The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-18

eur WHICH are worm from one or Two QOl-
ars TO fifteen, and which are usually
Tor small fraction OF their real value.
Among the more recent notables of this
kIDd IN this city was one involving quite
number OF rare revenue stamps. supposed
to have come from the old records of the
Probate Court 1t is not known who was
the original lucky individual to rescue
them from the musty piles of documents.
the first public knowledge of their being
in existence coming through some of them
being offered to local dealer. The party
who had them ia his possession was ex-
ceedingly difiident of giving any details of
their history, but their character clearly
indicated where they had lain for many
years.
Included in the lot were about eight $50.
probate of will revenues. several $40 and
So probate of will, and quite number OF
other old and scarce revenues, all OF the
unperforated or earliest issues. An idea
of the aggregate value of this find can be
gained from the fact that the $40 stamps
mentioned are catalogued at S25 each, the
| $40 at So and the So at 81. The lot GER
| tainly had an aggregate value of not less
| than $500.
The most valuable single stamp find ever
| recorded stands to the credit OF Z. Is. Ster-
! ling of New Jersey. The history of this
| bit of good fortune might be fifty termed
| sensational. MI. Sterling is an autograph
!
States stamps. He attended an auction
sale of autographs and was quite heavy
| purchaser. Being greatly occupied with
| other matters at the time OF his purchase
| he did not inspect them closely until some
six months later. Many of the autographs
| were attached to letters, and many of the
latter were still in their original covers.
What was Mr.. Sterl,ng's surprise to find
! among them an eutir, New Haven en-
velOpe! No other specimen of this stamp
| in this condition was known to exist, so
that his envelope was unique In the strictly
technical sense of the word, and ranked
among the greatest philalelic rarities. IN
deed, it is claimed to be even more valu-
able than the celebrated first issue of
| Mauritius.
Immediately after its existence was
made known to the pbilatelic world, Mr..
Sterling received an offer of $1,000 for it,
| which he refused, placing its value al
$500. Not finding purchaser for it in
| this country. he placed it in the hands of
an Eastern dealer, who was about to make
a business trip to Europe. to dispose of it
there. But the high price placed on it
prevented its sale and it was brought
back TO this country, where it was sold.
according to report, a few months ago for
| something over $1,000. But few cut
square specimens Of this variety exist, and
reprints Of it from the original plate read
| lily bring S25 each.
coyery OF stamp rarities was made in Bos-
ton. collector passing along a certain
! street noticed number of children frol-
| licking about, each adorned with a pecu-
liar-loOking label On its forehead. On
| closer examination he discovered that
they were specimens of the Providence
Or. - local stamps. used before the United
States Government had begun to issue
| postage stamps. On inquiry he learned
| from one of the youngsters that an attOr-
ney, who had an Office near by, had play
fully stuck the stamps on the children's
| forehead. He lost no time in obtain In g
possession Of as many CT them as posi-
BILE from the little rOmpers, and then
| hurried to the Office Of the lawyer. He at
once made clear his business, inquiring if
| the disciple of Blackstone had any more
! Of the stamps and how many. After a
search quite a number of them were pro-
| duced. including some entire sheets, con
| sistlDg OF eleven of the Scent denOmina-
ton and one of the 10 cent, the former
catalogued at s. and the latter being
| worth between $50 and $50 each. He
made what to the lawyer was an extreme
| ly liberal offer for the lot, and this aroused
the suspicion and cupidity of the owner
| who promised an answer the next day
| after he had made a more thorough search
for more of the labels.
When the collector returned for his
| answer he found the holder had deter
mined TO hold his stamps until he could
| learn more of them and again put off the
| wOuld-be purchaser. He, however, in-
formed the latter how he happened to be
possessed OF them. and to the astonisbment
of the collector produced the original plate
OF the entire sheet. II appears that the
attorney was the nephew of the post
master OF Providence. who had issued the
stamps and that the plate and stamps had
fallen into his hands in the course of
settling some legal business connected with
/ Of of 70
1t had been reported on what appeared 10
! be uDimpeacha bic evidence that the Proyi-
| dence plate had been destroyed.
Finding thai the matter had now as
sumed shape in which he would be un-
/ able to handle it he telegraphed a promi-
nent New York dealer briefly regarding
+ the state of affairs, which resulted in the
dealer posting to the scene. A bargain
was eventually cOnsummated by which
| the plate and all the stamps, some 500 or
/ 500. passed into the possession of the
! dealer for $500. The stamps alone will
/ be disposed of for more than double the
/ price paid for the entire outfit and the
profits OF the purchaser are likely to be
| greatly augmented by the sale If reprints
from the plates, an industry that is now
largely engaged in TO the profit of dealers
and to the annoyance and disgust of the
| more advanced collectors.
! Not many months ago rich strike was
| made in New England town, where an
answered pair of Brattleboro stamps was
found in the garnet of a farmhouse.
Single specimens of this rarity are worth
$500 and the value of this pair is consid-
erably more than that of two separated
stamps. owing to the difficulty of securing
them in this condition.
While prolific field undoubtedly exists
IN this city FOR making valuable philaletc
| finds comparatively little has been done
with this object in view. The most prom
sing avenues for this kind of work lie
among the papers and correspondence of
the old established banks and mercantile
houses and the effects of the pioneer resi-
| dents.