SELECTIONS FROM THE MARCH 11, 2016 EARLY AMERICAN SALE

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V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 8, February 21, 2016, Article 23

Here are a few items that caught my eye in the upcoming March 11, 2016 sale of Early American History Auctions. -Editor

Georgia. 1776 Orange Seal. Twenty Dollars. “Rattlesnake” vignette. PCGS graded Very Fine-25.

Fr. GA-77c. This “1776” Revolutionary War Georgia note is quite pleasing in that its popular Orange “Rattlesnake” vignette adds color and eye appeal. It has excellent centering with all border designs within its four outer margins. A rare Orange Seal Twenty Dollars denomination.

Provincial Convention of Maryland. July 26, 1775. One Dollar. “Allegorical - Gunpowder” Propaganda and Political Revolutionary War Issue. Very Fine.

Fr. MD-72. This 1775 Revolutionary War Maryland paper money rarity is a true historical American Political issue. It is a classic, extremely historic, American Patriotic Propaganda note. This type is shown in the Newman plate note for this issue, illustrated on page 174 of the 5th edition of THE EARLY PAPER MONEY OF AMERICA.

The Allegorical vignettes displayed are unique in their design on Colonial Currency. The vignette at the upper half on its face side displays a hand-engraved woodblock vignette which has a “Folk Art” style appearance. It shows King George III setting fire to an American city with a torch, while symbolically trampling upon the Magna Charta. The border cut includes the text, "An appeal to HEAVEN" while the left cut reads, "Pro Aris et Focis," which translates "for altars and the hearth." The back is entirely given over to a vignette of Peace and Liberty. The face side is particularly clean, sharp and well printed. The designs being properly centered upon the handmade cotton laid period paper. There are some deft trivial sealed fold splits, pinholes at right edge and light conservation. The paper is circulated yet clean with a pleasing even appearance. It is nicely signed in brown ink by Thomas B Hodgkin at bottom. The reverse side inking is a bit nicer than average, with all details and designs well centered within four full margins.

The face displays a propaganda-filled woodcut, engraved by Thomas Sparrow, which depicts Britannia receiving a petition of the Continental Congress, “CONG PETI” from a female figure representing America.

America is trampling on a scroll marked SLAVERY and is holding a Liberty Cap in front of American troops carrying the flag of Liberty, LIB; and on the left, George III is trampling on the M(agna) CHARTA and applying a fire brand to an American city which is under attack by a British fleet.

The side border cuts carry AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN and PRO ARIS ET FOCIS (For altar and hearth). On the back side, the figures of America and Britannia are shown achieving peace, PAX TRIUMPHIS POTIOR (Peace is preferable to victory), LIBERTY, T. SPARROW and FG (Frederick Green, the printer).

Colony of Massachusetts Bay. June 18, 1776. Seven Dollars. Genuine & Original. “Small Sword in Hand” Design. Due Date of June 18, 1778. Choice Fine.

Fr. MA-212. This rare 1776 Revolutionary War date “Small Sword in Hand” note has perfect centering on its face side with four full large margins on each border. There is some expert conservation to seal small centerfold edge splits and remove some non-issue surface notations allowing for a clean, evenly circulated appearance. The simple reverse design is sharply printed in bold black, very crisp and clear having the eye appeal of Very Fine. Signed by W. Palfrey and S. Carlton (the same signers as on the Newman Plate example illustrated on page 210). Only 8,000 notes were issued, all due to be turned back into the Treasury for redemption by either 1778 or 1779.

This issue has a small vignette at mid-left showing a Colonial Soldier holding a sword in one hand and a copy of the Magna Charta “MCA” in his other, in a smaller version of Paul Revere’s famous engraved design. Genuine issued examples remain very rare and are prized by serious collectors.

EP-29, HB-230, S-174, Reed-WL01. One Cent. WEIR & LARMINIE. Montreal, Canada. Choice Extremely Fine+.

Rarity-8+ (About 6 known) according to Fred Reed. This rarity is only the fourth One Cent, Weir & Larminie EP we have offered in some forty years of specialization in the field of Encased Postage Stamps. This current example has light even overall circulation with clean fully intact clear mica. The perfectly centered bright blue Benjamin Franklin postage stamp has excellent sharpness and quality of eye appeal with just signs of light circulation. The case is a rich chestnut in color which is defect-free but for a trivial faint line at center left and it has sharp text highlighted with significant traces of lovely bright original Silvering which remains about the reverse legends.

EP-52a, HB-185, S-137, Reed-NO03. Three Cents. JOHN W. NORRIS, NEWS - BOOKS & STATIONARY, Chicago. Traces of Original Silvering. Choice Extremely Fine.

Rated as Rarity-9 (2 to 4 known) according to Fred Reed. In “The Standard Catalogue of Encased Postage Stamps” Michael Hodder suggests that this 3¢ denomination is the rarest for this merchant, with less than three examples known. Nearly two decades later, the consensus stands that there is perhaps a total universe of four. Two examples were sold as part of the historic Stack’s sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection of June 2004. We sold one in our EAHA Auction of June 10, 2007, Lot 5265, graded Extremely Fine with some mica problems which sold for $5,074, plus one other graded Extremely Fine plus in our October 15, 2011 Auction, selling for $7,080.

Our current example stands as an extraordinary rarity by all numismatic and philatelic standards being at least the equal in quality to our 2011 specimen. One special added feature to this current example is the scattered traces of original Silvering present within the very sharp reverse legends. This current specimen has a very well centered, clean rich red George Washington stamp. The mica is clean, solid and intact, having a tiny area of the outer surface layer of mica crazed at the upper rim edge of the left moon. The case is beautiful, being fully original, having one trivial nick on its left moon, overall extremely well sealed and perfect. It is a nice natural golden-chestnut in color and has superb sharp, crisp detail to all of the legends. This is certainly the single rarest of all John W. Norris denominations and the Finest that we have ever offered. If you’ve been waiting for 30 years or so for your opportunity to acquire this rarity for your collection, now is your time. This current example has a notation of pedigree to Richard Wolffer stamp auction of April 26, 1985, the paper card with pedigree and attribution notation is included.

1786 VT Copper. Landscape Type. “VERMONTENSIUM” Legend. Ryder-7. Bressett 5-E. Whitman W-2025. Choice Very Fine.

Archives International Auctions, Part XXXI

U.S. & Worldwide Banknotes, Scripophily
Security Printing Ephemera

February 23rd, 2016

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