Sale 976 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 29 September-2 October, 2009
Category — The Martin Richardson Gold Medal Collection of U.S. Post Office Seals (1877-1969 Post Office Seals)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
2597
P
1877, "Post Obitum" Official Seal, Brown Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX1P1). 45 x 28mm, affixed to larger piece of 70 x 58 mm India paper and block sunk onto 217 x 138 mm card with gilt edges on three sides from presentation album, Very Fine, an extremely rare die proof of the first-issue seal, incorporating the Latin term for "after death" into the background of the design -- the seals were intended for use by the Dead Letter Office in resealing letters that were opened to check the contents and sender's identity, Kotanchik records only three large die proofs (though there are probably a few more) which exist only as hybrids
1,750
500
2598
P
1877, "Post Obitum" Official Seal, Brown Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX1P1). 47 x 30mm, affixed to 92 x 70mm card with full sinkage immediately around the India paper, small mount remnant on back, Very Fine, extremely rare, these exist only as hybrids
1,750
500
Back to Top2599
P
1877, "Post Obitum" Official Seal, Brown Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX1P1). 47 x 30mm affixed to 93 x 71mm card, with full sinkage from 4-9mm around India paper, Very Fine, extremely rare, these exist only as hybrids
1,750
350
Back to Top2600
P
1877, "Post Obitum" Official Seal, Brown Plate Proofs on India (OX1P3). Pair and single, couple minor India paper translucencies as usual, Very Fine, also includes single unused No. OX1 with paper adhering to gum, Scott Retail as singles
420
200
Back to Top2601
1879, Official Seal (OX2aP3, OX2-OX3). Exhibit page with singles of plate proof on India and 1st through 3rd printings, one with original gum, others partial or no gum, also includes single identified as imperforate which may be a trimmed copy (not counted in Scott Retail), Fine-Very Fine
290
375
Back to Top2602
1881, Official Seal, Deep Brown Special Printing (OX4). Full pane of 50 with imprints on all four sides and reverse "2" at top, original gum, many stamps Mint N.H., several h.r. to reinforce perf separations which are found throughout the selvage and between columns 3 and 4, faults in selvage but nevertheless complete, overall Fine-Very Fine appearance, extremely rare, only 2-3 full panes are known, the 1879 combination of the bank note companies under the American Bank Note Company name created the interesting anomaly of the "National Bank Note Company New York" imprint on the bottom of each stamp (as the dies were modified from the 1877 "Post Obitum" issue printed by National), combined with the "American Bank Note Company, New York" imprint in the selvage, Scott Retail as imprint blocks, blocks and singles
4,675
900
Back to Top2603
1888-1899, Official Seals (OX5-OX9). Exhibit pages with 48 unused and used typographs in blocks of four, strips of three, pairs and singles trace many of the 16 printings and show a variety of shades, most unused with original gum, includes block of four with hyphen-hole perf 7 (OX9), vertical strip of three rouletted 5.5 (OX8), imperf block of four in Bister Brown, imperf used single on thick paper in Gray Brown, several others, attractive and interesting group
E. 200-300
350
Back to Top2604
P
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX5P1). Cut to shape and affixed to larger piece of India paper, die sunk on 92 x 70mm card, couple mount remnants on back, Very Fine and extremely rare, Kotanchik records only two large die proofs of the 1888 typograph, though he notes they are both printed directly on card and this is clearly a hybrid
750
250
Back to Top2605
P
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX5P1). Cut to shape and affixed to larger piece of India paper, die sunk on 92 x 70mm card, couple mount remnants on back, Very Fine and extremely rare, Kotanchik records only two large die proofs of the 1888 typograph, though he notes they are both printed directly on card and this is clearly a hybrid
750
250
Back to Top2606
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate, (OX5). Part sheet of 69, missing only positions 1, 9 and 72, Setting IA, original gum, hinged onto cardboard backing, centering ranges from Very Good to Fine, few faults incl. numerous perf separations and most of bottom selvage missing, still a very rare large multiple, no full panes of 72 are known and this may be the largest multiple of the first printing
E. 200-300
110
Back to Top2607
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate, Imperforate (OX5a). Block of 12, original gum, small h.r. on one, others Mint N.H., tiny scissors cut in left margin well away from the design, Extremely Fine, according to Kotanchik (p. 102-103) an unknown quantity of sheets of the typograph first printing was delivered to the Post Office Department rather than to the BEP for perforating and some found their way into collector hands, Scott Retail as 12 pairs
600
150
Back to Top2608
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate, Imperforate (OX5a). Full sheet of 72, Setting IA, no gum, faults include piece out of corner of position 1, few small tears repaired with archival tape, still a Fine appearing and extremely rare complete sheet with only a few known, according to Kotanchik (p. 102-103) an unknown quantity of sheets of the typograph first printing was delivered to the Post Office Department rather than to the BEP for perforating and some found their way into collector hands, listed but unpriced in Scott, Scott Retail as 36 pairs
1,800
375
Back to Top2609
1888, Official Seal, Chocolate, Imperforate (OX5a). Full sheet of 72, Setting 1B, no gum, faults include two 70mm and one 25mm tears repaired with archival tape, few nicks in selvage and light creasing, still a Fine appearing and extremely rare complete sheet with only a few known, according to Kotanchik (p. 102-103) an unknown quantity of sheets of the typograph first printing was delivered to the Post Office Department rather than to the BEP for perforating and some found their way into collector hands, listed but unpriced in Scott, Scott Retail as 36 pairs
1,800
350
Back to Top2610
1888, Official Seal, Brown, Imperforate (OX7var). Full imperforate pane of 42, Setting 8 as identified in Kotanchik (p. 107), no gum, few faults mostly confined to selvage, Very Fine appearance, rare
E. 300-400
300
Back to Top2611
P
1900, Official Seal, Red Brown, Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX11P1). Cut to shape and affixed to larger piece of India paper, die sunk on 95 x 70mm card, Very Fine and scarce, large die proofs of this issue are known only as hybrids and in this color
750
200
Back to Top2612
P
1900, Official Seal, Red Brown, Hybrid Large Die Proof on India (OX11P1). Cut to shape and affixed inside of die sinkage on 97 x 72mm card, couple mount remnants on back, Very Fine and scarce, large die proofs of this issue are known only as hybrids and in this color
750
200
Back to Top2613
1900, Official Seals (OX11-OX11c). 56 seals in singles, pairs and blocks mounted on exhibit pages, mostly unused with a few used, including a complete reconstruction of Types A-X as identified in Perkal and Kazman and updated in Kotanchik, also includes shade varieties, plate scratches, double transfers and several imperforate varieties, though not a high catalog value this group would be very difficult to reproduce
E. 100-150
140
Back to Top2614
1907, Official Seals, Royal Blue, Blue (OX12-OX13b). 103 unused seals in multiples on exhibit pages tracing most of the varieties of the blue typographs of 1907, including shades, perforated and imperforate tete-beche pairs, gutter pair, blocks as imperforate, imperforate between and horizontally, booklet panes of 10 and 20, Rolleston Mills watermarked block of 12 imperforate horizontally, two Great Seal watermarked multiples -- one a block of 12 with top three rows imperforate horizontally, other a normal pane of 20 (selvage faults), nice condition throughout
E. 500-750
275
Back to Top2615
1907, Official Seals, "Supposed Liable to Customs Duty" Paper (OX12 var, OX13 var). Pair and block of four, pair with double impression -- one in Royal Blue and one in Blue, block in Royal Blue on "Birchwood Superfine" watermarked paper, some creases and wrinkles in block, fascinating items that Kotanchik states should be considered essays, seals were often used to reclose mail opened for customs inspection and the Post Office may have been experimenting with printing seals directly onto the customs labels, only approx. 10 examples recorded
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top2616
1907, Official Seal, Blue, Double Impression, Imperforate (OX13 var). Two unused pairs, no gum, one with second impression barely shifted from first impression, other with second impression shifted approx. 10mm down and to the right in a different shade from first, also showing portions of four additional seals, small ink stain at right, also includes single No. OX13 with full offset impression under gum
E. 100-150
225
Back to Top2617
1907, Official Seal, Blue, "Birchwood Superfine" Wmk., Imperforate (OX13c). Unused block of four, no gum, margins wide to just clear at bottom left, Very Fine and extremely rare, according to Kotanchik the "Birchwood Superfine" watermarked paper was supplied by Carter, Rice and Co. of Boston when shortages of paper from American Writing Paper Co. occurred, listed but unpriced in Scott
E. 400-500
225
Back to Top2618
1907, Official Seal, Blue, "Birchwood Superfine" Wmk., Imperforate (OX13c). Unused block of 12, no gum, h.r., sheet margin at left, wide margins other sides, few light wrinkles and corner crease, Very Fine appearance and extremely rare, according to Kotanchik the "Birchwood Superfine" watermarked paper was supplied by Carter, Rice and Co. of Boston when shortages of paper from American Writing Paper Co. occurred, listed but unpriced in Scott
E. 400-500
800
Back to Top2619
1907, Official Seal, Blue, Printed on Both Sides (OX13f). Original gum, second impression printed under gum and nearly as strong as first, both sides well-centered -- unusual for any printed on both sides variety, Very Fine and extremely rare, may be the only copy in private hands (another is reportedly in the Luff Reference Collection at the Philatelic Foundation), illustrated in Kotanchik (p. 143), listed but unpriced in Scott
E. 500-750
1,600
Back to Top2620
1912-1913, Official Seals, Hyphen-Hole 6.5 and Compound Perforations (OX14-OX16). 78 unused seals on exhibit pages, original gum, mostly in large multiples, including panes of 10 and 20 on "Rolleston Mills" watermarked paper hyphen-hole 6.5 (pane of 20 couple small faults, light toning at right edge), also single and vertical pair hyphen-hole 6.5 x perf 12, single perf 12 x hyphen-hole 6.5, block of four on straw colored paper perf 12 horizontally and at left x hyphen-hole 6.5 vertically, pane of 20 hyphen-hole 6.5 with what appear to be sewing machine perfs (caused by worn pins), pane of 20 on "Great Seal" watermarked paper perf 12 x hyphen-hole 6.5, an outstanding group, only one other U.S. stamp product ("Battleship" documentary stamp) uses hyphen-hole or roulette perforations and the compound hyphen-hole and normal perforation is unique to seals (Kotanchik p. 144)
E. 400-500
325
Back to Top2621
1916-1917, Official Seals, Black on Pink and White (OX17, OX17a, OX18-OX18f). 97 unused seals on exhibit pages, range of varieties, including scarce vertical imperforate pair of Black on Pink (OX17a), three normal full panes of 20 (OX17, OX18), full pane of 20 imperforate horizontally (OX18b), Black pair and Gray Black strip of three imperforate vertically (OX18c), imperforate block (OX18f), pane of 20 with shifted row of perfs (OX18 var), Very Fine, worthwhile group that would be difficult to duplicate
E. 750-1,000
450
Back to Top2622
1919, Quartermaster Seal, Indigo, Perf 12 (OX19). Two, original gum, natural s.e. two sides on each, small thin spot on one, Extremely Fine appearance, this seal was used by the Mail and Record Section of the Quartermaster General's Office to reseal mail inadvertently delivered to the QMG before returning it to the Post Office for redelivery (Kotanchik, p. 186)
600
130
Back to Top2623
1919, Quartermaster Seal, Indigo, Rouletted 7 (OX20). Unused single, no gum, rouletted on three sides, natural straight edge at top, slight soiling at bottom right and light creases, Very Fine appearance, rare -- with only eight copies recorded, this seal was used by the Mail and Record Section of the Quartermaster General's Office to reseal mail inadvertently delivered to the QMG before returning it to the Post Office for redelivery (Kotanchik, p. 186)
3,250
4,250
Back to Top2624
1919-1969, Official Seals, Black on White (OX21-OX40b). Approx. 188 unused seals on exhibit pages, range of varieties from the first GPO printed seals of 1919 through just before the modern seals of 1971, including paper types, perforation types, watermarks, etc., highlights include pane of 20 perf 12 watermarked "Certificate Bond", pane of 20 perf 12 and imperforate between 1st and 2nd rows, pane of 20 perf 12 x 8.5 watermarked "Eagle & Star" (Ty. B), very scarce pane of 16 with experimental hyphen-hole perf 9.5 (Scott Retail $350.00), two imperf double panes of No. OX39c, one with tab at top, one with tab at bottom, many others, a nicely comprehensive lot of this long running seal with many varieties, Scott Retail more than $1,300.00
E. 500-750
325
Back to Top2625
Off-Cover Balance of Martin Richardson Collection of Official Seals. Stockbook with more than 350 seals from the 1872 Green Registry Issue through the 1913 Blue seals, both unused and used, most identified by the owner, wonderful range of shades, perforations and other varieties, incl. original gum block of No. OXF1, No. OX1P3 "Post Obitum" issue on India (pair and single), No. OX7a double impression (likely printer's waste), No. OX10 with "Habana" handstamp, No. OX10 blocks on experimental grayish paper, No. OX11 double transfer, No. OX13 used block of 8 imperforate between 2nd and 3rd row, many others, faults to be expected in such a large group, a wonderful collection for expansion, viewing recommended
E. 1,000-1,500
550
Back to Top