The Islander Collection of Colombia continued...

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED UNUSED MULTIPLE FROM STONE A, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST STONE USED TO PRINT THE 5-CENTAVOS FIRST ISSUE AND UNUSED EXAMPLES FROM STONE A ARE RARE IN ANY FORM. THIS REMARKABLE BLOCK WAS VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN TO SPECIALISTS UNTIL IT EMERGED IN EUROPE IN 1980. ONE OF THE GREAT ITEMS OF COLOMBIA AND OF SOUTH AMERICAN PHILATELY IN GENERAL.

The Bortfeldt handbook (page 27) illustrates the Stone A used block of ten offered in the following lot (same positions) and alludes to the block offered here: "It is said, but not confirmed, that a similar strip [ block] exists in mint condition." (Image)

VERY FINE. THIS USED BLOCK OF TEN AND THE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF TEN OFFERED IN THE PREVIOUS LOT ARE THE TWO LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLES FROM STONE A, THE FIRST STONE USED TO PRINT THE 5-CENTAVOS 1859 ISSUE. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST OUTSTANDING MULTIPLES OF CLASSIC COLOMBIAN PHILATELY.

The Bortfeldt handbook (page 27) illustrates this used block of ten from Stone A and alludes to the original-gum block offered in the previous lot (same positions). Regarding this block, Bortfeldt states: "From the first stone, the largest multiple known is this vertical strip [block] of 2x5 = 10 stamps, in used condition (cancelled CHOCONTA)." The only other recorded used blocks from Stone A are two blocks of four with the same Choconta” cancellation.

Ex Caspary and Wickersham (Image)

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED BLOCK OF THE 5-CENTAVOS FIRST ISSUE IN THE BLUE SHADE. ONE LARGER BLOCK FROM STONE B IS KNOWN IN THE VIOLET BLUE SHADE.

When this block was part of the Larsen collection, the block of four at upper left, containing the inverted transfer Position 13, was still attached. It was cut out to be sold separately. The remaining block of sixteen is still the largest multiple in Blue, and, relative to all 5c multiples, it is second only to the block of 40 with the hole-punched Position 38 "50" error, which is the Blue Violet shade.

Ex Larsen (as a block of 20) and Londono (in its present form) (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A HANDSOME AND SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE 5-CENTAVOS 1859 FIRST ISSUE FROM STONE B.

Ex Londono (Image)