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

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Brown Rose (56), block of twelve with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 2 Plate." plate number at bottom, original gum, correct shade for the old Scott 56 listing (other trial colors are known from this plate)

PROVENANCE

Col. Edward H. R. Green, Part 26, Harmer, Rooke sale, 3/25-29/1946, lot 51

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 183

CONDITION NOTES

Fine-Very Fine; small hinge sliver reinforcements

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$22,200.00 as plate block of eight and singles (listed under 65-E15h for any shade, but the Brown Rose is much more desirable) (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue (63), block of 20 from bottom of left pane of Plate 9 with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 9 Plate." plate number, original gum, bright color, centered to bottom

PROVENANCE

Y. Souren, H. R. Harmer sale, 3/12-15/1951, lot 55

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 185; after accounting for pane of 100 and block of 98 broken up and two additions, our records contain eight plate blocks from Plate 9 (three), Plate 10 (two) and Plate 27 (three)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine; natural gum creases, some perf separations, mostly rejoined at center, small thin in one stamp second from right in bottom row

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$10,900.00 as plate block of eight, two blocks and two pairs (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 63]

DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Vertically Laid Paper (63c), block of four, neatly cancelled by town circular datestamp, perfectly centered, beautiful crisp blue shade

PROVENANCE

Ryohei Ishikawa

Dr. Robert Hinrichs, Shreves Philatelic Galleries sale, 5/21/2004, lot 40, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

Don L. Evans, The U.S. 1¢ Franklin 1861-1868, page 38

Richard B. Graham, "One Cent 1861 Stamps on Vertically Laid Paper," Chronicle 86, May 1975

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine; couple trivial short perfs in bottom left stamp

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$35,000.00 (Image)

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DESCRIPTION

3¢ Pink (64), unused block of twelve (no gum) with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 12 Plate." plate number at bottom, beautiful true Pink color, extraordinarily well-centered

PROVENANCE

One of two plate blocks of 12 discovered in California; this one sold to John N. Luff (reported in American Journal of Philately, Oct. 1892); sold by Luff to Worthington, 1905

George H. Worthington, J. C. Morgenthau sale, 8/21-23/1917, lot 249

J. C. Morgenthau sale, January 1922, to Duveen

Henry J. Duveen (sold privately to Hind, according to Ashbrook)

Arthur Hind, Phillips-Kennett sale, 11/20-24/1933, lot 248, to Perry (as agent for Waterhouse)

Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, H. R. Harmer London sale, 6/27-30/1955, lot 409, to Weill

H. R. Harmer sale, 1/18/1966, lot 218, with PFC 5905 dated 10/11/65

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1988 Rarities of the World, 4/23/1988, Sale 692, lot 131

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1993 Rarities of the World, 11/20/1993, Sale 755, lot 107, to Zoellner

Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 175, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

John C. Chapin, A Census of United States Classic Plate Blocks 1851-1882, census no. 193

Stanley B. Ashbrook, Special Service, #53, pages 425-426

New York International Philatelic Exhibition 1913 (Worthington)

TIPEX 1936 exhibition (Waterhouse)

ANPHILEX 1996 Invited Exhibits (Zoellner)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1965)

CONDITION NOTES

Fine overall; faint vertical crease through third row as almost always found in the unused Pink stamps, lower left vertical pair rejoined and some perf separations throughout reinforced with hinge slivers

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$190,000.00 as two blocks and two pairs with original gum

HISTORY AND COMMENTARY

The Long History of the 3¢ Pink Plate Block

The Pink shade of the National Bank Note Company 3¢ 1861 Issue was produced only in the early printings released in the fall of 1861. The shade is distinctive, and in its true form can easily be distiniguished from the other shades. The Pink is prone to transformation through light exposure, and in some cases can lose its special vibrancy.

Unused and original-gum examples of the 3¢ Pink are very scarce, and multiples are rare. It has been reported that a sheet was owned by George Walcott, a collector during the early part of the 20th century, and that John Klemann, a dealer at the time, purchased the sheet and divided it into blocks and singles. Many of the stamps with original gum have similar centering and color, as well as vertical creasing, which suggests that the account of a Walcott-Klemann sheet is factual, but no other imprint or plate number multiple from that sheet has been reported.

In the Special Service (#53, September 1955), following the Waterhouse sale, Stanley B. Ashbrook reported the history of the 3¢ Pink plate block:

Writing in the October 1892 American Journal of Philately, Mr. Luff gave the history... At that time Mr. Luff resided in San Francisco, Calif. and he related how two blocks of the 3¢ 1861 PINK had been discovered "among the papers of a lawyer in National City, Calif." who sold them to San Francisco dealers. Mr. Luff stated, quote: (there) "were two blocks of twelve, each bearing the imprint xxxx No. 12 plate. I am happy to say one of these blocks adorns my collection."

If there was a second plate block in 1892, it has been lost to philately. Elliott Perry, who acquired this block for Waterhouse in the 1933 Hind sale, is also quoted stating that it did not have gum at that time, despite the sale catalogue describing original gum. (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 64]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose Pink (64b), bottom-margin block of four with half of "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK (NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK)" imprint and "No. 23 (Plate.)" plate number, original gum, bright and fresh in true Rose Pink shade, choice centering

PROVENANCE

Siegel Auction Galleries, 12/16-18/1986, Sale 674, lot 931, to Chapin

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

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 193A (only Scott 64b plate block recorded)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine appearance; bottom pair creased

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$3,250.00 for ordinary block of four (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 64b]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose (65), block of eight with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 32 Plate." plate number at bottom, original gum, lightly hinged, lovely pastel shade and choice centering

PROVENANCE

As a block of 16: Henry B. Close, Eugene Costales sale, 6/23-26/1952, lot 168, to Cole

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 214

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine; creased at bottom of selvage

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$4,250.00 (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 65]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose, Imperforate Horizontally (65d), block of four, part original gum, perfectly centered with large top and bottom margins, rich color and exceptionally fresh

PROVENANCE

Arthur Hetherington, "Quality" collection, H. R. Harmer sale, 6/5/1980, lot 568

Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie's Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 390, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

Lester G. Brookman, United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century, Vol. II, fig. 47, p. 29

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1958 and 1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$15,000.00 for two pairs (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 65d]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose Lake, Imperforate on Stamp Paper (65P5 variety), block of twelve with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 52 Plate." plate number at bottom, original gum, large margins, rich color

PROVENANCE

As Scott 65c variety: Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., Siegel Auction Galleries, 2/7-8/1968, Sale 327, lot 57

As Scott 65c variety: "Mid-Western Collector," Siegel Auction Galleries, 4/6-7/1972, Sale 410, lot 376

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

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 236 (illustrated on page 24)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1968) as 3¢ Rose, Scott 65c

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine; small spot in bottom sheet margin at left (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 65P5]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Rose Lake, Imperforate on Stamp Paper (65P5 variety), horizontal strip of four with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 52 Plate." plate number at bottom, original gum, large margins, rich color

PROVENANCE

As Scott 66a: Grover C. Hubbell, Siegel Auction Galleries, 8/27/1957, Sale 262, lot 190

As Scott 66a: "Ambassador" collection, 4/27-28/1966, Sale 300, lot 92

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

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 241

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1994) as Scott 66a

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine; signed on back (Economist Stamp Co.) (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 65P5]

DESCRIPTION

3¢ Lake (66), horizontal strip of four (no gum) with "ENGRAVED BY THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY CITY OF NEW YORK" imprint and "No. 34 Plate." plate number at bottom, deep and true Lake shade, proof-like impression

PROVENANCE

"Country Gentleman," Siegel Auction Galleries, 11/29-30/1972, Sale 422, lot 165

Siegel Auction Galleries, 1975 Rarities of the World, 3/25/1975, Sale 468, lot 68

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

CENSUS

Chapin census no. 239

CONDITION NOTES

Fine-Very Fine; faint traces of toning

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$10,000.00 (listed under 66TC6)

Errata: The Scott listing should be 66TC6, not 65TC6 (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 66TC6]

DESCRIPTION

5¢ Buff (67), block of four, large part original gum, hinge remnants, bright shade that we would classify as closer to Brown Yellow (Scott 67a)

PROVENANCE

Henry J. Duveen (listed in Phillips's November 1922 book)

Arthur Hind, Phillips-Kennett sale, 11/20-24/1933, lot 262, to Ward

Wharton Sinkler, Eugene Klein sale, 5/17/1940, Sale 117, lot 91, to Ward

Philip H. Ward, Jr. (estate sold to Weills in 1963)

Benjamin D. Phillips (bought from Weills out of Ward estate, 1964; Phillips collection sold privately to Weills, 1968)

Ryohei Ishikawa, Christie's Robson Lowe sale, 9/28-29/1993, lot 401, to William H. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1993)

CONDITION NOTES

Extremely Fine centering, but creased, slightly gum stained and there is a small repaired hole in the bottom left stamp--uniqueness forgives these flaws

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

Despite the value of four singles with original gum at $110,000.00, the Scott Catalogue values this unique block at $11,500.00, explaining, "The unused block of 4 is unique but very faulty. Value is based on actual 1993 sale." It is true that Mr. Gross acquired this 26 years ago for $11,500 in the Ishikawa sale. One should expect the value to be updated to its new realization after the Gross sale is concluded (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 67]