24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Grounded Plane Variety (C3 var). Bottom selvage block of four, vignette shifted down exceeding the standard amount for classification as the Grounded Plane variety, pristine gum described by the P.F. as "previously hinged", an opinion with which both the P.S.E. and we (vehemently) disagree, bright fresh colors on brilliant paper, bottom left stamp with small light internal wrinkle harshly described by the P.F. as a crease

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE RARE GROUNDED PLANE VARIETY -- EXTRAORDINARY BOTH FOR ITS CONDITION AND THE EXTREME DOWNWARD SHIFT OF THE PLANE VIGNETTE.

The true Grounded Plane stamps, in which the wheels of the plane break thru the top of "Cents", come from portions of three sheets. The discovery sheet was owned and broken up by J. Klemann of Nassau Stamp Company. A second sheet was discovered in 1946 and sold in the Thomas A. Matthews sale (H.R. Harmer, Nov. 4, 1964), where it was purchased by Georges A. Medawar, publisher of Sanabria Airmail Catalogue. In Linn's Stamp News of April 21, 1986, specialist Joseph R. Kirker Jr. published his research revealing a third source of this variety.

Ex Saddleback. With 2003 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates

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