Sale 331



 
Lot 268

P

State Dept., 1873, $2, $5 & $20 inverts, plate proofs on card (O68aP4, O69aP4, O71aP4), the complete set of three, each with generous margins including a full top sheet margin, the $20 with a partial plate number, bright, fresh and Very Fine.
Scott $24,500

A CHOICE SET OF THESE RARE ERROR PROOFS — ONLY FIVE SETS OF SINGLES ARE POSSIBLE.

Provenance: "Chesapeake"

According to the research of the noted student of Official stamps, Robert Markovits, there were two sheets of 10 each of the $10 and $20 inverts produced, and only one sheet of the $2. The $10 was not produced with the center inverted. Five of the ten $2 inverts are tied up in the set of half sheets sold in the Markovits sale (Matthew Bennett International sale #275, February, 2004) leaving only five sets of singles, at most, available.


Realized $18,400



 
Lot 66



Brattleboro, Vt., 1846, 5¢ black on buff (5X1), position 9, large margins to just touching bottom frameline, small scrapes at lower left and upper right, tiny manuscript "FNP" initials below the engraved initials of the postmaster, tied by red "Paid" straightline with matching "Brattleboro Vt. 28 Aug" c.d.s. on 1846 folded letter datelined "Brattleboro Aug. 27, 1846" to Matthew Hale at Chelsea, Vermont; right side of center file fold is slightly toned, Very Fine.
Scott $35,000 for a later date Estimate $25,000 - 30,000

THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE BRATTLEBORO POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.

Expertization: 2000 P.F. Certificate.

Provenance: C. F. Bishop,"Troy" collection, and Philip T. Wall

It can be theorized that this letter may actually have been sent close to the first day of issue for the Brattleboro provisional. The August 27, 1846 letter is written from William R. Hale to his brother Matthew, with a postscript that lends credence "I pay this just to shew you the stamp. It's against my principles you know." It was a relatively new practice in America to prepay postage, and the sender obviously felt that his brother would enjoy seeing the novelty item, the Brattleboro stamp.

In Cal Hahn's article (CCP, Jan-Feb 1988, pg. 17), he discusses the tiny "FNP" initials on this stamp as a possible authenticating practice. He assumes they were applied by the postmaster, Dr. Frederick N. Palmer, and the practise was quickly abandoned. Because this is the earliest recorded date, it is possible that the first sheets sold were initialled by the postmaster, similar in practice to the New York City postmaster.

After this August 28 postmark date, the next earliest Brattleboro cover recorded in Cal Hahn's census is September 3, 1846 (Census number 24).

No. 6 in the Hahn Census, "The Plating of the Brattleboro", Collector's Club Philatelist, May-June 1988, P. 161-166.


Realized $20,700



 
Lot 165

P

1847 (1875 Reproduction), 5¢ & 10¢, plate proofs on card (3P4-4P4), complete sheets of 50, the 5¢ has a few very light water stains on the back that show faintly on front; 10¢ has two small mounting thins that affect three stamps, otherwise fresh and Extremely Fine.
Scott $22,000

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SET OF SHEETS — ONLY ONE OTHER SET, OR POSSIBLY TWO, ARE BELIEVED TO EXIST.

Realized $19,550



 
Lot 82



1901 Pan-American set complete (294-299), singles, tied by "Boston Mass 33" registry oval cancellations on 2¢ carmine entire (U362) to Salem Mass., purple "Registered/May 1 1901/Sub-Station No. 33/P.O. Boston Mass." framed postmark, purple "A.C. Sherman" senders backstamp; 2¢ repaired with part added at left, Extremely Fine appearance.
Scott $30,000

A MOST ATTRACTIVE COMPLETE PAN-AMERICAN SET FIRST DAY COVER.

Expertization: clear 1969 P.F. Certificate.

Realized $13,225



 
Lot 842

BK

Booklet Pane, 1917, 2¢ rose, type I (499f), A.E.F. booklet pane of 30, position W3/9 with guide line at right, beautifully centered with bright color and solid perforations, original gum with small hinge remnants, fresh and choice Extremely Fine.
Scott $26,000

A SUPERB PANE, AMONG THE FEW OF THE ONLY TWENTY OR SO REPORTED TO EXIST INTACT THAT CAN BE TRULY DESCRIBED AS WELL CENTERED.

Expertization: 1995 PF Certificate.

Provenance: "Vineyard"

Realized $13,225



Lot 950



Offices in China, 1919, $2 on $1 violet brown (K16), bottm imprint & plate number block of six, exceedingly well centered with full, never hinged original gum, fresh and Extremely Fine.
Scott $11,000

UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE FINEST $2 ON $1 SHANGHAI PLATE BLOCKS IN EXISTENCE.

Realized $12,650



 
Lot 1056



Hawaii, 1857, 5¢ blue, thin white paper (8), horizontal pair, margins all around to barely touching at bottom right, left stamp uncancelled, right tied by red "Honolulu Hawaiian-Islands Dec. 31" c.d.s. on cover to Salem, Oregon, clear "San Francisco Cal. Jan. 19, 1860" c.d.s. at lower left, blue pencil "8" at upper right (double local 3c rate from S.F. + 2c ship fee), cover with some toned spots, left stamp with small gum stain, still Very Fine.
Estimate $7,500 - 10,000

A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT DOUBLE RATE COVER, A USAGE ABSENT FROM MANY HAWAIIAN COLLECTIONS.

Provenance: Croker, Pietsch

Realized $12,075



 
Lot 180

P

1861, 1¢//90¢, plate proofs on card, seven different (63P4//76P4), top margin blocks of 30 of the 1¢ (63P4), 3¢ (74TC4), 5¢ (76P4), 12¢ (69P4), 24¢ (70P4), 30¢ (71P4) and 90¢ (72P4); all but the 30¢ and 90¢ with the National Bank Note Co. imprint in the margin and the 1¢, 5¢ and 12¢ coming from the reprint sheets of 100; all with large margins and bright colors, the 3¢ block having a bit of very faint soiling; A choice Very Fine and unique set.
Scott $13,400 as blocks and singles

THIS SET IS BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE SET OF SHEETS EXHIBITED BY THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT AT THE 1895 COTTON STATE & INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION IN ATLANTA.

Expertization: Ackerman, Crawford, Lilly.

Realized $11,500



 
Lot 975

S

Treasury Dept., 1875 Special Printings, 1¢-90¢ complete, overprinted "Specimen" (O72SD-O82SD), a bright, fresh set, without gum as issued, several with typical scissor-cut perfs, otherwise generally F.-V.F. Only 72 complete sets were sold.
Scott $14,225

Realized $11,500



 
Lot 209

P

1869 Pictorial Issue inverts complete in plate proofs on card (120aP4-122aP4, 129aP4), a choice set with large margins and vibrant colors, fresh and Extremely Fine.
Scott $11,000

AN OUTSTANDING ASSEMBLAGE OF THIS RARE SET, ONLY 100 OF WHICH WERE PRODUCED.

Realized $11,500