12c Black, Triple Transfer (17
var). Position 49R1, large margins all around, fine impression, neat
face-free cancel, Extremely Fine Gem and very scarce triple transfer, ex
Levi (Image)
12c Black, Part India Paper (17
var). Large even margins, fine impression, face-free blue town
datestamp, owner's backstamp, Extremely Fine Gem, extraordinary quality and
a very scarce paper variety, with 1984 P.F. certificate
(Image)
12c Black (17). Vertical
pair, huge margins including sheet margin at right, intense shade
and proof-like impression on bright paper, top stamp cancelled by vivid
red grid, bottom stamp has face-free red cancel, sharp part strike
of "America" transit datestamp in blueEXTREMELY FINE GEM. ARGUABLY THE FINEST EXISTING OFF-COVER PAIR OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE.
Vertical multiples of the 12c 1851 are far scarcer than horizontal pairs. The vertical format, intensity of impression, margins and colorful cancels leave nothing to be desired in this pair (Image)
12c Black (17). Positions
81-82/91-92R1, block of four, large to huge margins all around, lightly
struck black Philadelphia circular datestamps and red "Phila. Br. Pkt.
38" credit datestamp, small scissors cut between top pair, faint corner
creaseVERY FINE BLOCK. APART FROM A FEW LARGE HEAVILY-CANCELLED MULTIPLES, THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE IS EXTREMELY RARE IN SOUND ATTRACTIVE BLOCKS.
This is the only block known to us that is cancelled in red. The Philadelphia exchange office datestamp is scarce. Ex Chase and Emerson (Image)
12c Black (17). Two
horizontal pairs, one a superb bottom left corner sheet margin pair with
centerline at left and large margins all around, the other with ample to
large margins, the latter removed by sender from another cover (backing
paper still adhering) and used with former on double-rate cover to
Ireland, both pairs tied together by red grids, matching "New York 38
Mar. 22" credit datestamp, red "America Liverpool Paid AP 3 54" transit
datestampEXTREMELY FINE. A FAMOUS ITEM WITH THE FINEST CORNER SHEET-MARGIN PAIR OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE KNOWN ON COVER.
Ex Brown, Brooks, Moody, Caspary and Grunin. Signed Ashbrook (Image)
12c Black (17). Block of
five with large part of left sheet margin and large margins all around,
proof-like impression and deep shade on bright white paper, lightly
cancelled by grids and well-tied by "Wheeling Va. Feb. 4" circular
datestamp on 1857 buff cover to Wurttemberg, Germany, double
Prussian Closed Mail rate with sender's routing, red "N. York 14 Am. Pkt.
Paid Feb. 7" credit datestamp, red "Aachen Franco" transit, appropriate
transit backstampsEXTREMELY FINE. THE LARGEST AND BY FAR THE FINEST OF THE THREE 12-CENT 1851 BLOCKS KNOWN ON COVER. A SPECTACULAR FRANKING AND ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING CLASSIC UNITED STATES COVERS IN EXISTENCE.
There are three covers known to us with a block of the 12c 1851, and no other has a block matching this example in size or quality. This cover was located in Europe and sold privately in 1982 to the late Duane Garrett. In its only auction appearance (Christie's Robson Lowe New York, Oct. 30, 1986), this cover realized $71,500 (with premium), which set the stage for the Grunin 1851-57 Issue sales in 1987 and 1988.
With 1983 P.F. certificate. Unlisted in Scott (Image)
12c Black, Diagonal Half Used
as 6c (17a). Upper right diagonal half, ample margins, ideally tied
across the cut by blue framed "PAID" straightline with matching
"SONORA, CALIFORNIA/JAN 12, 1852" two-line datestamp on blue folded
letter to Surry Me., from the Jarvis correspondence, ms. "Paid
6cts", slight bleaching along file foldEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING 12-CENT 1851 BISECT COVER WITH THE RARE SONORA 1852 YEAR-DATED STRAIGHTLINE POSTMARK. ONLY FIVE RECORDED COVERS--ALL FROM THE JARVIS CORRESPONDENCE--WITH THE 12-CENT 1851 BISECT AND SONORA STRAIGHTLINE.
Ex Brown and Grunin (Image)