Sale 1310 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Dragonfly Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 February, 2024
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue (Scott 79-101)
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Original gum, lightly hinged, clearly defined grill, brilliant color on bright paper, beautiful centering with well-balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1867 3-CENT C GRILL.
The 3c is the only denomination that was issued with the distinctive C Grill, with the grill points facing up instead of down. The few high-grade original-gum examples owe their existence to the division of blocks of four over the years.
With 1993 and 2006 P.F. certificates.
3c Thorp Patent Safety Paper Essays, Perforated 12 (79-E26e, f, h). Two of each, no duplication of colors or overprint color, original gum, choice centering, Very Fine group, the definitive article on these can be found in Chronicle 253, pp. 64-72
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Outstanding centering and wide margins, perfect strike of rosette cancel, couple small perf tears at top right and some slight perf toning, appear Extremely Fine, few 3c C Grill stamps are as well-centered as this
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Choice centering and margins but reperfed at left, large grid cancel nicely accentuates the grill, Extremely Fine appearance
3c Rose, D. Grill (85). Rich color, net strike of blue quartered cork cancel, slightly nibbed perf at top, reperfed at bottom and right, appears Very Fine
3c Rose, Z. Grill (85C). Original gum, lightly hinged, perfectly defined grill, rich color, attractive centering and margins
FRESH AND VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SOUND AND LIGHTLY HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 3-CENT Z GRILL.
Excluding the supremely rare grills—5c and 30c A Grill, 3c B Grill, 1c, 10c and 15c Z Grills—the 3c Z Grill is the rarest of the regularly produced grilled issues. Examples of this issue are usually far off-center and often faulty. This stamp, with lightly hinged gum and attractive margins is a very desirable example of the 3c Z Grill.
Ex Abramowitz. With 2009 P.S.E. and 2021 P.F. certificates.
12c Black, Z. Grill (85E). Unused (no gum), intense shade and impression, clear grill, small toned spot on back, small thin spot at left center, reperfed at left, Very Fine appearing unused example of this scarce grilled issue
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Choice margins and centering, brilliant color on crisp white paper, face-free segmented cork cancel, Extremely Fine, a lovely stamp, ex Getzin, with 2004 (for horizontal pair) and 2011 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85)
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Large part original gum which covers more than three-quarters of the back, intense shade, attractive centering and margins
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFULLY CENTERED AND FRESH ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 12-CENT E GRILL, WHICH IS FAR SCARCER IN THIS CONDITION THAN ITS F GRILL COUNTERPART.
With 2015 P.F. certificate for a pair.
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Wide margins and intense shade, blue circle of wedges and circular datestamp as well as red transit at bottom, Very Fine and a nice stamp with two different colored cancels
1c Blue, F. Grill (92). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade, clear grill, fresh and Fine, with 2000 and 2022 P.F. certificates
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Original gum, h.r., clearly defined grill, rich color, Fine and attractive
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, clearly defined grill points, rich color, bottom right stamp natural paper wrinkle not mentioned on accompanying certificate, few toned spots on gum show thru on three stamps
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. ONE OF THE LAST SURVIVING ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCKS OF THE 1868 10-CENT F GRILL IN THIS CHOICE GRADE.
Almost every 10c F Grill block with Very Fine or better centering has been broken to satisfy demand for singles. This block is a rare survivor.
From our 2001 Rarities sale and ex Wingate. With 2001 P.F. certificate.
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Block of four, original gum, each stamp has clearly defined grill, detailed impression, choice centering, perf separations sensibly reinforced and not mentioned on accompanying certificate
EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLY CHOICE AND RARE BLOCK OF THE 1868 15-CENT F GRILL. THIS BLOCK IS EASILY AMONG THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
The largest recorded original-gum multiples are a reconstructed block of 20 and a block of 16. Both are significantly off center with perfs cutting far into the stamp designs. The demand for choice original-gum examples of the 15c F Grill has resulted in the decimation of virtually every well-centered block in existence. Other surviving blocks have faults such as thin spots or creases.
Ex Wingate. With 1995 P.F. certificate.
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Original gum, clearly defined grill, attractive margins and centering, deep rich color
VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 24-CENT F GRILL.
Ex Petersen. With 2008 P.S.E. and 2021 P.F. certificates.
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Block of fifteen, original gum, two stamps certified as Mint N.H. (row 2—stamps 2-3), no trace of hinging on five others (row 1—stamp 2, row 2—stamp 4 and row 3—stamps 1, 2 and 4), magnificent centering, rich color and sharp impression
very fine-extremely fine. This superb block of fifteen is the largest recorded multiple of the 24¢ F Grill and contains several of the finest examples known of the issue.
The 24c 1861-68 was printed from one plate, Plate 6, which was used for the trial printing in Dark Violet (First Color) and for all subsequent printings. In 1868 a supply of sheets was grilled with the F Grill roller (Scott 99), using the machine patented by Charles F. Steel.
This block of 15 and the plate number block of eight sold in the Gross U.S. Treasures auction (Sale 1188, lot 85) originated from the same pane of 100, which was sold in one of the early major "name" stamp auctions—the Frederick de Coppet collection—held by J. W. Scott Co. in New York City in April 1893. This auction featured a British Guiana 2c Cotton Reel, which sold for $1,000, a record price at the time. Lot 1944 was described as "24c VIOLET, entire sheet with perfect margins, original gum, fine in every way, probably unique, 100 (stamps)." The pane was sold for $300.
Following the 1893 de Coppet sale, the 24c F Grill pane was divided into smaller units. The plate block and a few other blocks were acquired by the Cleveland tycoon George H. Worthington, and the block of 15 became part of automobile magnate Joseph T. Lozier's collection. A large block of 18 from the upper right corner eventually found a place in Colonel Edward H. R. Green's collection. When it was sold in Part 23 of the Green sales (Barr 10/15-18/1945), it was immediately divided into smaller blocks, as documented in a note from Philip H. Ward, Jr., who wrote "[the block] was broken... in New York yesterday so that my Lozier block of 15, which is well centered, is the largest block now known to me" (Ashbrook index files).
Ward's block passed to the Weills in 1963, when they bought his estate, and one year later to their principal client, Benjamin D. Phillips. After a few appearances in auctions, it was bought in the 1992 Rarities of the World sale by Christopher Rupp, who sold it privately to William H. Gross. The current owner acquired it in the Gross Multiples auction (Sale 1200, lot 92).
Ex Frederick de Coppet (as part of a complete right pane of 100, J. W. Scott Co. sale, 4/24/1893, lot 1944); Joseph T. Lozier (as block of 15, sold privately by Ward); Philip H. Ward, Jr. (bought from Lozier, estate sold to Weills in 1963); Benjamin D. Phillips (bought from Weills out of Ward estate, 1964, Phillips collection sold privately to Weills, 1968); Order of U.S. Trust Company (H. R. Harmer sale, 5/27-28/1969, lot 376); Siegel Auction Galleries, 1984 Rarities of the World (4/14/1984, Sale 632, lot 270); Siegel Auction Galleries, 1989 Rarities of the World (4/15/1989, Sale 708, lot 180, to Stanley J. Richmond); Siegel Auction Galleries, 1992 Rarities of the World (10/3/1992, Sale 745, lot 507, to Christopher Rupp, sold privately to Gross); William H. Gross (5/8/2019, Sale 1200, lot 92).
With 1989 and 2019 P.F. certificates—the latter stating two stamps are Mint N.H (pos. 7-8). Scott value as hinged blocks of four, pairs and a single.
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Large part original gum, h.r., deep rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering for this difficult issue
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 90-CENT F GRILL WITH LARGE PART ORIGINAL GUM.
Most examples with original gum tend to have faults or are significantly off center in at least one direction. The example offered here is a desirable exception.
With 2024 P.F. certificate.