Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 1847 Issue Multiples and Plate Varieties
These are the only 1847 Issue straddle-pane stamps--their existence proves that the 1847s were printed from plates of 200 subjects in two panes of 100DESCRIPTION
Three items (two 5¢ on and off cover; one 10¢ on cover):
(a) 5¢ Red Brown (1), Left pane position in right vertical row with 7.15mm straddle-pane gutter and part of stamp in right pane, exact position cannot yet be determined, but not 10L or 100L (it does not have plate characteristics of those positions), large margins all around, rich color, lightly struck red grid cancel, Extremely Fine
(b) 5¢ Red Brown (1), Right pane position in left vertical row with 7.15mm straddle-pane gutter and frameline of stamp in left pane, exact position cannot yet be determined, tied by grid cancel and “Bridgeport Ct. Mar. 8” (circa 1849) circular datestamp on envelope to South Britain, Connecticut, sheet margin partly folded under when the stamp was affixed
(c) 10¢ Black, Double Transfer Type A (2-A), Position 1R from top left corner of right pane with 8.25mm straddle-pane gutter and frameline of Position 10L (top right corner of left pane), also shows frameline of Position 11R in bottom margin, cancelled by red grid, matching “New-York Apl 22” (1850) circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Evansville, Indiana
PROVENANCE
* (a) Robert S. Emerson, Daniel F. Kelleher, 11/16/1946, Sale 438
* Philip G. Rust, Daniel F. Kelleher, 3/17-18/1992, Sale 591, lot 236
* (b) Discovered by Dr. Ralph W. Payne in 1924; sold to F. R. Sweet (DFK)
* (c) A. K. McDaniel (sold privately in 1919 through Elliott Perry)
* Rep. Ernest R. Ackerman (sold privately in 1928 through Perry)
The 5¢ and 10¢ covers together (b and c):
* Philip G. Rust, Siegel Auction Galleries, 6/25/1987, Sale 681, lot 162
* Richard C. Frajola, 7/28/1990, Sale 44, lot 289
* Malcolm L. Brown (sold privately to Saadi)
All three (a, b, c):
* Wade E. Saadi (sold privately to William H. Gross)
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* USPCS census nos. 317 (b) and 8744 (c)
* Lester G. Brookman, The 1847 Issue of United States Stamps, 1942, p. 10
* Gordon Eubanks, Jr., “The William H. Gross United States Collection,” Chronicle 258, May 2018
* Creighton C. Hart, “1847 Straddle Pane Stamps,” Chronicle 102, May 1979
* Elliott Perry, “Plating the 10¢ 1847,” Collectors Club Philatelist, 1924-1926
* Wade E. Saadi, “Known Straddle-Margin Copies of the 1847 Stamps,” Chronicle 229, February 2011
* Philip T. Wall, “Was the 10¢ 1847 Plate Cut in Half,” Chronicle 213, February 2007
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (a-1992), (b-1996) and (c-1996)
CONDITION NOTES
* (b) Selvage creased where folded under by sender (now unfolded); stamp and cover with slight waterstain
* (c) Vertical file fold through stamp (breaks fibers), signed Ashbrook
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/15.pdf
