2017-07-03 Mon

H.R. Harmer’s firm held a sale in Costa Mesa where the main attraction was several lots made up of “Farley’s Follies,” the imperforate, ungummed sheets of commemorative stamps. They were made in 1934 as exclusive souvenirs for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and other senior officials by the postmaster at the time, James A. Farley.

The sheets soon gathered the attention of the collectors and the USPOD had no choice but to oblige and make the sheets open to the general public in a series of special printings.

Although the special printings of 1935 are common, the original follies are recognisable by handwriting and dated inscriptions in the sheet margins.

The complete set of 15 uncut sheets included souvenir sheets and one airmail special delivery stamp. They were each inscribed in the margin with a dedication by Farley to Third Assistant Postmaster General Clinton B. Eilenberger.

The set was sold for $59,000, including the 18 percent buyer’s premium H.R. Harmer adds to all lots.

At the sale, a set of the National Park series was also included in marginal blocks of eight or 12, three of which are signed by the then Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes.

Ickes requested the two sets of imperforate sheets to have gummed as he wanted to distribute the stamps to friends as gifts.

An amazing essay was also part of the sale among the postal stationery that was never issued.

Bearing a non-denominated indicium very similar to the 10¢, the design is horizontal rather than vertical, and the streamlined train is red, white, and blue rather than red and pink.

Another lot featured a postal card, this time an issued one but with a surcharge.

The 19¢ Flag card of 1991 (Scott UX153) reportedly received a locally applied imprint reading “Additional 1 Cent Postage Paid/Columbus OH 43229” on a run of about 5,000 cards.