| The Inverted Centers and Inverted Flags |
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Lot 1330 |
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15¢-90¢ Invert plate proofs on card (120aP4-122aP4, 129aP4), top or bottom margin imprint and plate number blocks of eight. The unique complete set, bright and fresh, large even margins all around, light hinge thin in selvage of each, 15¢ with light bend, invisible from front. Extremely Fine.
Scott $150,000
A BREATHTAKING SET AND ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SET OF PROOFS IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
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Lot 1331 |
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15¢ Brown & blue, type II, center inverted (119b), incredibly fresh and deep color on crisp white paper, rather well centered. Virtually full o.g., negligible margin gum soaks. Very Fine.
Scott $275,000
THIS 15¢ INVERT IS THE FINEST OF THE THREE KNOWN UNUSED SINGLES AND THE ONLY ONE WITH ORIGINAL GUM; A SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THIS GREAT RARITY.
Expertization: Photocopy of 1960 P.F. Certificate, signed W.H. C. (Colson).
Provenance: Lichtenstein, Worthington, Hind, Brigham, "Penn" Collection, Lilly, Texas collector, Ishikawa
The story of the discovery of the 15¢ invert was first told in a George Sloane column in February 1946. As the tale has been subsequently retold several times, a brief summary should serve.
The father of the renowned philatelist Alfred F. Lichtenstein was sent to the post office by his employer, where he purchased a quarter sheet of the 15¢ 1869 issue. He soon noticed the sheet had the centers inverted. As an avid collector, he chose to forego lunch that day (19¢ being his daily allotment) and spend 15¢ to purchase one of these stamps for himself. After some time, and over the strong objections of the young Alfred, the stamp was sold to a friend for $285.
While the 15¢ is the most common of the 1869 inverts (if one can use that term for a stamp with less than 100 known), it is the most uncommon in mint condition. The
only three inverts recorded are:
1. A nicely centered unused single ex Phillips
2. A somewhat off centered unused single with slight soiling ex Hindes
3. A well centered single with original gum ex Lichtenstein
The 15¢ invert we offer here is the Lichtenstein example and, therefore the finest of the three known. This mint invert, along with the two inverts following afford today's collector a singular opportunity to obtain one, or more, of the finest of these most coveted stamps.
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Lot 1332 |
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24¢ Green & violet, center inverted (120b), unused, deep rich colors on fresh paper, sharp impression, tiny thin in grill. Still Very Fine.
Scott $275,000
THIS 24¢ INVERT IS THE FINEST OF THE THREE KNOWN UNUSED SINGLES IN PRIVATE HANDS AND THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PERFORATIONS CLEARING THE DESIGN.
Expertization: Photocopy of 1980 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Phillips, Ishikawa
The 24¢ is the second rarest of the inverts in unused condition, though in reality, it could be said to be equally as rare as the 15¢. While there are four unused examples of 120b known, one of the four resides in the Tapling collection, housed in the British Library, and is therefore permanently out of the reach of the collecting community. The remaining three are as follows:
1. A single with the perforations just touching the design and two short perfs ex Hindes
2. A severely off center single with a minor crease ex Worthington
3. A single with the perforations completely clear of the design, minor thin in grill ex Ishikawa
None of these three inverts have original gum. As the only example where the perforations do not impinge upon the design, the ex-Ishikawa 24¢ invert is the finest available.
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Lot 1333 |
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30¢ Ultramarine & carmine, flags inverted (121b), exceptionally well centered with brilliant deep colors on very fresh paper, trace of o.g. Extremely Fine.
Scott $210,000
THIS 30¢ INVERT IS THE FINEST OF THE SEVEN RECORDED, UNUSED SINGLES AND THE ONLY ONE WITH ANY OF ITS ORIGINAL GUM.
Expertization: 1990 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Worthington
While the rarest of the three 1869 inverts in total number of surviving examples, the 30¢ unused is actually the most "available" (as it were) with a total of seven recorded singles as follows:
1. A nicely centered single ex Ferrary
2. A faulty single ex Phillips
3. An off center single with faint staining ex Sinkler, Ward, Hindes
4. A well centered single ex U.S. Trust
5. A well centered, slightly faulty single ex Green
6. A well centered single ex Ishikawa
7. A well centered single with trace of original gum ex-Worthington
The example offered here is the ex-Worthington single, the only surviving well centered and sound 30¢ invert with a trace of the original gum and, therefore, the most desirable of the seven.
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Lot 1334 |
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24¢ Green & violet, imperforate without grill center inverted (120b var.), unused single, huge margins, fresh color and paper. Extremely Fine.
Estimate 40,000 - 50,000
Expertization: 1949, 1976 and 1989 P.F. Certificates stating "apparently imperf".
Provenance: Ferrary, Col. Green, Lilly, Hewitt, Kelly, Zlowe
The 24c imperf inverted center was originally part of a set of seven values from the 1869 issue, all imperf. As are the others in this set, it is unique.
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Lot 1335 |
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15¢ Brown & blue, type II, center inverted (119b), remarkably rich colors. Neat star cancel. Completely unnoticeable light creases. Fully Fine for this.
Scott $17,000
WITH ITS UNUSUALLY STRONG AND FRESH COLORS, UNOBTRUSIVE CANCEL AND FREEDOM FROM ANY REPAIRS OR SERIOUS FAULTS, THE EXAMPLE OFFERED HERE IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST AND MOST ATTRACTIVE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS A CONDITION RARITY.
Expertization: 1982 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 1336 |
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15¢ Brown & blue, type II, center inverted (119b), unusually well centered for this variety, relatively bright cancel that doesn't obscure the vignette. Small expert repairs, not obvious from the front. Very Fine appearance.
Scott $17,000
One of the better centered of this rare invert of which fewer than 100 are believed to exist.
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Lot 1337 |
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15¢ Brown & blue, type II, center double, one inverted (119c), rich colors, nicely centered. Relatively lightly cancelled. Expertly restored faults. Very Fine appearance.
Scott $35,000
Expertization: Illustrated in Rose (though incorrectly referred to as the second example found).
Jon Rose, in his United States Postage Stamps of 1869,
postulates that the variety was produced in the following manner: First, a blank sheet of paper was run through the press in a make-ready run for the vignette, thereby receiving a light impression and little ink. Next, since every sheet of paper had to be accounted for, this sheet was put through the press again in order to print the vignette, but was inserted in the opposite direction. Finally, the sheet was put on press to print the frame, and again, it was run through in the opposite direction from the second, and proper printing of the vignette. Some students have hypothesized that the first faint vignette impression was actually an offset caused by the sheet being folded.
In all, there have been only three reported examples of this great rarity. The one we offer here was the discovery copy.
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Lot 1338 |
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24¢ Green & violet, center inverted (120b), tied in combination with 1873 3¢ green (158), paying 9-times the letter rate on a slightly reduced legal size cover to the Common Pleas Court at Paducah, Ky., illegible town postmark, docketed March 10, 1874; large sealed tear in cover, invert lifted and replaced.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF AN 1869 INVERTED CENTER USED ON COVER.
Expertization: 1960 and 1988 P.F. Certificates noting that the invert has been hinged in place; it has since been re-affixed.
Provenance: Ackerman
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Lot 1339 |
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30¢ Ultramarine & carmine, flags inverted (121b), rich colors on bright paper, excellent centering. Light crossroads cancel. Two tiny internal cuts (invisible to naked eye). Choice Extremely Fine appearance.
Scott $70,000
GIVEN ITS REMARKABLY DEEP COLORS, CHOICE CENTERING AND LIGHT CANCEL, THIS EXAMPLE, TINY FLAWS NOTWITHSTANDING, IS ONE OF THE FINEST 30¢ INVERTS EXTANT.
Expertization: 1982 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Caspary
With a total of fewer than of 50 mint and used singles in existence, the 30¢ 1869 invert is the rarest of the non-revenue inverts.
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Lot 1340 |
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30¢ Ultramarine & carmine, flags inverted (121b), excellent centering, bright, rich colors. Quartered cork cancel. Short corner perf at upper left. Very Fine.
Scott $70,000
A REMARKABLY RICHLY COLORED AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THIS USUALLY FAULTY RARITY.
Expertization: 1991 P.F. Certificate.
The 30¢ invert is the rarest of the three inverts in used condition with fewer than 40 known. The example above is one of the best centered and finest in overall quality available.
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