Lot 70873 – 1856 Provisional 4 cents black on magenta, Type 4, initials of postal clerk Wight “EDW”, unused

THE FINEST UNUSED 4 CENTS MAGENTA1856 Provisional 4 cents black on magenta, Type 4, initials of postal clerk Wight “EDW”, unused example with massive even margins, deep fresh colour and all details of design complete and clear; small surface thin which has been touched up and it is confined to the margin in lower right corner, being of little significance as it could be cut away clear of the design, resulting in a sound-condition example and still being a full margined stamp; (SG £100’000). A marvellous example which is the finest available of this stamp. Of the just eight unused stamps recorded in private hands, this is the only one having the area of the design in perfect condition. One of the great gems of British Guiana and worldwide philately.Note: Illustrated in colour in the two central pages of the renowned “Life” magazine of May 1954 dedicated to the “World’s Rarest Stamps”.Provenance: Philipp von Ferrary (Lot 191, Sale X, June 1924)Frederick T. Small (Lot 63, Robson Lowe, March 1979, “a remarkable unused example”)John E. du Pont (Lot 60081, David Feldman SA, June 2014) Expertise: Cert. BPA (2014)Census of unused examples in private hands:– Ex Ferrary, King Farouk and “Bartica”; creases, thinning and retouching– Ex Caspary and Lilly; vertical crack strengthened on back– Ex Burrus; (not being the rose-carmine as described in the Spink Sale 11.5.2010), faults caused by ink erosion of initials– Ex “Tatiana”; repaired large tear– Ex Gilbert; octagonal cut and horizontal & vertical creases– Currently in the Maisel collection; some creases in bottom right corner– Ex Luder-Edelmann Auctions (24 September 1928, “part of gum insign. thinning and original paperfold”)– Ex Du Pont, the example presented here, unique with the area of the stamp itself without faults