Lot 315 (C) New Brunswick #1 3d Red Crown & Heraldic Flowers, 1851-1860 Pence Issue, A VG Used Single Faint Red "Paid" Cancel, Was Lightned & Cleaned & Regummed To Appear Mint, 4 Margins, But Skillfully Repaired At Lower Right

A VG used single of the 3d red Crown & Heraldic Flowers from the 1851-1860 Pence Issue faint red "paid" cancel, was lightned & cleaned & regummed to appear mint, 4 margins, but skillfully repaired at lower right. A VG used example of this stamp, which has four clear, but close margins. There is a red "Paid" cancel across the design, which has been lightened in order to make the stamp appear mint. If you look under a magifying glass, you can see a repaired tear that extends all the way along the word "Pence" and the lower right numeral. There is gum on the back, and the paper feels just a little stiffer than normal. So, what I think has happened here is that the lower right corner was likely missing, and the repairer rebacked it, painted in, very skillfully, the remainder of the design below the tear, lightened the cancel and then regummed the stamp. This is a masterclass in how skilled those who repair stamps can be. This was likely done in the early part of last century, probably in Germany if I had to guess. So, we have treated it as a VG used example.

Unitrade values this at $350, for fine used. Our estimate of the value for the condition offered is $175. The stamp offered here grades 70 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 51/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations:

Cancellation: 10/10

Adjustment for mentioned faults: -20 points. The pence issues are notorious for condition problems. First of all the paper used was very soft and fragile: it tears very easily, creases easily and thins very, very easily. As a result, very few stamps have survived without at least one of these three faults. Many have been repaired or rebacked to conceal these faults. The genuine paper should have a somewhat rough surface under magnification, and will often show very fine mesh. If it is smooth, lacks any bluish undertone and shows no mesh at all, even when held to backlight, it very likely has been rebacked. The second major condition issue with these is small to no margins. This is because the printing plates for these were laid down by hand, by just 2 or three individuals. Spacing between the impressions was often no more than 1 mm, to even less, and occasionally slightly more, so that margins are rarely more than 1/2 mm wide. So, quite often a stamp will appear to have fewer than 4 margins, even when it does. Full margins on all sides is XF to superb. VF stamps will have 4 margins of 1/2 mm width.

This is a consignment lot. Accordingly, a 15% buyer's premium will be added to the hammer price.