My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

Sotheby’s New York held a single-item sale of the the British Guiana 1856 One-Cent, Black on Magenta stamp. Estimated to sell for $10,000,000 – $20,000,000, it went out the door at $9,013,000, including buyer’s premium, to an anonymous phone bidder. It set a new world record for any stamp, but had to be disappointing to Sotheby’s, selling below the low estimate.

The stamp was sold by the estate of the late John du Pont, a convicted murderer and heir to the du Pont chemical fortune. Mr. du Pont died in prison in 2010 at the age of 72 while serving a sentence for the shooting of David Schultz, a champion U.S. wrestler, in 1996. An avid philatelist, du Pont purchased the British Guiana 1856 One-Cent stamp at auction for $935,000 — a world record in 1980. Prior to that, the stamp sold for $280,000 at auction in 1970 (a world record) and prior to that, $40,000 in a private sale in 1940 (also a world record).

To access Sotheby’s directly for the results of the sale, click here.

It’s spring, so there are no shows, but we’re still very much in business. Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.