The David Wingate Collection of United States Stamps continued...

EXTREMELY FINE UNUSED APPEARANCE. ONLY POSITION 7R1E--THE SEVENTH STAMP IN THE RIGHT PANE OF PLATE 1 EARLY--FURNISHED IMPERFORATE 1851 ONE-CENT STAMPS SHOWING THE COMPLETE DESIGN (TYPE I). VERY FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS STAMP HAVE MARGINS AS LARGE AS THE ONE OFFERED HERE. OF THE RAREST AND MOST DESIRABLE CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS.

The published census compiled by Jerome S. Wagshal contains at least 98 unduplicated records of Scott 5. There have been one or two additions to the Wagshal census, and there are probably no more than a few examples existing outside of the census population. Therefore, the 1c 1851 Type I is the rarest of all United States stamps regularly issued prior to the 1868 Grills.

With the 1998 discovery of another unused Scott 5, there are now three unused examples of this stamp, of which one is sound. Prior to 1930, the stamp offered here was owned by Henry C. Gibson, who regarded it as unused. Subsequently, a debate arose as to whether or not it had been cancelled, due to the presence of a few tiny, very faint spots. The same sort of spotting is found on the original-gum multiple containing Scott 5. We believe it is quite possible that this stamp is unused, although a 1996 P.F. certificate stated "faintly cancelled with a small thin spot." (certificate was lost before 1999 auction) and 1999 P.F. certificate states "faint manuscript cancellation" in the "submitted as" portion of the certificate.

Census No. 5-CAN-004. Ex Gibson, Lawrence and Dr. Graves ("Argentum" Collection). With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib IMPERFORATE. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL UNITED STATES CLASSICS IN UNUSED CONDITION.

Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Six positions on Plate 1 Early furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib--Positions 3-6R and 8-9R--distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms were burnished away.

A thorough search of past auctions and our own extensive records produced a result that surprised us. The unique block of eight from Plate 1E contains Position 7R1E (Scott 5) and five Type Ib stamps (with faults). The famous ex-Waterhouse copy of Position 7R1E is joined with a pair of Type Ib stamps (this unused unit is currently owned by William H. Gross). The multiples, containing a total of seven Type Ib stamps, really do not fit the needs of collectors who want a single unused example of Scott 5A. We located only four other unused singles, and we were surprised at the conspicuous absence of unused Scott 5A stamps in major name sales.

With 1998 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib FROM ONE OF THE TWO POSITIONS ON PLATE ONE EARLY THAT FURNISHED THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE TYPE.

Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp from Plate 1 Early. Six positions on Plate 1E furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib -- Positions 3-6R and 8-9R -- distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms were burnished away. Positions 6R and 8R had less of the bottom erased than the other Type Ib positions, and for this reason they are more desirable examples of the type.

Ex Floyd. With 1987 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN INCALCULABLY RARE STRIP OF SIX FROM THE TOP ROW OF THE RIGHT PANE OF PLATE ONE EARLY. A WONDERFUL ARTIFACT FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT ROW OF ANY ONE-CENT 1851-57 PLATE.

The top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early has long been recognized by philatelists as a subject of special interest relating to the production of classic United States stamps. This extraordinary strip, including four of the six positions that produced Type Ib stamps, is a rarity of the highest order. It was probably removed from a transcontinental cover prepaid at the 6c rate. The mail clerk certainly took his time cancelling the stamps.

Scott Retail as two pairs of Scott 5A and a pair of Scott 7. With 2002 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE -- ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CLASSIC STAMPS TO OBTAIN IN UNUSED CONDITION.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic).

With 1998 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail with original gum is $45,000.00. Scott Retail as no gum (Image)

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VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND CHOICE STRIP OF THREE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1851 ONE-CENT ISSUE FROM PLATE 4, SHOWING A COMBINATION OF TYPES Ia AND Ic. THE LEFT TYPE Ia IS A GEM.

The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4. The remaining two bottom-row positions, including Position 96R included in this strip, were sub-type Ic. 96R and 91R have the full plume at bottom left and partly complete plume at right. These two are the most desirable examples of Type Ic. The other eight Type Ic positions on Plate 4 are interior positions and are less distinct.

Frank S. Levi Jr. recorded seven used strips of three of the imperforate Type Ia and only this single strip of Types Ia-Ic-Ia (see Bakers' U.S. Classics, p. 188).

Ex Ishikawa and Floyd. With 1993 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE II. CERTAINBLY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.

We have offered only four other singles in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records. Two of those have margins either touching or just in. Though there are several large multiples known for this issue, none that we have offered contain any Mint N.H. stamps.

With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN OUTSTANDING AND RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT FROM POSITION 91L ON PLATE ONE EARLY, WITH TRIPLE TRANSFER, ONE INVERTED.

The inverted transfers on Positions 71L, 81L and 91L1E (offered here) were made after the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early was entered from the Type I single-relief transfer roll. According to Richard Celler's theory (see Siegel Encyclopedia at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/1c1851.pdf), the three inverted transfers were made from a Type I design 3-relief transfer roll as a sort of trial after the top row entries had been made and the plate was turned around 180 degrees. When another plate ("Plate 0") had to be discarded, the siderographer returned to Plate 1 and erased the three inverted transfers before completing the plate with entries surrounding 3R to 10R. Positions 71L and 81L are double transfers. Position 91L was entered a total of three times, so it is a triple transfer, one inverted. When the plate was reworked in 1852, 71L and 81L were re-entered (but not 91L), making them all triple transfers, one inverted.

With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. THE ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE FROM PLATE 3 IS RARE IN ANY CONDITION. THIS SUPERB STAMP IS ONE OF THE FEW ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE.

According to Ashbrook and Neinken, Plate 3 is believed to have been made in March or April 1856, possibly to replace the defective Plate 2 and/or to meet the increased demand for stamps concurrent with the April 1855 change in postal regulations requiring prepayment of postage. For an unknown reason -- possibly a severe defect that arose in the plate -- very few stamps were printed from the new Plate 3 before it was retired, and surviving examples are rare.

Plate 3 comprised Type II stamps exclusively. Early impressions are found with a distinctive mottling or ink film caused by ink remaining on the plate after it had been wiped. The stamp offered here does not have the mottling characteristic, and, therefore, it must come from a later impression after the surface became more polished and uniform. This stamp does possess the remarkable Prussian Blue color found among Plate 3 stamps, and it can be plated to Position 3L3 with absolute certainty (note the double guide dots at top right, a distinctive feature of top-row Plate 3 positions).

With respect to Plate 3 stamps such as this, which can be plated with certainty, Neinken wrote (p. 220): "The fact is that in this day and age, if a stamp has been plated as a Plate 3 position, and this plating is substantiated by a knowledgeable student or a Philatelic Foundation certificate, the Plate 3 stamp realizes far more in auction sales, or when purchased from a dealer, even though it has no definite Plate 3 characteristics. There is only one certain way to identify a stamp as being printed from Plate 3, and that is to definitely plate the position."

Plate 3 stamps have always been highly respected and enthusiastically collected, especially examples that show one or more of the distinctive features (surface cracks, mottling or Prussian Blue color).

With 1999 P.S.E. and 2001 P.F. certificates, both identifying the position as 3L3. (Image)

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