1c-90c 1869 Pictorial Issue, Panama-Pacific Small Die Proofs on Wove (112P2a-122P2a, 129P2a). Complete set of eleven, including both 15c (Types II and III), large margins, rich colors, usual characteristic toning which is a hallmark of all genuine examples of these proofs, few faults including translucencies or thin spots on 1c and 15c (latter small filled thin), accompanying certificates also mention some faint waterstaining or small creases at top of 2c, 3c, 24c and 30c

VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE INTACT SET OF PANAMA-PACIFIC SMALL DIE PROOFS OF THE 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A COMPLETE SET OF THE RARE PANAMA-PACIFIC DIE PROOFS OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CLASSIC UNITED STATES ISSUES.

From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of mankind's greatest engineering achievement, the Panama Canal.

The Post Office Department decided to prepare a limited number of proof sets showing every United States stamp printed up to the time of the exposition. A total of 413 different designs were made. Only two sets were officially prepared, but it is widely recognized that between three and five of each were made. These included Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Philippines and other special use stamps.

An article by J. C. M. Cryer in the 1869 Pictorial Research Associates 1869 P.R.A. Register attempts to trace the history of all known sets of the 1869 Pictorial P2a's. Based on the Cryer article and information we have gathered, here is a brief summary of the sets and part sets known to us:

Smithsonian National Postal Museum Set: At the time of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, a complete set of 413 proofs was placed in the national philatelic collection and today is located at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

The Southgate Set: In the 1930s a complete set of all 413 designs, including the 1869s, was traded to Hugh M. Southgate, a well-known dealer, in exchange for items missing from the national collection. Southgate was a close friend of Clarence Brazer, widely recognized as the dean of U.S. essays and proofs, and Brazer had ample opportunity to study the set. The Southgate set of 413 proofs passed through two additional owners until 1964, when it was donated to The Collectors Club of New York. It was briefly displayed in 1965 before it was sold by Siegel through private treaty to raise funds for the CCNY. Whether the set remained intact or was dispersed has not been firmly established; however, a large number of Panama-Pacific proofs were submitted to The Philatelic Foundation in late 1985 and early 1986 (the 1869s are PFC 154106-154116). The quantity of Panama-Pacific proofs submitted at one time suggests that they originated from the Southgate set.

1869 Pictorial Set 3: In addition to the NPM set and the Southgate set, a third set of 1869 Panama-Pacific small die proofs was offered in a 1973 Advanced Philatelics auction as individual lots. They were purchased by dealer Jack Molesworth and certified by The Philatelic Foundation (PFC 43686-43696). The same set of 1869s was subsequently offered in the Siegel 1987 and 1989 Rarities sales.

1869 Pictorial Set 4: An incomplete set of 1869s (missing only the 10c), several of which were heavily stained, was offered as individual lots in a Sotheby's New York auction in 1978. The 15c from that group was offered in our Dr. Heimburger sale. This set was disbursed among many buyers and is no longer even partly complete.

1869 Pictorial Set 5: The set offered here was part of the Falk Finkelburg collection. Mr. Finkelburg was a student and close confidant of Clarence Brazer, and no doubt his set was acquired with Brazer's assistance (Brazer himself did not have a set).

Ex Finkelburg. With 1999 P.F. certificates.

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