The Dr. Irvin Heimburger Collection of the U.S. 1869 Pictorial Issue continued...

FRESH AND FINE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 6-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.

Blocks of this issue tend to be off-center or faulty -- almost all well-centered blocks have been broken to feed collector demand for singles. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND FRESH. A BEAUTIFUL AND REMARKABLY CHOICE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL.

We have offered only three other blocks of four since 1997 (one was reconstructed). Two of the three had perfs into design.

Ex Rose. With 1968 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail without premium for Mint N.H. stamp or arrow position (Image)

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FINE. THIS IS THE THE THIRD LARGEST RECORDED UNUSED MULTIPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.

The Rose book on the 1869 Pictorial Issue notes eight unused blocks, including blocks of twelve (ex Col. Green and Rust), nine (ex Wunderlich and Ishikawa) and three blocks of six. We have offered two additional blocks of nine, in our 2009 and 2013 Rarities sales. Nearly all of the unused blocks are more or less off-center.

Ex Rose. Scott Retail as block of four and pair (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST RECORDED USED MULTIPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.

The largest used 12c block is disfigured by cancellations smeared over almost all of the face of the stamps.

Illustrated in Rose on page 94. Ex Rust (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE HORIZONTAL STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 15-CENT TYPE I 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. THIS IS THE WIDEST UNUSED MULTIPLE OF THIS ISSUE IN EXISTENCE.

The largest recorded unused multiple of the 15c Type I is a block of nine (3 x 3) which is off-center, followed by one block of six and three blocks of four. This is the largest reported unused strip (a used strip of five is known).

With 1997 P.F. certificate. A block of four catalogues $60,000.00. Scott Retail as two pairs. (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A BLOCK OF 20 IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. THE FINER OF TWO COMPLETE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCKS. A MAGNIFICENT SHOWPIECE.

There are no more than five known unused blocks of 20, as follows:

1) Block of 20 with selvage at left, last offered in our 2002 Rarities sale

2) The block offered here, with imprint and plate no., ex previous Rarities sales (including 1977) and Lafayette

3) Block of 20 with bottom right selvage and imprint and plate no. 23, centered strongly to bottom and right, originally a block of 33 and reduced in size to a block of 20 sometime after our 1966 Stern sale (Siegel Sale 309, lot 144)

4) Block of 20 with right sheet selvage, ex Worthington and Caspary

5) Block of 20, centered to bottom right, offered in our 1999 Rarities sale

The Chapin census records only three imprint and plate number multiples, including a block of six (incomplete as an imprint and plate number block), the block offered here and the other imprint and plate number block of 20 with perfs in at bottom and right. Therefore, this is the finer of two complete imprint and plate number blocks extant.

Ex Ackerman and Lafayette. With 2003 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as plate block of eight, two blocks of four and two pairs. (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 15-CENT TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.

Blocks of this issue tend to be wildly off-center, with perfs heavily cutting into the design. (Image)

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VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO WELL-CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCKS OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL. ONLY FIVE EXTANT UNUSED BLOCKS IN TOTAL.

Our records of 24c 1869 unused multiples include three off-center blocks (of nine, six and four) and two well-centered blocks of four (this example and the ex-Moody, Rust and Burrus block). It is doubtful that any other blocks exist.

Illustrated in the Rose book (p. 137). Ex Grunin, Wunderlich, Ishikawa and Zoellner. With 1993 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. CONSIDERED TO BE THE FINEST USED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. ONLY SIX USED BLOCKS ARE RECORDED.

The six recorded used blocks of the 24c 1869, not counting the unique Invert block, are as follows (each identified by a recent owner):

1) Rose block, VF centering, fancy circle of V's cancel neatly struck on each stamp, minor wrinkling causing light creasing, top right stamp small margin tear, offered in Siegel sale 794

2) Bechtel block, XF centering, circular cork cancels over each vignette, the block offered here

3) Ishikawa block, VF centering, heavy circle of wedges cancel, left stamps few small tears

4) Anderson block, Fine centering to top right, circle of wedges cancel

5) Klein block, Fine centering to left, quartered cork cancels, light corner crease at bottom right and several rejoined perfs, and

6) Lopez block, perfs cutting in at right, cork cancels.

All of the other blocks have minor creases or small tears.

Ex Bechtel (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE NORMAL GRILLED 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. ONLY THREE BLOCKS ARE RECORDED.

The Rose 1869 book (pp. 152-153) provides a census of unused blocks of the 30c. The largest recorded unused multiple with grills is a block of six, followed by two blocks of four. Five multiples without grill are also recorded. These are all the Double Paper/Without Grill variety.

With 1967 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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