Sale 958 — 2008 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 7 June, 2008
Category — Revenues incl. Hunting Permits and Sanitary Fair
Wm. Swaim, 8c Orange on Silk Paper, Manuscript Signature (RS235hb). Bright color, mostly ample die-cut margins, few small thins and tiny tearFINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 8-CENT WILLIAM SWAIM STAMP WITH MANUSCRIPT SIGNATURE.
The manuscript signature of Jas. Swaim and Wm. Swaim on the 6c and 8c stamps are among the greatest rarities of Match & Medicine stamps. This manuscript Wm. Swaim signature on the 8c is the only recorded example, but when it was sold in the Morton Dean Joyce sale held by Levitt in 1991, bidders failed to appreciate its significance. The Aldrich book speculates that the light shade of the signature raised questions about its genuineness, but the ink is actually quite sharp and is certainly contemporary with the issue. In our opinion, the Joyce sale was simply so overwhelming, many lots fell through the cracks, and this was one of them.
