Sale 1254 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 6-7 April, 2022
Category — 1851-57 Issues and Reprint
1c Blue, Types II-IIIa-IIIa (7-8A-8A). Positions 16-18R1E, horizontal strip of three, early impression, Type IIIa at center with a wide break in outer line, another Type IIIa at right with a small break, Type II at left, mostly large to huge margins showing parts of adjoining stamps above, including the plumes and balls of Position 7R1E at center, beautiful rich color in Plate 1 Early shade, left stamp (Type II) light corner creaseVERY FINE. A WONDERFUL 1851 ONE-CENT PLATE ONE EARLY MULTIPLE WITH A SCARCE COMBINATION OF TYPES AND CAPTURING THE COVETED BALLS OF POSITION 7R1E.
The reason that Position 7R1E retained its Type I elements at the bottom is because 17R1E was short transferred at the top, thus reducing the "ironing out" effect on 7R1E. If one cannot afford an example of Scott 5, Position 7R1E, this provides an alternative; after all, having the balls of 7R1E is nearly as important as having the whole stamp.
Ex Wagshal and Merlin. With 2022 P.S.E. certificate. Scott value $2,440.00 as pair of Scott 8A and single Scott 7.
1c Blue, Type IV (9). Position 89R1L, recut once at top and with clear break in outer line at bottom, massive Jumbo margins with large portions of all adjoining stamps, grid cancels, a thread was previously embedded just above the "ONE" and is now gone, leading to a lower grade than its margins would otherwise indicate, still an Extremely Fine Gem, only a few positions on Plate 1 Late show a break in the bottom line on late impressions, Position 89R1L is the original one recognized and described by Ashbrook (see Neinken book, page 129), this example with Jumbo margins is very desirable, ex Ishikawa, With 1978 P.F. and 2021 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $900.00), based on margins alone this is a solid 100J, accompanied by another 1c from Position 89R1L showing complete outer lines (earlier state of the plate)
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Recut once at top and twice at bottom, Jumbo margins including large potions of adjoining stamps at top and bottom, intense dark color, town circular datestamp cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $900.00)
1c Blue, Ty. IV (9). Recut twice at top and once at bottom (only four such recuts on Plate 1L) huge margins on three sides with large portions of adjoining stamps, full at bottom, fresh color, town circular datestamp cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $525.00)
3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A). Block of ten, Positions 86-90/96-100R3, huge margins to just in, brilliant color nicely complemented by blue "Cincinnati O. Mar. 21" circular datestamps, also with red "Franco" handstamp, few light creases, Fine-Very Fine appearance, scarce large used multiple, Scott value as two blocks of four and a pair
5c Red Brown (12). Position 91L1, D Relief, huge margins all around including bottom left corner sheet margins, rich color on fresh paper, town datestamp cancel falls entirely in the margin leaving the design unobscuredEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB CORNER-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE. THIS STAMP IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY P.S.E.
The 5c stamp was issued in 1856, five years after the 1c, 3c and 12c values and one year after the 10c were issued. It was typically used to pay the 5c internal U.S. rate for mail sent overseas and also in multiples for the 10c transcontinental or 15c U.S.-French treaty rates.
The plate used to print the 5c 1856 imperforate and its Type I perforated counterparts has never been fully reconstructed, due to the lack of multiples or significant plating marks. However, 5c stamps with imprints or corner sheet margins can be reliably plated. It is an extremely difficult stamp to obtain in sound condition from the corner-margin positions. We record only thirteen copies with part of the imprint and only about a half-dozen with corner margins. Of those, only one other shows a significant portion of both of the corner margins.
Ex Mayer and Kirke. With 1983 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $10,000.00). Only one grades higher (at 100, we have never offered it) and four others share this desirable grade.
5c Red Brown (12). Large margins, rich color, light circular datestamp cancel leaves design clearly visible, Extremely Fine, with 1998 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85; SMQ $850.00)
10c Green, Ty. III (15). Full margins to huge including right interpane margin with traces of centerline, bright color, neat strike of San Francisco circular datestamp, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
10c Green, Ty. IV (16). Position 65L1, recut at top, enormous margins all around, beautiful rich color and proof-like impression on fresh paper, neat strike of 1857 year-dated cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1855 10-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE IV, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. AN OUTSTANDING CONDITION RARITY AND THE HIGHEST GRADED EXAMPLE.
10c 1855 Type IV stamps are defined by the recut of one or both outer lines at the top or bottom of the design. Type IV stamps come from only seven scattered positions on the left pane and one position on the right pane of Plate 1. Therefore, only 4% of the stamps from Plate 1 are Type IV.
Ex Kirke. With 1998 and 2004 P.F. certificates. With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $13,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only one other shares it
12c Black (17). Large margins to clear at top right including portions of three adjoining stamps, bold corner strike of blue town cancel leaves Washington vignette completely visible, bright and fresh, Very Fine and choice, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $500.00)
12c Black (17). Horizontal pair, full even margins, crisp impression, blue Cincinnati circular datestamps, Extremely Fine, also accompanied by horizontal pairs of 1c Blue, Ty. II (7) and 3c Orange Brown, Ty. I (10), Positions 11-12R1E, 3c right stamp vertical crease, each with Cincinnati circular datestamp
1c Blue, Quasi-Type Ia (18 var). Position 56L12 which shows complete design at bottom and erasures of part of the design at top, also a double transfer, rich color, town circular datestamp cancel, diagonal crease and tiny corner perf crease, appears Fine, Position 56L12 was discussed in an article by Jerome S. Wagshal (“The One Cent Stamp of 1851-57: A Reconsideration of Types I Through IIIa”, 1973 Congress Book, pp. 113-115), in which he presented his case for reclassifying some of the 1c 1851-57 types, regarding Position 56L12, Wagshal opined, “[it] requires separate recognition. Its characteristics are unlike those of any other position on any plate of the One Cent stamp. Judged by the standards which are the basis of the One Cent classification system, 56L12 must be given a separate status as a subtype of Type I.”, with 2016 P.F. certificate as No. 18 var, describing the complete design at bottom and erasures at top
1c Blue, Ty. Ia (19). Position 92L4, wide-spaced perforations at top and bottom, perfectly centered with wide margins at right and left, rich color, lightly cancelled by "Boston 18 Sep. Paid" circular datestampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST RECORDED SINGLE OF THE RARE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia PERFORATED. VERY FEW EXIST WITH WIDE-SPACED PERFORATIONS. THIS IS WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT USED CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS IN EXISTENCE. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY P.S.E.
Type Ia stamps were produced from 18 of the 20 bottom-row positions on Plate 4. After perforations were introduced in mid-1857, sheets on hand printed from Plates 1 Late and 2 were fed through the new perforating machine, but the narrow spaces between stamps made perforating difficult to accomplish without cutting into the designs. Plate 4 was produced in early 1857 when the introduction of perforations was anticipated; thus, it was entered from a new six-relief transfer roll, and the spaces between stamps were enlarged to allow for perforations. Some Plate 4 sheets were issued in imperforate form (April to June 1857), while the greater portion was issued perforated beginning in July 1857, along with perforated sheets from Plates 1L and 2.
Plate 4's most distinctive feature is that the top row (Positions 1-10L and 1-10R) was entered with the designs complete at top (Type II) and the bottom row (Positions 91-100L and 91-100R) was entered with designs complete or nearly complete at bottom (Types Ia and Ic). Although the plate layout provided sufficient space for perforations, the height of the top-row and bottom-row designs was larger than others in the sheet, which resulted in perforations cutting into either the top or bottom rows, depending on which direction the sheet was fed into the perforator. Type Ia and Ic stamps from the bottom row are almost always cut into at bottom, an unfortunate situation for collectors because the bottom part of the design is what makes Type Ia and Ic stamps desirable.
The exceptions to the normal cut-into condition of top-row and bottom-row Plate 4 stamps are those with wide-spaced perforations. It has been assumed for years that the pins of the bottom row of the perforator were reset to create more space, but some students of the 1851-57 Issue have begun to reexamine this aspect of Plate 4 production to seek alternative explanations for wide-spaced perforations. Whatever the cause, wide-spaced stamps are extremely rare and highly desirable, because they exhibit all of the features that define their respective types. The so-called Waterhouse strip (ex Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, Saul Newbury, Mortimer Neinken and Jerome S. Wagshal) is the most famous of 1c 1857 Type Ia wide-spaced examples. Although a small number of single wide-spaced stamps are recorded, the example offered in this sale is the best-centered and one of the few completely sound stamps. When it was acquired by the late Amos Eno decades ago, this extraordinary stamp realized ten times Scott Catalogue value. In our firm's 1993 private treaty sale of the stamp to Robert Zoellner and when it was acquired by the owner of the "Tahoe" collection at the Shreve sale of the Hinrichs collection, it realized this same multiple of catalogue. In the 2008 Siegel sale of the Tahoe collection it shattered its previous records by realizing 33 times Scott value.
Ashbrook states: "I consider perforated Type IA stamps that are not touched by perforations as the rarest stamps in the 1857 perforated issue." (Neinken book, p. 279). The Scott Catalogue contains a footnote to the basic price quotes: "Copies of this stamp exist with perforations not touching the design at any point. Such copies command very high prices."
Ex Eno, Zoellner, Dr. Hinrichs and "Tahoe". With 2004 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $330,000.00). The P.S.E. Population Report lists 19 graded examples of Scott 19, all used. This Superb 98J is trailed by two 95s and four 90s.
1c Blue, Ty. II (20). Mint N.H., Position 91L12, bright color, fresh and Fine, a rare Mint N.H. example of the perforated 1c Type II, with 1981 and 1998 P.F. certificates, both showing top selvage which accompanies, Scott value as hinged
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Tied on small piece by well-struck Lyre fancy cancel of Canton Miss., Extremely Fine strike
3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Showing the damaged transfer above lower left rosette, rich color called "Yellow Brown" on accompanying certificate, choice centering and margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2021 P.S.E. certificate stating "one gap over lower left rosette variety" (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $325.00 as normal)
5c Indian Red (28A). Wide margins and precise centering with perforations clear of the design on all sides, magnificent rich true Indian Red color on bright white paper, neat New York circular datestamp cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1857 5-CENT INDIAN RED IS AN INCALCULABLE RARITY IN THIS STUNNING QUALITY. THIS STAMP IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE SOLE EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST AWARDED.
Ex Kirke. With 1995 and 2003 P.F. certificates. With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $21,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by no others.
5c Indian Red (28A). Excellent true Indian Red shade, bold dark blue circular datestamp and bit of red transit, trivial pulled perf at top right, appears Fine, 1998 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies
5c Brown (29). Choice centering with perfs clear of projections all around, deep rich color, light circular datestamp cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1984 and 2016 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
10c Green, Ty. II (32). Position 53R1, wide margins and precise centering, bold grid cancel and red cancel at bottom, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,750.00), only two grade higher (at 98)
90c Deep Blue, Reprint (47). Without gum as issued, deep rich colorFRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 REPRINT.
The Continental Bank Note Company reprinted the 90c stamp from the original plate of 200 subjects. 10,000 were printed (50 impressions). Only 454 were sold; the remaining 9,546 were destroyed.
With 2001 A.P.S. and 2018 P.S.E. certificates. With 2018 P.F. certificate (F 70).