383rd Auction

1878: Indian Woman, ½ r. yellow-green, used on a reduced commercial cover, from Guatemala to Las Mercedes, dated 2 April 1881, tied by "6" numeral in blue, with datestamp alongside, reduced at left, some soiling, however a rare cover. 
 

1878: Indian Woman, 2 r. carmine-rose, used on cover front, from Guatemala to Alameda, USA, dated 30 June 1880, cancelled by five point star in black, with octagonal Guatemala datestamp alongside in violet, the "10/cents" handstruck applied on arrival, irregular right side where it has been torn, corner bend bottom right of stamp and perf. detached and tone spots, however a scarce example on cover

1879: Quetzal, ¼ r. brown and green, fresh vivid shade, used on cover front, from Quetzaltenango to Paris, 18 January 1880, tied by blue "62" numeral, with "Correos De Quezaltenango" circular datestamp in blue alongside, also a French Packet mail cancel dated 29 February 1880 also in blue, a tax mark "T" in triangle, with various manuscript charge marks; this stamp was only ever intended for local use and postcards, the passage to France would be postage due; some stains, small tear and creasing to side; a very rare and unqiue usage
 
 

1879: Quetzal, 1 r. black and green, block of fifteen and block of ten rejoined, making a spectacular block of twenty five, unused, no gum, fresh colour, nicely centered for issue, some perfs. trimmed top left, gum stain to front of stamp 14, hinges to reinforce where separated, a very eye catching major multiple of this issue and the second largest, rare.

Provenance: Max Platinga Collection

                   Brian Moorhouse Collection (Corinphila, November 2020) 
 
 

1879: Quetzal 1 r. black & green, a diagonally bisected example used as a ½ r., tied to large part 1880 cover front from Chiquimula to Guatemala City via Mazatenango tied by "19" numeral handstamp in red with corresponding "Correos / Chiquimula" datestamp alongside (Dec 3) in same colour. This cover front is mentioned in 'Guatemala 1' by Roland Goodman on page 93. The sole recorded, and entirely unique, usage.

Provenance: Collection Walter Lind
                   Collection Norman Hubbard
                   Collection Mark Spycher
                   Collection Max Platinga
 

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, used on cover locally, tied by black cancel, dated 29 June 1892, the latest recorded use, with fine octagonal "Postalocal / Guatemala" in violet alongside. An explanation in manuscript on the reverse explains it was found in the PO Box after 7 years. A fascinating example, some stains and tears, presumably from it's time in the post box, rare, most probably unique. 

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, two singles, used on cover, from Guatemala City to Sao Paulo, Brazil, cancelled by segmented cork cancel in black, sent from a stamp dealer "Chauncey Hill" with sender's cachet to top left, on reverse Sao Paulo arrival dated 21 October 1886, some slight climatic discolouration, however a very rare cover to a South American destination and double franking

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, used on advertising envelope for New York Life Insurance, dated 18 June, tied by violet oval cancel of Guatemala City, with violet business cachet to backflap "J.J. NAAR / Agent General / New York Life Ins. Co. / Department America Central / Guatemala", with printed advert regarding the robustness of the 'Safe Deposit Vaults' in 'New York', vertical crease not affecting the stamp which is over hanging the top of the envelope slightly, interesting and scarce. 

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, used on cover, posted locally in Guatemala City, dated 6 August 1883, the stamp exhibiting a variety, showing a black line running from the last "N" of "UNION" through to the "N" of "CENTAVO", interesting and fine example. 

1881: Quetzal, 1 c. black and green, used on cover, tied to a printed matter envelope by a dumb cancel in black, sent by missionary and stamp dealer "C. B. Hill", with violet business cachet alongside and "Impresos" handstamp in the same indicating the printed matter, some apparent faults, but a scarce example

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, horizontal strip of five, used on cover, folded over with two fixed front and three to the back, from Guatemala City to Retalhuleu, dated 29 January, canceled by five point Star and dumb cancel in black, with "Correos Guatemala" datestamp alongside, slight soiling, otherwise fine, an unusual and scarce usage

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, used on printed letterhead cover, from Guatemala City to Cobán, dated February 1885, tied by dumb cancel in black, horizontal fling crease through lower portion of stamp, which does not detract, scarce example to a highland city over 200 kms. north of Guatemala City

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, strip of four, used on cover, from Tecpán to Antigua, dated 2 March 1883, tied by violet circular cancels, with "Correos Tecpam" datestamp alongside, also in violet, the single appears to have been added at a later date, nevertheless a rare multiple on a scarcer destination

Provenance : Clarence W. Hennan (Robson Lowe 1975)
 
 

1881: Quetzal 1 c. black and green, used on cover, posted locally in Guatemala City, tied by oval Guatemala datestamp "Nov 23..." the year unclear, very fresh colour, vertical filing crease well clear of adhesive, small part of back missing from opening

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used example, cancelled by the rarest of all cancellations of Guatemala, on this or any other issue, with readable strike of circular "AGENCIA POSTAL DE GUATEMALA / PANAMÁ" dated 31 October 1883, has tiny closed tear at top, extremely rare, recorded on just two stamps of Guatemala and two Nicaraguan items
 
 

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on mourning cover to Antigua, tied by "Diligencias/De/Vazquez-Ubico" company oval handstamp in black, being the Vazquez-Ubico Stagecoach service, backflap missing, some edge tears to the border, extremely rare cover with only two recorded, this being the better example.rnRemark: The Diligencias operated routes between towns in Guatemala as early as 1851. They carried mail as a Private Carrier and later under contract with the Post Office. In 1881 the Post Office decreed that the Diligencias Co. could no longer operate outside of the Post Office and that all mail would have postage applied, which were available at a 3 percent commission. Goodman suggests this must have continued for a very short period and only the 5 c. Quetzal is known with Diligencias cancels.

Provenance: Jose Castillejo (Spink, New York, 8 June 2016, lot 1113)

                  Cherrystone (New York, 12-13 June 2018, lot 533)
 
 

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, pair used on cover, from San Felipe to Perleberg, Germany, dated 5 August 1885, cancelled by a three ring violet "Correos San Felipe" duplex, on reverse "Coreos Guatemala" dated 9 August and arrival 15 September 1885, some toning, small tear top left, although remains a fine example, a scarce usage

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on mourning cover, Quetzaltenango to Guatemala City, dated 17 January 1882, tied by a large "6" numeral in oval in blue, with "Correos Quetzaltenango" datestamp alongside in the same colour, slightly soiled with the usual scuffs in the border, rare usage, one of only two known Quetzal covers canceled with large "6" numeral, also the earliest known use of the 5 c. value

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Livingston to Cobàn, dated 19 April 1884, tied by eight point star cancel in blue, with "Correos Livingston" datestamp alongside in the same colour, sender's cachet to reverse, two tape marks front, horizontal filing crease through the stamp, still a nice example, scarce origin

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, two singles used on cover, from Guatemala to Hanover, Germany, dated 13 September 1882, tied by red three ring cancel with corresponding datestamp alongside, to reverse a red London transit dated 12 October 1882 and faint arrival date unclear, minor perf imperfections across top due to placement, few wrinkles otherwise very fine, a rare exampel

Provenance: Dr. Alfred Guggisberg (Corinphila, 23 May 2003)
 
 

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, two singles used on cover, from Zacapa to London, dated 7 October 1882, tied by both the three ring circular and the town datestamp  both in violet, on reverse a "Correos Guatemala" datstamp in red 9 October 1882 and partial London arrival, wrinkles and minor creasing, fine example, scarce origin

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Jalapa to Guatemala City, dated 5 June 1885, cancelled by a very fine three ring cancel in blue, with "Correos Jalapa" datestamp alongside in blue, a fine uncreased envelope, scarce origins with crisp cancel and datestamp.  

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Retalhule to Guatemala City, dated 21 December 1882, cancelled by a three ring cancel in red, with "Correos Retalhule" datestamp alongside, soiled, horizontal filing crease not affecting stamp, perf. faults top, neat envelope, scarce example.

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Escuintla to Guatemala, dated 5 August 1885, cancelled by a faint three ring purple cancel, with "Correos Escuintla" datestamp alongside, a tidy example and rare this fine

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Antigua to Guatemala, dated 18 June 1886, tied by a very fine four ring cancel in purple, with "Correos Antigua" datestamp alongside in corresponding purple also tying the stamp, very attractive example, although there is a small hole in the stamp top right and two others on the front of cover, uncommon example.

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Chiantla to Guatemala City, dated 8 June 1885, cancelled by segmented cork cancel in black, with "Correos Chiantla" datestamp in blue alongside, framed "Franco" in blue corresponding with the datestamp of Chiantla, together with sender cachet in violet, diagonal creases and some wrinkling, scarce cover.

1881: Quetzal, 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Chiquimula to Guatemala, dated 10 July 1885, tied by blue three ring cancel, with corresponding "Correos Chiquimula", very slightly reduced at left, very minor soiling, attractive and rare

Provenance: Miguel Ricoy (Zurich, November 1986)

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, two singles used on cover, from Zacapa to London, dated 16 September 1884, tied by blue three ring datestamp with unusually misshaped "Correos Zacapa", endorsed "via New Orleans" with corresponding received mark in black to reverse dated 29 September 1884, together with Livingston transit in blue dated 23 September and London arrival in red 13 October, a little soiling, minor perf. flaws at top of one stamp but scarce

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Guatemala City to San Salvador, dated 22 February 1882, tied by blue cork cancel, "Correos Guatemala" in pink alongside, on reverse arrival dated 27 February 1882, vertical filing crease centrally not affecting stamp, rare domestic 5 c. postage to San Salvador.

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, horizontal pair used on cover, from Guatemala to Birmingham, England, dated 12 November 1888, tied by dumb cancel in violet, with "Correos Guatemala" datestamp alongside also in violet, sent by the missionary and stamp dealer "C.B.Hill" with his business cachet to front, on reverse a black arrival dated 14 December 1883, tiny tears to two edges, diagonal crease not affecting stamps and hardly noticeable, fine clean example which would have gone via Panama, scarce

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, horizontal pair used on mourning cover, from Guatemala to Colchester, England, dated 12 September, cancelled by dumb cancel in black, with "Correos Guatemala" datestamp alongside, endorsed "via Panama", arrival on reverse date not distinguishable, apparent faults around the edges, tear top and corner and small pin hole to cover, nevertheless attractive and rare multiple to England

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, two singles used on cover, from San Jose to Sachsen, Germany, dated 18 November 1884, very faint violet cancel to sides, with "Correos San Jose2 datestamp in violet alongside, sender cachet "Heinrich Sittig" also in violet top right, on reverse a "New York - Panama Transit" dated 3 December in black, and an indistinguishable datestamp 17 December 1884, care worn and tears around edges, a small pin hole top right, stained and soiled, although not unusual for this type of mail, scarce origin on Panama route.

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Guatemala City to Antigua, cancelled by a fine point Star handstamp in black, with "Correos Guatemala" datestamp alongside, minor soiling and two pin holes through envelope, of little consequence, fine and scarce example of the 5 c. domestica rate to Antigua

1881: Quetzal, 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Guatemala City to Antigua, dated 21 April, tied by blue dumb cancel, with smudged datestamp alongside in pink, sender's business cachet in blue; has tape to right side, faults, the stamp has bottom right corner torn, tricky to find covers at the domestic rate into Antigua.

Provenance: H. Toaspern, 1937
 

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, used on cover, from Guatemala to Retalhuleu, dated 15 May 1883, tied by segmented cork cancel in  black, with smudged "Correos De Guatemala" alongside, addressed to a noteable businessman 'Juan José Alesjos' who owned one of the largest cattle ranches Caballo Blanco on Guatemala's Pacific coast, backflap is missing and damaged top top left, vertical filing crease centrally, nevertheless an attractive cover

1881: Quetzal 5 c. red and green, vertical pair, used with, 10 c. gray-violet and green, on cover, from Livingston to Forest, USA, dated 20 April 1885, tied by dumb cancels in purple, with Livingston duplex to back alongside a New Orleans transit dated 25 April 1885, cover reduced slightly to left, a rare combination, fine cover