1906 Pictorial set, handpainted artists essays, most in the ...

Hammer

£2,600

1906 Pictorial set, handpainted artists essays, most in the designs adopted for the issued set, the stamp size essays all comprising finely painted frames with an applied central vignette which is also partly or wholly overpainted, most designs with unadopted values or colours, five worded "Inland Postage" with "Inland" subsequently crossed through, all sunk mounted into thick card, 117x82mm (or 82x117mm), seven with manuscript endorsements mostly concerning changes to the value, wording or colour. The twelve essays comprise 1c Mercury design endorsed "2 cents, Red Border, black head, 'Inland' to be left out, it will read Liberia Postage"; 15c Egret design endorsed "20 cents, 'Inland' to come out & to read Liberia Postage"; 15c Agama design (as adopted, but in purple); 20c Great Blue Touraco design endorsed "10 cents Inland Postage to come out to read Liberia Postage"; 25c Liberian flag design endorsed "This is to be for 50 cents (not 25)"; 25c Chimpanzee design endorsed "5 cents, Border Blue, black inside, 'Inland' to be left out, it will read, Liberia Postage"; 30c African Elephant design endorsed "1 Cent, Border Green with black 'Inland' to be left out, it will read Liberia Postage"; 75c Pygmy Hippopotamus design (as adopted, but in brown); 75c Liberian village design with frame painted as a book (later adopted for the 1909 issue); $1 Liberty with Star on Cap design (as adopted, but in rose); $2 Mandingos design (as adopted, but in green); $5 Mansion and President design, endorsed "Executive Mansion" (as adopted, but in red brown). A superb and unique group, from the Perkins Bacon archives. (12). Photo on Page 184.