Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Lake Shore Collection of United States Stamps and Covers continued...

**1869 Pictorial Issue continued...**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
111		30c Ultramarine & Carmine, Without Grill, Double Paper (121a var). Top sheet-margin block of eight with "NATIONAL BANK NOTE CO. NEW YORK" imprint in blue, deep rich colors characteristic of this printing without grill on double paper (which is evident along the top edge of sheet selvage), neat hinge reinforcements, natural pre-printing paper creases visible when held to light, centered to top left ONE OF TWO RECORDED TOP SHEET-MARGIN BLOCKS OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITHOUT GRILL ON DOUBLE PAPER (SCOTT 121a VARIETY), PRINTED FROM A FLAG PLATE (BLUE COLOR) THAT WAS MISSING THE PLATE NUMBER "21" AT TOP. The 30c 1869 was printed from separate plates, the Red vignette plate with imprint at bottom, and the Blue flag plate with imprint at top. The 30c printing on this double paper without grill was made from a numbered Red plate ("No. 21"), but the Blue flag plate was missing the plate number 21, as evidenced by the block offered here. This block, three other sheet-margin blocks and a number of singles and interior blocks originate from a large multiple spanning the right and left panes, which is printed on experimental double paper without grill. The 30c 1869 Without Grill/Double Paper block was described by John N. Luff in his book, but over the years, stamps from this multiple have been offered and certified as the Scott 121a on ordinary single-layer paper (without grill). The ex-Zoellner left-pane plate number block of six was originally joined with the ex-Ishikawa block of fifteen from the adjacent right pane. They are both the Without Grill/Double Paper variety. Those two bottom sheet-margin multiples are the only extant 30c 1869 Pictorial blocks, other than proof impressions, that show the imprint and plate number 21. The two top sheet-margin multiples, including the block offered here, come from the same Without Grill/Double Paper sheet (left and right panes), proving that this experimental printing was made from a Blue flag plate lacking the plate number. With 2003 P.F. certificate identifying this as "Scott 121E, Essay on Double Paper", however, there are numerous singles and several blocks from the same sheet with certification as Scott 121a. In our opinion, the 30c 1869 Without Grill on regular paper and double paper should be listed together under Scott 121a, not separately as a stamp and as an essay, because they were probably printed at the same time and never regularly issued. (Image)	E. 7,500-10,000	9,500.00

1869 Pictorial Issue continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

111

30c Ultramarine & Carmine, Without Grill, Double Paper (121a var). Top sheet-margin block of eight with "NATIONAL BANK NOTE CO. NEW YORK" imprint in blue, deep rich colors characteristic of this printing without grill on double paper (which is evident along the top edge of sheet selvage), neat hinge reinforcements, natural pre-printing paper creases visible when held to light, centered to top left

ONE OF TWO RECORDED TOP SHEET-MARGIN BLOCKS OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITHOUT GRILL ON DOUBLE PAPER (SCOTT 121a VARIETY), PRINTED FROM A FLAG PLATE (BLUE COLOR) THAT WAS MISSING THE PLATE NUMBER "21" AT TOP.

The 30c 1869 was printed from separate plates, the Red vignette plate with imprint at bottom, and the Blue flag plate with imprint at top. The 30c printing on this double paper without grill was made from a numbered Red plate ("No. 21"), but the Blue flag plate was missing the plate number 21, as evidenced by the block offered here.

This block, three other sheet-margin blocks and a number of singles and interior blocks originate from a large multiple spanning the right and left panes, which is printed on experimental double paper without grill. The 30c 1869 Without Grill/Double Paper block was described by John N. Luff in his book, but over the years, stamps from this multiple have been offered and certified as the Scott 121a on ordinary single-layer paper (without grill). The ex-Zoellner left-pane plate number block of six was originally joined with the ex-Ishikawa block of fifteen from the adjacent right pane. They are both the Without Grill/Double Paper variety. Those two bottom sheet-margin multiples are the only extant 30c 1869 Pictorial blocks, other than proof impressions, that show the imprint and plate number 21. The two top sheet-margin multiples, including the block offered here, come from the same Without Grill/Double Paper sheet (left and right panes), proving that this experimental printing was made from a Blue flag plate lacking the plate number.

With 2003 P.F. certificate identifying this as "Scott 121E, Essay on Double Paper", however, there are numerous singles and several blocks from the same sheet with certification as Scott 121a. In our opinion, the 30c 1869 Without Grill on regular paper and double paper should be listed together under Scott 121a, not separately as a stamp and as an essay, because they were probably printed at the same time and never regularly issued. (Image)

E. 7,500-10,000

9,500.00