Shreves Philatelic Galleries, Inc. Sale

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Washington-Franklin Earliest Documented Usages continued...

1917-1919 WASHINGTON-FRANKLIN ISSUES continued...

Lot

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

CV or Estimate

121

499e

#499e, 2c Rose, booklet pane single, fresh with fine centering, tied to cover to Johnstown, N.Y. by Aquebogue, N.Y. duplex, July 19, 1917 earliest documented usage, very light folds to cover not affecting its attractive appearance, fine; clear 2001 APS certificate; ex-Hart. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $750.00
Will close during Public Auction

122

498f

#498f, 1c Green A.E.F. booklet pane single, easily distinguished as being from an A.E.F. booklet pane by the wide imperforate margin at top, tied to French picture post card of the Americans arriving in France on July 4, 1917, this card posted on August 8, 1917, the earliest documented usage with the stamp tied by clear "U.S. Army Postal Service/Aug 8 1917/No. 2" four-bar cancel of APO 2 in Paris, France, violet U.S. censor handstamp at left, trivial corner crease, totally irrelevant to this transatlantic wartime posting, extremely fine.A great bonus to this card is that the sender is a war hero and his service record is well known. John Newport Greene went to France with the American Red Cross in January of 1917. He served six months with the Norton-Harjes Field Ambulance Service. He wrote and mailed this card just after his enlistment in the U.S. Army. He was commissioned a second Lieutenant in the field artillery. He was quickly promoted to first lieutenant and later became the first recipient of the U.S. Military Cross and the first American to receive the French Croix de Guerre for valor in battle.The A.E.F booklets were long thought to have first reached France in September of 1917 through the firsthand account of Dr. Warren Babcock of Detroit, who arrived with that shipment. However, subsequent research has established that an earlier shipment was ordered around the middle of June just as the preparations were being made for the deployment of troops in France and the United States Mail Agency in France was being established. This earlier shipment probably reached France around the end of July or first of August. The card offered here is the earliest 1c usage of only two known post cards with the 1c A.E.F. Booklet Pane stamp that have been recorded in August and can be identified to be from the first shipment. This certainly is a great exhibition piece for the variety of collections that could feature this earliest documented usage, A.E.F or Washington-Franklin rarity. Accompanied by a 1998 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 7,500-10,000

SOLD for $6,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

123

499f

#499f, 2c Rose, Ty. I, A.E.F. booklet pane, unusually well centered top margin single, tied by U.S. Postal Service four-bar postmark of Army Post Office No. 2 with clear August 7, 1917 date, the earliest documented usage of this very rare issue, purple U.S. Army censor handstamp at left, includes multicolor French post card with message as an enclosure, datelined "Hdqts. Amer. Exp. Forces, France/Aug. 3/17 confirming this very early posting, originally sent to Springfield, Mass., then forwarded to Worthington, Mass. with Springfield duplex of August 24th on the front, very fine and handsome cover.Upon the entrance of the United States into the Great War, known as World War I, in mid-1917 preparations were made for the U.S. Post Service in France to serve the military as well as civilian support personnel. One interesting philatelic feature was the unique 1c and 2c booklets that were prepared for this service with each consisting of ten panes of thirty for each value's booklet. Dr. Warren Babcock, a Detroit physician with the forces in France and a philatelist, wrote a firsthand account of a September shipment that accompanied his passage to France arriving in September. It was long thought that this was the only shipment. However philatelic researcher, Ken Lawrence, in an article in the November 1997 "American Philatelist" established beyond doubt that there was an earlier smaller shipment of both denominations of these special A.E.F Booklets that reached France in late July or early August of 1917.Covers posted with the stamps from the A.E.F. booklets are not common with the 1c post card usages being scarcer overall than the 2c letter postings. Many were not saved as being common frankings and the supply was small, not being replenished because the military was granted free franking privileges, as well as the rate for a letter being increased to 3c in November 1917. But of much greater rarity are usages from August 1917 that can be established as being from the first sending as is this cover. It is believed that there are only two 2c covers posted in August as well as two 1c post card usages. The cover offered here is not only the earliest documented usage of the two known 2c covers but it is also the earliest documented usage of any A.E.F. booklet pane stamp. In fact, one can speculate that this cover and enclosure gives us a hint to the arrival date of the first shipment of booklets. The message written on Friday August 3rd was not posted until Tuesday August 7th. There are certainly other explanations for this delay, but it may well be that the stamps only arrived on Tuesday making this a first day cover of the earliest possible date. Accompanied by a 2000 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 7,500-10,000

SOLD for $9,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

124

500

#500, 2c Deep rose, Ty. Ia, a distinctive single in the characteristic deep rose shade of the Ty. Ia , natural s.e. at top with guide line, plus perforated initials "OW/RN of the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Lines, on United States Railroad Administration corner card cover, tied by Seattle, Wash. Terminal Station machine cancel dated December 15, 1919, the earliest documented usage, used locally within Seattle, clean and attractive cover, very fine; the date of issue is not known on this issue because this type variety came about in the normal production of the already issued 2c stamps through an experiment in 1919 using ten subject dies and transfer rolls rather than single subject devices, often unrecognized, collectors have found them to be of considerably scarcity and particularly so on cover, a lovely usage of this difficult earliest documented usage; 1998 PSE certificate. (Image)

Est. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $900.00
Will close during Public Auction

125

501

#501, 3c Violet, Ty. I, single with quite deep color, tied to 2c Carmine on white postal entire (#U429) by Boston, Mass. slogan flag type machine cancel, June 5, 1917 earliest documented usage, posted to Denmark with censor label on the reverse, backstamped Copenhagen, cover opened for display with backfllap slightly reduced and edge wrinkles not affecting the stamp, fine. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction

126

502

#502, 3c Dark violet, Ty. II, fine single in an attractive reddish violet shade, tied to window envelope with Empire Art Co. corner card by Chicago, Ill. machine cancel, January 30, 1918 earliest documented usage, clean and very fine cover; an early date for this stamp which was purported to have been issued some time in January of 1918; 2004 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 1,000-1,500

SOLD for $725.00
Will close during Public Auction

127

502c

#502c, 3c Dark violet, Ty. II, vertical pair, imperforate horizontally, a rare example of this scarce perforation error on Olaf T. Gylleck corner card cover (reduced slightly at left), pair neatly tied by Grand Haven, Mich. flag machine cancel, Ed Siskin commented on this cover that it was the only known contemporaneous usage of this error on cover, thus the May 7, 1922 earliest documented usage, very fine; rare and desirable for the error collector as well as the Washington-Franklin specialist; 1982 PF certificate; ex-Siskin. (Image)

Est. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $4,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

128

504

#504, 5c Blue, exceptionally well centered vertical pair along with the same value perf. 10 (#466) and two 2c Rose (#499), interesting extra large transatlantic envelope for registered commercial papers paying 9c for eighteen ounces and 10c registry fee, all tied by New York registry ovals, June 5, 1917 earliest documented usage with New York ovals of that date on the reverse, backstamped Amsterdam, Netherlands, censor tape at left, vertical fold and wrinkles typical of the usage and not affecting the stamps, fine; 2003 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 500-750

SOLD for $475.00
Will close during Public Auction

129

505

#505, 5c Rose error, in se-tenant pair with 2c Rose (#499), beautifully fresh with lovely pastel rose color, the 5c being especially well centered, tied to legal-size cover with Virginia Hot Springs Co. corner card, Hot Springs, Va. flag machine cancel perfectly placed across the pair, March 27, 1917 earliest documented usage for both the 2c Rose and the 5c Rose error of color, mild edge wear to cover causing inconsequential corner flaw to the 2c value, overall very fine and attractive.The legendary Five Cent Rose Error of Color came about because of a transfer error placing three 5c designs in a 2c plate. Plate no. 7942 containing these errors was used for the printings of both perforation 10 and 11, and even for a few imperforates (#485). The perforated mint examples are a favorite with collectors and are readily available. However, covers are of considerable rarity. Various censuses have been conducted and it is believed that the total number of the 5c errors of all types on cover is less than 60. The population narrows considerably for the error used in a se-tenant multiple with the 2c stamps with only five or six covers known.Certainly the earliest documented usage of this famous error is important, but what makes this cover spectacular and unique is that this is the earliest documented usage of both the ordinary 2c Rose as well as the 5c Error. This renown cover had resided in the famous Louis Grunin Gold Medal Collection before it was even recognized as the earliest documented usage. It was then owned by Thurston Twigg-Smith and more recently was in the collection of John R. Boker, who purchased it in the 2001 Robert Siegel Auction of the Thurston Twigg-Smith collection for $26,000.00 plus the 10% buyer's premium. A remarkable cover for the earliest documented usage or Washington-Franklin collector. (Image)

Est. 20,000-30,000

SOLD for $21,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

130

511a

#511a, 11c Light green, perforated 10 at top and bottom varieties, and transitional part perforated 10 and part perforation 11 at top and bottom, a most remarkable used block of four containing all four of these extremely rare perforation errors, while the block is perforated 11 all around the sides, it is perforated 10 horizontally between the two rows, the left vertical pair being perforated 10 completely between, while the right vertical pair displays a fascinating transition from being perforated 10 to perforated 11 about half way between the two stamps, the block is quite well centered and has strong fresh color, attractively postmarked with Galveston, Tex. duplex cancel dated October 6, 1923, the earliest documented usage, a few separated and rejoined perforations (most prevalent along central vertical row), and the bottom right stamp has a small repaired tear in the bottom right corner, nevertheless still overall very fine.This unusual variety occurs because one perforating wheel had a segment 2.125 inches long with pins spaced for the perforation gauge 10 while the rest of the wheel was spaced for perforation gauge 11. This is long enough to perforate over two and a half stamps thus the two different varieties of fully perforated 10 and partially perforated 10 occur on each revolution of the wheel, though the partially perforated are far less commonly seen. No explanation has ever accounted for this error. This block is one of the most extraordinary used multiples of the 20th century, containing not only two examples of the perforated 10 at top and bottom errors in "se-tenant" format, but also contains a transitional "se-tenant" pair. The result is that each of the four stamps is one of the four major varieties that can exist, all in one multiple. This certainly is unique in this format and being used with no other used multiple certified by the Philatelic Foundation to date. An essential multiple for an award-winning collection of Washington-Franklin Heads. Scott value is $12,000.00 for used singles. Accompanied by a 1983 PF certificate; ex-Johl (once part of his personal collection). (Image)

Est. 15,000-20,000

SOLD for $17,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

131

512a

#512a, 12c Brown carmine, remarkably well centered single with rich carmine brown color, tied to legal-size 2c Carmine on white postal entire (#U411) being a double rate registered cover, stamp tied by canceling portion of a four-bar cancel, August 15, 1917 earliest documented usage with registry c.d.s. of Shillington, Pa. on the reverse, backstamped Birdsboro, Pa. the same day, very fine and nice usage; 2004 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $2,200.00
Will close during Public Auction

132

514

#514, 15c Gray, interesting single franking on legal-size registered return-receipt cover to Russia during the Russian revolution, Henry J. Schnitzer corner card and stamp tied by oval of New York, N.Y. Hudson Terminal Station with that station's registry c.d.s. of origin on the reverse, November 15, 1917 earliest documented usage with New York Foreign Office ovals of the same date, censor tape at right, Moscow transit and backstamped Boldova Pena, its destination, however apparently the recipient could not be found because of the turmoil in Russia and it was returned, arriving back in New York eleven months later, aging around the edges but cover remarkably well preserved considering its travels, fine; a fascinating cover for this earliest documented usage; 2000 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $600.00
Will close during Public Auction

133

515

#515, 20c Light ultramarine, single along with 5c Blue (#504) tied to a folded sheet being a registered wrapper paying the five times letter rate, stamps tied by light ovals, May 4, 1918 earliest documented usage, posted from Spartansburg, S.C. with registry c.d.s., to Washingtonville, N.Y., fine; 2000 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 500-750

SOLD for $450.00
Will close during Public Auction

134

516

#516, 30c Orange red, single with natural s.e. at bottom, along with 7c Black (#469) and 10c Special Delivery (#E10, natural s.e. at left with guide line), all tied to large registered special delivery court cover by San Francisco, Cal. Ferry Station ovals, January 12, 1918 earliest documented usage with that station's registry c.d.s. on the reverse, backstamped Chicago, postage pays a nine times domestic postage rate plus registry and special delivery fees, normal wear and wrinkles for a cover with bulky documents, fine; clear 2002 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction

135

519

#519, 2c Carmine, exceptionally well centered single in the rich characteristic carmine shade of this scarce stamp, tied to bordered window envelope with fancy corner card of Pollak & Michaels Wholesale Opticians of New York city, October 10, 1917 earliest documented usage with the stamp neatly tied by New York, N.Y. Hudson Terminal Station machine slogan cancel for government bonds, cover slightly reduced at left, very fine and choice example of this earliest documented usage cover.This perforation 11 stamp came about in a most unusual way compared to other perforation varieties. In the fall of 1917 the New York Post Office found that they had a supply of the early 1908 Two Cent design in imperforate sheets which had been in stock for sale to manufactures of stamp vending and affixing equipment. Because demand from this source had ceased these were returned to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing where they were perforated by the then current perforation gauge 11. They were returned to the New York Post Office and quickly distributed to various branches and sold in the normal course of business, hardly gaining the attention of collectors. Thus this issue of a relatively small supply became extremely scarce in all its forms.The exact date of issue is not known. Scott lists this date of October 10th. Max Johl listed October 9th and there have been rumors of even slightly early dates. However October 10th has stood the test of time and no earlier has been documented. The unique full cover offered here is certainly a candidate for being a first day of issue cover along with the cover front with a pair (offered next) being the only other item known from this date. It is hard to overemphasize the importance of this rarity to the Washington-Franklin specialist or collector of earliest documented usages, especially in this attractive advertising cover; ex-Hart, Boker. (Image)

Est. 10,000-15,000

SOLD for $11,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

136

519

#519, 2c Carmine, horizontal pair of which accompanying certificate states had been lifted and separated at one time, tied to Sibley-Pitman Electric Corporation corner card cover front by New York, N.Y. Penn. Terminal Station machine slogan cancel for government bonds, dated October 10, 1917, the earliest documented usage, stains and flaws to the cover front hardly affecting the stamps which are otherwise fine-very fine; this cover front was found in a waste basket by a porter and given to A.J. Ocenasek, a maintenance man for the General Optical Company, the recipient, accompanied by original correspondence of Mr. Ocenasek with Philip Ward and Mekeel's, with a firsthand account of the discovery of this rare item of which he was convinced that it was a first day cover; all covers with this issue are rare with less than a dozen estimated to be known, this front is important, not only for its status as the earliest documented usage, but it shows that the stamp was quickly distributed and was used on this early date in two different stations, the cover of Hudson Station offered above being the only other example of this date; 2003 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $2,800.00
Will close during Public Auction

137

524

#524, $5.00 Deep green and black, fresh single with fine centering, tied to neat small-size registered cover to Denmark by Saint Paul, Minn. registry oval, March 20, 1920 earliest documented usage with registry c.d.s. of that date of Saint Paul on the reverse, additional New York transits and backstamped Copenhagen, cover very slightly reduced at left, very fine and choice; while this cover is overpaid and sent for philatelic purposes this issue is exceptionally difficult to find on any cover but even more so on an attractive collectable cover, most of these high denomination stamps were used on parcels that were not saved or on parcel tags of a more undesirable nature, only occasionally is it found on a flight cover with other stamps long after issuance, this is an extraordinary small single franking cover for the earliest documented usage and a lovely addition for the most advanced Washington-Franklin or earliest documented usage collection; 2004 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $2,200.00
Will close during Public Auction

1918-1920 OFFSET ISSUES

Lot

Symbol

CatNo.

Lot Description

CV or Estimate

138

525c

#525c, 1c Gray green offset, horizontal pair, imperforate between, with natural s.e. at right as always since this variety always comes from the two right rows of a left pane, tied to multicolor view card paying the war-time 2c post card rate by Detroit, Mich. machine cancel, June 18, 1919 earliest documented usage, to Pratteville, Michigan, light vert. fold between stamps and minor soiling to card, fine; this error is rather prevalent mint, but decidedly scarce used and rare on cover or card; 1994 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $725.00
Will close during Public Auction

139

526

#526, 2c Carmine offset, Ty. IV, fine single tied to State of Connecticut, General Assembly corner card cover by double strike of "Westport/Conn./Mar 13 1920" purple c.d.s., posted to New York City and returned undelivered, small stain at top of cover, otherwise very fine; ironically this is one of the few Washington-Franklin issues that had a specifically known date of issue for a first day cover, being March 15, 1920, this unique predate cover is the March 13, 1920 earliest documented usage and occurred because of an unauthorized early sale of the stamp, an exceptional item for the collector of earliest documented usages; clear 2002 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 1,000-1,500

SOLD for $1,100.00
Will close during Public Auction

140

526

#526, 2c Carmine offset, Ty. IV, unusually well centered block of six tied to March 15, 1920 First Day Cover by Washington, D.C. duplex handstamp pmks., officially issued on this date in Washington, this cover was sent special delivery with Washington, D.C. special delivery duplex on the reverse to Joseph B. Leavy, who served on the staff of the Smithsonian Institution as National philatelist of the United States, very fine; 2003 APS certificate. (Image)

Est. 750-1,000

SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction