Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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2014 Rarities of the World continued...

1861-66 Issue continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

1082

3c Rose (65). Bold full strike of Waterbury Conn. Barrel fancy cancel (Rohloff O-1), tiny toned spot at bottom right away from cancel, Extremely Fine strike of this desirable fancy cancel, rarely seen as a complete strike (Image)

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E. $ 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $2,100.00
Will close during Public Auction

1083

3c Lake (66). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and proof-like impression, fresh paper with long full perforations all around

EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT 1861 ISSUE IN THE SCARCE LAKE SHADE.

With 1984 and 2000 P.F. certificates (Image)

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$ 2,000.00

SOLD for $3,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

1084

24c Violet, Thin Paper (70c). Large part original gum, beautiful color, a few lightly gum soaked perfs at left

FINE. THE 1861 24-CENT VIOLET IS AN EXTREMELY RARE UNUSED STAMP IN ANY CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

With 2008 P.F. certificate (Image)

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$ 35,000.00

SOLD for $2,200.00
Will close during Public Auction

1085°

24c Pale Gray Violet, Thin Paper (70d). Bright shade beautifully complemented by blue grid cancel, choice centering with balanced margins

EXTREMELY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT PALE GRAY VIOLET SHADE ON THIN PAPER, SCOTT 70d.

With 2008 and 2012 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

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$ 3,000.00

SOLD for $1,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

1086

5c Red Brown, 10c Yellow Green, 30c Orange (68, 71, 75). Bright colors, tied by unusual large 4-bar grid cancels, red "Boston Am. Pkt. Paid Oct. 16" (1863) backstamp on blue folded letter to Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope, sender's route directive "via England pr. Saxonia" and carried on that ship of the HAPAG line which departed New York Oct. 17 and arrived Southampton Oct. 29, red crayon "24" credit, red "London Paid OC 30, 1863" transit datestamp, red "1d" British Colonial credit handstamp, transit and receiving backstamps, 10c faint crease at upper right

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND COLORFUL 1861 ISSUE FRANKING TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE FROM THE HOWLAND CORRESPONDENCE.

Ex Knapp, Krug and DuPuy. (Image)

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E. $ 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

1087

5c Brown, 10c Green, 30c Orange (68, 71, 76). Each stamp tied by perfectly clear strike of crossroads fancy cancel on 1863 cover to Sydney, New South Wales, red manuscript "24" credit, red "London Paid SP 24 63" transit datestamp, back of cover with red "N. York Am. Pkt. Sep. 12" datestamp and perfect strike of "Ship Letter Sydney NO 16, 1863" receiving datestamp, 10c and 30c barely affected from placement near edge of cover, a Very Fine and colorful use to New South Wales via Marseilles, ex Wunderlich and Sevenoaks (Image)

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E. $ 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $1,900.00
Will close during Public Auction

1088

30c Orange (71). Used with 3c Rose (65, single and pair), 12c Black (69) and 2c Black (73), tied by multiple strikes of unusual half-circle of V's cancel on blue 1864 folded cover to Hong Kong, China, red "Boston Br. Pkt. Paid, Feb 2" datestamp on back, matching red "48" credit handstamp, sender's directive "Pr Australasian", London Paid transit datestamp (Feb. 20), red crayon "1" British Colonial credit, backstamped with Hong Kong receiving datestamp (Apr. 11), 30c with light pre-use crease, one 3c stamp with margin flaws

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR SIX-STAMP, FOUR-DENOMINATION COMBINATION TO PAY THE 53-CENT RATE TO HONG KONG VIA MARSEILLES.

From the Augustine Heard & Co. correspondence (Image)

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E. $ 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $8,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

1089

30c Orange (71). Used with 3c Rose and 12c Black (65, 69), bright and fresh, tied by grid cancels, "Exeter N.H. Aug. 14, 1865" double-circle datestamp on attorney's corner card cover to Swatow, China, Wingate correspondence, stamps also tied by red "N. York Am. Pkt. Paid Aug. 19" and London transit, neat red "1d" British Colonial credit handstamp, Hong Kong transit backstamp, endorsed "Via Overland, Via Northampton", slightly reduced at left

FRESH AND VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE ATTORNEY'S CORNER CARD COVER WITH A THREE-COLOR FRANKING USED TO SWATOW, CHINA.

The 45c in postage pays the rate via Southampton.

Ex Paliafito, Sevenoaks and DuPuy (Image)

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E. $ 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $9,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

1090

90c Blue (72). Bright color, choice centering with wide margins, tied by target cancel, "Baltimore Md. Jul. 20" (1866) circular datestamp on folded printed business notice to Shanghai, China, sender's directive "Via Marseilles" at top, magenta manuscript "68" credit crossed out and re-rated "48", on arrival in London the "48" was crossed out and corrected to "96" cents for double-rate credit (via Marseilles route), the same red crayon was used to state "2" pence British Colonial credit -- despite the underpayment, the British post office was determined to get the correct 96c credit -- red "London Paid 1 AU 66" transit datestamp, blue Shanghai backstamp (Sep. 26), stamp with slightly short perf at upper right not mentioned on accompanying certificates

VERY FINE. ONLY FOUR 90-CENT 1861 ISSUE COVERS TO CHINA ARE RECORDED WITH A SINGLE FRANKING. A SPECTACULAR COVER FROM THE AUGUSTINE HEARD & COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE.

The North German Lloyd America departed New York and arrived at Southampton on August 31, 1866, fitting the dates on this cover. The rate by British Mail via Marseilles during this time was 53c per half ounce, meaning this double-rate cover with 90c postage was underpaid by 16c if carried via Marseilles. The crossed-out 68c corresponds to the double rate via Marseilles if carried by American packet. The 48c re-stated credit corresponds to the 53c rate via British packet. The London exchange office determined that it should have been credited 96c for the double 53c British Mail rate via Marseilles, despite the underpaid U.S. postage, and they used red crayon to cross out the 48”, re-rate the credit 96” and apply the 2” pence British Colonial credit.

Ex Newbury, Baker and Wunderlich. Illustrated in Brookman on p. 66. With 1983 and 2012 P.F. certificates (Image)

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E. $ 30,000-40,000

SOLD for $47,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

1091

2c Black (73). 21 singles, used with 3c Rose (65), cancelled by various manuscript including "Milo Maine USA Oct. 11, 1865", light strike of Milo circular datestamp at right, on orange cover to Macao, China, addressed to the U.S. Store Ship Relief, endorsed "Via Southampton" at lower left, red "London Paid 25 OC 65" transit datestamp, red "24" credit handstamp, red "2" British Colonial credit handstamp, receiving backstamp (Dec. 23, 1865), opened for display, stamps with faults

FINE APPEARANCE. A REMARKABLE FRANKING BEARING 21 BLACK JACK STAMPS ON A COVER TO MACAO, CHINA.

The total franking pays the 45c rate by British Mail via Southampton. Frankings such as this are rare, due to the normal availability of higher denomination stamps. The sender obviously found a way to use up their supply of 2c stamps. (Image)

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E. $ 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $7,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

1092

2c Black, Preston Shift (73 var). Block of four with bottom selvage and left interpane margin, Positions 81-82/91-92R30, original gum, barely hinged, strong offset perpendicular to the stamps, top left stamp Position 81R30 clearly shows doubling along the entire right side especially in the numeral "2" and the acanthus leaf below and in "Cents"

FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS BLACK JACK "PRESTON SHIFT." VERY FEW ARE KNOWN, AND THIS EXAMPLE IN A PLATED MULTIPLE IS THE FINEST AND MOST IMPORTANT.

Little has been written about the Preston Shift -- a search of the Chronicle database turned up nothing. The best source is the Allen Black Jack book (p. 125), which states the "shift" was originally noted by Marvin Preston of Ferndale, Michigan. In a letter to J. David Baker, columnist for Stamps, Preston explained: "I was amazed, while perusing a dealer's stock in 1951, to discover this outstanding major double transfer."

In 1953 Stanley B. Ashbrook wrote "This is a double transfer of the 'Black Jack' which is very rare in my opinion. It is the only copy that I have ever been able to find and is evidently much scarcer variety than the well-known 'Atherton Shift.' I communicated with a number of the leading students of this stamp thru-out the country and none of them had ever seen a copy of this variety. The following were consulted: H. P. Atherton, Anthony Russo, the late Ignatz Reiner, W. H. Kiefaber and Maurice Cole, author of a book on the stamp. These as well as a number of prominent dealers. It does seem strange that none of the above had ever seen a duplicate of this stamp."

The Allen collection contained the discovery single, which was perforated on all sides and with perfs strongly cutting into the design at top. None were offered in the Rorke sale. Richard Drews showed a used single with straight edge at left in a talk at the Collectors Club in 2010. Barbara Fosdyke-Ray owned a used single with perfs strongly cutting into the design at bottom and straight edge at left.

The multiple offered here, with sheet margin and wide interpane margin, is the finest we have encountered and is especially desirable since it identifies the position of the Preston Shift on the plate. (Image)

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E. $ 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction