The Drucker Collection continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE Ib, SHOWING THE COMPLETE DESIGN AT TOP AND NEARLY COMPLETE DESIGN AT BOTTOM.

Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Six positions on Plate 1 Early furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib -- Positions 3-6R and 8-9R -- distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms were burnished away.

These top-row positions usually have an ample top margin, but frequently the margins are close or cutting into the sides or bottom. A Type Ib with large margins all around is a great rarity, particularly in sound condition.

With 1993 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE Ia.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (all bottom row positions except two are sub-type Ic).

Ex Kantor and Sheriff. With 1963, 1986 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB AND INCALCULABLY RARE PAIR OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPES Ic AND Ia.

The identifying characteristic of Type Ic from the bottom row of Plate 4 is similar to that of Type Ia, Scott 6, which has the design complete at bottom and partly complete at top. The difference between the two types is that the bottom right plume on the Type Ic is incomplete. Neinken classifies it as a sub-type of Scott 6 (or 19), and the Scott Catalogue gives it a separate listing. Neinken notes that only eight or nine positions on Plate 4 yield this type. Of these, only two are found on the bottom row of the plate (Positions 91R4 and 96R4). The other six or seven Type Ic positions were created either by burnishing of the plate or by plate wear. Neinken states that Position 91R4, the position of the left stamp in the pair offered here, yields the best example of the rare Type Ic. This pair, which so aptly demonstrates the difference between Types Ia and Ic, is one of the major rarities of the 1851 Issue.

With 1946, 1987 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III EXTANT. THE BREAKS IN OUTER LINES AT TOP AND BOTTOM -- THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF TYPE III -- ARE ESPECIALLY WIDE IN THIS LATE IMPRESSION.

Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, a majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) have small breaks in at least one line. The most notable exception is Position 99R2, which has the widest breaks of any Type III position, due to the short transfer during plate entry.

The stamp offered here should be considered significant for several reasons. The breaks at top and bottom are so wide that it actually approaches those of Position 99R2. This E Relief position (45L) had breaks in both lines when originally entered on the plate, however, later impressions show widened breaks, and, in this example, the breaks are extremely wide. The large margins at top and bottom also allow for easy identification of the type. All factors considered -- design, impression, margins and gum -- this stamp is easily one of the finest original-gum examples of the imperforate Type III.

A review of past auction catalogues demonstrates how rare this stamp is in original-gum condition. None were offered in the Newbury, Zoellner, Golin, Weisman, Lyons or Floyd collections. Caspary had an unused 99R2 in a strip of three, and the Ishikawa collection contained the famous block of nine with one Type III stamp (Position 99R2).

Ex Lilly. With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE IIIa.

With 1983 P.F. certificate. (Image)