Rare U.S. 1933 50¢ Zeppelin airmail small die proof in July 22-24 Kelleher Flagship auction

By Charles Snee

Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions will present its Flagship sale of United States, British and worldwide stamps and postal history July 22-24 at its gallery in Danbury, Conn. Each day of this Flagship auction will commence at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

The sale, which contains more than 1,600 lots, opens with enticing selections of stamps from Great Britain, Australia, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, India, Ireland, Jordan, Leeward Islands, Mauritius, Nevis, New Zealand and Straits Settlements.

According to Kelleher, the U.S. offerings are “particularly strong this time, with a Waterbury ‘Running Chicken’ postmark on piece, various Proofs of Columbians, Pan-Ams, Louisiana Purchase, Parcel Posts (including unissued Second Issue), along with rare Small Die Proofs of [Scott] #C13-C15 and C18; along with Pan-American inverted 1¢ (two singles and a block of four) and 4¢ values, a 4¢ Columbian error of color, rare early Special Delivery plate blocks, solid Revenues including several issues complete, and much, much more besides.”

Among the tempting U.S. back-of-the-book items from the early 20th century that will cross the auction block is a rare small die proof on white wove paper of the 1933 50¢ Zeppelin airmail stamp (Scott C18P2).

The 50¢ Zeppelin, long a favorite of airmail collectors, is affectionately called the Baby Zeppelin, in deference to the 1930 65¢, $1.30 and $2.60 Graf Zeppelin airmail stamps (C13-C14).

Kelleher describes the 50¢ Zeppelin small die proof as being “pristine and sound,” with “wide, balanced margins all around.”

The accompanying lot description for the proof provides a quick summary of U.S. proofs from the 19th and early 20th centuries:

“While much is known about 19th and early 20th century Proofs, there is scant information on items from the 1914-15 Panama-Pacific issues onward, the best article [is] Ronald A. Burns’ history of Small Die Proof production from the 1903 Roosevelt Albums through the 1950s (United States Specialist, Sept. 1994, pp. 410-417). During the 1930s, only a limited number of issues received Proof printings. Clarence Brazer, in the Essay Proof Journal, notes that one of these 1930s printings consisted of three sets of die proofs through the 1933 Century of Progress Issues. One set was untrimmed with proof printer’s numbers (the so-called ‘Southgate’ Large Die Proof set); the other two — as here — were cut closer to the design and are considered Small Die Proofs. One set of four albums was given to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, another gifted to ‘a friend’; one of the two reduced sets was given to The Philatelic Foundation around 1957 and later deaccessioned.”

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Essays and Proofs values Scott C18P2 at $45,000. The value is italicized to indicate an item that is difficult to value because it trades infrequently in the philatelic marketplace.

Kelleher lists this marvelous small die proof on white wove paper of the 1933 50¢ Zeppelin airmail stamp with an opening bid of $15,000 and an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000.

Kelleher has produced a single catalog for the two-day Flagship auction that is available for viewing and download on the firm’s website, with online bidding options available on Stamp Auction Network.

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