The imprint strips have often been described as coming from the Earl of Crawford collection. This is incorrect, and we are guilty of perpetuating the myth. Because they were handled by Nassau Stamp Co. (John A. Klemann), many philatelic writers assumed the strips were part of the vast Earl of Crawford collection, which Nassau bought in 1915. However, around 1918, Nassau bought a group of 1875 Special Printings from the widow of Charles F. Steel, a National and Continental Bank Note Co. employee, who died in 1904. Both Elliott Perry and Philip H. Ward, Jr., documented the Steel provenance for the five known copies of the Franklin Carrier Reprint, Perf 12 on white paper, Scott LO4, as well as the Scott 167-177 strips of four and all of the imperforate 1875 Special Printing strips of five (Ward, Mekeel’s, October 26, 1951).
Klemann sold some of the Steel singles and pairs to Col. Edward H. R. Green and Benjamin K. Miller. Ward apparently bought the strips of Scott 167-177 and kept them until his death in 1963. After the Weills bought the entire Ward inventory, they sold the strips to Benjamin D. Phillips in 1964 (documented in the Phillips inventory). The Weills bought the entire Phillips collection in 1968 for $4.07 million, and they divided the strips to sell to different collectors.
Provenance:
Charles F. Steel Collection, as set of strips of four
Nassau Stamp Company Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased around 1918 from Steel's widow
Philip H. Ward Collection, as set of strips of four
Weill Brothers Collection, private purchase of Ward stock, as set of strips of four, purchased in approximately 1963
Benjamin D. Phillips Collection, private purchase from Weill Brothers, as set of strips of four, purchased from the Weills in 1964
Weill Brothers Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased from Benjamin Phillips in 1968
4/28/1981, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1981 Rarities of the World, Sale 579, Lot 209, Realized $79,750, as set of singles
4/29/2021, Gary Petersen Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Gary Petersen Collection of Important United States Stamps, Sale 1234, Lot 183, Realized $3,540
Certificates:
PF 240621 (1991) Genuine with a small shallow thin at top right
3/22/1977, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1977 Raritites of the World, Sale 510, Lot 133, Realized $1,375
4/14/1989, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1989 Rarities of the World, Sale 708, Lot 268, Realized $1,980
10/28/2008, Perry Hansen Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Perry Hansen Collection of U.S. Stamps and Covers, Sale 963, Lot 786, Realized $4,025
10/7/2004, Vineyard Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Vineyard Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps, Sale 883, Lot 3158, Realized $7,150
11/7/2013, Curtis Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Curtis Collection: 1847-1901, Sale 1057, Lot 756, Realized $5,750
12/12/1999, Siegel Auction Galleries, U.S. Stamps including The Carmen A. Puliafito Collection, Sale 818, Lot 754, Realized $5,775
Brigham Collection
5/12/2006, Siegel Auction Galleries, 2006 Raritites of the World, Sale 913, Lot 755, Realized $11,500
4/28/2015, Robert R. Hall Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps, Sale 1096, Lot 318, Realized $7,187
4/11/2018, David Wingate Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The David Wingate Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 1180, Lot 228, Realized $2,714
2/1/1967, Josiah K. Lilly Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Josiah K. Lilly Collection, Part 1: United States Postmasters Provisionals, 19th Century Postage and Official Issues, Sale 312, Lot 282, Realized $690
11/9/2021, Arthur S. Przybyl Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Arthur S. Przybyl Collection of United States, Confederate States and Hawaii, Sale 1244, Lot 263, Realized $4,425
12/17/2014, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States, Possessions and Confederate States Stamps and Postal History, Sale 1090, Lot 1337, Realized $3,737
6/22/2015, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Stamps and Covers, Sale 1100, Lot 38, Realized $3,220
4/14/2009, Alan B. Whitman Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Two: 1870-1901, Sale 968A, Lot 208, Realized $17,825
Certificates:
PF 38533 (1972) Genuine with a trace of glue in top margin
The imprint strips have often been described as coming from the Earl of Crawford collection. This is incorrect, and we are guilty of perpetuating the myth. Because they were handled by Nassau Stamp Co. (John A. Klemann), many philatelic writers assumed the strips were part of the vast Earl of Crawford collection, which Nassau bought in 1915. However, around 1918, Nassau bought a group of 1875 Special Printings from the widow of Charles F. Steel, a National and Continental Bank Note Co. employee, who died in 1904. Both Elliott Perry and Philip H. Ward, Jr., documented the Steel provenance for the five known copies of the Franklin Carrier Reprint, Perf 12 on white paper, Scott LO4, as well as the Scott 167-177 strips of four and all of the imperforate 1875 Special Printing strips of five (Ward, Mekeel’s, October 26, 1951).
Klemann sold some of the Steel singles and pairs to Col. Edward H. R. Green and Benjamin K. Miller. Ward apparently bought the strips of Scott 167-177 and kept them until his death in 1963. After the Weills bought the entire Ward inventory, they sold the strips to Benjamin D. Phillips in 1964 (documented in the Phillips inventory). The Weills bought the entire Phillips collection in 1968 for $4.07 million, and they divided the strips to sell to different collectors.
Provenance:
Charles F. Steel Collection, as set of strips of four
Nassau Stamp Company Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased around 1918 from Steel's widow
Philip H. Ward Collection, as set of strips of four
Weill Brothers Collection, private purchase of Ward stock, as set of strips of four, purchased in approximately 1963
Benjamin D. Phillips Collection, private purchase from Weill Brothers, as set of strips of four, purchased from the Weills in 1964
Weill Brothers Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased from Benjamin Phillips in 1968
3/31/1976, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1976 Rarities of the World, Sale 489, Lot 118, Realized $44,000, as set of singles
5/22/1986, James O. Hewitt Collection, Steve Ivy Auctions, Ameripex 1986, Lot 296, as set of singles
11/25/1989, Marcy Chanin Collection, Steve Ivy Auctions, World Stamp Expo, Lot 4229, as set of singles
12/13/2000, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Stamps, Sale 833, Lot 766, Realized $9
2/26/2007, Alan Geisler Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Alan Geisler Collection of U.S. and Possessions Stamps, Sale 929, Lot 184, Realized $5,175
5/8/2008, Jay Hoffman Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 956, Lot 169, Realized $7,187
3/26/2013, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Stamps, Sale 1040, Lot 1431, Realized $4,887
The imprint strips have often been described as coming from the Earl of Crawford collection. This is incorrect, and we are guilty of perpetuating the myth. Because they were handled by Nassau Stamp Co. (John A. Klemann), many philatelic writers assumed the strips were part of the vast Earl of Crawford collection, which Nassau bought in 1915. However, around 1918, Nassau bought a group of 1875 Special Printings from the widow of Charles F. Steel, a National and Continental Bank Note Co. employee, who died in 1904. Both Elliott Perry and Philip H. Ward, Jr., documented the Steel provenance for the five known copies of the Franklin Carrier Reprint, Perf 12 on white paper, Scott LO4, as well as the Scott 167-177 strips of four and all of the imperforate 1875 Special Printing strips of five (Ward, Mekeel’s, October 26, 1951).
Klemann sold some of the Steel singles and pairs to Col. Edward H. R. Green and Benjamin K. Miller. Ward apparently bought the strips of Scott 167-177 and kept them until his death in 1963. After the Weills bought the entire Ward inventory, they sold the strips to Benjamin D. Phillips in 1964 (documented in the Phillips inventory). The Weills bought the entire Phillips collection in 1968 for $4.07 million, and they divided the strips to sell to different collectors.
Provenance:
Charles F. Steel Collection, as set of strips of four
Nassau Stamp Company Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased around 1918 from Steel's widow
Philip H. Ward Collection, as set of strips of four
Weill Brothers Collection, purchase of Ward stock, as set of strips of four, purchased in approximately 1963
Benjamin D. Phillips Collection, private purchase from Weill Brothers, as set of strips of four, purchased from the Weills in 1964
Weill Brothers Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased from Benjamin Phillips in 1968
12/17/1985, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Stamps and Covers, Sale 656, Lot 362, Realized $46,750, as set of singles
5/5/1993, Christie's, Important Stamps and Covers of the World, Lot 4036, as set of singles
6/14/2024, William H. Gross Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The William H. Gross Collection of Complete United States Stamps, Sale 1323, Lot 52, Realized $13,570, as single
Certificates:
Friedl 12803 (1980) Genuine
PF 602352 (2024) Unused, no gum as issued, bottom part imprint selvage, Genuine
The imprint strips have often been described as coming from the Earl of Crawford collection. This is incorrect, and we are guilty of perpetuating the myth. Because they were handled by Nassau Stamp Co. (John A. Klemann), many philatelic writers assumed the strips were part of the vast Earl of Crawford collection, which Nassau bought in 1915. However, around 1918, Nassau bought a group of 1875 Special Printings from the widow of Charles F. Steel, a National and Continental Bank Note Co. employee, who died in 1904. Both Elliott Perry and Philip H. Ward, Jr., documented the Steel provenance for the five known copies of the Franklin Carrier Reprint, Perf 12 on white paper, Scott LO4, as well as the Scott 167-177 strips of four and all of the imperforate 1875 Special Printing strips of five (Ward, Mekeel’s, October 26, 1951).
Klemann sold some of the Steel singles and pairs to Col. Edward H. R. Green and Benjamin K. Miller. Ward apparently bought the strips of Scott 167-177 and kept them until his death in 1963. After the Weills bought the entire Ward inventory, they sold the strips to Benjamin D. Phillips in 1964 (documented in the Phillips inventory). The Weills bought the entire Phillips collection in 1968 for $4.07 million, and they divided the strips to sell to different collectors.
Provenance:
Charles F. Steel Collection, as set of strips of four
Nassau Stamp Company Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased around 1918 from Steel's widow
Philip H. Ward Collection, as set of strips of four
Weill Brothers Collection, private purchase of Ward stock, as set of strips of four, purchased in approximately 1963
Benjamin D. Phillips Collection, private purchase from Weill Brothers, as set of strips of four, purchased from the Weills in 1964
Weill Brothers Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased from Benjamin Phillips in 1968
1/25/1983, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Bank Note Issues 1870-88, Sale 612, Lot 817, Realized $66,000, as set of singles
5/19/1994, Concord Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1994 Rarities - The Concord Collection, Sale 759, Lot 182, as set of singles
10/25/2012, Cloudrest Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Cloudrest Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 1033, Lot 4101, Realized $5,750, as single