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

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Types II/I/II (20/18/20), Positions 31/41/51L12, B/C/B Reliefs, vertical strip of three (top stamp partly separated and rejoined) from the left pane of Plate 12 with "TOPPAN CARPENTER & CO. PHILADELPHIA" Second Type imprint and "No. 12.P." plate number in selvage at left, original gum, centered to left, bright color

PROVENANCE

Rudolph G. Wunderlich, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1/29/1976, Sale 484, lot 224

Ryohei Ishikawa, Sotheby Parke Bernet sale, 9/23/1980, Sale 48, lot 312 (illustrated on front cover of sale catalogue)

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to William H. Gross, 2002)

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

John C. Chapin, A Census of United States Classic Plate Blocks 1851-1882, census no. 29

CONDITION NOTES

Fine appearance; top left stamp with small tear (at top), bottom right stamp with small tear (at bottom), small thin spots in top pair

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

1¢ Franklin Printings from Plates 11 and 12

For 1¢ Plates 11 and 12, the style and placement of the imprint was altered from previous 1¢ plates. The Second Type imprint with negative lettering and "Toppan Carpenter & Co." name was first used in June 1860 on the 12¢ Plate 3, followed shortly after by its use on the 30¢ and 90¢ plates made during the summer of 1860 (see lot 47). Its next use was on the 1¢ Plate 11, probably toward the end of 1860. Casilear's name, which appeared in the imprint on earlier plates, even after he had retired, was omitted from the new Second Type imprint. The use of this imprint and the reversion to a 3-subject transfer roll (and absence of significant relief trimming) have led specialists to theorize that Plates 11 and 12 were made by different Toppan Carpenter employees than the ones who made the earlier plates.

Imprint examples of 1¢ stamps from Plate 11 or 12 with plate number intact are extremely rare. We are aware of three unused examples and two used examples (one on cover) with the imprint and part or all of the "No. 12" plate number. Only one other unused example with the full number is recorded: a vertical pair from the Neinken and Wagshal collections (Siegel Sale 1006, lot 1493). The strip offered here was considered significant enough to use as the catalogue cover illustration for the 1980 Ishikawa sale. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 20,18]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Types IIIa-IIIa/Ia-Ic (22-22/19-19b), Positions 85-86/95-96R4, E/F Reliefs, block of four from bottom two rows of right pane of Plate 4 with large sheet selvage, original gum, intense Plate 4 dark shade and proof-like impression, well-centered with bottom row of perfs into the design but the Type Ia-Ic characteristic plumes show in the selvage

PROVENANCE

Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 1/16-18/1956, lot 585, to Cole (for Lilly)

Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., Siegel Auction Galleries, 2/7-8/1968, Sale 327, lot 20, to Weill

Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie's Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 210, to Floyd

William S. Floyd, Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 10/23-24/2001, lot 63, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

Tracy W. Simpson, "1851-'60 Blocks in the Lilly Sale," Chronicle 59 August 1968

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine; tiny toned spots on bottom right stamp, negligible corner crease in selvage tab at bottom right (not noted on certificate)

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$100,000.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Fascinating Plate 4

1¢ Type Ia (and Ic) stamps were produced from the 20 bottom-row positions on Plate 4. After perforations were introduced in mid-1857, sheets on hand printed from Plates 1 Late and 2 were fed through the new perforating machine, but the narrow spaces between stamps caused perforations to cut into the designs. Plate 4 was produced in late 1856 or early 1857 when the introduction of perforations was anticipated; thus, it was entered from a new 6-relief transfer roll, and the spaces between stamps were enlarged to allow for perforations. Some Plate 4 sheets were issued in imperforate form (April to June 1857), while the greater portion was issued perforated beginning in July 1857, along with perforated sheets from Plates 1L and 2.

Plate 4's most distinctive feature is that the top row positions (1-10L and 1-10R) were entered with the designs complete at top (Type II), and the bottom row positions (91-100L and 91-100R) were entered with designs complete or nearly complete at bottom (Types Ia and Ic). Although the plate layout provided sufficient space for perforations, the height of the top-row and bottom-row designs was larger than others in the sheet, which resulted in perforations cutting into either the top or bottom rows, depending on which direction the sheet was fed into the perforator--this block shows the bottom impinged by the perforations.

Plate 4 was in use for a short period of time, and large multiples (imperforate or perforated) are rare. The complete left pane of perforated Plate 4 stamps remains intact. We are aware of just one other block with bottom-row stamps (Type Ia, Positions 81-82/91-92L4), but its condition is far inferior to the wonderful quality of the block offered here, which has graced the important collections formed by Caspary, Lilly, Ishikawa and Floyd. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 19,19b]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type II (20), Positions 41-42/51-52/61-62L2, block of six from the left pane of Plate 2 with "(Toppan, Carpe)nter, Casilear & Co. ANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati" imprint and "No. 2." plate number at left, original gum, centered to right, brilliant color and fine impression

PROVENANCE

Wharton Sinkler, Eugene Klein sale, 5/17/1940, Sale 117, lot 41

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1964 Rarities of the World, 2/27/1964, Sale 267, lot 34

Rudolph G. Wunderlich, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1/29/1976, Sale 484, lot 235, to Chapin

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to William H. Gross, 2002)

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

Mortimer L. Neinken, The United States One Cent Stamp of 1851 to 1861, page 191 (noted in text)

John C. Chapin, A Census of United States Classic Plate Blocks 1851-1882, census no. 31 (illustrated on page 7)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1976)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine; a few gum toned spots around perfs

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Scarcity of Plate 2 Stamps with Perforations

The 1¢ Plate 2 was made before perforating was considered; therefore, the spaces between the stamps were insufficient to accommodate perforations. The majority of 1¢ stamps from Plate 2 were issued imperforate from December 1855 through June 1857. Perforated 1¢ stamps were issued beginning in July 1857, and Plate 2 (along with Plate 4) was used until replaced by new plates in late 1857.

Plate 2 multiples with original gum are far rarer perforated than in imperforate form. The converse is true for multiples from Plate 4. Although Type II perforated blocks with original gum are abundant from 1861 printings (Plates 11-12), Type II perforated blocks from Plate 2 are exceedingly rare. In our opinion, the Scott Catalogue undervalues Plate 2 perforated stamps, perhaps reflecting a market skewed by the availability of Type IIs from other plates.

Only one block with the Plate 2 imprint and number is recorded in the Chapin census--it is the block offered here, listed as number 31 and illustrated on page 7. One unused vertical strip of three with the imprint and plate number (41/51/61L2) is illustrated in the Neinken book on page 192 and was sold in Siegel Sale 697 (lot 283). These are the only two unused Plate 2 imprint and plate number examples.

The earliest appearance of this block we have found is in the 1940 Klein sale of the Wharton Sinkler collection. It reappeared in the 1964 Rarities of the World sale and was eventually acquired by Rudolph G. Wunderlich, whose collection of 1851-57s was sold by the Siegel firm in 1976. Jack Chapin was the buyer in that sale. In 2002 the Chapin collection was acquired intact by the Shreves in a sealed bidding process organized by Andrew Levitt, and then the collection was sold to Mr. Gross. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 20]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type II (20), Positions 52-57/62-67/72-77/82-87/92-97R2, block of 30 from right pane of Plate 2, early impression, several double transfers including Position 93R pronounced shift in bust, original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade and rich color, well-centered

PROVENANCE

Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 1/16-18/1956, lot 598, to Weill

A.T. Seymour, Siegel Auction Galleries, 11/25-26/1969, Sale 362, lot 202

Stephen D. Bechtel, Sr. (collection sold privately in 1993; block sold privately to Zoellner)

Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 98, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

ANPHILEX 1996 Invited Exhibits (Zoellner)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine overall condition; top left stamp has large nick into design, second horizontal row faintly creased, some separations

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$41,400.00 as blocks and pairs

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The 1¢ 1857 Perforated Stamps from Plate 2

The 1¢ Plate 2 was made before perforating was considered; therefore, the spaces between the stamps were insufficient to accommodate perforations. The majority of 1¢ stamps from Plate 2 were issued imperforate from December 1855 through June 1857. Perforated 1¢ stamps were issued beginning in July 1857, and Plate 2 (along with Plate 4) was used until replaced by new plates in late 1857.

Plate 2 multiples with original gum are far rarer perforated than in imperforate form. The converse is true for multiples from Plate 4. Although Type II perforated blocks with original gum are abundant from 1861 printings (Plates 11-12), Type II perforated blocks from Plate 2 are exceedingly rare.

At the time of our 1998 Zoellner sale, we determined that this block of 30 was originally joined with the famous 99R2 block (Positions 78-80/88-90/98-100R2) offered as lot 32 in this sale. A digital reconstruction is shown below. Both blocks were once part of the Caspary collection; another block in the Caspary sale (lot 596) also fits into this large multiple, filling Positions 58-59/68-69R2. There are three or four other blocks (unplated) in the Caspary and West sales that might also be part of the original large multiple. (Image)

Digital reconstruction of block of 30 offered here and block of 9 (lot 32)

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Get Market Data for [United States 20 var.]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type III, Position 99R2 (21), Positions 78-80/88-90/98-100R2, block of nine from the bottom right corner of right pane of Plate 2, full sheet selvage, center stamp in bottom row is Type III, Position 99R2, center stamp in middle row is major double transfer, Position 89R2, original gum, center horizontal row is Mint Never-Hinged, rich color and early impression showing complete line at bottom of Position 100R (Type II at this stage)

PROVENANCE

Alfred H. Caspary, H. R. Harmer sale, 1/16-18/1956, lot 602, to Cole (for Lilly)

Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., Siegel Auction Galleries, 2/7-8/1968, Sale 327, lot 21, to Weill

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1971 Rarities of the World, 3/23/1971, Sale 391, lot 34, to Grunin

Louis Grunin, H. R. Harmer sale, 12/14-15/1976, lot 2412, to Ishikawa

Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie's Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 213, to Zoellner

Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 101, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

Mortimer L. Neinken, The United States One Cent Stamp of 1851 to 1861, fig. 13-X, page 195

ANPHILEX 1996 Invited Exhibits (Zoellner)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine; top left stamp has small tear, top right pair faintly creased, bottom right stamp has small thin--none of these trivial flaws affect the appearance of the block or the condition of 99R2, which is sound

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$110,000.00 for this specific block, which has not changed since 1994

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The 1¢ 1857 Perforated Type III Position 99R2

The 1¢ Plate 2 was made before perforating was considered; therefore, the spaces between the stamps were insufficient to accommodate perforations. The majority of 1¢ stamps from Plate 2 were issued imperforate from December 1855 through June 1857. Perforated 1¢ stamps were issued beginning in July 1857, and Plate 2 (along with Plate 4) was used until replaced by new plates in late 1857.

Plate 2 multiples with original gum are far rarer perforated than in imperforate form. The converse is true for multiples from Plate 4. Although Type II perforated blocks with original gum are abundant from 1861 printings (Plates 11-12), Type II perforated blocks from Plate 2 are exceedingly rare. The block offered here is the only perforated block containing Position 99R2.

Plate 2 was made in late 1855, and produced 198 stamps that are Type II, one position that is Type III (99R) and one that can be either Type II or Type IIIA (100R), depending on plate wear. The creation of the Type III (99R2) and the 89R2 major double transfer is a story of human error.

To lay out the plate, the siderographer used a tool to make tiny dots in the plate that served to guide him in rocking in entries from the transfer roll. Positions 79 and 89 were transferred perfectly using their guide dots. However, the guide dot to the southeast of Position 88R2, which was used to align the single B Relief for Position 99R2, was placed far out of line. The misplaced dot caused the siderographer to transfer the 99R entry far out of alignment and rock the adjoining A Relief on the transfer roll into the bottom part of Position 89 (and in the margin below this position).

The first 99R entry was erased and re-entered, but the parts of the A Relief transferred into the bottom of Position 89R remained. When the fresh entry was made in Position 99R, a full transfer of the design was not possible without running into the error in Position 89R. The position was therefore short transferred at top, and apparently also at bottom, creating the finest example of Type III found on any plate (see pages 183-184 of Neinken book).

At the time of our 1998 Zoellner sale, we determined that this 99R2 block was originally joined with the block of 30 offered as lot 31 in this sale. A digital reconstruction is shown on page 39. Both blocks were once part of the Caspary collection, but the Weills bought the block of 30 and Ezra Cole bought the 99R2 block for Josiah K. Lilly, Jr. At our 1968 sale of Lilly's collection, the Weills captured the block, evidently for themselves, since it does not appear in the inventory of the Benjamin D. Phillips collection.

At or sometime after the 1971 Rarities of the World sale, in which the 99R2 block was offered, it became part of Louis Grunin's 1847-1869 exhibit, which won the Grand Prix National at INTERPHIL in 1976. Following the sale of Grunin's 1847-1869 off-cover material in 1976, the block was acquired by Ryohei Ishikawa for his own 1847-1869 exhibit, which earned him three Grand Prix awards in exhibitions from 1981 to 1987. At the 1993 sale of Ishikawa's collection, Robert Zoellner was the successful bidder, and when his collection was sold by our firm in 1998, Mr. Gross acquired it. Eight years later it became a pillar of his exhibit, which captured the Grand Prix National at Washington 2006. (Image)

Digital reconstruction of block of 30 offered in lot 31 and block of 9 offered here

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Get Market Data for [United States 21 var.]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type V (24), Positions 31-34/41-44/51-54/ 61-64L10, block of 16 from the left pane of Plate 10 with "Toppan, Carpenter & Co. ANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati" imprint and "No. 10.P." plate number, original gum, Mint N.H. except three stamps within plate block of eight, rich color and excellent impression, strong bluish plate wash

PROVENANCE

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1983 Rarities of the World, 4/23/1983, Sale 618, lot 62

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 65A

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine plate block of eight at left; Fine-Very block at right

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$5,600.00 for plate block and blocks (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 24]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type V (24), Mint N.H. block of four with top sheet selvage, rich color, beautifully centered

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1994) for block of eight (this is the left block)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$800.00 as previously hinged block of four (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 24]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose, Type I, Imperforate Horizontally (25b), Plate 7, vertical pair, centered to lower right, no trace of horizontal perforations at top, bottom or in between, tied by "Jonesborough Ind. Oct. 11" (1857) circular datestamp on large piece of cover with court docketing confirming 1857 yeardate

PROVENANCE

Frank B. Allen, Harmer, Rooke sale, 5/23-24/1950, lot 46, to Colby

Leonard Sheriff, Siegel Auction Galleries, 12/11-12/1985, Sale 655, lot 172

Stanley M. Piller, Siegel Auction Galleries, 3/25/1993, Sale 748, lot 121

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1950 and 1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$10,000.00

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Introduction of Perforations in the United States

Great Britain began to issue perforated stamps in 1854 and was followed by Sweden in 1855 and Norway in 1856. The Postmaster General expressed interest in having United States stamps perforated, and, on February 6, 1857, a contract was signed with the printers, Toppan, Carpenter and Co. This contract provided that Toppan Carpenter would be reimbursed for the cost of new plates with the wider spacing required for perforating stamps, and for the perforating machine in the event that their contract was not renewed.

Luff states that the first perforated stamps were delivered to the government on February 24, 1857. A seven-city test was begun to confirm public acceptance of the idea. The earliest known use of an officially perforated U.S. stamp is February 28, 1857. The testing continued from February 1857 through June 10, 1857 (the expiration date of the original six-year Toppan Carpenter contract). In total, about 75 items from this experimental perforation period have been recorded. Most are from Plate 7, as is the part-perforated pair offered here. The test was successful and on April 8, 1857, Toppan Carpenter's contract was extended for four more years (from June 10, 1857 to June 10, 1861). After June 10, 1857, all stamps were perforated.

This pair is the only recorded multiple of part-perforated 3¢ 1857 stamps from plates with the framelines all around--Type I (Scott 25) or Type II (Scott 25A). There are a few singles known with imperforate margins at top and bottom. One of these is shown below (Position 59L7), which is tied on cover by the same Jonesborough, Indiana, datestamp on the pair on piece (the cover is dated August 3, 1857). It is evident that some early products of Toppan Carpenter's perforating process were accidentally left imperforate in one direction, but were distributed with regular stock. (Image)

3¢ 1857 from Plate 7 with imperforate top and bottom margins, on cover from Jonesborough, Indiana (Siegel Sale 964, lot 247)--probably from the same sheet as the pair offered here (this cover is not in this sale)

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Get Market Data for [United States 25b]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Dull Red, Type III (26), block of 20 from the right pane of Plate 24 with "Toppan, Carpenter & Co. ANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati" imprint and "No. 24 P." plate number, full sheet selvage, original gum, several Mint N.H., remarkably fresh

PROVENANCE

Siegel Auction Galleries, 4/28/1965, Sale 286, lot 28

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to Mr. Gross, 2002)

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 117

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine; some perf separations rejoined along the center horizontal row

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$4,450.00 for plate block, blocks and pairs (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 26]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Dull Red, Type III (26), Positions 31-32/41-42/51-52/61-62L20, block of eight from the left pane of Plate 20 with "Toppan, Carpenter & Co. ANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati" imprint and "No. 20 P." plate number, original gum, top left and bottom left hinged, others Mint N.H.

PROVENANCE

Eliot H. Weisman, Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 5/8/1998, lot 1019, to Mr. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1992)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$3,250.00 (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 26]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Dull Red, Type III (26), Positions 39-40/49-50/59-60/69-70R28, block of eight from the right pane of Plate 28 with "Toppan, Carpenter & Co. ANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati" imprint and "No. 28. P." plate number, original gum, hinge remnants, remarkably choice centering

PROVENANCE

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1975 Rarities of the World, 3/25/1975, Sale 468, lot 46

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to William H. Gross, 2002)

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 151

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$3,250.00 (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 26]