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 12¢ 1851 bisect used on a dual green-and-red cameo cover with the “Via Nicaragua” and “Steam Ship” markings is uniquely spectacularDESCRIPTION
12¢ Black, Diagonal Half Used as 6¢ (17a), top right diagonal half, large margins, affixed by sender with sealing wax for security, tied across the cut by clear “STEAM/SHIP” two-line handstamp applied at the New York City post office on buff cover to Major Daniel Hudson on Shelter Island, New York, green cameo corner card on front and red cameo card on backflap, the green card on front reads “George Hudson, Counsellor at Law, San Francisco, Cal.” and the red on back reads “George Hudson, Counsellor at Law & Commission of Deeds, 13 Beekman St., New York”, sender’s manuscript “Paid” notation, bold oily red strike of “VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS.” two-line framed handstamp, undated but probably originated in San Francisco in August 1853 since the bisect was accepted by New York post office, which started marking covers with bisects postage due with the mail no later than on September 25
PROVENANCE
* John McKnight Storrow (collection sold privately to Colonel Edward H. R. Green for $77,500, circa 1920)
* Col. Edward H. R. Green (Storrow collection), Harmer, Rooke sale, 5/26-28/1943, lot 105
* William L. Moody III, H. R. Harmer sale, 11/27/1950, lot 183, to Jessup
* Edgar B. Jessup (inherited by Pearce)
* Basil C. Pearce (Jessup’s son-in-law; inherited and sold privately)
* Dr. W. Scott Polland (bought privately from Pearce; sold privately to Haas, 1969)
* Marc Haas (bought privately from Dr. Polland, September 1969; collection sold privately to Stanley Gibbons International, 1979; the cover sold privately to Grunin, 1980)
* Louis Grunin, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, Part One, 3/25/1987, lot 74, to Ishikawa
* Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 203, to Hackmey
* Joseph Hackmey (collection sold privately to William H. Gross, 2010)
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Lester G. Brookman, United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century, Vol. I, p. 180
* Jesse L. Coburn, Letters of Gold, p. 112
* Richard B. Graham, “Postal History and Stamps: A Colorful Combination, 1847-1861,” American Philatelist, November 1978
* Jonathan W. Rose, Classic United States Imperforate Stamps, p. 88
* Scott R. Trepel, “United States Classic Covers” (special color feature for AMERIPEX 1986), Chronicle 130, May 1986
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1993)
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine; cover with sealed tear in return address on backflap
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/43.pdf
