United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection continued...

DESCRIPTION

4¢ Brown, Imperforate, Schermack Type III (314A), huge margins with left sheet margin, superbly centered, rich color, neatly tied by Sicklerville N.J. Apr. 8 1909” circular datestamp and duplex grid cancel on self-addressed cover to Mr. K. Koslowski, 329 Cass Ave., Detroit, Mich.”, Philadelphia transit backstamp (Apr. 8, 7:30 p.m.)

PROVENANCE

* The stamp comes from the supply discovered and acquired by Karl Koslowski, May 1908; affixed by Koslowski to self-addressed envelope and sent inside parcel to his brother in Sicklerville, N.J., bearing a strip of three of 314A, with instructions to return the cancelled strip in envelope bearing single--postmarked at Sicklerville April 8, 1909

* Sold to or through William C. Rhodes, Hugh M. Clark sale, June 9, 1911, to Worthington

* George H. Worthington, J. C. Morgenthau sale, 8/21-23/1917, lot 1050, to Cameron Sperling (Lawrence citation from marked catalogue)

* Siegel Auction Galleries, 1965 Rarities of the World, 2/24/1965, Sale 283, lot 115

* Siegel Auction Galleries, 11/25-26/1969, Sale 362, lot 949--this sale included part of the A. T. Seymour collection

* Siegel Auction Galleries, 1985 Rarities of the World, 4/20/1985, Sale 645, lot 265, to Dr. Agris

* Dr. Joseph Agris, Shreves Philatelic Galleries, 9/5/1997, lot 254, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

* Siegel census no. 314A-COV-03

* https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/314A

* Ken Lawrence, The Scarce Imperforate 4¢ Ulysses S. Grant Stamp of 1908,” Linn’s Stamp News, August 3, 2017 (online)

* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

* Extremely Fine stamp and cover

Separate pencil notations in different hands:

* 6/9/11 W C Rhodes” (Worthington’s source notation)

* Worthington Sale 8/22 1917” and Rarity, only 31 copies known of which 15 are unused” in same hand

* RSS 28 Kelleher” on hinge

* R.H.W. Co.” backstamp (Weill)

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DESCRIPTION

2¢ Carmine, Type I, Vertical Coil (321), deep rich color, well-centered, tied across both sides by Indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 2 3:30PM 1908” postmark and wavy-line machine cancel on light blue cover addressed to Mr. Randolph Prelate, Baker Vawter Co., Chicago, Ill.”, backflap with engraved McKinley Club seal of a GOP” elephant, monogram MC” and INDIANAPOLIS” city location, sender’s signature R. C. Griffith” below the printed design, with original letter enclosure on matching McKinley Club engraved stationery--mentions looking for employment, selling a house for mother” and running into an old girlfriend

PROVENANCE

* Edwin P. Seebohm, San Francisco, June 1939, Sale 68, lot 16, to Milton

* Maxwell C. Milton (collection bought and sold privately through Weills; the cover sold privately to Zoellner, 1993)

* Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 531, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

* Siegel census no. 321-COV-01

* https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/321

* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)

CERTIFICATION

* The Philatelic Foundation (1994)

* Accompanied by notarized affidavit from Randolph Prelat, the addressee, dated June 21, 1939, attesting that: ...the certain United States Postage Stamp described on Page 4 of catalogue of Edwin P. Seebohm (68th Public Auction) as Lot No. 16 has not been tampered with and has been in my possession since it was originally mailed from Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1908

CONDITION NOTES

* Extremely Fine stamp and cover

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DESCRIPTION

6¢ Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1), vertical pair paying 2¢ postage and 10¢ special delivery fee on December 10, 1918, First Day Cover self-addressed by Joseph B. Leavy, then curator of the National Museum (1913-21), to his residence at 3600 13th Street, N.W., in Washington D.C., stamps tied by Washington D.C. Dec. 10 8 PM” duplex datestamp with 1918” yeardate and numeral 3” grid cancel--the clerk (or perhaps Leavy) was evidently not satisfied with the clarity of the first strikes, and two more were struck which clearly show the date--in addition, there is a Washington Post Office Special Delivery Department DEC 10 P.M.” purple time/date handstamp on the back

PROVENANCE

* Whereabouts unknown until 2007; pencil note on back indicates it was bought in September 1943 for $125

* Found in a collection consigned to Siegel Auction Galleries, 2/19/2007, Sale 950, lot 2424, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

* Documented by both Joe R. Kirker and Ken Lawrence as the only genuine 6¢ 1918 Air Post cover

* Joe R. Kirker, The six-cent Jenny of 1918--First Day of Use!!!”, Airpost Journal, February 2009

* Ken Lawrence, First Day Covers of 1918 Air Post Stamps--or are they? Part 3,” United States Specialist, April 2015

CERTIFICATION

* The Philatelic Foundation (2008)

CONDITION NOTES

* Very Fine

* Pencil note on back 9/43 [$]125 Pre First Day C1”

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