$4.00 Pale Aniline Rose, Columbian (244a). Bottom imprint, plate no. 107 and letter "C C" strip of four, original gum, very lightly hinged, brilliant aniline shade

EXTREMELY FINE GEM IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN IN THE PALE ANILINE ROSE SHADE. ONE OF THE FINEST POSITION MULTIPLES OF THIS ISSUE WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

The $4.00 Columbian, depicting "Isabella--Columbus," is based on an unknown portrait of Queen Isabella and a portrait of Columbus from a painting by Lorenzo Lotto. The vignette was engraved by Alfred Jones and the frame and lettering by George H. Seymour. 26,350 stamps were printed from Plate 107, and according to Luff 3,357 were destroyed.

All of the Columbians printed from 100-subject plates (2c thru $5.00) are known with both top and bottom imprint and plate numbers except for the 50c and the $4.00, from which only bottom imprint and plate numbers are known. Depending on how the sheet was fed into the perforator, either the top or bottom selvage was cut away and a straight edge was left in its place. For the 50c and $4.00, it appears that the entire supply was fed into the perforator in the same manner, preserving the bottom selvage and eliminating all top imprint and plate numbers (or any kind of top selvage).

From our 1992 Rarities of the World sale. With 2006 P.F. certificate

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