The William H. Gross Collection: United States Multiples continued...

DESCRIPTION

2¢ Carmine (301), Mint N.H. wide top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1763 block of six, gorgeous centering, radiant color on bright paper

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$425.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

3¢ Bright Violet (302), wide top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1586 block of six, top center stamp single hinge mark, other five stamps and selvage Mint N.H., well-balanced margins, intense color on bright paper

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$750.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

4¢ Brown (303), wide top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1799 block of six, top stamps and selvage lightly hinged, bottom stamps Mint N.H., choice centering with wide margins, bright color

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$825.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

8¢ Violet Black (306), Mint N.H. full top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1497 block of six, attractive centering, intense shade and impression on bright paper causes the design to really "pop" off the paper

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine and choice

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$1,150.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

13¢ Purple Black (308), Mint N.H. full top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 3831 block of six, wide margins, intense color and impression

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1977)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine-Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$1,150.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

15¢ Olive Green (309), wide top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1607 block of six, bottom center stamp and selvage hinge remnants, rich color on bright paper

PROVENANCE

James H. Gray, Jr., Shreves sale, 9/30/2005, lot 22, to Mr. Gross

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine; few minor perf separations at top of selvage sensibly reinforced

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$3,250.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

Plate blocks of the 15¢ 1902 are notoriously difficult to obtain from the top position, especially with such wide selvage. Power Search found only three from the top position--two have selvage significantly smaller than the block offered here, and the one with comparable selvage has thin spots in two stamps. Todd had two, but one has a piece out of the top right corner stamp. This brings our total count to four wide tops. The Fogelson collection, which specialized in top positions, did not contain any. Those waiting for this plate block in Mint N.H. condition will have a long wait; we have offered only one, from the right position, in our 2003 "Silver Lake" sale. The Philatelic Foundation has certified one wide Mint N.H. top plate block of ten, but its whereabouts is unknown. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 309]

DESCRIPTION

50¢ Orange (310), full top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1602 block of six, lightly hinged, choice centering throughout, radiant color on bright paper#

PROVENANCE

W. Parsons Todd, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1/10/1978, Sale 521, lot 692

James H. Gray, Jr., Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 9/30/2005, lot 23, to William H. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1978)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$7,250.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Wide Selvage Makes the Difference

The 50¢ is the first denomination of the 1902 Issue printed from a single plate--number 1602. Top plate positions, which are the most desirable, tend to have narrow selvage. The example offered here is the exception. Power Search found only two from the top position, both with narrow selvage. Todd had two others with wide selvage, but one has disturbed gum and another has a piece out of the selvage. The example offered here may well be the finest full top plate block of this issue in existence. (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

$1.00 Black (311), full top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1629 block of six, lightly hinged, hinge remnant in ungummed selvage, intense shade and detailed impression

PROVENANCE

W. Parsons Todd, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1/10/1978, Sale 521, lot 473

"MLG" collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 4/21/2009, Sale 971, lot 1376, to William H. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1980)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine, as are all top position plate blocks

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$27,500.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Black Dollar

Lewis Kaufman records only seven available plate blocks of the $1.00 1902 Issue, including six from the top position and one from the bottom. In addition, there is a top plate block in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library. (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

$2.00 Dark Blue (312), full top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1630 block of six, few small hinge remnants mostly in selvage, deep rich color on bright paper

PROVENANCE

W. Parsons Todd, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1/10/1978, Sale 521, lot 475

"MLG" collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 4/21/2009, Sale 971, lot 1377, to William H. Gross

CONDITION NOTES

Fine; few minor perf separations sensibly reinforced by small hinges, enlarged staple holes at top, pencil notation on back of two stamps

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$40,000.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Best of Five and the Only Available Top Position

Lewis Kaufman records only four plate blocks of Scott 312 in private hands (each of six stamps).

1) Top plate block (only top position available), offered in this sale

2) Wide bottom plate block, small thin in one stamp, 1967 Rarities of the World sale (Sale 313, lot 105)

3) Bottom plate block, few small faults, 2017 Rarities of the World sale (Sale 1159, lot 216)

4) Bottom plate block, one stamp minor gum glazing, paper spot in margin of top center stamp, perf separations in selvage, ex Wampler

5) Top plate block, Miller collection, The New York Public Library, unavailable to collectors. (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

$5.00 Dark Green (313), top "BUREAU, ENGRAVING & PRINTING" imprint and plate number 1620 block of six, bottom stamps original gum, small hinge slivers, top stamps small part original gum, deep rich color and proof-like impression

PROVENANCE

Col. Edward H. R. Green, Part 24, Irwin Heiman sale, 1/8-10/1946, lot 703

Amos Eno, Harmer, Rooke & Co., 5/18/1954, lot 145

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1977 Rarities of the World, 3/23/1977, Sale 510, lot 178

Dr. J. Paul Wampler, Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 4/24/1998, lot 150, to William H. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1977)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine-Very Fine; perf separations sensibly reinforced by hinge slivers

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$180,000.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Top Value and Rarest of Second Bureau Plate Blocks

Only four plate blocks of the $5.00 1902 Issue are recorded, including one in the National Postal Museum (top position) and another in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library (extra wide bottom position). The only other plate block available to collectors, with similar size selvage and also from the top position, was offered in our sale of the W. Parsons Todd collection in 1977. (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

$5.00 Dark Green (313), Block of four with horizontal guideline, choice centering for this difficult issue, deep rich color and proof-like impression

PROVENANCE

Paul Cheyney (collection sold privately to Mr. Gross)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine; bottom right stamp with small backstamp (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 313]