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Sale 83: Gems of Philately

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10 Select Items

Lot 106

Withdrawn.

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Lot 279 o   

1920, 2¢ deep rose, type Ia, imperf, Deep intense color on bright white paper, enormous jumbo margins all around, Schermack perforations completely intact at left and showing small part of adjoining stamp at left, cancel leaves most of design clearly visible, an Extremely Fine jumbo, ex-Drucker; with 1986 and 2003 P.F., and 2018 P.S.E. certificates, latter Graded (XF 90J, SMQ $135,000 as 90).
Scott No. 482A    $65,000.

THE HIGHEST GRADED OF ONLY 40 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS MAJOR 20TH CENTURY RARITY, ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH SUCH ENORMOUS MARGINS AROUND DESIGN.

Scott 482A was issued imperforate by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and sold to the Schermack Company for use in its patented stamp-affixing machines. The Schermack "Sealer and Stamper" machine typically applied stamps one at a time, and, in most cases, the hyphen-hole perfs on one side would be cut off as a result of the cutting blade not aligning with the space between stamps. The release of imperforate sheets printed from the experimental Type Ia plates escaped the notice of contemporary collectors, resulting in a very small survival rate.

Realized: $60,000

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Lot 187    

1870, 15¢ orange, I. grill, o.g., never hinged, wide margins, breathtaking vibrant color on bright paper, fresh and Very Fine; with 2018 P.S.E. certificate.
Scott No. 141A; $16,500 as o.g.    Estimate $30,000 - 40,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED MINT NEVER HINGED OF THE ELUSIVE 15¢ "I" GRILL 1870 ISSUE, A TRUE CONDITION RARITY IN THIS PRISTINE POST OFFICE FRESH CONDITION.

Starting with the 2013 Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue, the 1870 Issue "I" Grills were elevated to major catalogue number status. The "I" grills are far scarcer than the regular "H" grills, and collector demand has proved this to be true. Examples for every value up to the 90¢ have been certified, with the high value exceptionally rare. There are less than 10 unused examples of the 15¢ "I" grill, including a faulty block of four. This is the only recorded never hinged example.

Realized: $42,500

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Lot 341    

Envelope, 1893, 2¢ Columbian, Pencil Drawing Essays, collection of 11 different hand-drawn essays on thick card believed to be done by Henry Mitchell, a few with manuscript numbers at lower left including "#1", "#3" and "#6", Very Fine, ex-Barkhausen. Scott No. U349E.
Undersander No. E95    Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.

AN EXCEPTIONAL SET OF 11 HAND-DRAWN ESSAYS FOR THE 1893 COLUMBIAN STATIONERY ISSUE.

Realized: $20,000

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Lot 418    

Great Britain, 1841, 2d blue, "white lines", irregular block of nine and horizontal pair, lettered QA QF/RD RD, RB/RC (QF shifted transfer, QB state 2 with mark in NE corner), mostly full to large margins, tied by clear "690" numeral on gray folded letter to Bellary, India, endorsed "Via Marseilles", reverse with Bramfield, Saxmundham (12.22) and red London (12.23) transits, Madras (2.17) and Bellary framed arrival, Very Fine and choice; with 2011 Eichele certificate. SG No. 14.
Scott No. 4    Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.

AN OUTSTANDING PREPAID LETTER FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO INDIA AT THE 1S10D PACKET RATE.

Prepaid at the 1s10d rate for a packet letter to India via Marseilles effective Jun. 1st 1846.

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Lot 293    

1979, $1 Lamp, brown (candle flame) inverted, o.g., never hinged, fresh and well centered, Extremely Fine and choice, rare with only about 95 examples accounted for from the only known pane issued; with 2010 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 1610c    $17,500.

Known as the "CIA" invert, the known pane of 100 was sold by the McLean, Virginia post office in the spring of 1986 an employee of the CIA who had been sent to the post office to buy stamps for the agency. The inverted error was discovered shortly after and nine CIA employees decided to switch the errors for newly purchased normal issues. The story of what happen eventually was leaked and a scandal eventually ensued with four employees being fired.

Realized: $11,500

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Lot 5    

Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.P.O. Despatch, 1856, 1¢ black, small rectangular-cut stamp showing only one-quarter of the handstamp and part of the 1¢ 1851 design at top, tied by circular grid cancel, used with 1¢ blue, type II (7) Plate 2, strip of three, pos. 48-50R2, left stamp with double transfer, large margins to slightly in, tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Mar 11" cds on buff cover to Alexandria Va.; minor edge reinforcing and back flap reattached, Very Fine and unique usage, ex-Golden; with 1981 and 2011 P.F. certificates.
Scott No. 7LB18; $17,000    Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.

A REMARKABLE COVER WITH AN EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION OF THE U.S.P.O. CARRIER 7LB18 AND THE 1¢ 1851 STAMP THAT PROVIDED THE PAPER FOR THIS CARRIER ISSUE.

It has been speculated that the Philadelphia Carrier handstamped adhesives (7LB14, 7LB16 and 7LB18) were prepared by one or more carriers and affixed to show receipt of the carrier fee when paid by coin. As such, they would not have been sold to the public and were used at a time when when other issued carrier stamps were available. This cover seems to lend support to this theory. The use of a fractional stamp would be against normal postal regulations as full prepayment of the 1¢ carrier fee. So it would seem that the carrier handling this letter received a coin and simply needed to mark this letter as fully paid, a fractional stamp was affixed since his supply may have been running low and it would still indicate prepayment.

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Lot 75    

(Waterbury, Ct.) Skull & Crossbones, bold fancy cancel duplexed with "Waterbury Con, Apr 16 '66" double-circle datestamp ties 3¢ rose (65), trivial toned perf, on cover to Wilton Conn., original "Waterbury Conn, April 15, 1866" datelined letter accompanies, Extremely Fine and rare; with 2018 P.F. certificate.
Rohloff No. R-1    Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.

A REMARKABLE STRIKE OF THE WATERBURY SKULL AND CROSSBONES FANCY CANCEL.

William T. Crowe records twelve covers with this cancel, used between Apr. 13 and Apr. 18, 1866.

Realized: $8,000

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Lot 420 o   

Canada, 1855, Prince Albert, 6d slate gray, with enormous margins all around showing adjacent stamps on three sides, rich color on bright paper, light partial Montreal "21" four-ring numeral cancel, fresh and Superb gem, ex-Nickle, Cantor; with 2018 P.F. certificate Graded (Superb 98J).
Scott No. 5    $1,200.

A STUNNING USED SINGLE OF THE 6D SLATE GRAY 1855 ISSUE, THE HIGHEST GRADED EXAMPLE AND CONSIDERED THE FINEST USED 6D ON WOVE PAPER.

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Lot 173    

1869, 30¢ ultramarine & carmine, o.g., lightly hinged, beautifully centered with brilliant colors on bright paper, Extremely Fine and choice; with 2001 and 2015 P.F. certificates.
Scott No. 121    $4,000.

A STUNNING ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30¢ 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WITH A WONDERFUL COLOR AND FRESHNESS.

Realized: $9,500

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