Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 10c 1855 Issue, including Unique Multiples and Covers
This block--the “Colossus”--was used to mail a Valentine from Gold Rush California in 1857, and for the century since its discovery the block has been unchallenged as the largest multiple of the 10¢ 1855 ImperforateDESCRIPTION
10¢ Green, Types II and III (14, 15), vertical block of 21 (three by seven) from Positions 1-3/11-13/21-23/31-33/41-43/51-53/61-63L1--the first three vertical rows from the top left corner of the left pane, which is one of the most fascinating sections of the 200-subject plate from a philatelic perspective--Positions 1L and 2L are the misplaced transfers of Relief B instead of Relief A, producing Type III stamps from those positions instead of Type II; also contained in the block are two major double transfers, Positions 31L and 51L, the former being the most pronounced of all 10¢ double transfers--the entire block contains ten Type II and eleven Type III stamps in alternating rows, mostly large margins except touching right and top, incredibly deep rich color and early impression, neatly cancelled by multiple strikes of “Columbia Cal. Jan. 19, 1857” circular datestamp
PROVENANCE
According to George B. Sloane (Stamps, 2/11/1956), discovered on a cover used to enclose a large Valentine from Columbia, California, to Portland, Maine--originally a block of 30 (3 by 10), bottom three Type I stamps removed (91-93L1), then a block of six was removed (71-73/81- 83L1), which was later reduced to a block of four (71-72/81-82L1)
* B. L. Drew sale (as block of 21), 8/17/1922, lot 69, to Kennett for Hind
* Arthur Hind, Phillips-Kennett sale, 11/20-24/1933, lot 135, to Colson (as agent for Caspary)
* Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 1/16-18/1956, lot 482, to Mozian
* Robert Lehman, Robson Lowe Geneva sale, 4/30/1976, lot 1137
* Robert Faiman and Andrew Levitt (according to personal communication with Faiman; sold privately to Ishikawa through Garrett, 1979)
* Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 163, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Stanley B. Ashbrook, The United States Ten Cent Stamp of 1855-1857, page 50
* --Special Service, #60, pp. 482-483 (sale history)
* Lester G. Brookman, United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century, Vol. I, p. 165
* Mortimer L. Neinken, The United States Ten Cent Stamps of 1855-1859, p. 37
* Jonathan W. Rose, Classic United States Imperforate Stamps, p. 79
* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1976)
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine and sound block; a few negligible faint wrinkles
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/37.pdf
