2014 Rarities of the World continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE PLATE 1 EARLY MULTIPLE COMBINING TWO TYPE Ib STAMPS AND A TYPE IIIa STAMP, TIED BY A BLUE DATESTAMP FROM OREGON TERRITORY ON A LETTER TO WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

Eugene City lies on the Willamette River in Oregon. Steilacoom is in the Puget Sound area of Washington, and the first post office in Washington Territory was established there in 1852. It was also the first town incorporated in Washington Territory by the Territorial Legislature. In 1855, when this was sent, Steilacoom was experiencing disruptions due to Indian attacks.

Prior to the discovery of this cover in recent years, there was no example of a rare 1c 1851 Issue paying the 3c rate in the territories of the Pacific Northwest. (Image)

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VERY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1851 IMPERFORATE TYPE Ia WITH A BOTTOM SHEET MARGIN THAT ALLOWS THE FULL TYPE CHARACTERISITICS TO BE SEEN.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic).

With 1964 P.F. certificate. Two backstamps do not show thru when stamp is on an album page (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE III FROM POSITION 99R2. THIS POSITION PRODUCED THE BEST EXAMPLE OF TYPE III, WITH THE WIDEST BREAKS AT TOP AND BOTTOM.

Plate 2 was made in late 1855, and consists of 198 stamps that are Type II, one position that is Type III (99R2) and one that is Type IIIA (100R2).

Guide dots were used to accurately lay out the subjects on the plate. Positions 79 and 89 were transferred perfectly using their guide dots. However, the guide dot to the south-east of Position 88R2, which was used to align the single B Relief for Position 99R2, was placed far out of line, resulting in the bottom part of the A Relief being transferred into the bottom part of Position 89 (and in the margin below this position) by mistake. When the fresh entry was made in Position 99R a full transfer of the design was not possible without running into the error in Position 89R. The position was therefore short transferred at top, and apparently also at bottom, creating the finest example of Type III found on any plate (see pp. 183-184 of Neinken book).

With 1967 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as handstamp cancel. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IV, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED GEM 100 JUMBO BY P.S.E.

With 2011 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $1,200.00 as 98). This is the highest grade possible on the grading chart and only eight others share it. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 3-CENT CLARET TYPE I WITH IMPRINT SHEET MARGIN AT RIGHT.

Although the 3c 1851 is by no means a rare stamp, there are very few examples in Mint Never-Hinged condition. Considering the Mint N.H. state of the stamp offered here, together with its extraordinary margins and part imprint, we will make the bold claim that this is the finest 3c 1851 extant with original gum.

2001 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING LIGHTLY-HINGED CORNER SHEET MARGIN BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 1851 3-CENT TYPE II. A PHENOMENAL BLOCK IN EVERY RESPECT.

Multiples of this quality have almost always been broken to obtain Gem-quality singles. We wonder how much longer this multiple will exist. Scott Retail as block of four and pair (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS REPORTED TO BE THE ONLY STRIP TO SHOW THE ENTIRE PLATE CRACK.

According to the Chase book, six examples of so-called major cracks are known from the first nine "imperforate" plates. Of these six, four are found on the late state of Plate 5. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE AND TRULY REMARKABLE. CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FINEST SINGLE COPY OF THE 3-CENT 1851 STAMP ON OR OFF COVER.

The margins on this stamp are the largest recorded for the 3c 1851. One other copy, also on cover, has comparably sized sheet margins, but it is cut into on one other side and is not nearly so fine as this Chase example.

Ex Chase, Grunin and Zoellner. Offered for the first time since 1998. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A CHOICE AND EXTREMELY RARE USE OF A 3-CENT 1851 TRISECTED STAMP, PAYING ONE-CENT OF THE 10-CENT TRANSCONTINENTAL RATE.

The census of 3c 1851 bisects, published by David Beals in Chronicle 76 and updated by Stanley M. Piller in Chronicle 136 and 137, contains a total of 16 covers. Of these, one is the strip of four bisects used from Milton, Massachusetts, seven were bisected (or in this case trisected) for use as 1c stamps to pay part of the 10c transcontinental rate, and eight were bisected to pay the 1c circular rate.

Ex Kramer and from our 1982 Rarities sale. Illustrated in Chronicle no. 136 (p. 254). Pre-1982 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies. Scott lists bisects of the Ty. II (11A) used as a 1c, but does not list the Ty. I (11) as a bisect or any trisects used as 1c. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE AND FLAWLESS EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE TRIAL COLOR PROOF FOR THE 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE.

Neinken notes in his book on the 10c stamp that it is likely that design and production of the 10c 1855 was rushed. The new 10c rate went into effect on April 1, 1855, and the new stamps were not placed into use until May. The die proof shows slips of the engraver's tool, and the overall layout is slightly skewed.

The only die proof trial color is Black, and our sale records contain four different full-size Black die proofs: 1) 46 x 58mm, ex Finkelburg (Sale 816, lot 1093); 2) 62 x 77mm, ex Finkelburg (Sale 816, lot 1092); 3) 42 x 49mm, Sale 909, lot 1052; and 42 x 48mm, the proof offered here. We also record one cut-to-shape Black die proof. (Image)

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