News and Articles from America’s Premier Stamp Auctioneer … · 2008. 12. 10. · A small selection of highlights from the Whitman collection is presented in these pages. Anyone

Sale Previews

•The Alan B. Whitman Collection ofOutstanding United States Stamps

•The MLG Collection of U.S. Plate Blocks

•The David L. Jarrett Collection of Propaganda Covers

•The “Whitpain” U.S. Possessions Collection

Feature Article

•Interview: Alan Whitman unveils his amazingcollection of U.S. stamps

News and Reports

•Siegel 2008 sales set to break records again•New Civil War book by Walske and Trepel•2009 Sales and Events

The Siegel DespatchThe Siegel DespatchNews and Articles from America’s Premier Stamp Auctioneer Issue No. 34

WINTER 2009

2 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • WINTER 2009 (NO. 34)

Collectors can usually point to a few defining moments in theircareers, when significant opportunities for acquisition arose,and the key items that make the collection were secured.

When an opportunity arises, the collector does not engage in thedecision-making process used to purchase an appliance, a new coat orthe next vacation spot. Rather, the collector is motivated by passion,which creates an “I must have this” attitude. The collector also has faithin the item’s future value. Whereas the dishwasher will eventuallybreak down, the cashmere coat will get holes in the elbows, and the tripto Tuscany will fade from memory, the prized acquisition will retain itsvalue. So, explains the collector to his spouse, it’s not really like spendingmoney. It’s an investment.

That a collector answers when opportunity is knocking on the doormight be the reason why 2008—just recently described by economistsas a year of recession—has turned out to be the highest-grossing yearfor the Siegel firm. Despite the stock market’s fall and the stream ofbad financial news, when Wilson Hulme’s collection was sold onDecember 2, it realized 25% more than the pre-sale estimate.

Looking forward to 2009, opportunity is not only knocking on thedoor, it is shaking the whole house. As I write these words, our team isfrantically keeping up with production for a string of fantastic sales:Alan Whitman’s stupendous U.S. collection, the legendary MLGcollection of U.S. plate blocks, one of the greatest collections of U.S.Possessions ever formed (to be sold under the pseudonym “Whitpain”),and the David L. Jarrett collection of Propaganda covers.

The volume, variety and value of material consigned to the Siegelfirm for sale next year presents collectors with an historic opportunityto acquire key items which have not been available for many years. Itmight be a good time to reallocate assets and put more into philately.

Years from now, I am sure that collectors will look back at 2008 and2009 as two golden years of acquisition. Those collectors with themeans and confidence to make the most of this opportunity will standtall in the crowd. The others will wish they had done the same.

Opportunityknocks

Commentary Scott R. Trepel

THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • WINTER 2009 (NO. 34) • 3

When Alan Whitman set out to build hiscollection of United States stamps, he knewthat he wanted the best quality, and to get ithe would have to pay some record pricesalong the way...quietly. Over two decades, it’sbeen a winning strategy. Starting in January,the Whitman collection will be offered in athree-part auction. His name might not befamiliar to philatelists now, but it will be whenthe hardbound catalogue showcasing hisincredible collection is released.

Auctioneers see a lot of stamp collections.Every now and then, one comes along that surprises us. And, on rare occasions,

a collector unexpectedly blows us away. This isone of those times.

Alan Whitman, a very modest man with a bigsmile and firm handshake, does not like to brag.So, unless you are one of the few people in theworld Alan allowed to view his collection, you willbe astonished by what you see.

This is a great collection. A serious collection.And, above all, a beautiful collection.

continued on next page

the alan b. whitman collection ofoutstanding united states stamps

The Whitman collection encompasses all regular and com-memorative stamps from 1847 to date, and the air post, specialdelivery and other special-purpose stamps. Preference was givento stamps with original gum (never-hinged if possible). Certainrarities which only exist used were included, such as Scott 482A,596 and 613. Coil issues are represented by a single, pair andline pair—including Scott 314A and 316—and the collectionincludes many shade and perforation varieties. Finally, some ofthe rarest blocks were acquired by Alan Whitman, as he soughtto expand the breadth and depth of his collection.

The Whitman collection will be offered in its own specialhardbound sale catalogue. The catalogue will present the entirecollection, but the lots will be offered in three sales, held severalmonths apart. Part One, comprising 1847-1869 issues, will beheld at the end of January. The dates of Parts Two (1870-1901)and Three (1902 to date and back-of-book issues) will beannounced later.

A small selection of highlights from the Whitman collection ispresented in these pages. Anyone interested in obtaining moreinformation about the sale may contact a Siegel representativeat 212-753-6421 or by e-mail at [email protected]


1857 5¢ Brick Red (27) block with original gum.The only recorded unused block.Ex Worthington, Hind, Sinkler and Ward.Illustrated in Linn's Philatelic Gems II.

continued from page 3

1851 1¢ Type Ia (6) OGEx Caspary

1856 5¢ Red Brown (12) OGPSE XF 90 (highest grade, 1 of 1)

Ex Seymour

1857 5¢ Indian Red (28A) OGThe finest example known

Ex Brown and Seymour

1861 24¢ Blackish Violet (78c) OGEx Caspary, Lilly and Seymour

1868 15¢ F Grill (98) OGPSE Superb 98 (highest grade, 1 of 1)

1869 90¢ Pictorial (122) OG


The famous and unique set of 1861 Re-Issue blocks (102-110)—six are unique blocks, the 90¢ does not exist in block formEx Caspary, Lilly and Hetherington


1870 12¢ Grill (140)Only known Mint NH example

1870 24¢ Purple (153)The only known Mint NH plate number single—from the ex-Klein block

1875 and 1880-83 Bank Note Special PrintingsScott 180, 192, 205C and 211D—all sound and Extremely Fine

1893 $2.00 Columbian (242)PSE XF-Superb 95 Mint NH, highest grade (1 of 3) 1895 $5.00 Dark Green (278)

PSE Superb 98 Mint NHHighest grade (1 of 1)


1908 1¢ Vertical Coil(Scott 316)

1908 4¢ Imperforatewith Schermack Perfs

(Scott 314A)

A single, pair and line pair of the 1¢ Vertical Coil (316) and 4¢ Imperforate (314A).Believed to be the first time one collector has assembled

these great 20th Century rarities in all three forms.

1911 3¢ Orangeburg Coil (389) pair—left stamp Mint NH


8¢ Trans-Mississippi Imperforate Horizontally (289a)

1877 5¢ Buffalo BalloonTête-bêche pair (CL1a)

Mint NH

4¢ Bluish Paper (360)Only known Mint NHplate number single

2¢ Type IA Imperf (482A) $2.00 Office in ChinaDouble Overprint (K16a)

1¢ Rotary Perf 11 (596)Finest known example

2¢ Harding Rotary Perf 11 (613)


Interview

In pursuit of the best

Alan Whitman explains why collectingthe finest-quality stamps is so much fun.

Alan Whitman is easily underestimated. His buying has been stealthily handled by dealers.He’ll casually walk the floor of a stamp show, and you would never know he just boughtthe unique set of 1861 Re-Issue blocks. For years Alan always made himself available forlunch, but he never made his collection available for viewing—he holds his cards close to

the vest. They say Caspary was that way, too. The unveiling of Alan’s truly incredible collectionwill earn him a prominent position in the philatelic Hall of Fame. As far as we’re concerned,anyone who has a single, pair and line pair of the 4c 1908 Imperforate (Scott 314A) and 1c 1908Vertical Coil (Scott 316) deserves it.

A stamp collector usually remembers the stamp or stamps thatfirst caught his eye. Tell us which stamps attracted you?It really is difficult to say which particular stamp or stampscaught my eye, but it’s probably a toss-up between the coils andthe imperfs that grabbed my attention first.What made you decide to focus on superb quality?Quality over quantity has always been important to me, not onlyin stamp collecting, but in everything I do. I would rather gowithout something if it means compromising on quality, unless,as in the case of especially rare stamps, it’s the best copy or one of the best copies known.You collected Gem quality stamps before numerical gradingreally took off. What do you think about putting a number oncentering and condition? Do you think it will help others buildcollections like yours?Collectors must rely on experts to certify a stamp to make sure itis correctly identified and described. And I think a big part of thepleasure in collecting is learning how to judge quality. But I dosee value in the grading system for someone who doesn’t havethe knowledge or experience to know the difference between realSuperb and sales hyperbole. I also think a database of gradedstamps like PSE’s Population Report and Siegel’s Power Searchare really useful tools to see what exists. The one thing I wouldcaution buyers about is missing opportunities in rare stampsbecause the grade number seems too low. For example, I don’tthink certain early issues exist in anything better than “70” withoriginal gum, and those stamps should always be considered“Extremely Fine.” They’re not Washington-Franklins.Your strategy in collecting coils is challenging, to say the least.Tell us about it.When I first started collecting coils, I thought how great it wouldbe to have a single, pair and line pair of each, assuming some ofthe rare coils even existed in all three forms. Not only would theyadd depth, but having one of each would set my collection apartfrom so many great collections of the past. Then there’s the chal-lenge of the pursuit. A lot of the pleasure in collecting for me isin the hunt. When you finally find those special items you need,especially the rare ones, there’s tremendous satisfaction.At one point you decided to expand the collection beyond singles and coil multiples. Tell us what you find so appealingabout the blocks and varieties in your collection.

Not only do I enjoy looking at blocks, I feel like I’m protectingtheir existence. With so many multiples being broken these daysfor singles, the surviving blocks are an endangered species. Oncebroken, a block is lost to philately forever. The varieties—forexample, different shades, perforations and imperforate-betweenerrors, to name a few—have always intrigued me because theystand out from the other normal stamps. I feel that these itemsreally add depth to the collection.OK, this is the question I ask every collector. Which is yourfavorite? You’re allowed to pick three.Scott, that’s not fair. I truly love them all. I guess if I mustchoose, I would say the 314A line pair, the 27 block and the 295ainvert block. And I want to add any stamp in the 1902-03 Series(Scott 300 to 313). I really like the designs.You’ve had the “pick of the litter” when dealers have brokeredcollections and rarities privately. Describe some of your mostmemorable private acquisitions.Over the years I’ve been fortunate to buy some really amazingpieces privately from dealers. One that immediately comes tomind is the Orangeburg 389 pair with one stamp never-hinged.It came from the strip of five, and after the strip was broken Ihad a chance to acquire this truly amazing pair from SonnyHagendorf. He also sold me the 317 never-hinged pair and the317 never-hinged line pair. Later on, knowing that I owned the314A line pair, Sonny told me he was after a 314A pair with onestamp never-hinged. Wow, did I jump at that opportunity. Thereare so many others, I could go on and on.How has your close relationship with dealers worked to youradvantage in collecting?Their knowledge, advice, insight and contacts have beenimmensely valuable to me. I was very fortunate in working withGary Posner and Sonny Hagendorf. Early on Gary helped me totake the collection in the direction I wanted it to go and guide mein many purchases. Sonny has been amazingly helpful. Hisknowledge, research and input have been essential to me inbuilding my collection. In finding items privately or buying themfor me at auctions, his knowledge has given me an advantage inevaluating every item—its scarcity and how its quality comparesto all of the known examples of that particular stamp.

The MLG Collection of U


The MLG Collection of U

FOR 40 YEARS “MLG” COLLECTED EVERY COMBINATION OF PLATE NUMBER AND POSITION

TO ACHIEVE COMPLETE MATCHED SETS OF U.S. COMMEMORATIVES, AIR POST AND

DOLLAR-VALUE REGULAR ISSUES...

nited States Plate Blocks


nited States Plate Blocks


...and, now, the thousands of plate blocks inthe MLG Collection will be offered by theSiegel firm in a single auction of staggeringproportions. No collection of comparable sizeand depth has been offered since the Siegelfirm’s legendary Todd sales 30 years ago.

The collection goes beyond showing spectacularplate number blocks—it actually documents theproduction of United States stamps, beginning withthe American Bank Note Company’s ColumbianIssue and continuing through the long era of theBureau of Engraving & Printing’s work. Theimprints, numbers and letters in the sheet marginshelp tell the story of U.S. postage stamp production.


The MLG Collection will be presented in adeluxe hardbound sale catalogue, which is sureto become a significant reference to U.S. plateblock collecting. With the escalating demandand prices for single U.S. stamps, collectingplate blocks has become a great alternative andexcellent value for buyers. For someone ready totake on the challenge of building completematched sets, the dispersal of the legendaryMLG Collection is an historic opportunity toobtain many rare plate numbers and positions.

For the on-line MLG sale catalogue and

to register for Live Internet Bidding, please go to

siegelauctions.com

3¢ and 15¢ plate blocks from the 1909 Bluish Paper Issue


Renowned for his eye for beauty and quality, David Jarrett has

spent decades forming his collectionof propaganda covers. The Siegelfirm will offer this extraordinarilybeautiful and fascinating collection ina single-owner sale in March.

Envelope use spread in the 1840swhen postage was no longer chargedon each sheet of paper. Envelopesthen became media for makingpolitical or moral statements; thusthe term propaganda cover.

The publication of propagandacovers in the U.S. grew rapidly inthe 1850s when social movementssuch as temperance, anti-slaveryand world peace became popular.

In the West, propaganda coverswere used by advocates for thetranscontinental railroad and pro-moters of transit routes, such asVanderbilt’s Nicaragua Line.


Printed envelopes and lettersheetswere also used to promote presidentialcandidates. The election of WilliamHenry Harrison in 1840 is consideredthe first full-fledged modern campaign,as slogans were used to create an image,and political paraphernalia was distrib-uted on a mass scale.

Abraham Lincoln’s two campaigns andhis death resulted in a large number ofillustrated envelope designs. TheJarrett collection of Lincoln designs isone of the most comprehensive andfinest ever assembled.

With the outbreak of the Civil War,patriotic envelopes and lettersheets wereproduced on a vast scale. In the North,paper was plentiful and thousands ofdifferent designs were published. Thescarcity of materials in the South limitedthe quantity and quality of pro-CSApropaganda covers.

Propaganda themes were not limitedto printed envelopes. Postal markingsand stamps were also used to promoteideas. For example, “love” is the themeof the Newark Valley N.Y. “KissingDoves” postmark (shown above).

The full-color catalogue will presentthe Jarrett collection in its entirety. Thewide range of designs, stamp issues andregions represented make this a “mustsee” catalogue for all collectors.

For the on-line Jarrett sale catalogue and

to register for Live Internet Bidding, please go to

siegelauctions.com


The

“Whitpain”

Collection of

United States

Possessions

The stamps issued for use in the Canal Zone,Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Ricoand the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai areamong the most fascinating and elusive of allUnited States stamps.

Cuba 10¢ Type II (226A) Guam 10¢ Type II (9) Philippines 1¢ and Puerto Rico 2¢ Inverts (213a, 216B)

Philippines

10¢ Special Delivery (E2A)

The Only Known

Plate block


The “Whitpain” collection has been in formation fordecades. Never exhibited and cloaked in secrecy, thecollection will be unveiled to the public for the first timewhen Siegel Auction Galleries presents it in a specialsale catalogue. Collectors will now see where so manyof the greatest rarities of U.S. Possessions have been.

Philippines $2 and $5 Plate Blocks

Offices in China

$2 Double Ovpt. (K16A)

Used on Piece (Above)

and Block of Four (Below)

Offices in China $1 and $2 Plate Blocks

@


Catalogues, Prices Realized,

POWER SEARCH and MY SIEGEL

Images and descriptions for all current sale catalogues are avail-able from our website.An archive of past sales (from Sale 786, April 1997) and pricesrealized (from Sale 742, May 1992) is constantly maintained toallow users to search for items and information from past sales.Power SearchTM and My SiegelTM allow you to create and savehighly specialized data searches, and to receive e-mail notifica-tions of related items in future sales.

The Siegel Encyclopedia and Rarities Census

This feature of our website contains a wealth of informationgleaned from decades of philatelic research by the dedicat-ed philatelists at Siegel.The up-to-date census data for 19th and 20th century U.S.rarities are a valuable resource for buyers, sellers andresearchers. Every recorded example of more than 30 different rare stamps is described and, in most cases, photographed.

Informative Video Presentations

Downloadable video documentaries tell the stories of stamps and covers, such as the famous Inverted“Jenny.” This is the ideal way to introduce philatelyto others.

Resourcessiegelauctions.com

2009&SalesEvents


Siegel’s 2008 Sales WillPass $40 Million Mark

With two more auctions still to be held in December, thesale total for 2008 has reached $36,777,730 (includ-

ing 15% premium), already a record for the Siegel firm.The fifteen sales held through December 3, offering 9,864lots, are listed here (adjusted for returns and after-sales).The last two auctions of the year should put the total 2008sales above the $40 million mark.

Announcing the results, Scott R. Trepel stated, “In a yearof economic recession, it is remarkable that the Siegel firm’ssales achieved a record gross total and that so many greatresults were obtained for our consignors. Clearly the stampmarket represents an asset class that continues to attractbuyers and money. The results also reflect our success inattracting new collectors through marketing—for example,our full-page color ad in The New York Times.”

The Siegel firm’s president reiterated his pledge to“strengthen our position through service, marketing andinnovation, and to resist the temptation to raise the buyer’spremium to the levels charged by other firms, which webelieve will ultimately hurt collectors and the market. We’reholding the line at 15%.”

New Civil War Book

The Confederate Stamp Alliance has published a new andwell-illustrated book on Civil War postal history, Special

Mail Routes of the American Civil War: A Guide to Across-the-Lines Postal History, by Steven C. Walske and Scott R. Trepel.

The 282-page hard-cover book is illustratedin color and presents alarge amount of newinformation about theCivil War special mailroutes in ten chaptersand seven appendices,including a census ofknown covers.

To order, send a $65check to the ConfederateStamp Alliance, TonyCrumbley, POB 681447,Charlotte, NC 28216.

The Siegel Despatch Copyright ©2009 by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries,Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright Note: We encourage others to use and/ordisseminate the information and illustrations in this newsletter, but only in anews-related or editorial context with credit given to Siegel Auction Galleries.Any other use violates our copyright protection. If any date, figure or factcontained herein is inaccurate or changed after publication, we regret theerror, but disclaim any liability for its consequences.

AUCTION GALLERIES, INC.

siegelauctions.com

January

The Alan B. Whitman Collection of

Outstanding U.S. Stamps—Part One: 1847-69 Issues

February

The “Whitpain” Collection of U.S. Possessions

March

The David L. Jarrett Collection of Propaganda Covers

The MLG Collection of U.S. Plate Blocks

United States Stamps

Last day for consignments—Feb. 1

May

The Alan B. Whitman Collection of

Outstanding U.S. Stamps—Part Two: 1870-1901 Issues

2009 Rarities of the World

Last day for consignments—Apr. 10

60 East 56th Street, 4th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10022Phone (212) 753-6421 • Fax (212) 753-6429

E-mail: [email protected]

Sale Date Lots Hammer951 Tahoe Used U.S. Stamps 2/27 148 1,174,490952 Barry Schwartz Columbians 2/28 180 898,465953 United States Stamps 3/25 2,146 2,960,040954 U.S. and C.S.A. Postal History 4/10 426 630,020955 Summit Encased Postage 4/11 192 279,190956 Jay Hoffman U.S. Stamps 5/8 763 4,610,150957 Islander South America 6/5 300 6,468,375958 2008 Rarities of the World 6/7 343 3,699,950959 United States Stamps 6/23 1,727 1,526,895960 General Foreign 6/26 374 511,685961 Dauer Used U.S. Stamps 9/23 144 1,341,085962 United States Stamps 9/24 1,331 1,818,540963 Perry Hansen U.S. 10/28 1,106 4,874,140964 W. Wilson Hulme II Collection 12/2 399 738,065965 Alan Geisler Carriers and Locals 12/3 285 449,545

31,980,635Total Lots and Sales (w/premium) 9,864 $36,777,730

AUCTION GALLERIES, INC.

siegelauctions.com

Documents

News and Articles from America’s Premier Stamp Auctioneer … · 2008. 12. 10. · A small selection of highlights from the Whitman collection is presented in these pages. Anyone