Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 12c 1851 Issue, including Multiples and Bisect
This superb sheet-margin block of nine of the 12¢ 1851 Imperforate--a block of extraordinary beauty, quality and rarity--passed from Caspary to Lilly, then to Ishikawa, and for the past 25 years has been one of the stellar items of the Gross collection and Grand Prix exhibitDESCRIPTION
12¢ Black (17), Positions 3-5/13-15/23-25L1, block of nine (three by three) with top sheet margin, full to large margins all around, original gum, seven lightly hinged, center and bottom right stamps Mint N.H., deep shade and sharp impression
PROVENANCE
* Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 1/16-18/1956, lot 525 (Ward claimed that Caspary bought this block in the 1917 Worthington sale, lot 109; however, based on the catalogue description, we question the accuracy of Ward’s statement)
* Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., Siegel Auction Galleries, 2/7/1968, Sale 327, lot 18
* Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 184 to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Mortimer L. Neinken, The 1851-57 Twelve Cent Stamp, p. 63
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1993)
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine block; left vertical row has faint vertical crease described in 1956 Caspary sale as “invisible” and in 1966 Lilly sale as a “natural vertical wrinkle”--obviously of no significance and not mentioned on accompanying certificate
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/41.pdf
