Caterson, Brotz & Company
The Caterson & Brotz Company was founded in 1880 by James H. Caterson and Robert Brotz. They designed a Private Die Revenue Stamp to be used on their decks. It was approved by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue on November 27th, 1882, and engraved by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. On December 4th, 1882, Caterson & Brotz ordered 25,500 Private Die Stamps. However, the US Revenue Stamp Act was rescinded on March 3rd, 1883, so the stamps were never delivered to Caterson & Brotz and they refused to pay for them. In 1884, the entire lot was sent to be incinerated. Three copies are known to have been saved by the engraver, the woman who verified the count, and a man who supervised the burning. The two copies saved by the Man and Woman
were reported to be in the collections of Hiram Deats and Clarence Eagle in 1899 by the Boston book. Three stamps are known to exist today. The worst copy has had all its perforations trimmed, and remains in the Morton Dean Joyce collection. The second best copy has had its perforations trimmed on three sides, and was sold in a Siegel Auction for 10,000. The best copy still has the original gum, and was sold in a Harmer auction in 1990. Four of the die proofs are also known to exist. One was sold in a Rumsey Auction for $3,750. Another resides in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Archives. Links to these auctions can be found below:
