Lot 50128 – Uruguay – 1858-62 “Suns” Issues, the astonishing collection of 78 items

Uruguay – 1858-62 “Suns” Issues, the astonishing collection of 78 items comprising:

1858 “Block Type” Issue: 180c one glass cliché in light grey with note “trop faible” (too weak), 120c two clichés on celluloid in blue dated 12/46 with a gel component of 4% et considered as “bien” (good), and in vermilion with manuscript “agfa voile vio” for using a violet filter on Agfa celluloid (indeed the violet produced the vermilion) plus “pas tiré 1/48 cuit” (not ‘issued’ and ‘cooked’); 240c clichés on celluloid in vermilion and black (these colours being intentionally pursued by Sperati as they provided very good contrasts) with the black annotated “tiré 5/45” as ‘issued’ in that date; as well as hand signed unused finished reproduction of 180c.

1859 “Thin Figures” Issue: 60c in two negative glass clichés dated 10/49, five clichés on celluloid in the usually shades appreciated by Sperati vermilion, red and black, grey-black, in two indicated “Isopan” as the Agfa type of celluloid used, one with “fin matrice Hoff-Agfa” and “pas tiré” denoting that he was using a matrix created for a reproduction on order of the collector of Uruguay Roberto Hoffmann and two dated 10/49, plus 60c used finished reproduction signed; the 100c is represented by highly valuable master negative which was used as a foundation to create the clichés and four glass support clichés in yellow, black and grey and one being negative, dated 6/41 using an Agfa support, two clichés on celluloid in the issued colour carmine with one indicating in ms the usage of the violet filter and “5% x 1’20” ” for the 5% of a chemical component and the light exposure of 1 min 20 secs, and seven additional clichés on celluloid mainly in black, one denoting an exposure of 2 mins 30 secs under 18°C temperature, as well as nine essays on wove paper also including pairs, strips of three and four with impressions in black and rose/carmine; the highest denomination of this issue, the 240c, with negative glass master cliché indicating an undecipherable chemical treatment; also eight trial exposures on photographic paper of the 60c (4), 100c (4) and 180c, two more “burnt” 240c trial exposures on photographic paper with extensive instructions and comments on back by Sperati related to this “accident” (the only such examples which we have seen in this sale).

1862 “Thick Figures” Issue: 100c with remarkable master negative pencilled on back “d’après unoblitéré” confirming that he had to remove the postmark from the stamp used to produce this master which has been retouched in the area of the cancellation (a type of matrix rarely found in the Sperati archive), one negative glass cliché (cracked); 180c clichés on celluloid in vermilion and grey and designated “Hoff” as a project on order by Roberto Hoffmann.

Cancellations: 25 essays on wove paper with the majority featuring two strikes each, all with Sperati notes and including postmarks from Montevideo (three types), Mercedes, Rosario, Salto with the “scarab” and Paysandú, with also composite essay which interestingly adds part of an octagonal railway handstamp from Leipzig. In addition, this lots contains some glassine envelopes with the complete surname “Hoffmann” or abbreviated “Hoff”, the major collector of Uruguay at that time, Roberto Hoffmann, placed orders to Sperati for finished reproductions; these orders took place indeed after the notorious judicial process against Sperati which made him famous worldwide (see lot 50000).

The ultimate and unique collection of Sperati production artifacts of the charismatic “Sun” Issues from Uruguay and, as virtually all lots in this sale, unrepeatable. The Musée de la Poste in Paris accounts 12 clichés or matrices for Uruguay, including all issues.