Newfoundland C3e

1921 (November 7) Thirty-five cent Halifax Airmail, an extraordinary mint example with INVERTED OVERPRINT, showing the very rare wide spacing (2¾mm) between “AIR” and “MAIL” and “1” of 1921 below “f” of Halifax, characteristic of Position 4 in the (upright) setting of twenty-five; overprint very well centered with clear impression, stamp is superbly centered with fresh colour and large part original gum; pencil signed by expert H. Bloch on reverse, Very Fine, Original Gum GEM (Unitrade C3e; catalogue value $25,000; SG 148e £27,000)

Dalwick and Harmer reported four panes received the inverted overprint in error. The example offered here is allocated to the first pane – the best centering of the overprint being well centered vertically and horizontally.

Expertization: 1979 Friedl certificate signed Herbert Bloch and 1997 BPA certificate.

Provenance: Dr. Matejka Collection Part One, Harmers of New York, October 1979, Lot 29
Henry S. Schneider, Siegel, October 1996, Lot 349
Sir Gawaine Baillie, Sotheby’s, Volume VII, May 2006, Lot 621
“St. Aylott” Collection of Newfoundland, Eastern Auctions Ltd. August 2010, Lot 438

A CHOICE MINT EXAMPLE OF THIS EXCEEDINGLY RARE INVERTED OVERPRINT, WHICH OCCURRED ONLY ONCE PER PANE. ONE OF ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES THAT CAN EXIST, AND WE BELIEVE, THE FINEST KNOWN. A GREAT STAMP WORTHY OF A WORLD-CLASS NEWFOUNDLAND OR AIRMAIL COLLECTION.