Lot 1186 1869, 90¢ carmine & black (122), block of eight composed of two rejoined blocks of four, fresh, rich color, disturbed o.g., centered to the left with some addional reinforced or rejoined perforations. Scott $230,000 ++ AN IMPORTANT MULTIPLE OF THIS HIGH VALUE AND A FINE EXHIBITION PIECE. Expertization: 1984 PF Certificate for the bottom block. Provenance: Lafayette The largest known, naturally occurring multiples are two recorded blocks of six. However, given the exact match of centering and identical gum condition, one could easily postulate that these two blocks had actually been a block of eight sometime in the past.

Realized $80,500

Lot 1208 1875 Special Printing, 2¢ carmine vermilion (180), brilliant color and full, intact perforations, without gum as issued, wonderfully fresh and F.-V.F. Scott $85,000 A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE CONTINENTAL 2¢ CARMINE VERMILION SPECIAL PRINTING, AMONG THE FINER OF THE LESS THAN 25 RECORDED. Expertization: signed Colson's "W.H.C.", 1997 PSE and 1975, 2001 PF Certificates. Provenance: Lyons, McCarthy

Realized $51,750

Lot 1534 Canada 1959, 5¢ St. Lawrence Seaway, inscriptions inverted (387a), upper right corner block of four, beautifully centered with unblemished original gum, the upper right stamp being never hinged, the others barely hinged, Extremely Fine and choice. Scott $48,000 ONE OF THE FINEST, IF NOT THE FINEST OF THE FEW REMAINING BLOCKS. Expertization: 1985 PF Certificate. Provenance: Gruys Only about 400 examples have been discovered, most by the non-collecting public, resulting in some mis-handling and a good number of minor flaws including light creases and fingerprints on the gum. Centering is also somewhat of a problem on many of the known examples.

Realized $37,375

Lot 1070 Jones, John Paul (1747-1792), United States naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Autograph document signed 7" x 8", August 18, 1778, Brest, France; personal letter of recommendation for Benjamin Hill in which Jones conveys Hill's accomplisments while under his command, in part: "(Hill)…voluntarily served under my command on board the Ranger…the compliment of that ship's officers being full, this gentleman has not been rated on the ship's books. Yet in the whole of his conduct, his behavior has been much to my satisfaction. He landed with me at Whitehaven and commanded one of the boats on that expedition. He acquited himself well in the engagement with the Enemies Ship of War Drake — and himself with his apprentice were with me in the Providence on the Expedition at the Island of Madame in Gulph [Gut] of Canso and he contributed very much to my success by his knowledge of that Navigation. For all which services he has not yet been rewarded. Therefore I recommend him warmly to the attention of Congress and of the Marine Boards of Wages, and as an officer who has really merited a commission. Given under my hand and seal at Brest, the 18th day of August, 1778. (signed) J.P. Jones (seal) N.B. Mr. Hill commanded the Ranger's guns in the Waist in the engagement. Few archivally repaired edge tears and minor tone spots, Fine; professionally matted and framed to 12" x 14" with that frame being hinged onto an 18½" x 32¼" display frame below a portrait of Jones; the framed document can then be lifted to reveal an engraved plaque containing a full a transcription. A marvelous display. Estimate $15,000 - 20,000 A FINE AND RARE DOCUMENT SIGNED BY JOHN PAUL JONES PRAISING HIS TRUSTED ASSISTANT BENJAMIN HILL. Jones' failed attack on Whitehaven, England, mentioned in the letter, was described in great detail in Lloyd's Evening Post of April 27-29, 1778.

Realized $31,050

Lot 1109 o 1851, 1¢ blue, type I (5), position 7R1E, fresh and bright with very large margins including bit of adjacent stamp visble at right, marvelous color, neat large Boston PAID grid and partial red Boston c.d.s. cancels; unobtrusive pressed vertical crease along left side breaks paper; otherwise choice Extremely Fine. Scott $85,000 A TRULY STUNNING ONE-CENT TYPE I AND ONE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF TRUE FOUR MARGIN EXAMPLES EXTANT OF POSITION 7R1E, THE ONLY POSITION ON ANY OF THE ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE PLATES TO SHOW THE TRUE TYPE I WITH THE COMPLETE DESIGN AS IT EXISTED ON THE ORIGINAL DIE. Provenance: Meilstrup This stamp was originally sold in 1965 as part of a strip of three, position 6-8R1E, on cover. It is Wagshal census number 5-CAN-009.

Realized $28,750

Lot 1271 1909, 4¢ orange brown, bluish paper (360), fresh and well centered with rich color and full original gum, F.-V.F. Scott $27,500 AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4¢ BLUISH PAPER, OF WHICH ONLY ABOUT 90 ARE BELEIVED TO EXIST. Expertization: 2000 APS, 2001 PSE and 2002 PF Certificates. The 4¢ and 8¢ values on bluish paper were never issued to the public. One pane of 100 of each was kept for the Post Office archives and the rest destroyed. Over the years 80-90 of each were used to exchange for other stamps needed for the national collection.

Realized $24,150

Lot 1055 Carson, Christopher Houston "Kit" (1809-1868), American frontiersman, served as guide for John C. Fremont on Oregon Trail into Sierra Nevada. Document signed "C. Carson" as a Colonel and commanding officer of the Navajo Expedition, 15½" x 9¾", Fort Canby, New Mexico, August 1863; document is a report of persons hired and employed in the Quartermasters Dept., all of whom deserted, with pay due, on August 10, 1863; 12 names are given, all Indian Scouts and, judging by their names, all Native Americans; very minor breaks at fold junctions, Very Fine with bold signature; professionally matted with a portrait framed to an overall 29½" x 18". Estimate $15,000 - 20,000 AN EXCEEDINGLY FINE AND RARE "KIT" CARSON DOCUMENT, SIGNED WHILE HE WAS ENGAGED IN THE NAVAJO EXPEDITION. Expertization: Kenneth Rendell COA. In 1863, Kit Carson was commanded to conduct a "scorched earth" policy against the Navajo people — burning crops and killing livestock. After the defeat of the Navajo tribe those who surrendered were forced on the "Long Walk", during which numerous Native Americans starved, drowned or froze to death. "Kit" Carson, hearing of the loss of Navajo life, notified Carleton that the deaths were attributable to "want of a sufficiency to eat. I respectfully suggest to you the propriety and good policy of giving the Indians…while en route to Basque Redondo, sufficiency to eat."

Realized $17,250

Lot 1210 1880 Special Printing, 2¢ black brown (193), choice centering with large balanced margins and characteristic deep, rich color; without gum as issued, an Extremely Fine gem. Scott $27,500 UNQUESTIONABLY ONE OF THE FINEST OF ONLY ABOUT 50 EXAMPLES RECORDED. Expertization: 1973 & 1993 PF Certificates.

Realized $16,100

Lot 1019 Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the U.S. (1861-1865), assassinated. Partly printed document signed "Abraham Lincoln" as president, 7" x 9", Executive Mansion Washington D.C., August 12, 1863; Draft Order requiring 2,050 troops from the Fifth District of New York State, in part: "I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of American and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy thereof, having taken into the consideration the number of volunteers and militia furnished by and from the several States, including the State of New York…, do hereby assign Two thousand and fifty as the first proportional part of the quota of troops to be furnished by the Fifth District of the State of New York…," Very Fine; professionally matted and framed to 13" x 15" and displayed, along with a portrait of Lincoln, an illusration of a crowd outside a New York City enlistment office and a descriptive plaque, within an ornate 41½" x 23" shadow-box frame. Estimate $15,000 - 20,000 Expertization: Kenneth Laurence COA. Following the Battle of Gettysburg in July, 1863, President Lincoln issued a draft call to New York City which resulted in the New York City Draft Riots. After waiting for calm to come back to the city, Lincoln issued this, the earliest of the resumed calls for enlistment.

Realized $16,100

Lot 1105 1847 (1875 Reproductions), 5¢-10¢ complete (3-4), lower left and lower right corner margin singles, respectively, with wide sheet margin selvage and full margins on the other two sides; both have deep, dark, prooflike impressions and are as fresh as the day they were printed; without gum as issued, a Superb pair. Scott $1,650 AN EXTRAORDINARY PAIR OF MATCHING "BOOKENDS". Expertization: 1987 PF and 2010 PSAG Certificates, the latter graded 98J. Provenance: Welling, Greenburg, Ryterband

Realized $15,525

Lot 1224 1893, $5 Columbian (245), lower right corner margin single with full selvage, absolutely perfectly centered with a finely etched, prooflike impression and full, lightly hinged original gum; there is a small natural paper inclusion on the back, a few perfs between the stamp and the right selvage are reinforced, and there is a small thin at the right edge of the corner selvage, none of which affects the quality or grade of the stamp itself, which is positively Superb. SMQ $14,000. Scott $2,700 OF NEARLY 300 $5 COLUMBIANS GRADED BY PSE, NOT A SINGLE ONE HAS BEEN GRADED HIGHER THAN THIS SUPERB 98 — WITH ONLY TWO OTHER MINT EXAMPLES JUDGED ITS EQUAL NUMERICALLY, THOUGH WE FEEL THE CORNER MARGINS PUT THIS STAMP IN A CLAN BY ITSELF. Expertization: 1993 PF and 2005 PSE Certificates, the latter graded Superb 98. Provenance: "Beverly Hills" Any collector wishing to build a superb set of Columbians must begin (or end) with this stamp.

Realized $14,950

Lot 1272 1909, 8¢ olive green, bluish paper (363), deep, rich color with full, lightly hinged original gum, bright and fresh, Fine. Scott $30,000 AN EXCEPTIONALLY FRESH AND HANDSOME EXAMPLE OF THE 8¢ OLIVE GREEN ON BLUISH PAPER. Expertization: 1957 (block of four) and 2001 PF Certificates. As with the 4¢ on bluish paper, there are only 80-90 examples of the 8¢ extant.

Realized $13,225

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