Sale 1367 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 December, 2025
Category — 3c1851-57 Color Studies by Drs. Chase and Amonette
3c 1851-57 Issues, Dr. Carroll Chase Final Color Study (10-10A, 11-11A, 26). Binder with 40 cards containing more than 330 stamps, this is the famous definitive and final 3c 1851-57 Issues color study compiled by and with handwritten notes by Dr. Carroll Chase, study breaks down to Nos. 10-10A with 26 stamps, Nos. 11-11A with approximately 185 stamps and No. 26 with approximately 125 stamps (unchecked for any of these being Nos. 25 or 26A), the range of colors is essentially complete for what Dr. Chase studied and numerous rare colors are present, some in quantity, highlights, many of which are unlisted in Scott include Imperforate: Intense Orange Brown, Coppery Orange Brown, full range of Experimental Orange Brown (ten), Pinkish (five, Scott value $5,750 each), Dragon's Blood Red (two, unlisted), Plum (six, Scott value $2,200 each); Perforated: Orange Brown (six), Etruscan Red (six, unlisted), Corinthian Red (three, unlisted), Morocco Red (four, unlisted), Plum (three, one defective, Scott value $5,000 each), one close to Garnet Brown, condition is typical for color or plating studies with some faults to be found, but since this was Chase's last color study after many years of research, he was able to furnish it with strong examples of the colors and attractive appearance
THE HISTORIC DR. CARROLL CHASE FINAL COLOR STUDY OF THE 3-CENT 1851-57 ISSUES, HELD BY THE OTHER COLOR LUMINARY OF THE ISSUE, DR. WILBUR F. AMONETTE SINCE 1960, AND NOW OFFERED to the market for the first time BY HIS ESTATE.
A card at the front of the book explains the acquisition of this color study in Dr. Amonette's own words. "This book contains Dr. Carroll Chase's master color charts for the 1851 and 1857 3c issues. This is the only such chart assembled by Dr. Chase and was used by him until he died in 1960. These charts have never been sold publicly as they were offered to me by the executor of his estate...W. F. Amonette." In another handwritten note in the book, Dr. Amonette states that the Chase estate offered the study to him on the condition that he become the "color authority" on the issue. He certainly did that.
This study is now offered to the market by Dr. Amonette's estate intact, despite the many individual items that could realize hundreds or thousands of dollars each. We hope it will remain intact and afford one of today's specialists a chance to continue the legacy of Drs. Chase and Amonette. While their color interpretations and assignments are the gold standard, this study is not returnable if an expert committee disagrees with any particular color attribution. Scott value just adding up the Orange Browns and the other listed shades exceeds $70,000, without regard to the many unlisted rare shades. The partial Scott value also fails to account for the historical aspect of the complete study, but is mentioned as a measure of how our estimate may be conservative.
3c 1851 Issue, Dr. Carroll Chase Color Chart (11-11A). Two black archival pages with approximately 60 mounted stamps, all are 1852 and later colors (11-11A), typed notation from Dr. Amonette states this chart was made "for me" by Dr. Chase, includes a strong range of shades including Plum and a couple "approaching the Pink" (no guarantees an expert committee will certify any as Pinkish and not returnable if they don't), some typical flaws, overall Fine and attractive study
3c 1851 Issue, Dr. Carroll Chase Color Chart (10/11A). Single page with 22 stamps, assembled by Dr. Chase for specialist collector Colin Makepeace in 1954, includes a letter from Dr. Chase to Makepeace about the chart, a note from Dr. Amonette accompanies which states in part "a letter from Dr. Chase is enclosed noting his price of $15 for the chart. This chart is of special interest as it has a medium 'Copperish' Orange Brown that is a much paler shade of the rare 'Copperish' shade than has been seen before. The chart also has a stamp called 'the Real Plum'. This color is different from the color in his earlier Plums and confirms that he changed his original thoughts regarding the color of the rare Plum shade.", a few typical small flaws including the Copperish Orange Brown mentioned above with a corner nick, Fine and rare chart assembled by Dr. Chase
3c Plate 1L Experimental Orange Brown, Dr. Carroll Chase Color Chart (11A). Single page with 50 stamps, each arranged in rows by the nature of the color, 34 are labeled in the category of Experimental Orange Brown including "typical", "probable" and "possible", one row is labeled "not Exp. O.B." and one row of Brownish Carmine stamps for comparison, handstamp cancels and many with decent margin size, no doubt a few flaws can be found but overall Fine and scarce color study, Scott prices these at $300 each so the 34 if properly identified have Scott value of more than $10,000
3c 1851 Issue, Dr. Wilbur F. Amonette Color Study (10-11A). Collection of 16 cards containing approximately 165 used stamps arranged by year, with written labels for years and colors, showing a wonderful range, including 24 Nos. 10/10A Orange Brown in different shades, nine No. 11A Experimental Orange Brown in different shades, four identified as Pinkish (Scott prices these at $5,750 each), four identified as Plum (Scott prices these at $2,200 each), wide range of other shades for Nos. 11/11A, attractive stamps with a fair number of four-margined examples and neat handstamp cancels, no doubt some small faults but the condition is overall good
A BEAUTIFUL AND VALUABLE COLOR STUDY OF THE 3-CENT 1851 ISSUE BY DR. WILBUR F. AMONETTE — FAR MORE EXTENSIVE THAN ANY OTHER WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED OUTSIDE OF THIS SALE.
We have offered several color studies assembled by the late Dr. Amonette, usually on typed cards and with far fewer stamps than offered here. This may have been an earlier assemblage than the studies he sold into the marketplace, as it is handwritten. Dr. Amonette's shade identifications are the gold standard. However, this lot or any item in it may not be returned if an expert committee disagrees with the color identification. Scott value counting the priced Pinkish and Plums (if properly identified) exceeds $38,000.
3c 1851 Issue, Color Study (10-11A). More than 250 stamps hinged onto black cards and mounted on album pages, generally two rows per card showing shades from the years 1851-57, study includes more than 20 Nos. 10-10A Orange Brown, a few No. 11A Experimental Orange Brown, plus the full range of shades of Nos. 11-11A, including one Dragon's Blood Red, almost all are handstamp cancelled, many four-margin stamps are present as well as pairs, a few flaws to be found in any such study but overall the condition is good, Fine-Very Fine color study and much larger than others we have encountered outside of this sale, while this is not signed by Dr. Amonette nor does it bear his handwriting, it is consigned by a collector who worked closely with him and used him to source and authenticate much of his 3c color collection, as such we are attributing this to Dr. Amonette and it does bear strong similarities to studies we know he created, the standard disclaimer applies here as this lot or any item in it may not be returned if an expert committee disagrees with a color identification
3c 1851 Issue, Dr. Wilbur F. Amonette Working and Reference Color Study (10-10A, 11-11A). Extensive assemblage of 12 pages containing more than 400 imperforate stamps, this is the working color study used by Dr. Amonette for the 3c 1851 Imperforate Issue when expertizing for collectors and when assembling his various color charts that he sold in the marketplace, an exceptional range of colors with large duplication even for scarcer shades, we note a couple Part India paper No. 10, full range of 50+ Orange Brown including Intense and Copperish, more than 25 Plate 1L Experimental Orange Brown, ten stamps labeled Pinkish (Scott prices these at $5,750 each), more than 12 on two separate pages identified as Plum (Scott prices these at $2,200 each), several pages are labeled as "In Between Shades" with a range of colors, the condition is mixed as this was a working reference for Dr. Amonette which he had no intention of selling when he was alive, so color was far more important than condition
AN EXTRAORDINARY AND VALUABLE WORKING COLOR STUDY ASSEMBLED BY DR. WILBUR F. AMONETTE — ONE OF THE TOOLS USED BY HIM AS THE RECOGNIZED EXPERT ON 3-CENT 1851-57 COLORS.
There is of course room to debate even Dr. Amonette's color assignments in some cases, but overall his interpretations are most often correct and the gold standard for 3c color expertizing — though no stamp or a study is returnable if an expert committee disagrees. Overall this is an historic and fascinating study. Scott value is extremely high. Just a cursory calculation comes to more than $100,000 for the listed shades if correctly identified.
3c 1857 Issue, Dr. Wilbur F. Amonette Working and Reference Color Study (26). 10 pages containing more than 150 perforated No. 26 stamps (not inspected for any that may be Nos. 25 or 26A), mostly off-cover singles but a number of Orange Brown covers are included as well, this is the working color study used by Dr. Amonette for the 3c 1857 Perforated Issue when expertizing for collectors, an exceptional range of colors with large duplication even for scarcer shades, we note one remarkable page with seven labeled Etruscan Red, four Corinthian Red, three Morocco Red, three Garnet Brown and four Plum — the perforated Plum is scarcer than the imperforate and priced in Scott at $5,000 each, continued with extensive Orange Brown including singles and 11 covers, the condition is somewhat mixed as this was a working reference for Dr. Amonette which he had no intention of selling when he was alive, so color was far more important than condition
ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY AND VALUABLE WORKING COLOR STUDY ASSEMBLED BY DR. WILBUR F. AMONETTE — THIS ONE FOR 3-CENT 1857 PERFORATED STAMPS.
There is of course room to debate even Dr. Amonette's color assignments in some cases, but overall his interpretations are most often correct and the gold standard for 3c color expertizing — though no stamp or study is returnable if an expert committee disagrees. Overall this is an historic and fascinating study.
3c 1851 Issue, Dr. Amonette Color Chart (10A/11A). An abridged version of Dr. Amonette's color chart, single card with seven stamps, each one labeled by year with color range from 1851 Orange Brown to 1857 Claret, Very Fine and attractive