Lot
31 (
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St. Louis, Mo., 1845, 10¢ black on greenish, large beautifully balanced margins, deep color enhancing a crisp detailed impression on fresh pristine paper, an Extremely Fine gem; with 1969, 2000 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates, the latter Graded (XF 90). Scott No. 11X2 $50,000 for no gum.
WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST MINT EXAMPLES OF THE 10¢ ST. LOUIS POSTMASTERS' PROVISIONAL.
Only one other comparable mint example exists - The Frelinghuysen corner margin single. However, that example has a small translucent spot running into the bottom frame line and extraneous ink spots that slightly detract from the overall appearance. In addition, the Frelinghuysen copy has a diagonal margin crease. This stamp hammered at $150,000.00 in Siegel sale 1020, lot 94. The example offered here is free of any such imperfections.
Realized: $37,500
Lot
106 
1861, 90¢ blue, rich color, wide margins, tied by oval "Paid" handstamp, red "Boston Mass, Oct 28" cds on blue cover to Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, endorsed "Via San Francisco" at top left; edge wrinkles due to thick contents, Very Fine, ex-Admiral Harris, Blake Myers; with 1980 and 2004 P.F. certificates. Scott No. 72 Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED 90¢ 1861 ISSUE COVER TO HAWAII. A REMARKABLE 1861 ISSUE USAGE.
This cover is prepaid at nine-times the 10¢ rate per ½ ounce for a letter weighing between 4 and 4½ ounces. It was the subject of analysis by Richard B. Graham in P.F. Opinions, 1983. According to Graham, the use of a 90¢ stamp on a relatively small envelope indicates that the content must have been a small pamphlet or daguerreotype.
The cover is circa 1862, and was sent by overland mail to San Francisco taking approximately 26 days to arrive around Nov. 23rd. Then carried by American Clipper Ship "Kingfisher" from San Francisco Nov. 27th to Honolulu arriving Dec. 14th.
Realized: $40,000
Lot
262 ()
State Dept., 1873, 90¢ dark green, used with two 10¢ State (O62) singles, and 30¢ State (O66), all tied by matching Circle of Vs cancel duplexed with "Washington D.C. Jun 17" cds on blue linen-lined package front to Matamoros, Mexico, endorsed "Via Brownsville, Texas" at bottom left, partial manuscript "45" at top; bottom 10¢ nick, 10¢ and 30¢ stamps with light creases, mended edge nicks, Fine and rare use; with 2009 P.F. certificate. Scott No. O67 Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED COMBINATION OF THESE VALUES, ONE OF ONLY TWO 90¢ STATE COVERS, ONE OF ONLY EIGHT 30¢ STATE COVERS AND ONE OF ONLY TWO OFFICIAL COVERS FROM ANY DEPARTMENT TO MEXICO.
This cover was has not been offered since a 1950 auction where it was sold along with the other recorded 90¢ package front (ex-Waud, Markovits). The manuscript "45" indicates 45 half-ounce units (1 lb. 6½ oz.) at the domestic letter rate of 3¢ per ½ oz. for a total of $1.40 to the border. The handstamped "3.50" indicates 3.50 pesos Mexican postage due assessed in pesos at 2½ times the U.S. postage in dollars.
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Realized: $32,500
Lot
312 
Austria, 1854 Arms, 6kr brown, machine paper, block of 12, tied on piece by beautifully struck Cilli ornamental town cancels, large margins all around, strong color, an Extremely Fine gem, a truly magnificent multiple and first issue jewel, ex-Rothschild, Oberländer, Baron Landberg & Jerger; signed E. Müller & A. Diena, with 2004 Ferchenbauer and 2014 Eichele certificates. Scott No. 4b. Michel No. 4 Y III Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.
ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LARGE MULTIPLES OF THE FIRST ISSUE OF AUSTRIA.
Lot
291
New South Wales, 1850, Sydney View, 3d yellow green, yellowish wove paper, horizontal strip of three, positions 18-20, clear to large margins, left pair showing "No whip" variety, in combination with 1850, Sydney View, 1d pale red, plate I, bluish paper, ample margins, all tied by "2" in barred oval handstamps on double rate ship letter from Parramatta to London, England, red "Sydney, Paid Ship Letter, Au 10, 1850" oval date stamp and manuscript "1/4" rate for double the 8d incoming ship charge, reverse with faint Parramatta despatch and red London "2 Ja, 1851" arrival postmark; cover with left flap missing and stamps lifted and placed in a clear mount, Very Fine, ex-Burrus and Butterwick; with 2014 B.P.A. certificate. SG No. 39/a+5 Estimate $25,000 - 35,000.
A STUNNING SYDNEY VIEW 3D STRIP OF THREE AND 1D COMBINATION USAGE TO LONDON - ONE OF THE FINEST AND MOST IMPORTANT SYDNEY VIEW COVERS IN EXISTENCE.
There are only four Sydney View covers recorded showing the double 5d inland + ship letter rate. One of these is in the Vickery collection in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Only two examples bear a 3d strip of three in combination with a 1d and this example offered here is by far the finest of the two.
Lot
79 ()
1860, 90¢ blue, small faults, used with two 1¢ blue (24) singles, 3¢ dull red (26) and two 12¢ black (36B) singles, all tied by multiple grid cancels, matching "Richmond Va., Jan 16, 1861" cds on large package front addressed to Saml. R. Seay Cm'r Rev. of Amelia County C.H. Va., printed endorsement "Comrs' Blank Books for 1861. Charge Postage to State."; stamp faults and some cover staining, Fine; with 2017 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 39; $225,000 on cover Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.
ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED 90¢ 1860 ISSUE COVERS, ONLY TWO OF WHICH ARE DOMESTIC USAGES. OFFERED TO AUCTION FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM AN OLD-TIME ESTATE.
The 90¢ value was the highest of the 1851-57 series, but was not issued until late 1860 with the earliest recorded use of September 11. This stamp is rare on cover due to its high denomination and relatively short life, since all United States stamps were demonetization in August 1861 as a measure designed to preclude the sale of stamps originating in the seceded Southern post offices.
The seven recorded 90¢ 1860 covers:
1. Sep. 11, 1860, to Augustine Heard & Co., Shanghai, China, single franking for 90¢ double rate, ex Gibson, Hindes and Kapiloff;
2. Nov. 3, 1860, to Barcelona, Spain, single with 5¢ and 10¢ paying five-times the 21¢ rate, ex Caspary, Rust and Kapiloff
3. Nov. 9, 1860, to Augustine Heard & Co., Shanghai, China, single with 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, and 30¢ pair paying the $1.68 rate, ex-Needham, Paliafito, Ishikawa, Myers
4. Jan. 8, 1861, single used on legal-size cover from Cincinnati, the cover offered here, ex-Filstrup, Grunin and Lake Shore
5. Jan. 16, 1861, to Amelia County C.H., Va., single used with 1¢ #24 (2), 3¢ #26, and 12¢ #36B (2), the cover offered here
6. Jan 26, 1861, to Mackellop, Stewart, & Co. in Calcutta, India, single with 12¢ and 30¢ shortpaying the four-times $1.62 rate via Marseilles; ex-Armitage, Lapham, Dick.
7. Jul. 16, 1861, to Edwin Howland, Cape of Good Hope, single with 1¢ pair, 3¢, 10¢ and 30¢ for four-times 33¢ rate, ex Jacobs, Emerson, Newbury, Ishikawa.
Realized: $13,000
Lot
4
Pony Express, San Francisco, Oct. 13, detailed strike of blue Running Pony oval handstamp ties 10¢ green (35), deep rich color, on light yellow cover New York City, endorsed "By Pony" at top left in manuscript and pencil "1/4" ounce rating adjacent, neat strike of "The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph Mo. Oct 25" oval datestamp, clear strike of black "St. Joseph Mo. Oct 26, 1860" cds; small stamp repair at bottom right slightly affecting cancel, trivial backflap repair and reattached, Very Fine and choice; with 2017 P.S.E. certificate. Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.
A BEAUTIFUL EASTBOUND RUNNING PONY EXPRESS USE FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK.
This was carried on the Pony Express trip leaving San Francisco on October 13, 1860, arriving twelve days later in St. Joseph on Oct. 25th (Trip ET-29 in The Pony Express p. 87).
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Realized: $14,000
Lot 117 o
1861-66 (1875 Re-issue), 30¢ brownish orange, neat duplex cancel, well centered for this notoriously off-centered issue, rich deep color and crisp detailed impression, Very Fine, ex-Sheriff; with 1972 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates.Scott No. 110 $25,000.
A CHOICE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 30¢ RE-ISSUE. WITH ONLY FOURTEEN EXAMPLES RECORDED IN USED CONDITION.
According to the Siegel census, only fourteen used examples of the 30¢ Re-issue are recorded. With seven examples known to have faults, most of these have serious flaws and only a very few examples having decent centering. In 2009 the P.F. rendered an opinion stating this stamp had a tiny tear at left however after through examination and additional certification with the P.S.E., we find no evidence of fault and believe this opinion was in error.
Lot 283 o
Revenue, 1863, First Issue, 3¢ Playing Cards, imperf, neat April manuscript cancel, large margins, strong color with slight dry print at top, Extremely Fine; with 1986, 2003 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates, the latter Graded (VF-XF 85).Scott No. R17a $40,000.
A CHOICE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE EXTREMELY RARE 3¢ PLAYING CARD IMPERFORATE ISSUE.
This issue, both perforated and imperforate, saw comparatively little use as the total issued was only 368,106. There is evidence that a mere 7,000 out of the total issued where in imperforate format.
Lot
56
1857, 1¢ blue, type III, position 99R2, perfs to just in at top, wide break evident at bottom, large part o.g., margins at left & bottom slightly abraded from removal of toning, F.-V.F.; with 2017 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 21 Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE PERFORATED 1857 1¢ TYPE III FROM POSITION 99R2. THIS IS THE ONLY UNUSED SINGLE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.
Plate 2 was made in late 1855, and consists of 198 stamps that are Type II, one position that is Type III (99R2) and one that is Type IIIA (100R2). The only other recorded unused perforate 1857 1¢ type III from position 99R2 is contained in a block of nine (ex-Caspary, Lilly, Grunin, Ishikawa, Zoellner, currently in Gross collection). This is the only recorded unused single recorded.
The original entry of position 99 was out of place due to a misplaced guide dot used to lay out position 89R, with the original transfer of 99R extending a full ¾ of a millimeter below the other nine stamps in this bottom row. To correct this error, the original entry was erased. A fresh entry was made, but a full transfer of the B relief was not possible at the top, without running into the misplaced 89R entry. As a result, the fresh entry of 99R was short transferred at top in order to position the transfer correctly. For some reason, the bottom was also short transferred. The reason that 99R2 is the finest example of Type III is because the very short transfer at top and at bottom yields wide breaks (see pages 183-184 of Neinken).
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