News and Articles from America’s Premier Stamp Auctioneer Issue No. 53 The Siegel DespatchSpring 2016 The William H. Gross Collection of HAWAII Offered in association with Charles F. Shreve and Tracy L. Carey and featured during World Stamp Show–NY 2016 Commentary Scott R. Trepel TheMISSIONARIES he climactic scene in the 1963 movie Charade, starring Cary Grant and Audrey THepburn, takes place in the office of Monsieur Felix, the quintessential Parisian dealer in timbres-poste. (Spoiler alert). Audrey Hepburn’s character rushes to the shop to find the dealer after she has learned that a few stamps she gave to a young boy are really valuable philatelic rarities, which were bought and stuck on an envelope by her husband before he was murdered (the stamps were used to hide the stolen money, of course). When the beautiful Ms. Hepburn arrives with the boy and his mother, the dealer is gazing longingly at the stamps. Monsieur Felix reverently describes the three world- famous philatelic rarities. There is a Swedish 1854 four-skilling Red (stepping in for the three-skilling Yellow error), a Moldavian Bull’s Head 82-parale on blue paper (“the Gazette Moldave...the most valuable stamp in the world”), and, of course, the “Hawaiian Blue” three-cent Missionary stamp. Monsieur Felix tells the two women and young boy the story of how, in 1894, the owner of the Hawaiian Blue was murdered by a rival stamp collector, who wanted the stamp for his collection. The dealer returns the stamps to Ms. Hepburn, and she pays him ten francs for the packet, apologiz- ing for reclaiming the rarities he so obviously cher- ishes. He says her apology is not necessary, explain- ing, “for a few minutes they were mine. That is enough.” Brother, do I know the feeling. As I write these words, I have before me ten Hawaiian Missionaries, the stars of the Bill Gross collection of Hawaii that Charles Shreve and Tracy Carey, his long-time philatelic agents, will offer at auction on May 29th during World Stamp Show, in association with the Siegel firm. Mr. Gross is keeping his unused 2¢ Missionary, which was once part of the Count Ferrary collection and is actually the subject of the story about the collector’s murder. Like Charade, that story is probably just good fiction, but the stamp is magnificent. I sold it back in 1995 when the Siegel firm offered the entire Honolulu Advertiser collection in one of philately’s history-making events. I completely understand why Mr. Gross would choose to make it his one-stamp Hawaiian collection. Which brings me back to Monsieur Felix and his minutes possessing the three great mythical rarities of Charade. They say collectors are merely custodians of the stamps they own. Well, if collectors are the custodians, auctioneers are the moving men (and women). From the truck, across the sidewalk, up the stairs and into the living room... that is the extent of an auctioneer’s temporary possession of rare stamps. Fleeting as temporary handling might be, the feeling of awe is nonetheless deep and lasting, just as Monsieur Felix described. These things we covet are, of course, just things, but they are wonderful things. And, in the case of the Gross Hawaii sale, they will generate money that will go to wonderful causes: the Hawaii Foodbank and the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Bill and Sue Gross have sold stamps for $25 million and donated the proceeds to humanitarian and cultural institutions doing important work. As Monsieur Felix might say, nous sommes reconnaissants à M. et Mme Gross pour leur extrême générosité. 2 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) the William H.Gross collection The William H. Gross collection of Hawaii, featuring ten Missionaries, will be offered by Charles F. Shreve and Tracy L. Carey, in association with Siegel Auction Galleries, on May 29, during World Stamp Show–NY, at the Javits Convention Center. Adm. William Reynolds The James L. Reynolds Cover Addressed by Admiral William Reynolds The Rogers Cover THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 3 the William H.Gross collection The Eliza Johnson Cover The Elizabeth Turrill Cover The Eleanor Reynolds Cover Addressed by Admiral William Reynolds The Van Ingen Cover Earliest recorded cover with an intact Missionary stamp 4 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) Mixed franking with all stamps tied in fully visible positions To Persia in 1857 The female seminary at Oroomiah The quintuple-rate mixed franking with Hawaii 1857 5¢ Provisional Surcharge THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 5 the William H.Gross collection Numeral Issue Rarities 6 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) Royal Portrait and Provisional Government Issues The Gross Hawaii collection will be available for viewing at Siegel’s Superbooth 1229 on Saturday, May 28, 10:30am-6pm, and Sunday, May 29, 10am-12 noon The Anderegg-Gross Swiss Collection Sold Privately for $4.5 million In 1999 Bill Gross acquired the legendary collection of Switzerland formed by Gerold E. Anderegg, including the magnificent block of the Double Geneva pictured here. Mr. Gross intended to sell the collection at auction during World Stamp Show–NY. While preparations for the auction were under- way, Mr. Gross’ philatelic agents were approached by the father-and-son Swiss stamp dealers, Gottfried and Markus Honegger of Honegger Philatelie AG, a highly- respected firm based in Schmerikon, who asked if a direct sale to one of their clients was possible. In a short time, the price was agreed, and the col- lection was sold for approximately $4,500,000. The proceeds have been donated to The PIMCO Foundation, The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, Kershaw’s Challenge, and The United Nations Sustainable Solutions Network. This transaction and donations bring the total amount given to charity by Mr. and Mrs. Gross from philatelic sales to Gottfried Honegger and Charles Shreve $25 million. THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 7 Siegel International presents another diverse offering of rare and unusual stamps and covers from around the world in a two-day sale on June 14-15 British Guiana, 1856, 4c Black on Magenta (14; SG 24) Batum, 1919, 35k on 4k Dull Red (12; SG P2) New South Wales, 1887-90, £1 Rose & Violet Official (O22; SG O38) Mauritius, 1848, 1p Orange, Early Impression (3a; SG 7) Straits Settlements, 1912-15, $500.00 Orange & Dull Violet, Specimen Overprint (174S; SG 215s) Great Britain, 1873, 6p Buff Plate 13 “Abnormal” (63; SG 145) Hungary, 1868, 1k Newspaper Tax New Britain, 1914, 2p on 10pf Carmine, Belgian Congo, 1895, 10c Invert (18a; COB 18B) Stamp (Scott PR2B) Inverted Surcharge (32f; SG 52h) 8 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) Finland, 1930, 10m Zeppelin Air Post, “1830” for “1930” Error Flown Cover (Scott C1a; Sieger 89D) Long Island, 1916, 1/2p on 20pa Turkish Fiscal on First Day Cover. One of two recorded covers (SG 1) From a group of rare and unusual India 4-annas covers From the Belgian Congo collection formed by Dr. Hawkins Valliant Maulding For the on-line Worldwide sale catalogue and to register for Live Internet Bidding, go to siegelauctions.com Lots will be on view at World Stamp Show–NY 2016 Superbooth 1229 THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 9 The Grant Inman Collection United States Officials, Newspapers & Periodicals and Revenue Stamps NEWSPAPERS & PERIODICALS OFFICIALS JUNE 21, 2016 FALL 2016 REVENUES PRIVATE DIE PROPRIETARY 2016-2017 2017 RANT INMAN’S NAME IS KNOWN ONLY to a handful of philatelic professionals, Gbut with the commencement of a series of auctions over the next two years, the Inman name will join others in the pantheon of collectors who have formed important collections of United States stamps. The collection is dedicated to four areas of United States philately and will be divided into seven auctions, starting with Newspapers & Periodicals Issues on June 21, 2016 (lots will be dis- played at World Stamp Show–NY). The Officials, Revenues and Private Die Proprietary stamps will be sold in auctions spread over the following eighteen months. When the sales are concluded, we are confident that the Inman collection will be viewed by future generations of stamp collectors as one of the most complete and highest quality collec- tions of these fascinating areas ever formed. 10 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) O56Sa PR49 PR50 O71S PR51 PR52 R133 R158B RO131d From set of Proprietary Inverts, including the unique 5¢ (RB3d, RB4c, RB5c) R146a THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 11 The Alan Collection of United States Stamps A special single-owner sale to be held in September 2016 11X5 Unused PSE 90 6 Used 14 Unused 19 Unused 27 OG 41 NGAI 1861 First Designs and Colors (55, 59, 61, 62) 72 Unused PSE 95 91 OG 12 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) 245 Dist. OG PSE 95J 485 OG 295a OG 296a Part OG 313 OG PSE 95 360 OG Highlights of The Alan Collection will be displayed at World Stamp Show–NY Superbooth 1229 482A 613 THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) • 13 THE CIVIL WAR AND CONFEDERATE STATES FEATURING THE “JEFFERSON” COLLECTION Sale on June 22 Lots on view at World Stamp Show Superbooth 1229 14 • THE SIEGEL DESPATCH • SPRING 2016 (NO. 53) Up in the Air with Jenny he sale of Jenny 95—the highest graded example of Tthe Inverted Jenny—and the display of the actual Curtiss Jenny biplane at World Stamp Show–NY from May 28 to June 4 has generated a lot of excitement. On May 12 a CNN camera crew went up to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Rhinebeck, N.Y., to film the plane in flight.