinctive "August" shade, completely sound (many have creasing)FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 30-CENT 1861 FIRST COLOR.
Our census of the 30c 1861 First Color, available at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/61/61.pdf , contains a total of 33 examples, including one in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. A characteristic common to most examples of the 30c 1861 First Color is creasing, which in some cases is very severe and in others barely visible. This fresh example lacks the typical creasing. All of the sound stamps are centered to one side (as are most of the others).
Census No. 61-UNC-04. With 1992 and 2006 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail for original gum in the grade of "Fine"
90c Blue, First Design (62). Unused (no gum), choice centering with balanced margins, deep shade and proof-like impression, small tears at top and bottom rightVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 90-CENT FIRST DESIGN. THIS IS THE SECOND RAREST STAMP OF THE 1861 FIRST DESIGNS AND COLORS.
Our census of the 1861 First Designs and Colors, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/62/62.pdf , contains 22 examples of Scott 62, including one copy in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library and another copy certified as a privately-perforated No. 62a which comes from a set in the Col. Green sale that was signed by John Luff (we believe this stamp to be genuine). Another has been certified as genuine with a trial cancel.
Census No. 62-UNC-10. Ex Curtis. With 1974 and 2003 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail as original gum
10c Dark Green, First Design (62B). Unused (no gum), deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, choice centering with perforations well clear of design on all sidesEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1861 FIRST DESIGN.
This stamp is extremely difficult to find in well-centered, sound, unused condition. This is partly due to the narrow spacing on Plate 4, which produced the First Design (Type I, Scott 58 or 62B).
With 1965 (as 58) and 2002 (as 62B) P.F. certificates.