Sale 108: The Westpex Sale

Lot 1788    

Official Seal, 1877, brown, o.g., single with left selvage, F.-V.F., the only recorded example with side selvage.
Scott Nos. OX1    Estimate $150 - 200.

Realized: $220

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1789 ()   

Official Seal, 1877, brown, block of 4, no gum, centered left on fresh paper, hinge reinforced separations, couple short perfs, Fine and rare block, Only Three Recorded Blocks of Four.
Scott Nos. OX1    Estimate $500 - 750.

Realized: $700

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1790    

Official Seal, 1877, brown, reconstructed block of eight with top selvage, disturbed o.g. with some adherence, hinge reinforced, some separation, Fine and rare unique selvage block.
Scott Nos. OX1    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE 1877 POST OFFICE SEAL.

This reconstructed block of eight was offered as two blocks of four in the 1917 Worthington sale at Morganthau. George Grinnell, of infamous Hawaii Missionary fame, recognized they had originally been a block of eight and put them back together. Grinnell was one of the pioneer Official Seals specialists and his collection remained intact until the early 1990s.

Realized: $1,300

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1791 P   

Official Seal, 1879, black, trial color die proof on India, seal size with die number "5102" at top, mounted on buff card, Very Fine and rare.
Scott Nos. OX2TC    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

THE ONLY RECORDED TRIAL COLOR FOR THE 1879 POST OFFICE SEAL ISSUE.

Realized: $1,050

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1792    

Official Seal, 1879, red brown, Specimen, pane of 50 with large red "Specimen" across vertical pairs and each with two security punch holes at bottom, o.g., central selvage at top with A.B.N.Co. imprint and manuscript order "Jan/85" notation, apparent faults including reinforced breaks and separation, three stamps at upper left reattached inverted, Fine appearance, still a remarkable Unique Specimen of the 1879 Post Office Seal Issue and the only recorded examples of this specimen overprint, pictured in Kotanchik Post Office Seals of the United States and Possessions (page 91).
Scott Nos. OX2S    Estimate $500 - 750.

This pane supposedly was found in the estate of a long time employee of the American Bank Note Company.

Realized: $900

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1793    

Official Seal, 1879, red brown, left pane of 50 from the first plate with top and bottom imprints lacking plate number, o.g., hinge reinforced separations throughout, F.-V.F. and scarce pane.
Scott Nos. OX2; $560 as blocks and singles    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $425

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1794 P   

Official Seal, 1879, brown, large die proof, die with number "5102" at top die impressed on 96x80mm card, pencil "8/3/79 JCS" dating, Very Fine and rare.
Scott Nos. OX2aP1    $2,500.

THE ONLY RECORDED LARGE DIE PROOF OF THE 1879 ISSUE.

All recorded large die proofs of the 1879 issue are "hybrids", except for this long example.

Realized: $1,350

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1795 P   

Official Seal, 1879, brown, "hybrid" large die proof, 228x151mm full card, some minor foxing, hybrid with small nick, F.-V.F. and scarce.
Scott Nos. OX2aP1 var    $2,500.

Realized: $550

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1796 P   

Official Seal, 1879, brown, plate proof on India, block of 30 with A.B.N.Co. imprint at lower right, ample to large margins, Very Fine, the largest known multiple of the 1879 Post Office Seal plate proof, a lovely exhibition item.
Scott Nos. OX2aP3    $4,650 as blocks and singles.

Realized: $1,150

email this lot to a friend

Lot 1797 /   

Official Seal, 1881, deep brown, the "Special Printing" issue, clear transparent o.g., left block never hinged, right with hinge reinforcement, detailed impressions on bright paper, fresh and F.-V.F.
Scott Nos. OX4    $700 as two imprint blocks.

Realized: $350

email this lot to a friend