Sale 1320 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Monday-Thursday, 22-25 April, 2024
Category — Essays and Proofs: Columbian thru Group Lots
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on India (230P3-245P3). Complete set of 16, brilliant colors, each with large margins, very few of the usual India paper flaws normally encountered, just the $5.00 with a small scuff and one other light crease, still Extremely Fine, the India proofs are far scarcer than the card proofs
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on India (230P3-245P3). Complete set, full margins, brilliant colors, very few of the usual India paper flaws normally encountered, Very Fine, the Columbian India proofs are far scarcer than the card proofs
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on Card (230P4-245P4). Large even margins, beautiful rich colors, Very Fine and choice set, wonderful quality
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on Card (230P4-245P4). Complete set, large even margins, beautiful rich colors, 3c tiny margin stain at top left, Very Fine set
1c Ultramarine, Die Essay on White Card (247-E2b). Two pieces approximately 50 x 38mm, first showing two designs, one at left without corner triangles, design at right with experimental 15-line high triangle printed at top right only, second piece with faintly inked impression of two 2c in same color, right design with corner triangles, first piece with horizontal crease causing some cracking as seen on virtually all examples of this essay, otherwise Fine, very scarce, Scott value for just the fully inked pair
2c Deep Red, Ty. I, Progressive Large Die Essay on India (250-E3). Incomplete engraving of design with 18-line high Ty. I triangles (as adopted) engraved in upper corners, 33 x 33mm, deep rich color, small imperfections at top from removal from card, otherwise Fine, ex "Lake Shore"
2c Light Carmine, Ty. II, Large Die Essay on India (251-E1). Two, incomplete engravings with 18-line high Ty. II triangles, die sunk on 64 x 82mm and 75 x 93mm cards, first with pencil "Unfinished" at bottom, Very Fine, ex "Whitpain" or "Lake Shore"
2c Dusky Blue Green, Medium Red, Ty. III, Large Die Essays on India (252-E2). Two incomplete engraving essays showing transition from Ty. II to Ty. III triangle designs, including strengthened head and shoulder lines, first Dusky Blue Green, 50 x 66mm off-card, faint pencil "3-2" notation, Very Fine, ex Earl of Crawford and "Lake Shore", second Medium Red, 50 x 58mm, small thin spots, appears Very Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Large Die Proof Multiple on India (252P1). Bottom left corner margin block of four, from the fifteen-die impression laid out to appear as a sheet, brilliant color, Very Fine, these were made from an experimental die — the Bureau ran the experiment to see whether multiple rolling-in from the die could make the transfer process faster, the tremendous pressure resulted in misaligned entries, so the concept was abandoned
1c-$5.00 1894-98 Bureau Issue, Small Die Proofs on Wove (247P2/284P2). Complete set of 17 proofs on original card backing from a Roosevelt presentation album, includes the 1894 Issue as well as the four proofs from the 1898 New Colors, brilliant colors, choice condition with just a small margin tear at the right of the 3c, Very Fine and scarce complete set, only approximately 85 albums were produced
1c-$5.00 1894 Issue, Plate Proofs on Card (247P4-248P4, 256P4, 262P4-263P4). Complete set of the five denominations that were issued as card proofs, large even margins all around, rich colors, Extremely Fine set
1c-$5.00 1894 Issue, Plate Proofs on Card (247P4-248P4, 256P4, 262P4-263P4). Blocks of four, complete set of the five denominations that were issued as card proofs, large margins including 6c bottom sheet margin and $2.00 huge bottom left corner sheet margins, rich colors
VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SET OF BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1894 BUREAU ISSUE PLATE PROOFS ON CARD, WHICH IS COMPLETE FOR THE FIVE DENOMINATIONS THAT EXIST.
The wide availability of plate proofs on India and card up to the 1893 Columbian Issue should not confuse collectors considering this set. After 1893 plate proofs of any issue become much rarer. For the 1894 Issue, only these five denominations were printed and only as card proofs.
$2.00 Dark Blue, Plate Proof on Card (262P4). Top right corner margin block of four, large margins other sides, rich color on bright paper, Very Fine and choice, a rare multiple, the wide availability of plate proofs on India and card up to the 1893 Columbian Issue should not confuse collectors considering this block, after 1893 plate proofs of any issue become much rarer, for the 1894 Issue only five denominations were printed and only as card proofs, this $2.00 with corner margins is very desirable, ex Finkelburg
$2.00 Dark Blue, $5.00 Dark Green, Plate Proofs on Card (262P4-263P4). Both with full margins, rich colors, Very Fine
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Bi-Color Large Die Essays on India (285-E8a to 293-E7a). Complete set, die sunk on approximately 200 x 150mm cards with no hybrids, wonderful fresh colors, 8c card with a tear in bottom margin far from the die sinkage area, 50c card with a small toned spot also far from the design
VERY FINE SET OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI BI-COLOR LARGE DIE ESSAYS.
Of the 166 sets printed in these colors, many were hybrids. This fresh set contains no hybrids.
1c-$2.00 Trans-Mississippi, Large Die Proofs on India (285P1-293P1). On approximately 97 x 84mm cards with full die sinkage, crisp impressions and brilliant colors
VERY FINE. A LOVELY COMPLETE SET OF LARGE DIE PROOFS OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
The single-color large die proofs are even scarcer than the bicolored essay sets. This set is easily exhibitable on album pages yet retains the full die sinkage.
1c-10c Pan-American, Small Die Proofs on Wove (294P2-299P2). Complete set, removed from card backing of a Roosevelt presentation album, only the 8c with a shallow thin spot which is not evident from the front, bright colors, Very Fine set, only approximately 85 albums were produced
1c-$5.00 1902-03 Issue, Small Die Proofs on Wove (300P2-313P2). Complete set of 14 on original card backing from a Roosevelt presentation album, brilliant colors with the 50c some slight oxidation as often seen, Very Fine and beautiful set, only approximately 85 albums were produced
1c, 5c Jamestown, Pencil Drawing Essays (328-E var, 330-E var). Four pencil drawings on card, two for the 1c value and two for the 5c, one of the 5c essays is a double design with the lower half incomplete and without vignette, sizes range from 127 x 114mm to 139 x 184mm, each with pencil "C.A. Huston 1907" and various handstamps including "Approved", "For the Director", "For Official Use Only" and "Reference", one 1c also has pencil notation related to design approval, Very Fine and fascinating group, we cannot vouch as to whether or not these are contemporary and as such they are offered "as is", they originate from the William Fox holdings, various letters from that estate between Fox, Ezra Cole and George Brett discussed attempts to determine their origins, but we do not believe anything definitive was ascertained, similar items for the Louisiana Purchase Issue, also from the Fox holdings, were in the Melvin Getlan estate
Lincoln Engravings. Eight items in the large die proof style, three are the same as the design listed in Turner as Continental Bank Note. Co. Snuff Essays, others are various full or partial portraits, plus an engraving of the Emancipation Proclamation, overall Very Fine and interesting group, see our website PDF
1861-70 Issues, Large Die Proofs. Five, including 63P1, 76P1, 71P1, 145P1 and 149P1, each shows full die sinkage, Very Fine group
Small Balance of Proofs and Essays. Group of six miscellaneous items, the best is a 1c Red Bowlsby Coupon essay on card (63-E13a, Scott value $1,750), heavy horizontal crease slightly breaks the paper, otherwise Very Fine, also 68P4 card proof, a Schernikow Sanity Fair proof, a Garfield ABNCo. large die proof and 5c and 25c Postage Currency imperforates
Proofs. 14 items, from 1847 thru Bank Notes, including three blocks of four, few small faults to be expected, Fine-Very Fine
Essays and Proofs. More than 90 items on stock cards from the Richard Champagne estate, lots of plate proofs but also some better items including 1861 August Nos. 55P3, 57P3 and 59P3, some blocks, other 1861 Issue items including No. 65 imperf pair on experimental green paper, No. 72P1, couple 2c Jackson trial colors, No. 115-E2 1869 5c essay, range of Bank Note items, No. 219DP1 hybrid large die proof, two sets of 1890 Issue plate proofs, some "Specimen" or "Sample" overprints, lots of others best viewed on our website PDF, overall a strong balance
Proofs. Assortment of more than a dozen items or sets, some are plate proofs but also some better including No. 65-E15f plate no. and imprint strip of four (faults), 24c Bank Note plate proof on card block and cut-down large die proof (both on old Siegel lot cards), 15c No. 77P2 Roosevelt proof on card backing, two No. 77P1 hybrid large die proofs (Scott value $1,500 each as normal), block of 35 of 2c No. RB2 plate proof on card, others, overall Very Fine group
Back-of-Book Plate Proofs. Extensive group including Special Delivery plate proofs E1P3-E3P3 and E1P4-E3P4, Officials complete set of plate proofs on card plus extras on India for most of the State Department (two dollar values are on card and $20.00 is missing), Newspapers & Periodicals showing three large format and card proofs of most of the rest, some small flaws may be encountered but overall a Very Fine group
Back-of-Book Proofs. Group on Richard Champagne sales cards, including No. E1P2 removed from card backing, variety of Special Delivery plate proofs, Postage Due J22P4-J28P4, Officials O47P4-O56P4 and State Department plate proofs through the dollar values, others, overall Very Fine