Siegel Auctions to sell collection of Classic United States Stamps

In September the first of a series of auctions will offer exceptional rarities from a philatelist's estate

Siegel Auctions is set to auction a famous collection, that of Jerome S Wagshal, which he put together over five decades. Here's a first glance towards the sale.

Concentrating on classic US stamps, he assembled a broad range of plate and production varieties and was particularly interested in the many forms of the 1¢ 1851-57. Taking on the work of Chase, Ashbrook and Neinken, Wagshal acquired Neinken's 1c collection following the older philatelist's death.

Wagshal commented of the 1851-56 Imperforate "The learned interest in the issue, and its unique charm, is not in spite of, but because of, the incompetence of its manufacture, which made its study into a puzzle and thus an intellectual challenge."

On offer in a September auction are a series of exceptionally fine and rare examples of 1851-56 1c study starting with an original 1¢ 1851 Original Large Die Proof.

We will bring you much more detail on the first and second auctions soon - these two will take place in New York in September, whilst two more will take place in October and then early 2011. That is the minimum the vast and splendid collection will require.