Sale 1334 — The Dr. George Haikel Collection: Stamps and Covers of Exceptional Beauty and Rarity
Sale Date — Tuesday, 12 November, 2024
Category — Air Post Errors, Special Delivery, Small Persian Rug
6c Dark Blue & Carmine, Air Post, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (C23b). The unique Mint N.H. top margin block of ten with selvage on both sides, double plate nos. 21919/21857 with red and blue "Top" and registration marks, comprising the top two rows of the pane, containing two error pairs with additional complete stamps to the right, the four stamps at right have diagonal perforations thru the designs, diagonal crease which occurred during the printing process affecting positions 1, 2 and 6, additional fault in selvage at top left, some natural gum bends
VERY FINE. THE UNIQUE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 6-CENT 1938 EAGLE & SHIELD AIR POST ISSUE IMPERFORATE VERTICALLY. ONE OF THE GREATEST AIR POST RARITIES.
This error was caused by a foldover, and so only some stamps in the pane are missing the perforations. The four stamps at right show diagonal perforations from top right to bottom left. Down the pane they extend further to the left. The next three rows of the pane each contain a pair of the error, and below that the perforations extend into the second stamp from left. One other pane was found. It has perforations at an angle from top left to bottom right, and has three pairs of the error at bottom left, far from the plate numbers. Therefore, a total of six pairs and two strips of three (offered here) are known, and this is the only example of the error with plate numbers.
With 1994 P.F. certificate. Acquired by Dr. Haikel in a September 21, 1994 Christie's sale and offered to the market for the first time in three decades. This is the first example of this error we have offered since our Sale 608 in 1982. Scott Catalogue values this plate block at $37,500 and notes "The plate block of C23b is unique and never hinged; value based on 1994 auction sale."
7c Carmine, Jetliner, Air Post, Vertical pair, Imperforate Between (C60b). Mint N.H. booklet pane containing one pair of the error between second and third stamps at left, caused by a foldover with diagonal crease between positions 1 and 4
VERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 7-CENT JETLINER VERTICAL PAIR IMPERFORATE BETWEEN. A PHENOMENAL RARITY FOR THE ERROR OR BOOKLET COLLECTOR.
The Scott Catalog of Errors (formerly Datz) records only two and notes they were caused by a foldover. The other example also has the error between second and third stamps but at right and away from the booklet selvage. A third is known but it is cut into one of the error stamps and so does not fully qualify as the error.
With 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott value $5,500 for error pair.
15c Statue of Liberty, Air Post, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (C63b). Mint N.H. pair with bottom left corner selvage with plate no. 28340, brilliant color, showing slight doubling of perforations at top right which was caused by a foldover
VERY FINE. THE UNIQUE PLATE NUMBER EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT STATUE OF LIBERTY AIR POST ISSUE IMPERFORATE VERTICALLY.
This error was caused by a foldover. Unlike most other foldovers, this one occurred almost parallel with the stamp's design and it occurred between the bottom two rows of the plate, causing a partial second row of perforations to appear at either top or bottom. This means the error would not continue into other rows of the pane, and would only occur near the foldover.
The Scott Catalog of Errors (formerly Datz) records three examples of this variety. They note two are included in strips of five with three stamps at left the variety, but we have been unable to locate those multiples. We have, however, located a total of three: 1) the example offered here; 2) bottom right corner selvage strip of three, some doubling of perfs at top, offered in Sale 1224; and 3) pair with selvage at left, some doubling of perfs at bottom, P.F. certificate 511182. Based on our reconstruction, it is possible that a fourth pair exists, but we have not seen it.
With 1998 P.F. certificate. Scott value $15,000 without premium for the unique plate number position.
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E1). Straight edge at right, tied by well-struck "Altoona Pa. Oct. 1, 1885" First Day duplex datestamp and oval grid cancel on 2c Brown entire (U277) to local address, with original enclosure, which reads "My Dear Sam, As you were the purchaser of the first Postal Note issued at the Altoona Pa. Post office so you are in receipt of the first letter delivered by the messenger ? of the 'immediate Delivery Service' of the Post Office Department, which goes into effect, in cities and towns in the United States having a population of four thousand and over to begin on this date. I trust you may not only be first in these things, but in every thing which pertains to good" and signed by T. B. Patton, natural straight edge at right
VERY FINE. POSSIBLY THE FINEST OF THE SIX KNOWN FIRST DAY COVERS OF THE FIRST SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. A GREAT RARITY AND ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER OF ALL BACK-OF-BOOK FIRST DAY COVERS.
Ex Todd. With 2008 P.F. certificate.
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E4). Mint N.H., deep rich color, remarkably detailed impression showing every nuance of the design, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins all around
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE IS A NOTORIOUSLY CHALLENGING ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN THIS SUPERIOR GRADE. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLES IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
The 1894 series was the first produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and encountered many production problems, with poor centering and small margins. This centered Mint N.H. stamp is very much the exception to that rule.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1998 P.F. certificate. With 2004 and 2024 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). Only two grade higher (at 95J and 100) and two others share this desirable grade. These low population numbers reflect how difficult it is to obtain this issue in superb condition.
10c Blue, Special Delivery, Imperforate (E5c; formerly E5a). Vertical pair, dark original gum, lightly hinged, large margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 1990 P.F. certificate as E4a, we have never encountered an E4a with original gum and we detect a faint watermark
$200.00 Red, Blue & Black, Second Issue, "Small Persian Rug" (R132). Well-centered with complete sheet margins surrounding entire design and with full imprints at sides, deep rich colors and crisp impressions, manuscript "E.C. July 7th 1872" cancellation, stamp retains its full original gum
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS UNIQUE SHEET-MARGIN STAMP IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE CELEBRATED $200.00 "SMALL PERSIAN RUG" IN EXISTENCE.
The initials "E.C." on the stamp belong to Erastus Corning Jr. According to the Kingsley book, this was purchased along with a $500 and a $50 stamp to pay the tax on the will of Erastus Corning, Sr., who passed away Apr. 9, 1872. The stamps were not applied but were kept with the document; it remained with the family for 113 years before coming on the market for the first time in 1985. The companion $500 was last offered in our 2024 Rarities sale.
Illustrated on the front cover of Introduction to United States Revenue Stamps by Richard Friedberg and described by him on page 21 as "The most spectacular example of the $200 Small or 'Baby' Persian Rug".
Ex Zoellner. 1986 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies. With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott value of $8,500 for an ordinary stamp has little relevance to this spectacular "full sheet" example.