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Auction: 160 - The Henry "Hap" Pattiz Collection of Nepal
Lot: 2026

Hellrigl #3, 1881 4a Yellow green, pin-perforated on European wove paper, complete sheet of 64, setting 1, a most impressive sheet of the key high value of the first issue of Nepal, possessing complete untrimmed selvages measuring 252x318mm, excellent deep color and impression showing all ten of the constant plate flaws, original brush applied white gum over the stamp portion of the sheet unlike the analogous 1a value where the sheet was printed on pre-gummed paper, hinged in the side selvages only, stamps are all never hinged, though there are gum skips from the uneven hand gumming, folded once vertically and four times horizontally , two of which affect the sixth and eighth horiz. rows though not very apparent from the front, there are other paper wrinkles that are mostly in the large selvages, the sheet remains intact as a whole though there are perf. separations present, mostly along the fold of the middle horiz. perforations, all of this remains quite insignificant to this unique sheet and has out standing appearance as a stunning exhibition piece of the greatest importance.

Setting One of the Four Anna value is similar to setting 2 of the 1a value with wide spaced inscriptions on all four sides and lacking all of the fancy ornaments that are found in setting 1 of both the 1a and 2a values. Since both the 1a and 2a values have fancy ornament marginal markings it has been speculated that the 4a should have been issued in that format as well. However there is absolutely no evidence that this was the case and this must be considered the first setting of this high value. In fact there is only very limited evidence that there was a second setting of this value differing only in the alignment and spacing of the inscriptions. This second setting is established by only two imperforate marginal singles of setting 2 as this one pin-perforated sheet is the only complete sheet of the Four Anna known printed on European wove paper, either perforated or imperforate. This fact has lead Hellrigl to comment in his handbook t hat this unique sheet "ranks amongst the greatest rarities of Nepal". The sheet offered here is certainly one of the most important items available for an award winning collection of Nepal; (Scott #4;$32,000+; S.G. #1; £35,200+; these catalog values represent 64 normal singles).

Sold for
$16,000