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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM TOP IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF SIX OF THE $2.00 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IN THE DARK BLUE SHADE.

This issue was printed from only one printing plate -- Plate 84. Lewis Kaufman's records contain only five plate blocks of this issue -- all are described as the Dark Blue shade: 1) top plate block of six, from our 1986 Rarities sale and offered here, 2) the plate block offered in the following lot, from our 1985 Rarities sale and ex Wampler, 3) top plate block of six, offered in our 1967 Rarities sale and illustrated in Durland book, 4) top plate block, regummed, ex Simon (1975 Siegel sale), and 5) top plate block, selvage partly separated and rejoined, offered in Oct. 1974 Siegel sale and more recently in the Newport collection.

With 1971 P.F. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS BY FAR THE FINER OF THE TWO RECORDED ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCKS OF SIX OF THE 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WHICH IS THE LARGEST RECORDED INTACT MULTIPLE. THIS BLOCK IS THE ONLY ONE WITH FULL ORIGINAL GUM. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE CASPARY AND EUBANKS 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COLLECTIONS AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASSIC UNITED STATES BLOCKS EXTANT.

The contract for the 1869 Pictorial Issue was awarded to National Bank Note Co. in February 1869 by the outgoing Johnson administration (Grant was inaugurated March 4, 1869). Three of the ten stamps had traditional portraits: the 1c Franklin, 6c Washington and 90c Lincoln. The other values represented a radical departure from the portraiture of all previous issues, depicting scenes of fast communication and historical events.

Contemporary critical review was unexpectedly negative. While preceding issues had been current for 7 to 10 years and the 1870 Bank Note issue lasted 18 years, not even a year was given to the 1869 Pictorial Issue. For the 90c, the portrait of Lincoln was admired, but the "prison bars" behind his head were criticized.

The 90c stamps were intended to be used on heavy domestic packages or on multiple-rate mail to foreign destinations. Given the high cost of the stamp (equivalent to $14.33 in today's money), the 90c 1869's were not bought in any quantity to be stored and used later, as was the case with lower-denomination stamps. With the reduction in many foreign treaty rates, the 90c could only be used on multiple-rate letters. The short lifespan of the 1869 Pictorial Issue closed the window of opportunity for the public to buy the 90c Lincoln stamps at the post office.

Only one 90c on cover is recorded: the famous "Ice House" cover, sold by the Siegel firm for $375,000 hammer. There are two recorded unused blocks of six, the largest recorded unused multiples: 1) full original gum, sound, the block offered here, ex Caspary, Kapiloff and Joseph, and 2) traces of original gum, slightly dry print at right, right center stamp small thin spot, perfs strengthened and rejoined, ex Hind, Bechtel, Zoellner and Ainsworth (now in the Gross collection). There is also a reconstructed unused block of eight (ex Lafayette).

Ex Caspary, Kapiloff and Joseph. With 2010 P.F. certificate. Unpriced in Scott Catalogue as a block of six

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR PAIR OF COVERS BEARING MATCHING HALVES OF THE SAME 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE STAMP, EACH USED WITH A STRIP OF FOUR ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE STAMPS FROM PLATE ONE EARLY TO PAY THE 10-CENT TREATY RATE TO CANADA -- ONE ORIGINATING IN CUBA AND THE OTHER IN NEW YORK CITY. THESE EXTRAORDINARY COVERS ARE AMONG THE GREATEST ITEMS IN CLASSIC UNITED STATES PHILATELY AND POSTAL HISTORY.

The pair of covers offered here is remarkable in several respects. To begin, these covers were stamped in New York City on August 21, 1851, using the new 1851 Issue, which was released just seven weeks earlier on July 1 (the earliest documented date of use of the 12c 1851 is August 4, 1851). Further, the use of a 12c bisect to pay part of the 10c treaty rate to Canada is highly unusual. Although the 10c treaty rate took effect on April 6, 1851, the U.S. Post Office Department did not issue a 10c stamp until 1855, so the 10c rate was usually made up with 1c and 3c stamps. We are aware of three covers to the province of New Brunswick with 12c 1851 bisects used with 1c and 3c 1851 stamps, but no other covers are known with strips of the 1c used with a bisect or mailed at this early date. This is the earliest documented use of a 12c bisect, and the use of bisects was prohibited in late 1853. Finally, the unusual circumstance of mailing -- mailed on the same day by the same person to the same addressee, but originating from two different correspondents -- provides a fascinating explanation for the two identical frankings and use of matching halves of the same 12c stamp.

We have been unable to learn anything of substance about the addressee, Thomas Casey. The notation at the lower left of the cover from Havana either reads "v/ New York" (via New York) to describe the route or "of New York" to describe the addressee's residence. An internet search for Thomas Casey in New York City or in Quebec during the relevant time period failed to produce any information. We can surmise that the senders conducted business with Thomas Casey, and we know something about their businesses. Drake Brothers & Company was a large New York-based trading firm founded in the 1790's by British-born immigrant James Drake. The firm traded in sugar, coffee, jerked beef and precious metals, and it owned one of the largest plantations in Cuba, in collaboration with the United States Mail Steamship Company (Richard P. Tucker, Insatiable Appetite: The United States and the Ecological Degradation of the Tropical World). Henry A. Coit was also a New York-based merchant and served as a director on at least one insurance company's board (New York Times digital archives).

Drake Brothers & Company's connection to the United States Mail Steamship Company (USMSC) gives us a clue about how the cover travelled from Cuba to New York City. According to United States Incoming Steamship Mail 1847-1875 (page 342), the USMSC Cherokee arrived in New York on August 21, 1851, after departing Havana around August 17. The previous sailing from Havana left on August 2, before the Drake Brothers letter was written on August 7 (per receipt docketing). Although no forwarder marking appears on either cover, they were almost certainly handled by an agent in New York City, who would have had instructions to forward letters to Thomas Casey in Quebec. Beneath the stamps on each letter is a pencil "10", indicating the rate for a letter to Canada. This type of notation is typical of mail handled by forwarding agents.

The two covers were together when they first appeared in the January 1900 auction of the F. W. Hunter collection, held by Scott Stamp & Coin Co. They went separate ways after the 1900 Hunter sale, but the covers were illustrated and described in Ashbrook's Special Service in 1952 (pages 98, 106-107 and 163, photos 47 and 75), at which point they were still apart in different collections. In an article by Mortimer L. Neinken in the May 1970 Chronicle (No. 66, page 63-65), he recapped the history of the two covers (quoting Ashbrook) and coyly noted "this commentator has ascertained that the two covers are now reunited in one collection again." In fact, it was Mortimer Neinken who reunited the covers when he bought one in 1961 and the other in 1970.

The former cover with upper right bisect is known as the "Emerson" cover and its pedigree is as follows: ex F. W. Hunter (Scott Stamp & Coin Co. sale, Jan. 10-12, 16-18, 1900, lots 189-190), W. A. Smith, Spiegelberg (J. C. Morgenthau sale, Jan. 10, 1911, lot 15), Barry (Nassau Stamp Co. sale, Apr. 2-3, 1914, lot 84), Judge Robert S. Emerson (Daniel F. Kelleher Co. sale, Oct. 19, 1937, lot 78), Philip H. Ward private collection (per Ashbrook's Special Service, Feb. 1, 1953), H. R. Harmer sale (Feb. 17, 1970, lot 156) and Mortimer L. Neinken (acquired by Jerome S. Wagshal privately from the Neinken estate).

The latter cover with lower left bisect is known as the "Hind" cover and its pedigree is as follows: ex F. W. Hunter (Scott Stamp & Coin Co. sale, Jan. 10-12, 16-18, 1900, lots 189-190), Arthur Hind (Phillips-Kennett sale, Nov. 20, 1933, lot 145), Carl Brandenbury (Percy Doane sale, Dec. 6, 1943, lot 76), John A. Fox sale (Dec. 12, 1961, lot 582) and Mortimer L. Neinken (acquired by Jerome S. Wagshal privately from the Neinken estate).

EXTREMELY FINE GEM AND EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT STAMPS TO OBTAIN IN COMPLETELY SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION WITH FOUR LARGE MARGINS. THIS SUPERB STAMP IS A TRUE CONDITION RARITY AND A MARVELOUS EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST UNITED STATES GENERAL ISSUE.

The Act of March 3, 1847, signed by President Polk, specified that Postmaster General Cave Johnson "be authorized to prepare postage stamps, which when attached to any letter or packet, shall be evidence of the payment of the postage..." The law's effective date was July 1, and the Post Office acted immediately to secure a contract with Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and (the new partner) Edson, so that stamps could be distributed by that date. The Washington vignette is based on the iconic image painted by Gilbert Stuart.

With 2011 P.F. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT.

The 2c is the rarest of the three Pan-American Inverts. It is surmised that approximately 200 were issued through the post office, with two distinct shades known. Estimates of surviving examples range from an early count (1945) of 55 unused and 2-3 used to the 1998 Datz estimate of 150 unused, 3-5 used and a block of four intact. Our Levi records contain the intact block (4), reconstructed block (4), 64 unused singles and 6 used singles, for a total of 72 unused and 6 used. Many of the unused singles have disturbed gum or no gum, and/or are off center to top or top left. This Extremely Fine sound stamp with original gum is among the finest known examples.

Ex Drucker. With 1988 and 2002 P.F. certificates. Scott footnote states "Almost all unused copies of No. 295a have partial or disturbed gum. Values are for examples with full original gum that is slightly disturbed." The stamp offered here has fresh lightly-hinged gum.

This spectacular pair is widely regarded as one of the greatest 1849-50 Ceres issue tete-beche rarities extant, with only four unused examples recorded. It has graced several of the finest collections of classic French stamps ever formed. The inverted cliche comes only from position 35 from the first plate used to print the 1Fr value.

Illustrated in the 2000 Yvert Specialized and 2003 Yvert catalogs. Signed Bernard and Pascal Behr, Aime and Jean-Francois Brun, Calves, Goebel and Roumet, as well as being accompanied by 2003 Behr, Brun and Goebel certificates; ex-Ferrary, Hind, "Lafayette" and Gross (Scott #9a; $235,000.00).

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. THIS MARVELOUS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF 90 BY P.S.E.

The 2c is the rarest of the three Pan-American Inverts. It is surmised that approximately 200 were issued through the post office, with two distinct shades known. Estimates of surviving examples range from an early count (1945) of 55 unused and 2-3 used to the 1998 Datz estimate of 150 unused, 3-5 used and a block of four intact. Our Levi records contain the intact block offered in this sale (4), a reconstructed block offered in our Zoellner sale (4), 64 unused singles and 6 used singles, for a total of 72 unused and 6 used. Many of the unused singles have disturbed gum or no gum, and/or are off center to top or top left.

With 1976 and 1993 P.F. certificates and 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF 90). The Scott Catalogue value is for a stamp with slightly disturbed gum.

EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 90-CENT GRILLED NATIONAL BANK NOTE ISSUE. THE 90-CENT IS THE THIRD MOST DIFFICULT OF THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE GRILLED ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

Considering original-gum examples only, after the extremely rare 12c and non-existent 24c, the 90c is the rarest of the 1870 National Grilled Issue. As a point of reference, the P.S.E. Population Report lists only two OG examples: one Mint N.H. stamp at VF 80 and one OGph stamp at 20(!).

Ex Argentum (where it realized $32,500 hammer in our 1999 auction). With 1984 and 1999 P.F. certificates

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE $5.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE IN EXISETNCE. THIS PHENOMENAL STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND ONE OF ONLY THREE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.

The $5.00 Columbian features a portrait of Columbus which was taken from the design of a contemporary medal cast in Madrid. A 50-cent coin was also minted for the Columbian Exposition based on the original medal, and the stamp's design was taken from this twice-removed design.

For many collectors, acquisition of the $5.00 Columbian represents the ultimate achievement in classic philately. When issued in 1893, this was the highest denomination and first $5.00 United States stamp. The high total face value of the dollar value Columbians represented a very significant expense to collectors and therefore sales were slow. A total of 21,844 were issued.

We could not begin to count the number of $5.00 Columbian stamps sold by the Siegel firm over 80 years. However, the number of Extremely Fine, Mint Never Hinged, examples is very limited. Due to the high face value multiples are very rare. For much of philatelic history stamps were hinged into albums. This fact, plus the lack of multiples, explains the scarcity of Mint N.H. copies. The stamp offered here is certainly a contender for the top position of any we have ever encountered.

With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ $87,900.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only two others share this grade. The next-highest grade awarded to a Mint N.H. example is a 90 (one copy) and then an 80 (three copies).

First, there is the 1860 campaign, represented by a cover with the famous "split rail fence" design and portrait of a beardless Lincoln, used from Chicago and stamped with 3c postage and the extremely rare Floyd's Penny Post 1c Brown (68L2).

Second, there is the familiar portrait of a bearded Lincoln as president, represented by the only known engraved printing on an envelope, of which this one example is recorded.

Third, from the other side of the war we have the famous Confederate "Hanging Lincoln" cartoon, showing the president hanging upside down from a tree limb, with his symbolic axe and fence rail tied around his neck, of which twelve examples are recorded.

Fourth, there is the envelope distributed in the days immediately following Lincoln's assassination, which shows a portrait of John Wilkes Booth with a caption that begins "Hunt the villain down" -- the only envelope design depicting the assassin Booth, of which just two examples are recorded.

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS "QUARTET" OF LINCOLN COVERS STANDS ON ITS OWN AS THE MOST OUTSTANDING GROUP OF ITS KIND EVER ASSEMBLED, OR IT COULD PROVIDE THE KEYSTONE TO AN EXPANDED COLLECTION OF LINCOLN-RELATED COVERS, WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE SPECIAL RELEVANCE AS THE NATION COMMEMORATES THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR IN 2011.

FRESH AND FINE. THIS IS A NEWLY-DISCOVERED 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITH THE I GRILL. AS SUCH, IT IS UNIQUE AND MAY ONE DAY BE A KEY TO A COMPLETE COLLECTION OF UNITED STATES STAMPS.

At least two sizes of grills were used by the National Bank Note Company for the 1870 Issue. They are identified by Scott Catalogue by a notation prior to Scott 134, which assigns them the letters H and I. However, to date they have not been separately catalogued, as have the different grills used in 1867 and 1868 (A, B, C, D, Z, E and F Grills). The G Grill was used on the 1869 Pictorial Issue.

The H Grill is larger than the I Grill, measuring approximately 11-13 points wide by 14-16 points tall when the full dimensions are visible. It is found on all values from the 1c thru the 90c. The I Grill measures from 9-11 points wide by 10-13 points tall. It is often a stronger grill impression (though many times incomplete). Students also distinguish between early and late states of the grilling device. The sizes of the grills remained the same in both states, but the characteristics of the grill points changed in different ways as the device wore away. The early state I Grill, as in the stamp offered here, has a very distinct shape to the grill points.

In 2004 we started to distinguish between the H and I Grills in our catalogue descriptions and research, in an effort to establish relative scarcity. The 1c thru 7c makes up the bulk of the population of the I Grill, but it is also known on the 10c (approximately a dozen used known), 12c (one confirmed unused copy offered here and another reported unused example), 15c (3 unused and 11 used known) and the 90c (3 used known). The recently-discovered 30c I Grill -- the listing copy offered here -- fills in a gap, leaving only the 24c value to be discovered with the I Grill.

If the Scott Catalogue editors were to be consistent in their listing policy of grills across all issues, then they would separate the H and I Grills into major catalogue numbers, as they do for the 1867-68 Grilled Issue. If this were to occur, then the rare Bank Note I Grills would take their place alongside other grilled-stamp rarities such as Nos. 80, 81, 82, 85A, 85D and 85F.

With 2011 P.F. certificate. Accompanied by photographs with notes from Ronald A. Burns, one of the foremost authorities on the Bank Note grills. Scott Retail as normal grill, with no premium for the I Grill.

VERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. SCARCE IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION.

The 4c Pan-American Invert was a special printing and not regularly issued. Examples were distributed through two official channels, and the gum on the majority of stamps without "Specimen" overprint was disturbed. In fact, because the stamps were removed from mounting paper, they are generally thinned or have seriously disturbed gum.

With 2005 P.S.E. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING STAMP AND ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT.

The 2c is the rarest of the three Pan-American Inverts. It is surmised that approximately 200 were issued through the post office, with two distinct shades known. Estimates of surviving examples range from an early count (1945) of 55 unused and 2-3 used to the 1998 Datz estimate of 150 unused, 3-5 used and a block of four intact. Our Levi records contain the intact block (4), reconstructed block (4), 64 unused singles and 6 used singles, for a total of 72 unused and 6 used. Many of the unused singles have disturbed gum or no gum, and/or are off center to top or top left. This Extremely Fine sound stamp with original gum is among the finest known examples.

Ex Newport. With 1973 and 2007 P.F. certificates

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE EXCEEDINGLY RARE 10-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTING.

Our recently updated census of Scott 197 contains only 30 examples certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation. Of these, seven have faults, leaving only 23 sound or potentially sound examples (some have not been examined in many years).

With 1954, 1992 and 2004 P.F. certificates

EXTREMELY FINE. THE 4-CENT MARTHA WASHINGTON IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL PERF 10 AT ONE SIDE STAMPS. THE EXAMPLE OFFERED HERE IS PROBABLY THE BEST-CENTERED EXAMPLE IN EXISTENCE.

Our records of Scott 556b contain only four used examples. Of these, three have precancels, and one shows transitional perfs at top.

With 1993 P.S.E. and 2004 P.F. certificates

FINE. THE 1857 5-CENT RED BROWN IS AN EXTREMELY RARE STAMP WITH ORIGINAL GUM. THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND SINGLE WITH ORIGINAL GUM WE HAVE OFFERED IN OVER TEN YEARS OF AUCTIONS. ONE OF THE GREATEST UNHERALDED ORIGINAL-GUM RARITIES OF CLASSIC UNITED STATES PHILATELY. The perforated 5c 1856” Red Brown (Scott 28) stamps were made from the stock of imperforate stamps on hand in 1857 when perforations were introduced. Since these were the first 5c stamps to be put through the perforating machine, they were the first to be used, and very few unused examples survive, especially with original gum.

In the past ten years we have offered over 120,000 auction lots of primarily U.S. stamps. During that time, we have offered only one other single with original gum and the block in the following lot. In our opinion, the Scott Catalogue value for Scott 28 with original gum is far too low. The number of original-gum Scott 28 singles falls somewhere between the numbers for the Brick Red (Scott 27) and the Indian Red (Scott 28A), which catalogue $80,000.00 and $175,000.00, respectively. However, since so few have traded hands in the past ten years and since collectors are generally unaware of how rare this issue is with original gum, the catalogue value has remained largely unchanged. Ex Golin. With 1999 and 2008 P.F. certificate.

VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE. NO MORE THAN THREE EXAMPLES OF THE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITHOUT GRILL ARE KNOWN, ACCORDING TO THE ROSE BOOK. We have offered only two since our 1997 Rose sale -- one other and this copy, which appeared in our sale of the Coulter collection in 2006. Ex Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS MINT NEVER-HINGED $4.00 COLUMBIAN IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE. A TRULY REMARKABLE STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT, THIS HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND ONLY ONE OTHER SHARES THIS GRADE.

The $4.00 Columbian depicts the two central figures in the story of Columbus -- Queen Isabella and Columbus himself. The portrait of Isabella is said to be based on a painting in Madrid, but its origins have been lost to history. The portrait of Columbus is based on a painting by the artist Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480-1556). A student of the great painter Raphael, his realistic and empathetic works, filled with distinctive sharp lines and vivid colors, were in sharp contrast to his contemporaries in Venice such as Titian and Tintoretto. He died penniless after joining a religious order. His works were unappreciated until the late 19th and early 20th Century, when he was identified as a forerunner of the Surrealists due to his inclusion of unusual symbolic references in his works. This portrait of Columbus was painted in 1512 as a commission from Domenico Malpiero, a Venetian senator and historian, and was executed shortly after the death of Columbus in 1504. It is one of the earliest portraits of Columbus (none is known to have been painted in his lifetime). This image was also used for several stamps of Chile.

With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ $65,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other shares this grade. The next-highest grade for this shade in Mint N.H. condition is an 80. For the normal shade, 95 is also the highest grade awarded to date (three in P.S.E. Population Report), followed by 90 (five in P.S.E. Population Report)