Sale 1116 — United States Stamps and Possessions
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 16-17 December, 2015
Category — 1857-60 Issue and 1875 Reprints (Scott 18-41)
1c Blue, Ty. Ic (19b). Position 47L4, E Relief, deep rich color, light circular datestamp, Fine and scarce example of this sub-type
1c Blue, Ty. II (20). Position 6L4, top row of Plate 4, neat circular datestamp, well-centered, deep rich color on fresh paper, Very Fine
1c Blue, Ty. II (20). Horizontal strip of three, rich color, single neat pen cancel, few minor perf separations sensibly reinforced, Fine and scarce strip
1c Blue, Ty. III (21). Position 66L4, rich color, faint toned spot on perf at top right, otherwise Fine and scarce, signed Brookman
1c Blue, Ty. IIIa, Imperforate Between (formerly 22b). Positions 27-28L4, horizontal pair, the 1958 P.F. certificate states "imperforate between pair", but the 2015 P.F. certificate states "Scott 22 with blind perforations slightly into the most upper right ornament of the left stamp and a tiny pinhole at lower left" -- we will have something to say about this shortly -- deep Plate 4 shade, neat strikes of circular datestamp, Fine and extremely rareNow for our commentary: This pair was the basis of the Scott Catalogue listing for Scott 22b, which has now been de-listed because of the P.F. certificate. It was owned by two outstanding 1c 1851-57 authorities, Mortimer L. Neinken and Jerome S. Wagshal. Frankly, we consider the 2015 P.F. opinion to be an appalling act of expertizing revisionism, and entirely unjustified, not because the physical evidence isn't there, but because they have totally misunderstood the nature of the variety and misinterpreted the significance of the physical characteristics.
The imperforate-between varieties were obviously created when the perforating pins on a wheel suffered a mechanical deficit, and not because the pins "vanished" or the operator failed to apply a single row of perforations. The entire concept of "missing perforations" on 1857 stamps means they failed to punch the paper and the holes cannot be seen. In this example, not one complete perforation hole can be seen. There are three, possibly four, faint half-circle shallow indentations in the surface of the paper at the top and nothing else. For the P.F. or any expert to say this pair has "blind" perforations and is not imperforate-between, because of these barely impressed half-circles, is a misguided attempt to suggest that the row of perforating pins had to be "missing" when the sheet was perforated, or that the operator somehow "skipped" the "true" imperforate-between pair. Neither of those concepts is correct.
Expertizing decisions such as this cause us great frustration. We have faith that it will not stop intelligent philatelists from recognizing the rarity and significance of this 1857 perforating variety/error. Perhaps the P.F. can be persuaded to correct this wrong on a reconsideration, and the Scott Catalogue listing will be restored. Should that occur, whoever buys this pair will be financially rewarded for following his convictions and ignoring a paper certificate.
1c Blue, Ty. V, Laid Paper (24b). Showing clear horizontal laid lines, rich color, choice centering, neat strike of grid cancelVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE V ON LAID PAPER. OUR CENSUS OF THIS ISSUE RECORDS ONLY THREE COPIES, INCLUDING A PAIR AND THE SINGLE OFFERED HERE. NONE IS KNOWN UNUSED. THIS IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY SINGLE IN EXISTENCE. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF THE ISSUE.
Our census of Scott 24b, encompasses the records of Mortimer Neinken, Jerome S. Wagshal, auctions and the records of the Philatelic Foundation, and is available at our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/24b/24b.pdf. We record this single and a horizontal pair.
Ex Chapin, Natalee Grace and Bakwin. With 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $7,500.00
1c Blue, Ty. V (24). Three blocks of four, two with original gum including one with bottom left corner selvage, top stamps h.r., bottom lightly hinged, one block unused (no gum), few small imperfections, Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail as two blocks of four and four no gum singles
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Mint N.H., with selvage at bottom, unusually choice centering with well-proportioned margins, brilliant color, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Whitman, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,200.00), only three have graded higher
3c Dull Red, Ty. IV (26A). Original gum, lightly hinged, excellent centering, fresh color, Very Fine and choice, with 1999 and 2008 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85)
5c Brick Red (27). Exceedingly well-centered with perfs clear of design, fresh color, face-free red cancel, small thin at top, appears Very Fine
5c Red Brown (28). Deep rich color, choice margins and centering, neat strike of New Orleans circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,900.00)
5c Indian Red (28A). Exceptionally deep rich color, essentially face-free light partial circular datestamp, trivial light margin toning spot top left, otherwise Fine, overall a desirable example of this rare and elusive 1857-60 Issue shade
5c Brown (29). Beautiful shade and crisp impression, exceedingly well-centered within balanced margins, lovely strike of large Boston "Paid" grid cancel, Extremely Fine
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Warm shade nicely complemented by red grid cancel, tiny tear at top left, tiny pinhole at right, Very Fine appearance, with 2000 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates, the former as sound
10c Green, Ty. I (31). Well-centered with wide bottom margin fully showing the largely complete shells which are the identifying characteristics of this type, rich color, town cancel, Very Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (VF 80; SMQ $1,250.00)
10c Green, Ty. V (35). Original gum, particularly wide margins, deep rich color and a strong impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,200.00)
12c Black, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (36c). Deep shade, bold cork cancels, each stamp with short perf and small tearFINE APPEARANCE. THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE IMPERFORATE BETWEEN IS ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF THE ISSUE. ONLY TWO OTHERS ARE KNOWN TO US.
We record only three examples of this rarity: 1) lightly stained, perf flaws, two tiny tears, ex Wagshal (Siegel Sale 993, lot 343, realized $6,750 hammer); 2) light cancel, clipped perfs at right, closed tear and tiny pinholes, 1991 Rarities sale (Siegel Sale 737, lot 331); and 3) the example offered here, ex Ishikawa and Bakwin.
With 2007 P.S.E. certificate
12c Black, Plate 3 (36B). Unusually wide margins at sides, nicely balanced throughout, deep shade, light town cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2015 P.F. certificate
24c Gray Lilac (37). Slightly disturbed original gum, sharp impression on bright paper, well-centered and Very Fine
30c Orange (38). Original gum, vivid color, well-centered with balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
With 2015 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
90c Blue (39). Disturbed original gum, rich color, perf flaw and thin spot, otherwise Fine
90c Blue (39). Unused (no gum), outstanding centering, rich color, Extremely Fine, ex "Argentum"
1c Bright Blue, Reprint (40). Without gum as issued, well-centered, bright shade, trivial thin speck and faint toning, otherwise Very Fine
3c Scarlet, Reprint (41). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, few short perfs at right, Fine, only 479 sold, with 1993 P.F. certificate
3c Scarlet, Reprint (41). Without gum as issued, vivid color on bright paper, wide margins for this difficult issue, current certificate states reperforated at right, Very Fine appearance, with 1998 P.F. (not noting reperf) and 2015 P.S.E. certificates