Census of 1c Blue, Type I (Scott 5)

5-MUL-061

5-MUL-061

Notes:

• Standard Plate 1 Early Milky Blue color. Slight scrapes or scuffs mostly along top edge.
• This pair was originally part of a strip of three, Positions 6-7-8R1E, used on a cover from Alexandria La. to the Buchannon Carroll firm in New Orleans. The cover was dated Nov. 6, 1851. After the 1943 Green sale, the strip was removed from the cover, and prior to the 1961 Newbury sale, the 8R stamp was removed, leaving the 6-7R1E pair. The top sheet margin was trimmed slightly to remove the need to mention faults along the top edge, which are typical of stamps placed close to the edge of a cover. However, a few scuffs impinging on the margins close to the design remained. The removed 8R1E has appeared in the philatelic market several times, having been offered by Wolffers (11/20/1987), Ivy (3/18/1988) and John Kaufmann (5/28/1988).
• The removal from the cover and reduction of the strip destroyed one of the few known strips of three with 7R1E in the middle.
• Crossed red “PAID” cancels. In my opinion, these cancels make this the most attractive used off-cover pair in this census.

Provenance:

• At an early date this pair was part of a strip of three on cover in the Atherton U.S. Collection
• Dr. Chase as a strip of three on cover. Collection
• Removed from cover and reduced to pair.
• 6/26/1943, “Storrow” and Green Collection, Harmer Rooke, Lot 77, (Green sale Part VIII), as a strip of three on cover, realized $710 vs. $2,800 Scott value. Acquired by Green as part of the Storrow collection, which he purchased intact.
• 5/17/1961, Newbury Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Saul Newbury Collection, Part I: United States 19th Century Issues, Sale 240, Lot 89, as a pair, realized $3,000 vs. $1,700 Scott value. No mention of scuffs at top.
• 4/27-28/1966, “Ambassador” Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Ambassador Collection, Sale 300, Lot 11, Realized $6,500, realized $6,500 vs. $2,775+?Scott value. No mention of scuffs at top.
• 3/23/1971, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1971 Rarities of the World, Sale 391, Lot 25, Realized $10,500, 3/23/1971, realized $10,500 vs. $2,500 estimate, description notes “slight scrape at top”.
• 9/28/1993, Ishikawa Collection, Christie’s, Lot 86, description notes scuffs and states “Fewer than 100 examples of this stamp are known”, realized $38,000 vs. $15,000-20,000 estimate, selling to Dr. Vernon R. Morris Jr.
• 9/26/1997, Dr. Vernon R. Morris Jr. Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Vernon R. Morris, Jr., M.D. Collection of Used U.S., Sale 793, Lot 56, realized $62,500 vs. $46,000 Scott value, description notes “few tiny faint surface scrapes in edge of top margin well clear of design”
• 5/13/2006, Ex “J & J” Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 2006 Rarities of the World, Sale 913, Lot 530, Realized $250,000, realized $250,000 vs. $150,000-200,000 estimate, description notes “few tiny faint surface scrapes in edge of top margin well clear of design”
• 4/27-28/2009, “Laila” Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Laila Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 972, Lot 3014, Realized $200,000, realized $200,000 vs. $200,000-300,000 estimate, description notes “few tiny faint surface scrapes in edge of top margin well clear of design”

Certificates:

• PF 14233 (1961) for the pair, states “slight scrape along the top”.
• PF 276469 (1993) for the pair, states “very light surface scrape in top margin”.
• PF 440350 it is genuine, with very light surface scraping in the top margin