Lot 1022
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1852, 3¢ dull red, "Chicago" perf 11 (11 var.), horizontal block of 6. Positions 57-59/67-69R2L, unused, very well centered, light staining. Very Fine and rare (Scott values singles at $1,500 each).
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000
A MOST IMPORTANT MULTIPLE FOR THE 3¢ 1851 SPECIALIST.
Expertization: 1986 P.F. certificate.
The so-called "Chicago" perforations were applied by Elijah W. Hadley, a Chicago dentist, using a perforating machine he built in hopes of selling it to the Post Office Department. According to W. Wilson Hulme, II, in his article in the May-August 1997 Chronicle, there are only 33 unused examples known, including a block of nine, another block of six, and a block of four. All come from the same pane of 100, a right pane from plate 2L. They were perforated in June of 1855 on a prototype machine with a gauge of about 11 using a "sewing machine" type perforator. By April of 1856 Hadley had redesigned his machine using a "comb" perforating process guaging about 12½. All known used examples were perforated on the newer machine
The catalogue value of $1,500 is quite understated as it is likely based upon a transaction that took place many years ago.
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| Realized $37,500 |
