Lot
4249 
1902, 1¢ Black on Buff, with Schenck's Mandrake Pills Die Essay Printed on Reverse, postal card with black "Schenck's Mandrake Pills" die essay embossed on reverse, the "U.States Inter. Revenue, One Cent" left panel defaced and the "1" below portraits replaced by engraved ornament; some creasing; accompanied by RS212 original die and finished altered die, Very Fine, ex-Stratton. Scott No. UX18 var., RS212E Estimate $500 - 750.
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE SCHENCK'S MANDRAKE PILLS ESSAY PRINTED ON THE REVERSE OF A 1¢ 1902 MCKINLEY POSTAL CARD.
Reference: Postal Stationery, Sept.-Oct. 1975, and The America Revenuer, June 1975, pp.173-178.
Under the 1862 Revenue Act, a stamp was required to be affixed to each bottle or box of a proprietary medicine. In 1865, Dr. Schenck directed the firm of Butler & Carpenter to engrave two private dies: 1¢ green (RS212) and 6¢ black (RS213). The original die was altered later with an "X" to be used for fascimile labels by Dr. Schenck after the tax was repealed in 1883. This essay was pulled from the original die after the "X" was burnished out in an attempt to reuse the die for a new fascimile label. The long gap from 1883 to 1902 can be explained as the 1898 Spanish-American War tax was instituted in 1898 for three years, when precancelled Dr. Schenck's battleship revenue stamps were used. After repeal on July 1, 1901, the firm must have requested a new fascimile label be produced.
Realized: $800