Siegel Dec. 10-12 auctions offer worldwide, specialized SCADTA

By Michael Baadke

The Dec. 10-12 public auction from Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries features worldwide stamps and postal history, with a specialized sale of the Santiago Cruz large gold medal collection of 1920-23 Colombia SCADTA air post issues.

The three-day auction, held in association with Charles F. Shreve, will take place at the Siegel galleries in New York City.

The auction catalogs can be viewed on the Siegel website.

The worldwide auction opens with a 1597 postal correspondence in the form of a folded letter mailed domestically from Norwich, England, to London.

The substantial selection of classic Britain includes numerous essays and proofs of the early line-engraved issues. One of these is the lovely 1871 2-penny Ormand Hill proof, die II retouched, printed in black on thin wove paper on card.

The nephew of Sir Rowland Hill, Ormand Hill was involved in the production of the world’s first postage stamps.

The proof is embossed “NEW DIE” and “1” along the top and offered with an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

Among the British Commonwealth issues in this auction is a significant rarity: one of the seven unused examples of the British Guiana 1856 4¢ black on magenta (Scott 14) in private hands. The stamp is initialed by post office clerk Edmond Dalzell Wight with his “E.D.W.”

The stamp, of course, is a close relative of the famous 1856 1¢ black on magenta (Scott 13) that sold for a record-breaking $9.48 million in 2014.

The 2020 Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 lists a value of $100,000 for the 4¢ stamp, with that figure in italics to indicate a stamp that can be difficult to value accurately.

The stamp is neatly cut to a rectangular shape. Siegel describes the stamp as having large margins and strong paper color, with a vertical crease that slightly cracked the paper but has been strengthened.

The rarity was formerly included in the collections of Alfred H. Caspary and Josiah K. Lilly Jr.

The Cruz SCADTA collection comprises 180 lots with proofs and essays, issued stamps, flight covers and more.

Additional information can be found on the Siegel website or by contacting Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, 6 W. 48th St., 9th Floor, New York, NY 10036.

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