Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 5c 1856 Issue, including Block of Four and Cover to Scotland
The spectacular and only known intact cover to Great Britain with the 5¢ 1856 Imperforate Issue--a wonderful combination of elementsDESCRIPTION
5¢ Red Brown (12), two horizontal pairs, both Relief B and thus probably from the same row but not contiguous, right pair has enormous margins showing parts of adjoining stamps at top and bottom and at right, left pair has huge top margin showing parts of adjoining stamps and full margins on other sides except just touched at left, used with 1¢ Blue, Type IV (9) and 3¢ Dull Red, Type II (11A), each slightly cut in on two sides, tied by three strikes of “Albany N.Y. Apr. 9” (1857) circular datestamp on buff cover to Aberdeen, Scotland, addressed to Alex Chivas of the whiskey-distilling family, red “3” credit handstamp applied in New York, red “America Liverpool Paid AP 24 57” transit datestamp, green “Aberdeen AP 26 1857” receiving backstamp, envelope flap with embossed return address of Peter Smith & Sons, Coopersmiths & Plumbers, Albany, New York
PROVENANCE
* Philip G. Rust, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1980 Rarities of the World, 4/5/1980, Sale 560, lot 67, to Klein
* Walter C. Klein, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/27/1988, lot 85, to Mayer
* Frederick R. Mayer, Bennett sale, 10/21/2005, lot 185, to Hackmey
* Joseph Hackmey (collection sold privately to William H. Gross, 2010)
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Richard C. Frajola and Frederick R. Mayer, The United States Five Cent Stamp of 1856, fig. 13-1, p. 138
* ANPHILEX 1996 Invited Exhibits (Mayer)
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (2005)
CONDITION NOTES
* Very Fine cover with vertical and horizontal folds not affecting stamps and not mentioned on accompanying certificate
* Signed on back by Stanley B. Ashbrook and by Herbert A. Bloch in pencil on front at right (Bloch’s signature is present in a 1957 photograph taken by Ashbrook for Ezra D. Cole)
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/36.pdf
