RO105P1 Iron City Matches Large Die Proof ex-Joyce

The GWH Davis stamp was altered from the Griggs & Scott die by changing the firm name at the left to read GWH Davis. It was first printed in black by the National Bank Note Co. and as the black stamp is known to exist only on silk paper it probably went out of use before 1879 and exists only as a National print. The black Davis stamp exists surcharged or cancelled with an overprint similar to the b overprint found on the Griggs & Scott stamp. Copies noted were all dated in 1876 and occur in red in black and inverted. The red Davis stamp has not been noted with an overprint. The writer believes it was not issued until 1882 or 1883 and was printed only by the BEP. Neither Davis the Iron City Match Works nor any other match concern appears in the Pittsburgh directories from 1879 to 1882 but the directory for 1882-83 lists the Iron City Match Co at 2500 Jane St.

Christopher West, Mekeel’s Weekly Stamp News, nov 1, 1919 p. 400

Models, Essays and Proofs of the Morton Dean Joyce Collection
The collection of Morton Dean Joyce contained a magnificent array of the models and large die proofs, including trial color and plate proofs. It seems that Morton Dean Joyce was able to obtain the majority, if not the complete holding, of the Butler and Carpenter Archives including the Order Book which contained the original models. Nearly all of the models that are listed in the Turner book are present in the Morton Dean Joyce Collection. From that point on Joyce researched the large dies according to company from Butler and Carpenter through the National and American Bank Note Companies to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Whenever there was a chance to show trial color proofs or additional information, Joyce did so and the results (were) his collection…The area of models, essays and proofs of the private die proprietary issues was quite possibly Morton Dean Joyce’s most outstanding accomplishment.
Richard Friedberg, Introduction to the Morton Dean Joyce Private Die Proprietary Collection Auction Catalog, Andrew Levitt, September 12-14, 1991