3c Scarlet, Imperforate (74a). Horizontal pair, large to huge margins, left stamp manuscript "J.M. Jan. 31, 1868" in three lines, presumed to be in the hand of James Macdonough, right stamp neat parallel vertical pen strokes

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE PAIR OF THE IMPERFORATE 3-CENT SCARLET PRINTING WITH JAMES MACDONOUGH'S MANUSCRIPT INITIALS AND DATE. ONLY FOUR INITIALED EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED IN TOTAL.

The story of the 3c Scarlet has been well-documented by Jerome S. Wagshal in a series of articles appearing in the Chronicle (Nos. 56, 60, 61 and 62). Wagshal quotes statements made in 1893 and 1910 by a Washington D.C. stamp dealer, Carl F. Rothfuchs, to the effect that Rothfuchs obtained a supply of the 3c Scarlet in 1893--probably from the Post Office Department in exchange for his assistance with the Columbian Exposition--and sold them with pen marks and original gum. The Rothfuchs lot is not from the same supply acquired by John W. Scott in the late 1870's, from which stamps exist uncancelled and cancelled with a New York City Station D oval.

We record four examples of the 3c Scarlet with the initials and date: one perforated and three imperforate, including the example in the pair offered here. The "J.M. Jan. 31, 1868" was probably applied by James Macdonough, one of the National Bank Note Company founders. Although Wagshal offers some convincing evidence dating the Scarlet to 1861, these 1868-dated examples suggest an alternate theory that the Scarlet was produced about the time of the 1868 regular-production grills. The existence of numerous essays and color varieties made in 1867 and 1868, as well as actual changes in the color and paper of stamps produced in 1868, show that National was experimenting with various means to prevent stamp re-use and to improve production efficiency and quality. The Scarlet may related to this effort.

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