DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type IIIa/Ia (8A/6), Positions 85-86/95-96L4, block of four containing combination of Types Ia (bottom pair) and IIIa (top pair), original gum, lightly hinged, deep Plate 4 color on bright fresh paper, large margins including sheet margin at bottom, just barely into top of upper right stamp

PROVENANCE

* Henry J. Duveen (listed in Phillips’s November 1922 book as a block of six; sold privately to Hind through Phillips)

* Arthur Hind, Phillips-Kennett sale, 11/20-24/1933, lot 110 as a block of six, Positions 84-86/94-96L4--left vertical pair (84/94L) had faults and was removed after sale (according to Ward)

* Henry C. Gibson, Sr. (sold privately to Ward)

* Philip H. Ward, Jr. (bought privately, estate sold to Weills, 1963)

* Benjamin D. Phillips (bought from Weills out of Ward estate, 1964; collection sold privately to Weills, 1968)

* Siegel Auction Galleries, 1969 Rarities of the World, 3/25/1969, Sale 350, lot 23, to Grunin

* Louis Grunin, H. R. Harmer sale, 12/14-15/1976, lot 2089, to Klein

* Walter C. Klein, Christie’s Robson Lowe sale, 9/27/1988, lot 45, to Zoellner

* Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 21, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

* National Philatelic Museum, 1951, p. 358

* Jonathan W. Rose, Classic United States Imperforate Stamps, p. 45

* Philip H. Ward, Jr., “United States Early Unused Blocks 1847-1869,” 1960 Congress Book

* ANPHILEX 1996 Invited Exhibits (Zoellner)

CONDITION NOTES

* Essentially sound block with bottom pair of Scott 6 Extremely Fine; faint horizontal crease touches top of bottom pair, minute surface scuff specks barely visible without magnification

VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/33.pdf

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