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Lot 56 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1845, 20¢ black on greenish (11X3), type I, position 1, large margins, two partial strikes red PAID handstamp and lightened manuscript cancels. Slightly thinning at lower right. Choice Very Fine appearance (see lot 63). Illustrated in Life Magazine May 3, 1954, in the article "The World's Rarest Stamps".
Scott $30,000
ONE OF ONLY THREE OFF COVER EXAMPLES OF THE 20¢ GREENISH AND THE ONLY ONE WITH A RED HANDSTAMPED CANCEL.
Expertization: 1989 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Chapman, Weill
With a total of only five examples extant, two of which are on one cover, the 20¢ on greenish is one of the rarest stamps in all of philately.
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Lot 57 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1845, 20¢ black on greenish (11X3), type I, position 1, large margins, bold manuscript cancel and bright paper. Tiny thin spot bottom right corner. Choice Very Fine appearance.
Scott $30,000
ANOTHER OF THE THREE OFF COVER SINGLES OF THE 20¢ ON GREENISH AND ORIGINALLY PART OF THE WORTHINGTON RECONSTRUCTION.
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson).
Provenance: Lapham, Weill
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Lot 58 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, unused (uncancelled), huge perfectly balanced margins, couple small shallow thin spots, fresh and bright. Phenomenal Extremely Fine appearance.
Scott $5,500
Expertization: 1983 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 59 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type II, position 4, enormous margins, cancelled solely by a light red St. Louis datestamp. Two tiny thin spots. Remarkable Extremely Fine appearance.
Scott $3,000
Expertization: signed Bloch, Köhler, 1953 Friedl Certificate.
The above 10¢ on gray lilac is one of the first Bears to have been discovered and photographed. It was from the 1869 find and was photographed by Grant & Co. (London) in 1874.
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Lot 60 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type III, position 6, small even margins, cancelled solely by a bold, red (M)AR 6 St. Louis datestamp. Fresh and Very Fine.
Scott $3,000
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), 1976 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 61 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, huge margins to just in at upper right, cancelled solely by a bold red MAR 8 St. Louis datestamp, bright and fresh. Nearly Very Fine and quite striking.
Scott $3,000
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Lot 62 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type II, position 4, adequate side margins, just in at top and bottom, neat manuscript cancel, bright paper. Fresh and Fine.
Scott $3,000
Expertization: 1984 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 63 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, ample margins to just touching, light manuscript and red St. Louis cancels, slight doubling of design caused by paper slippage ("skid print"). Small tear at bottom. Fresh Fine appearance.
Scott $3,000
Expertization: 1984 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 64 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type III, position 6, ample margins all around, cancelled solely by a light strike of a red St. Louis datestamp, bright paper. Two tiny sealed edge tears. Fresh Very Fine appearance.
Scott $3,000
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Lot 65 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, large margins, cancelled solely by a small part red St. Louis datestamp. Slight faults and small repaired nick in bottom margin. Fresh Very Fine appearance.
Scott $3,000
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Lot 66 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type II, position 4, four margins cancelled solely by a neat red St. Louis datestamp. Small thin and tear at bottom. Most attractive Very Fine appearance.
Scott $3,000
Expertization: 1984 P.F. Certificate as 11X8.
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Lot 67 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), vertical pair. Types I-II, position 2/4, large to oversize margins cancelled solely by a lightly struck St. Louis datestamp, fresh bright paper. Extremely Fine.
Scott $7,750
A GEM EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE MULTIPLE.
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), 2003 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 68 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), vertical strip of 3. Types I-III, position 2/4/6, clear to mostly large margins, top two stamp with vertical pen stroke, bottom with bold red St. Louis datestamp, two faint creases affecting top stamps. Otherwise a Very Fine and exceedingly rare multiple.
Scott $13,500
ONE OF ONLY TWO OFF COVER STRIPS OF THREE.
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), 1981 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Duckwell, Moody
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Lot 69 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), vertical strip of three. Types I-III, position 2/4/6, mostly large margins to just touching at three corners, vertical penstroke cancel. Faint minor creasing top stamp, microscopic pinhole middle (neither mentioned in certificate). Otherwise fresh and F.-V.F.
Scott $13,500
THE OTHER OF THE TWO OFF COVER STRIPS OF THREE.
Expertization: clear 1965 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 70 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, ample to large margins except touched at right center and just clear at upper left, pen cancelled, on 1846 Charnley & Whelen letter to Philadelphia, red "St. Louis Mo. Mar. 7" c.d.s. and matching "Paid", manuscript "10" at right, Very Fine, rare early use.
Scott $5,500
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Lot 71 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type II, position 4, large margins to just in at upper right, fresh paper and color, well tied by red "St. Louis Mo. Mar. 13" c.d.s. on 1846 Charnley & Whelen folded letter to Philadelphia, and without the usual pen cancel, matching "Paid" handstamp and large manuscript "10" both at far right; stamp with negligible small corner crease at upper right, Fine usage.
Scott $5,500
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Lot 72 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 10¢ black on gray lilac (11X5), type I, position 2, large margins to touched at bottom right and just shaving outer frame line at upper corner, tied by small pen stroke and bold red "St. Louis Mo. Dec. 4" c.d.s. on ca. 1846 folded cover to Thomas Page, an auditor in Frankfort, Ky., matching "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "10 "at far right, pencil "Paid" opposite stamp; cover with some light wear along central vertical file fold, Very Fine usage.
Scott $5,500
Expertization: 1991 P.F. Certificate.
The sender of cover, William Nisbet & Co., also corresponded with Charnley & Whelen.
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Lot 73 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, unused (uncancelled), margins large to barely touching at left. Fresh and Fine. Not priced unused.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000
THE UNIQUE UNUSED 20¢ BEAR AND THE KEY TO A "COMPLETE" UNUSED SET.
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), 2003 P. F. Certificate.
Provenance: part of the Lapham reconstruction
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Lot 74 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, clear to oversized margin, neat manuscript cancel, exceptionally bright and fresh. Very Fine.
Scott $22,500
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Lot 75 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type II, position 3, large to oversized margins and light manuscript cancel, couple faint diagonal creases at upper left. Choice Very Fine appearance.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson).
Provenance: Caspary
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Lot 76 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type II, position 3, large margins to just touching at lower left, Colson's blue "W.H.C." handstamp on reverse shows through slightly. Still bright, fresh and nearly Very Fine.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: 1993 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 77 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, ample margins to just touching, cancelled solely by a lightly struck red St. Louis datestamp, trivial tiny corner crease. Fine.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), clear 1965 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 78 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 3, large margins, light manuscript cancel and bright paper. Tiny thin spot (not mentioned in certificate). Fresh, choice Very Fine appearance.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: signed W.H.C. (Colson), clear 1976 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Worthington, Lapham reconstruction
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Lot 79 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type II, position 3, ample to large margins, neat manuscript cancel and light red St. Louis datestamp, couple faint pressed creases visible only on reverse, pinpoint thin speck. Choice Very Fine appearance.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: 1972 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Green
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Lot 80 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type II, position 3, ample to large margins except just in at left, neat manuscript cancel. Fresh and nearly Very Fine.
Scott $22,500
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Lot 81 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, ample margins to cut in at upper right, lightened manuscript cancel, faint crease (not mentioned in certificate), fresh and attractive.
Scott $22,500
Expertization: clear 1975 P.F. Certificate.
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Lot 82 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), vertical pair. Types I-II, position 1/3, ample margins right and bottom just touching at top and in at left, neat manuscript cancels, fresh and completely sound. About Fine and exceedingly rare.
Estimate 40,000 - 50,000
THE UNIQUE OFF COVER PAIR OF THE 20¢ BEAR.
Expertization: 1985 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: Klep, Pope
In addition to this off cover pair, there is an on cover pair as well.
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Lot 83 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, ample to large margins except barely shaving outer frame line at upper right, rich unmistakable shade, cancelled by unobtrusive pen squiggle and tied by red "St. Louis Mo. Jun. 26" c.d.s. on double rate 1846 folded letter to Charnley & Whelen of Philadelphia, matching "Paid" handstamp and manuscript "20", Very Fine and rare.
Scott $27,500
Expertization: 1981 P.F. Certificate incorrectly calling this the far rarer 11X3.
Provenance: Colson stock
This cover was the source of much study. Until 1981, the stamp had been described as the gray lilac (11X 6). Then in 1981, the Philatelic Foundation issued a certificate declaring the item to be a 20¢ on greenish. However with this unique opportunity to review 100 plus Bears at one time, we came to the conclusion the stamp indeed is on gray lilac.
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Lot 84 |
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St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 20¢ black on gray lilac (11X6), type I, position 1, ample to large margins, cancelled by pen squiggle, not tied, on 1846 folded cover to Tyler & Rutherford, Louisville, Ky., red "St. Louis Mo. Jul. 25" struck below stamp, matching "Paid" handstamp at right and manuscript "20" indicating this was a quadruple 5¢ rate for under 300 miles, manuscript "pr. mail" at lower left; stamp lifted and file fold neatly pressed out with no evidence of disturbed or broken paper fibers, fresh and Very Fine appearance, very rare stamp from the "Louisville find" of 1895, one of the first 20c Bear covers documented by Mekeel. Illustrated in Colson of Boston- his Stamps (1926), page 25.
Scott $27,500
Expertization: with Colson's "W.H.C." at lower left, 1988 P.F. Certificate.
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