Sale 69: The Robert Markovits Collection of Special Delivery

Lot 1201    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, top plate number 880 and imprint block of six, rich color, interesting plate mark in margin of bottom right stamp, tropicalized o.g., rich color, separation in selvage only between top left pair, Fine and rare plate block.
Scott No. E1    $5,000.

Realized: $1,500

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Lot 1202    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, tied by "Manila P.I., Dec 4 '01" first day duplex on 2¢ entire from the Zug correspondence to Everett Wash., Very Fine and scarce First Day use.
Scott No. E1    Estimate $400 - 600.

Realized: $650

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Lot 1203    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, group of three covers comprising E1 used with #213, 215, 226, 227, 240 on Manila P.I. combined registered-special delivery cover to Seattle Wash., E1a on 2¢ entire used in Manila locally from Capt. Palmer to Col. Bandholtz, and #E1 and #214 Camp Stotsenberg, Pampangap, Philippines to Houston Tex., latter edge faults, F.-V.F. and scarce group.
Scott No. E1, E1a    Estimate $500 - 750.

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Realized: $1,600

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Lot 1204    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, Blue "Official Business" Overprint, two-line blue handstamp and matching strike on 2¢ entire (U10) to Mololos, Philippines, matching blue "Official Mail, H.H. Bandholtz" corner card handstamp, Very Fine and rare.
Scott No. E1 var.    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $1,600

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Lot 1205    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, "O.B." Overprint, small handstamp with second strike tying, used with 1¢ green (226), tied by "Manila, P.I. Apr 5 '6" duplex on legal-size Philippines Constabulary official business penalty envelope to Malolos, Philippines, "A. Ellicott Brown, Adjutant." corner card handstamp, blue crayon "Rush" endorsement at lower left, Malolos (4.7.1906) arrival backstamp, Very Fine and rare.
Scott No. E1 var.    Estimate $400 - 600.

Realized: $1,000

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Lot 1206    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1907, 10¢ Ultramarine, Bureau of Insular Affairs Special Printing, beautifully centered with bright color, o.g., reverse with blue owner's handstamp and pencil "Special Printg", Very Fine.
Scott No. E2A    $2,750.

This stamp shows the characteristic damaged "N" variety in the word "Cent" and is the easiest to identify because it was printed on U.S. No. E6, and only exists as a special printing.

Realized: $3,500

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Lot 1207    

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1907, 10¢ Ultramarine, Bureau of Insular Affairs Special Printing, o.g., bottom plate number 1774 and imprint block of 8, rejoined between blocks and some other separation, three stamps with tiny thin spots, Fine and excessively rare multiple, ex-Todd; with 1978 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. E2A    Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.

THE STUNNING REJOINED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10¢ PHILIPPINES SPECIAL DELIVERY SPECIAL PRINTING, THE LARGEST KNOWN SURVIVING MULTIPLE. A GREAT RARITY OF PHILIPPINES PHILATELY.

In the summer of 1907, at the request of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, the issue 1903-1904 was specially printed on very white paper. Bob Markovits' original research indicated that two panes of 50 of this stamp were originally overprinted on plate 1774. Both bottom plate blocks exist but this plate block of eight is not only the largest known plate block, but the largest known multiple of this issue. Five blocks of four are recorded as well as the other bottom plate block of six, the latter of which realized $143,750 in the Whitpain auction in 2009. It is believed that the top portion of each of the two panes were never broken and disappeared so that no more than a total of 16 singles, five blocks of four, and the plate blocks of six and eight for a total of 50 stamps existing.

Both known plate blocks were acquired by J. Murray Bartels and sold to Economist Stamp Company prior to November 1917, when both were sold to one of the earliest Special Delivery collectors, W. Parsons Todd, long-time mayor of Morristown N.J. The plate block of six was purchased directly by Markovits from Mr. Todd 30 days prior to his death and this second plate block of eight was acquired in the 1978 Todd auction. The plate block of six was subsequently sold a decade later by Markovits and then resold to Wampler in the 1990s, where Whitpain purchased it. This plate block shows the characteristic damaged "N" variety in the word "Cent" and is easiest to identify because it was printed on U.S. no. E6, which only exists as a special printing.

Realized: $28,000

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Lot 1208 /o   

Philippines, Special Delivery, 1901, 10¢ Dark Blue, Exhibit Group, group comprising E1 mint and used, E1a mint and used, E1 var. with plate variety in bottom frame and same plate variety in block of four, E1a bottom plate number 882 and imprint strip of three, left arrow margin block of four, single used on piece with #221, three with different "O.B." handstamped overprints in purple, black and blue, E1 var. with red "O.B." printed overprint (only 50 printed), and E1 used on 1¢ cut square with vertical "Official Business" pink handstamp; few faults, Very Fine group.
Scott No. E1, E1a    Estimate $750 - 1,000.

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Realized: $1,450

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