The Wagshal Collection Part 4: Perforated One-Cent 1857-60 Issue continued...

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE FROM PLATE ELEVEN, AND IT SHOWS THE COMBINATION OF TOP-ROW TYPE II POSITIONS AND TYPE IIIa POSITIONS FROM ALL THREE RELIEFS USED TO MAKE THE PLATE. ITS PHILATELIC SIGNIFICANCE IS VISUALLY ENHANCED BY ITS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION. WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE GREATEST 1857 ONE-CENT PERFORATED ISSUE BLOCKS EXTANT.

Plates 11 and 12 are remarkable for a number of reasons. To begin, they were created very late in Toppan Carpenter's contract period, probably toward the end of 1860, after the firm was consolidated with other printers to become the American Bank Note Company. The earliest documented uses are Dec. 1860 for Plate 11 (off-cover stamp) and Jan. 22, 1861, for Plate 12 (see lot 1582 in this sale). Further, two new transfer rolls were created from the altered die, which has a tiny cancellation dot in the 9 o'clock position inside the colorless oval surrounding the vignette. The T-A-B Reliefs (Plate 11) and A-B-C Reliefs (Plate 12) were a throw-back to the 3-relief transfer rolls used to make the early plates. Starting in 1856, Toppan Carpenter switched to 6-relief transfer rolls, which they used to make Plates 4 through 10. When the T-A-B and A-B-C Reliefs were made, the engravers did not trim the outer portions of the design to accommodate perforations on printed sheets, as they had done for Plates 5 through 10. Therefore, stamps from Plates 11 and 12, whatever the type, have complete ornamentation at the sides. Relief T, used only for the top row of Plate 11, has the complete design at top, and those positions produced what Ashbrook and Neinken called "perfect" examples of Type II. The other two reliefs used to enter Plate 11 -- A and B -- were both trimmed at the top, and all of the remaining 80 entries on Plate 11 are Type IIIa designs with a wide break in the top line (a bit wider on the A Relief). The block offered here shows exactly what stamps in the top three rows of Plate 11 look like: the Type II T Relief (top row), Type IIIa A Relief (second row), and Type IIIa B Relief (third row).

Plate 11 has never been reconstructed, because multiples are extremely rare. This block of nine is discussed and illustrated in the Neinken book (pages 470 and 480), where it is identified as the largest recorded multiple from Plate 11. The exact plate positions of this block were unknown to Neinken, but he included plating diagrams in his book (p. 482). The block of four offered in lot 1420 -- Positions 1-2/11-12R11 (1R11 is an established double transfer position) -- has identical shade, paper and gum, and the right-side perforations align perfectly with the left side of this block of nine. If we are correct that the two blocks were originally joined together in the same pane, then this block must come from Positions 3-5/13-15/23-25R11. The block offered in lot 1421 also has identical shade, paper, gum and similar perforations/centering. It probably comes from the same pane, but because it does not directly join the block of nine and does not contain the double transfer Position 9R11, it can only come from Positions 7-8/17-18R11. If we are correct in our plating analysis, then the three blocks in this sale go far in reconstructing the top of Plate 11 Right.

Illustrated in Neinken book (p. 480). Ex Sinkler and Neinken. (Image)

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VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE II/IIIa ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR FROM THE TOP TWO ROWS OF PLATE ELEVEN.

The largest recorded multiple from Plate 11 is the block of nine offered in lot 1419, which comes from the top three rows. This beautifully-centered block of four comes from the top left corner of the right pane of Plate 11 and shows the T/A Reliefs, which produced Types II and IIIa, respectively. It also has two plated double transfers (1R and 11R). It aligns precisely with the left side of the block of nine, and the color, paper and gum are identical. In our opinion, both blocks (and the block offered in lot 1421) come from the same Plate 11 pane.

Ex Neinken. Scott Retail $12,500.00 (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR FROM THE TOP TWO ROWS OF PLATE ELEVEN. MULTIPLES FROM THIS PLATE ARE EXTREMELY RARE.

The largest recorded multiple from Plate 11 is the block of nine offered in lot 1419, which comes from the top three rows. This choice block of four comes from the top two rows of Plate 11 and shows the T/A Reliefs, which produced Types II and IIIa, respectively. Although it does not precisely align with the left side of the block of nine, the color, paper and gum are identical, and the centering is close enough for us to conclude that these two Plate 11 multiples (and lot 1420) originated from the same pane. Because this block does not directly join the block of nine and does not contain the double transfer Position 9R11, it can only come from Positions 7-8/17-18R11 (confirmed by 8R11 on cover, lot 1425). If we are correct in our plating analysis, then the three blocks in this sale go far in reconstructing the top of Plate 11 Right.

Ex Col. Green and Neinken. Scott Retail $12,500.00 (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE II/IIIa ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR FROM THE TOP ROWS OF PLATE ELEVEN.

The top right stamp shows a very prominent double transfer, which is most noticeable to the right of the vignette. As far as we are aware, this top-row Plate 11 double transfer has not yet been assigned to a position. If our plating analysis of the blocks offered in lots 1419-1421 is correct, then this block must come from the left pane of Plate 11, since the top two positions do not match any top-row positions from the right pane.

Ex Ashbrook and Neinken. Scott Retail $12,500.00 (Image)

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