US Stamp Values Scott Catalogue 7 – 1851 1c Benjamin Franklin. Page 35

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (Scott 7). Position 10L3, right straddle-pane margin, others full to barely in at left, deep rich color, well-struck circular datestamp, small toned spot at top right, Very Fine appearance, with 1992 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 994

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (Scott 7). Position 30L3, right straddle-pane margin and centerline, large to huge margins all around, bright color, face-free cancels, tiny corner crease at top left, Extremely Fine appearance

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 995

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (Scott 7). Position 27L3, unused (no gum), margins clear to cutting in, intense shade, Very Good, a rare unused 1c 1851 from Plate 3, ex Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 990

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (Scott 7). Position 31L3 with huge left sheet margin and “Toppan, Carpe(nter)” porition of imprint, also shows surface cracks, large margins all around, sharp impression in light blue shade, cancelled by unusual “New York Paid” circular datestamp, diagonal crease mostly confined to selvage and visible only in fluid or backlighting EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A FAMOUS AND EXTRAORDINARY 1851 ONE-CENT PLATE 3 IMPRINT COPY. This remarkable stamp is illustrated and described in the Neinken book (Fig. 14-D, pages 221-222). Ashbrook described Position 31L3 as “the finest example of these left edge cracks” (Vol. 2, page 224). Ex Emerson and Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 991

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Plate 3, unused (no gum), large margins to just in, rich color, small surface scrape at top center, otherwise Fine, rare in unused condition, with 1980 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as with original gum $9,000.00

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 989

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Horizontal pair (possibly Positions 54-55L3), disturbed original gum with blue adherence, ample margins to slightly in, bright shade, vertical crease affects both stamps, tear at bottom, otherwise Fine, a rare unused Plate 3 multiple with huge Scott value as original-gum singles ($18,000.00), ex Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 985

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Position 4R3, unused (no gum), huge even margins all around, wonderful deep Prussian Blue shade on bright fresh paper, corner crease at top left, invisible on the face of this stamp, Extremely Fine Gem appearance, the ideal example of a very rare unused stamp from Plate 3 for the collector who cares about appearance more than gum or complete soundness, ex Neinken, Scott Retail $9,000.00 as original gum

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 986

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Top row (plating marks correspond to Position 6L3 in Neinken), unused (no gum), large margins, wonderful intense shade and impression, bright and fresh EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE II FROM PLATE 3. Ex Neinken. Scott Retail $9,000.00 as original gum

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 987

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Position 79R3, unused (no gum), large margins to just in, pretty shade, two tiny pinholes at center, otherwise Fine, scarce in unused condition, ex Neinken, Scott Retail as with gum $9,000.00

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 988

1c Blue, Ty. II (Scott 7). Plate 2, two singles, one with full margins, other full to slightly in, used with 3c Dull Red, Ty. I (11), full margins all around, tied by segmented oval cork cancels, “Boston Br. Pkt. 24 Sep.” backstamp on cover to Hong Kong, red “6 OC 6 1856” London transit backstamp, manuscript “2/-” due marking, “Hong Kong 1 DE 1 1856” receiving backstamp, Very Fine, scarce franking and destination, ex Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 981

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Positions 17-20/27-30R3, horizontal block of eight, Positions 20R and 30R major double transfers, original gum with slight disturbance and some black offset, large margins to slightly in, beautiful deep shade and impression shows surface cracks typical of Plate 3, partly broken vertical crease at center with some gum soaks in top pair, slight creases affect a few other stamps FINE-VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE FAMOUS “ARMITAGE” BLOCK, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE ITEMS EXTANT, BEING THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE FROM THE SHORT-LIVED PLATE 3. 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. All positions on Plate 3 are Type II and were entered from the same T-A-B Relief roller used for Plates 1 and 2. Plate 3 stamps bear a close resemblance to those from Plate 2. Surviving Plate 3 examples are rare, and unused examples or multiples of any kind are exceedingly rare. An enlarged photograph of this block appears on page 230 of the Neinken book and page 228 of Ashbrook Volume 1. Regarding the origin of this block, we quote from Ashbrook (page 227): “The largest block known from this rare plate is the former ‘Armitage block’ of eight… which includes positions 17-20R3 and 27-30R3. It will be noted that 20R3 and 30R3 are two of the major Double Transfers. I have been able to trace this block back to the 35th sale of the Nassau Stamp Co., held on May 16, 1913. At that time the piece was a block of 15 and was described as follows: ‘Lot 43 — 1c Blue, Type II (31), block of 15, unused, O.G., four of the stamps cut into the design, nevertheless fine and rare in so large a block.’ The price realized was but $34.00. Mr. Kleeman of the Nassau Stamp Co., recently informed me they have no record of the name of the buyer. It would indeed be interesting to know what became of the seven stamps which were so wantonly trimmed from this rare block. To the buyer they were simply unused Type II stamps, for he had no idea at that time that they actually came from a rare plate. I borrowed this block from Mr. George W. Armitage of Liverpool, England, in 1923 and made the photograph from which the illustration was made. At that time I made the notation that the color of the block was not the typical Plate Three, but rather more like the common impressions from Plate Two, being neither deep nor pale blue.” There are four unused Plate 3 blocks confirmed by photo or mentioned in various sources: 1) Positions 17-20/27-30R3, block of eight with original gum offered here, ex Armitage, Lilly, Neinken, 2) Positions 39-40/49-50R3, block of four originally joined with the block of eight, part original gum, ex Armitage, 1978 and 1989 Rarities sales, Rogers, 3) Positions 19-20/29-30R3, block of four, condition unknown, ex Hollowbush (see Neinken book, p. 231), and 4) Positions 77-78/87-88R3, block of four, condition unknown, ex West. Only numbers 1 and 2 on this list are known to remain intact. In addition, there are two recorded used Plate 3 blocks. The unused block of four (listed above as number 2) comes from the original Armitage block in the adjoining Positions 39-40/49-50R3. It was offered in the 1978 and 1989 Rarities of the World sales, and it last appeared in the Bennett sale of the Mark D. Rogers collection in April 2005. We do not know the whereabouts of the remaining three stamps from the original Armitage block. Ex Armitage, Lilly and Neinken. Scott value for eight singles without premium for double transfers or the multiple is $72,000.00.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 982

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (Scott 7). Positions 84/94L3, vertical pair from the 9th and 10th rows, original gum, large even margins, marvelous intense Prussian Blue shade, early impression showing numerous fine cracks and other plate marks for these two positions, bright and fresh paper EXTREMELY FINE GEM PAIR. THIS MAGNIFICENT PAIR IS ONE OF THE FINEST PIECES EXTANT FROM THE SHORT-LIVED 1851 ONE-CENT PLATE 3. HOWEVER, FOR MANY YEARS THIS PAIR WAS MISATTRIBUTED TO PLATE 2. IN 1998 JERRY WAGSHAL CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE PLATE POSITIONS AS 84L AND 94L ON PLATE 3. This superb pair was described as a Plate 2 impression in auctions of the collections formed by Caspary, Hetherington and Klein, and it was certified as a Plate 2 pair by The Philatelic Foundation in 1957. It was offered in a 1998 Shreve sale, described again as a Plate 2 printing, and was acquired by Mr. Wagshal, who successfully plated the pair to Positions 84/94L3. Thus, after four decades of misidentification, the true identity of this pair was revealed. Ex Caspary, Hetherington and Klein. With 1957 and 1988 P.F. certificates (as Plate 2).

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 983

1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 3 (7). Positions 25-26R3, horizontal pair, part original gum, huge margins showing parts of adjoining stamps to in at bottom left, bright shade, Fine-Very Fine, signed Ashbrook and W.E.H. small handstamp on back of righthand stamp, ex Neinken, Scott Retail $18,000.00 as two original-gum singles

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 984

1c Blue, Ty. II (Scott 7). Positions 22/32/42/52/62R2, vertical strip of five, large margins to slightly in at top, dark shade, tied by “New Orleans La. May 18” (1856) circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Paris, France, red “New-York Br. Pkt. May 28” datestamp, French transit datestamp and decimes due handstamp, transit backstamps, two file creases thru two stamps, otherwise Very Fine, strips of the 1c 1851 are seldom seen paying the 5c British Open Mail rate to France, ex Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 980

1c Blue, Ty. II (Scott 7). Positions 93-94L2,, horizontal pair, large margins to slightly in, dark shade, tied by “New Olreans La. Mar. 16” circular datestamp on 1856 folded printed circular to Augsburg, Bavaria, red French transit datestamp, manuscript due marking, German transit backstamp, Fine, ex Neinken

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 994, Lot 978