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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT BROWN YELLOW SHADE WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SHADES TO OBTAIN IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION.
The 5c Brown Yellow is recognized as being among the rarest of 1861-66 Issue stamps in original-gum condition. Perhaps the only shade varieties rarer than the 5c Brown Yellow are the 3c Pigeon Blood Pink and 24c Blackish Violet (Scott 64a and 78c). A review of Power Search found only thirteen other unduplicated examples offered in all of our Rarities sales and in the past 20 years of our auctions. Approximately half were sound, and none were as nicely centered as the example offered here.
With 2016 P.F. certificate (Image)
Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT IN THE DISTINCTIVE OLIVE YELLOW SHADE. THIS IS THE SCARCEST SHADE OF THE 5-CENT 1861 ISSUE, AND IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
We have offered approximately a dozen unduplicated examples of the Olive Yellow shade in any condition since keeping computerized records. Of these, two were unused. It is difficult to find in sound and centered condition.
Ex "Golden Oak". With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)
FINE APPEARANCE. A MOST UNUSUAL FRANKING TO PAY THE 45-CENT RATE TO SHANGHAI, CHINA.
This cover was sent at the 45c rate for British Mail via Southampton. (Image)
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A REMARKABLY RARE USE OF THE 12-CENT 1861 ISSUE TO PAY PART OF THE 45-CENT RATE TO CHINA.
Virtually all of the 45c rate covers from the Wingate correspondence have four 10c stamps in combination with the 2c and 3c to make up the rate. This is the rare exception.
Ex Mitchell and DuPuy. (Image)
VERY FINE APPEARANCE AND A COLORFUL FRANKING TO HONG KONG.
From the Olyphant correspondence, this pays the 57c rate for double weight by British Mail via Marseille. (Image)
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1861 ISSUE IN THE "CINCINNATI VIOLET" SHADE, USED ON A COVER FROM CINCINNATI TO GERMANY.
The 28c paid the rate via Prussian Closed Mail. Ex Stephen Brown and Shierson. (Image)
VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL COVER FROM THE UNITED STATES TO LONDON, PARIS AND ROME, FRANKED WITH STAMPS OF THE FIRST THREE COUNTRIES.
This was carried by the NGL New York, departing New York Jan. 16 and arriving Southampton Jan. 28, with 3c credit to Great Britain for American Packet. The 24c stamp paid the treaty rate only to England. The postage from London to Paris and from Paris to Rome was paid by the forwarders, making this cover completely prepaid when it reached its addressee in Rome. This is a rare and exceptional triple-country franking (Image)
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USE OF THE 90-CENT 1861 ISSUE ON A SIX-TIMES RATE COVER TO GERMANY.
This was franked for six-times the 15c rate via North German Union Closed Mail. The Cunarder Russia sailed from New York on July 1, 1868, arriving Queenstown July 10, which corresponds to the dates on the cover. Incredibly, a Power Search review failed to find another 90c 1861 Issue cover to Germany.
With 1958 P.F. certificate (Image)
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL BLOCK OF TEN OF THE 1863 2-CENT BLACK JACK ISSUE.
Most multiples such as this have been broken to feed collector demand for high-quality singles. This spectacular block was featured in our firm's 500th sale and also in our 1983 and 1986 Rarities sales.
With 2012 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as two blocks of four and pair (Image)
FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS BLACK JACK "PRESTON SHIFT." VERY FEW ARE KNOWN, AND THIS EXAMPLE IN A PLATED MULTIPLE IS THE FINEST AND MOST IMPORTANT.
Little has been written about the Preston Shift -- a search of the Chronicle database turned up nothing. The best source is the Allen Black Jack book (p. 125), which states the "shift" was originally noted by Marvin Preston of Ferndale, Michigan. In a letter to J. David Baker, columnist for Stamps, Preston explained: "I was amazed, while perusing a dealer's stock in 1951, to discover this outstanding major double transfer."
In 1953 Stanley B. Ashbrook wrote "This is a double transfer of the 'Black Jack' which is very rare in my opinion. It is the only copy that I have ever been able to find and is evidently much scarcer variety than the well-known 'Atherton Shift.' I communicated with a number of the leading students of this stamp thru-out the country and none of them had ever seen a copy of this variety. The following were consulted: H. P. Atherton, Anthony Russo, the late Ignatz Reiner, W. H. Kiefaber and Maurice Cole, author of a book on the stamp. These as well as a number of prominent dealers. It does seem strange that none of the above had ever seen a duplicate of this stamp."
The Allen collection contained the discovery single, which was perforated on all sides and with perfs strongly cutting into the design at top. None were offered in the Rorke sale. Richard Drews showed a used single with straight edge at left in a talk at the Collectors Club in 2010. Barbara Fosdyke-Ray owned a used single with perfs strongly cutting into the design at bottom and straight edge at left.
The multiple offered here, with sheet margin and wide interpane margin, is the finest we have encountered and is especially desirable since it identifies the position of the Preston Shift on the plate. (Image)