The William H. Gross Collection: United States Postal History continued...

2¢ Black (73), tied by 5-point Star fancy cancel on "T. H. Dinsmore, Skowhegan, Me." overall illustrated advertising cover depicting an eagle over shield and flags and a piano, to Rome, Maine, mentions the sale of revenue stamps among several other services, stamp with tiny perf tear at top right and light corner crease, still Extremely Fine, a beautiful Black Jack illustrated cover and probably the finest example of this design among the few we have encountered, ex Steinway, Allen and Metzger, illustrated in Lane Black Jack book (fig. 39) (Image)

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2¢ Black (73), lightly cancelled by grid and affixed as intended over the window of unsealed Leeds & Franklin lattice window patent envelope, lattice work completely intact and unbroken, albino "Pat. June 19, 1860" below window, cover is addressed to Wells River, Vermont with "The Claremont Manufacturing Company, Book and Paper Manufacturers N.H." corner card, original enclosure a two-page circular advertising diary sales for 1865, fresh and Extremely Fine, an absolutely superb example of this rare patented envelope and especially desirable with the 2¢ Black Jack, the placement of the stamp nicely demonstrates the sender's understanding of the purpose of the envelope, which was to have the stamp and cancel or postmark become affixed to the enclosed letter when the letter was removed, but in this case the stamp did not stick through to the enclosure so it remains undisturbed on the lattice window, with 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

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2¢ Black (73), two singles, tied by partly clear strike of Clinton N.Y. circular datestamp and target cancels (struck in the U.S.) on a cover originating in Canada and addressed to Clinton, "Montreal C.E. Au 31 '64" circular datestamp, pencil docketing of the same date at left, slightly smudged manuscript "10" below stamps, faint and unreadable double-circle datestamp on back (September 1), right stamp couple nibbed perfs at upper right, cover barely reduced at left, Very Fine appearing and extremely rare use of U.S. stamps on a cover originating in Canada, with 1974 P.F. certificate (Image)

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2¢ Black (73), two pairs, used with two singles of 24¢ Gray (78b), one with straight edge, neatly arranged in alternating pattern and tied by circle of wedges cancel, red "N. York Br. Pkt. 14 Paid Oct. 9" (1866) 14¢ double-rate credit datestamp on cover with printed address to Bavaria, Germany, Seligman Bendit & Sohne correspondence with Bendit double-circle datestamp, sender's directive to go on the Cunarder "Cuba"--departing Boston October 10, 1866, and arriving Southampton October 20--sent via Prussian Closed Mail at double the 28¢ rate, two strikes of blue "AACHEN 22/10 FRANCO" (October 22) framed datestamp (one ties stamps), receiving backstamp

Very Fine--a colorful and outstanding Prussian Closed Mail cover with what is believed to be a unique 1861 Issue franking. This cover was one of the highlights of the Russo Black Jack collection.

Ex Anthony Russo and Walter C. Klein. Signed by Stanley B. Ashbrook. (Image)

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2¢ Black, Atherton Shift, Major Double Transfer of Top Left Corner and "Postage" (73 variety), horizontal strip of three, left stamp clearly showing the dramatic double transfer at top, tied by target cancels and "Warrenton Va. May 13" (1867) circular datestamp on attorney corner card cover to Philadelphia, receipt docketing at left

Very Fine appearance; accompanying certificate notes the Atherton Shift stamp has small corner crease at bottom left, which is utterly negligible--right stamp light crease and small sealed cover tear at top (these issues not noted on certificate).

A spectacular example of the rare Atherton Shift--the most pronounced double transfer of the Black Jack Issue and, in fact, of any classic postage issue printed by the National Bank Note Company. We have encountered only two covers bearing this dramatic variety, and this is by far the finer of the two.

According to the Allen book, the Atherton Shift got its name from Stanley B. Ashbrook, who first discovered it in the summer of 1923 in the collection of H. P. Atherton. Concerning this double transfer, Ashbrook wrote: "Here we have one of the most remarkable double transfers on U. S. stamps that I have ever seen. I have for years classed the One Cent 1851, Type II, 89R2, as the No. 1 among remarkable examples of this variety and in my opinion this 2¢ Black Jack could well rank as No. 2. Perhaps some would even rank it equal to the 1¢..." He stated further that it was his opinion, supported by other authorities whom he had consulted, that the variety must surely have come from an early or first condition of one of the plates, and that later it had been burnished out and a fresh entry made. The fact that every line in the Atherton Shift "is razor sharp" led him to conclude that the plate from which it came was very new.

This cover has been a highlight of important Black Jack collections, including those formed by Anthony Russo and Steven Metzger. When the Metzger collection was sold this was described as the only on-cover example of the Atherton Shift known. We subsequently sold a cover in the Bernard Faust collection with the Atherton Shift (Sale 1181, lot 1105), but the stamp on that cover has been repaired, with the bottom portion of the design replaced. This is by far the finer of the two covers we have encountered.

Ex Judge Robert S. Emerson, Anthony Russo and Steven Metzger. With 2003 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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2¢ Black, Vertical Half Used as 1¢ (73d), two covers bearing bisects, first is a double rate (6¢) with two bisects in pairs, each with a single normal stamp, second is a single rate (3¢) with one bisect in a pair with a normal stamp, this bisect represents the left half of the left pair on the first cover, formerly a strip of three, both covers are addressed to the Otsego County Bank in Cooperstown N.Y., dated October 26 and 28 (1865 based on enclosure), right stamp of the 6¢ cover with trimmed perfs at right and scissors-cut into design at bottom right, Very Fine appearance and a fascinating matched pair of covers, the use of two 2¢ bisects on the 6¢ rate cover instead of three normal Black Jack stamps indicates that the sender prepared a batch of these "3¢" pairs in anticipation of sending several letters, when one required a double rate he simply used two of his bisect pairs (Image)

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5¢ Red Brown (75), nine singles, neatly affixed overlapping (two inverted) and tied by grid cancels, "Norwalk Ct. Jan. 12, 1863" circular datestamp on cover to Shanghai, China, red "N. York Br. Pkt. Paid Jan. 14" circular datestamp, magenta "40" cents credit, red "London Paid" transit datestamp (January 29), "INSUFFY STAMPED/VIA MARSEILLES" two-line handstamp, manuscript "1" British Colonial credit, Hong Kong (March 25) and Shanghai (March 31) backstamps, several stamps with tears or other small faults, overall soiling, Very Fine appearance and extremely rare use of nine 5¢ 1861 stamps on a cover to China, this was short paid for the rate via Marseilles and was instead sent by British Mail via Southampton at the 45¢ rate and treated as completely prepaid, ex Rohloff and Ishikawa, with 1993 P.F. certificate (Image)

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15¢ Black (77), used with 5¢ Brown (76) and 3¢ Ultramarine (114), 3¢ with choice centering, tied by quartered cork cancels, "Brooklyn N.Y. Nov. 4" (1869) circular datestamp on registered cover to Zurich, Switzerland, "REGISTERED" straightline handstamp applied at Brooklyn, small "PD" handstamp, red "New York Registered Nov. 6" circular datestamp, "CHARGEE" framed registry handstamp applied in Switzerland, Basel and Zurich backstamps, Very Fine and extremely rare mixed franking with 1861 and 1869 Issue stamps paying the 15¢ Closed Mail rate to Switzerland via England and 8¢ registry fee (Image)

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24¢ Grayish Lilac (78), two, used with 5¢ Brown (76), tied by bold strikes of large circle of wedges cancel, red "N. York Am. Pkt. Paid Jun. 27" (1863) circular datestamp on folded letter to Shanghai, China, sender's directive "p City of New York Via Marseilles", magenta manuscript "32" credit, red "London Paid' transit datestamp (July 8) and "1d" British Colonial credit handstamp, Hong Kong receiving backstamp (August 17), left 24¢ stamp with pre-use tear which is large but not very noticeable, Very Fine appearing and attractive 1861 Issue cover to China, prepaid at the 53¢ rate by British Mail via Marseilles immediately after the rate became effective in June 1863 (Image)

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Get Market Data for [United States 78a]