2018 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE. A RARE SET OF PANAMA-PACIFIC SMALL DIE PROOFS COMPLETE FOR THE ORIGINAL EIGHT DENOMINATIONS OF THE 1861 ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE 3-CENT, 5-CENT AND 12-CENT AS FIRST DESIGNS.

From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of one of mankind's greatest engineering achievements, the Panama Canal.

The Post Office Department decided to prepare a limited number of proof sets showing every United States stamp printed up to the time of the exposition. A total of 413 different designs were made. Only two sets were officially prepared, but it is widely recognized that between three and five of each were made. These included Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Philippines and other special use stamps.

The current owner acquired this set in a 1977 Kelleher sale, where they were incorrectly described as a set of First Design small die proofs. The First Designs are incredibly rare -- we have offered only one 3c (ex Sapperstein) in all of our computerized records, and we could not locate any others in our extensive digital library. We are unsure why the First Designs have catalogue values of $1,000.00 less than their Second Design counterparts -- this is likely due to a lack of examples trading hands. The Second Designs are also rare. We have not offered a 5c since keeping computerized records, and we have generally offered between one and three of the others since 1994.

A rare opportunity to acquire a set of Panama-Pacific small die proofs of the original eight denominations of the 1861 Issue. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR COMBINATION OF THE ONE-CENT 1861 ISSUE AND THE 20-CENT "PUMPKIN" POSTAL ENTIRE PAYING THE 21-CENT RATE TO SWITZERLAND VIA FRENCH MAILS.

This entire is one of three known, all from one Boston writer to correspondents in France (Marcou) and Switzerland (Daves), including a 12c 1861 on 30c entire (ex Vogel and Gliedman) and 3c on 12c entire (1995 Rarities Sale, offered in the following lot). All were originally large envelopes, skillfully refolded before mailing by someone whose preference for small-size covers nicely anticipated modern collecting tastes.

These covers were described in an article by Chip Gliedman ("Cut Down Postal Stationery from the 1861 Era") in Chronicle 230. Regarding the addressee on this cover (and the 12c on 30c entire), Gliedman wrote: "Both these covers are addressed to the same recipient, who, upon closer examination, is actually E. G. Daves, rather than Davis. Edward Graham Daves (1833-1894) was a North Carolina-born, Harvard-trained lawyer who taught Greek at Trinity College in Connecticut until 1861 when he went to Europe and 'for ten years remained abroad giving instruction to English youth on the shores of Lake Geneva, or traveling with his pupils.' As Vevey is on the north shore of Lake Geneva, there is little doubt that Professor Daves was the recipient of these two covers."

Ex Ishikawa. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A PHENOMENAL COMBINATION OF THE 3-CENT 1861 ISSUE AND 12-CENT "PUMPKIN" POSTAL ENTIRE FOR THE 15-CENT RATE TO PARIS VIA FRENCH MAILS.

This entire is one of three known, all from one Boston writer to correspondents in France (Marcou) and Switzerland (Daves), including a 1c 1861 on 20c entire (ex Ishikawa, offered in previous lot) and 12c on 30c entire (ex Vogel and Gliedman). All were originally large envelopes, skillfully refolded before mailing by someone whose preference for small-size covers nicely anticipated modern collecting tastes.

These covers were described in an article by Chip Gliedman ("Cut Down Postal Stationery from the 1861 Era") in Chronicle 230. Gliedman wrote: "The addressee of this cover, Jules Marcou (1824-1898), was an eminent Swiss-American geologist. Marcou spent two years studying the geology of the United States and Canada, and returned to Europe for a short time in 1850. In 1853 he published a Geological Map of the United States, and the British Provinces of North America. Traveling with the Pacific Railroad Survey, Marcou made the first geologic observations of the Grand Canyon and surrounding area in 1856. Marcou also had connections with the Boston region. In 1861, he returned to the United States, where he assisted Louis Agassiz in founding the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University."

From our 1995 Rarities sale. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE STRIKE OF THE RARE HOCKANUM FOX FANCY CANCEL. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

A history of the fascinating Hockanum Running Fox cancel, written by Connecticut postal historian William J. Duffney, can be downloaded as a PDF file at http://ctpostalhistory.com/CtPP/Postal_Markings_files/Dudley%27sFoxStory2015LR.pdf . The Running Fox cancel was carved by postmaster Dudley Fox, who was also a silversmith, giving him the skills to carve an intricate fancy cancel. The author records seven covers and ten off-cover in total with four different border types. Four others were recently found and are added to that count.

With 1985 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE CIVIL WAR ANTI-SLAVERY DESIGN. EXPECIALLY DESIRABLE AND PROBABLY UNIQUE AS A TRANSATLANTIC COVER.

With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. A COLORFUL THREE-COLOR FRANKING PAYING THE 45-CENT RATE TO BRAZIL VIA BRITISH MAIL.

From the Monroe correspondence. Ex Gallagher. (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONLY FOUR 90-CENT 1861 ISSUE COVERS TO CHINA ARE RECORDED WITH A SINGLE FRANKING. A SPECTACULAR COVER FROM THE AUGUSTINE HEARD & COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE.

The North German Lloyd America departed New York and arrived at Southampton on August 31, 1866, fitting the dates on this cover. The rate by British Mail via Marseilles during this time was 53c per half ounce, meaning this double-rate cover with 90c postage was underpaid by 16c if carried via Marseilles. The crossed-out 68c corresponds to the double rate via Marseilles if carried by American Packet. The 48c re-stated credit corresponds to the 53c rate via British Packet. The London exchange office determined that it should have been credited 96c for the double 53c British Mail rate via Marseilles, despite the underpaid U.S. postage, and they used red crayon to cross out the 48”, re-rate the credit TO 96” and apply the 2” pence British Colonial credit.

Ex Newbury, Baker and Wunderlich. Illustrated in Brookman on p. 66. With 1983 and 2012 P.F. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS STUNNING USED STAMP IS GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST GRADE RECORDED IN ANY CATEGORY.

Due to narrow spacing on the 5c plate used for the regular issues from 1861 through 1868, it is very difficult to find centered copies with the perforations clear of the design on all sides. The stamp offered here, with its perfect centering and perforations well clear of the design on all sides, is the first to achieve the exalted grade of Gem 100.

With 2001 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; SMQ $7,500.00). This is the highest grade recorded and the only example to achieve it. The next highest grade is one at 95J. The highest grade for an example with original gum is 95. (Image)

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