The Grant Inman Collection, Part 5: Match and Other Private Die Stamps continued...

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT BLACK BROWN & DURLING MATCH ISSUE.

The Aldrich census records only 20 examples, of which five are sound. We were able to locate one of the sound copies in our records, and it has perfs into the design on two sides. The sound and centered example offered here is a true condition rarity.

Ex Tolman. With 2007 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE L. W. BUCK & COMPANY'S ONE-CENT STAMP ON OLD PAPER. ONLY 16 ARE RECORDED.

The Buck plant was destroyed by fire circa 1870 and was never rebuilt, leaving a brief period when the stamps would have been used. The Aldrich book records only 16 examples. We have offered only three others since keeping computerized records, two of which were repaired. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE D. BURHANS & COMPANY PRIVATE DIE MATCH STAMP ON SILK PAPER. ONLY SEVEN ARE RECORDED.

The Aldrich census records a total of seven copies, of which at least four have faults. Power Search located three others, all faulty (one repaired), and the Joyce copy also had faults, so it seems likely that most have faults (we have confirmed that five have faults).

Ex Bulkley. With 2012 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED EXAMPLE OF D. BURHANS & COMPANY PRIVATE DIE MATCH STAMP ON EXPERIMENTAL SILK PAPER.

The Aldrich book records only 18 copies, of which half are sound. We are aware of only one other, ex Joyce, that compares favorably to the example offered here.

With 1980 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THIS MATCH STAMP RARITY. ONLY FOURTEEN ARE RECORDED IN THE ALDRICH CENSUS.

Half of those in the census are noted as being faulty. Ex Tolman and "Scarsdale". With 2012 P.F. certificate (F-VF 75) (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE LARGE BYAM, CARLTON & CO. MATCH WRAPPER.

According to Private Die Match Stamps by Christopher West, the nom-de-plume of Elliott Perry, the company Byam, Carlton was one of the largest match manufacturers. They issued most of their matches in books of wooden matches, twelve to a book. The books of twelve were bundled into packages of eight, the tax on which was 1c. It would have been prohibitively expensive to wrap them in a package and then affix a stamp to the package. The company applied to the government for a stamp built into the center of the wrapper, which under law it was their right to ask for. Given the quantities needed, engraved plates would have cost $30,000 per year to use and maintain, so the work was subcontracted by Butler & Carpenter to the American Phototype Company.

The Aldrich census records only 18 examples, of which perhaps six are sound. This is an amazingly small amount, given the large quantities issued. (Image)

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