VERY FINE. ONE OF THE TWO MOST DISTINCT EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE TYPE FROM PLATE 1 EARLY. AN EXTREMELY RARE EARLY USE OF THE ONE-CENT 1851 TYPE 1b ON A PRINTED CIRCULAR FROM IOWA.

With 1979 P.F. certificate

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1¢ Blue, Types II-II-Ib (7-7-5A), Positions 1-3R1E, horizontal strip of three, left two Type II, right Type Ib, Position 1R1E with double transfer, ample to huge margins including top sheet margin and left interpane margin, wonderful bright Plate 1 Early color and sharp impression, nicely complemented by red grid cancels, matching "Newburgh N.Y. Jul. 4" (1851) circular datestamp on small cover to Kingston, New York, Extremely Fine, an absolutely phenomenal strip from the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early, ex Mason, Newbury, Ishikawa, Grunin and Hackmey, described in Ashbrook's article on the Newbury collection--"This little gem is ex-Mason collection, an item long prized by its former owner"--with 1982 P.F. certificate, Scott value for Type Ib-II pair is $12,000.00 off cover

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1¢ Blue, Types Ib-Ib-II (5A-5A-7), Positions 8-10R1E, horizontal strip of three with huge top right corner sheet margins, comprising two Type Ib stamps (left and center) and Position 10R1E at right--the distinctive Type II with complete design at top--lefthand Type Ib (8R1E) clear to huge margins (traces of Position 7R1E at left), creased at bottom, Type Ib-II (9-10R1E) slightly in at bottom, scissors cut between left stamps, vertical crease touches center stamp, small tear in sheet margin, wavy-line manuscript cancel, tied by lightly struck "St. Vermilionville La. Apr. 30" (1853) circular datestamp on blue folded letter in French from Lafayette Parish to New Orleans, faint toning, a wonderful cover bearing a spectacular corner sheet-margin strip of the 1¢ 1851 Issue from the top row of Plate 1 Early, ex Richey, Alten, Sheriff, Dr. Martin and Hackmey, with 2005 P.F. certificate, Scott value for Type Ib pair is $16,000.00 off cover

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1¢ Blue, Type Ib (5A), three different positions of Type Ib--Positions 4R, 5R and 8R1E--used with 1¢ Blue, Type II (7), Position 1R1E with double transfer, and two 3¢ Orange Brown, Type II (10A), each 1¢ stamp has top sheet margin, large side margins and bottom margin that is clear to just touching, 3¢ stamps clear to touching, tied by multiple strikes of grid cancel, red "New-York Dec. 3" (1851) circular datestamp on blue folded letter to Lyon, France, sender's ship-name directive "Pr. Africa"--carried on that Cunarder from New York to Liverpool, departing December 3, 1851, and arriving at Liverpool December 14--smudged Calais arrival datestamp, manuscript "16" indicates weight in grams, manuscript "24" decimes due marking, London (December 15) and Lyon datestamps on back

Very Fine--an extraordinary 1¢ 1851 issue franking for the double 5¢ shore-to-ship rate, comprising three rare Type Ib stamps, including Position 8R1E, one of the two best examples of the type.

The top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early furnished several of the most desirable 1¢ 1851 stamps sought by collectors. Position 7R1E, Type I (Scott 5), is the rarest and most desirable. Next in line are the adjoining Positions 6R and 8R, both Type Ib (Scott 5A). Three other positions (3R, 4R and 5R) furnished Type Ib stamps that show slightly less of the design at bottom.

On this transatlantic cover to France, which required a double 5¢ shore-to-ship rate due to weight, the 10¢ postage was paid by two 3¢ and four 1¢ stamps, an unusual franking in any event. Remarkably, the 1¢ stamps were carefully cut from the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early, just five months after the 1851 Issue was first placed on sale. From left to right, top to bottom, the positions are 4R, 5R, 8R and 1R1E. The first three stamps are Type Ib, and Position 8R1E is one of the two best examples of the type. The fourth stamp at lower right is Position 1R1E, Type II, which has a clear double transfer.

Ex Philip G. Rust (1987 Rarities of the World sale) and Joseph Hackmey. With 1963 and 1987 P.F. certificates. Total Scott value for three No. 5A stamps off cover is $25,000.00.

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DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type Ib (5A), Positions 8-9R1E, mostly ample to full margins, bright Plate 1 Early shade and sharp impression, cancelled by at least three strikes of olive green circular datestamp (we can see "Mar 24" date and a few letters, but not enough to identify the town)

PROVENANCE

Saul Newbury, Siegel Auction Galleries, Part 4, 5/16-17/1962, Sale 251, lot 54, to Chapin

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to William H. Gross, 2002)

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1962)

CONDITION NOTES

Very Fine appearance; slightly toned on back, pinhole between stamps toward top, a few specks of red wax, faint vertical crease at left

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$18,000.00 for Position 8R1E and 9R1E as singles without premium for pair or green cancellation

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DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type II-Ib (7-5A), Positions 2-3R1E, horizontal pair with Type II at left and Type Ib at right, large margins all around, grid cancels, beautiful bright Plate 1 Early shade and proof-like impression

PROVENANCE

John C. Chapin (collection sold privately to Shreves and then to William H. Gross, 2002)--this pair sold by Shreves Philatelic Galleries

"Lake Shore" collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, 12/7/2004, Sale 888, lot 9, to William H. Gross

CERTIFICATION

The Philatelic Foundation (1976)

CONDITION NOTES

Type Ib (at right) Extremely Fine; Type II (at left) Very Fine

SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)

$12,000.00 as Type Ib-II combination pair

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VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib FROM PLATE ONE EARLY, FROM ONE OF THE TWO POSITIONS THAT FURNISHED THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE TYPE.

Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp from Plate 1 Early. Six positions on Plate 1E 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. Positions 6R and 8R had less of the bottom erased than the other Type Ib positions, and for this reason they are more desirable examples of the type.

With 2018 P.S.E. certificate

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY SIX POSITIONS FROM PLATE ONE EARLY FURNISHED TYPE Ib STAMPS.

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.

Ex Jonathan Rose. With 1999 A.P.S. and 2018 P.S.E. certificates as sound

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FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib ON COVER.

Docketing reads "M B Southweek Letter Feby 10 1852" which must refer to a later filing date. With 2008 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $15,500.00

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DESCRIPTION

1¢ Blue, Type Ib (5A), Position 5R1E--the fifth stamp in the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early, showing nearly full design elements at top and bottom--large top sheet margin and full margins on other three sides, showing all of the ornamentation that distinguishes this type from all others, beautiful bright early printing shade--known to collectors as Robin’s Egg Blue--tied by single clear strike of grid cancel in dark red with matching “PAID” handstamp, “Boston Mas. Jul. 1” 1851 First Day of Issue circular datestamp struck in a much brighter and more vivid shade of red on blue folded circular with printed dateline “OFFICE OF PATHFINDER RAILWAY GUIDE } BOSTON, JUNE 30, 1851” from Snow & Wilder, publishers of the Pathfinder Railway Guide, a routine request for changes to advertisements for the recipient’s railroad line, addressed to Silvanus Bourne, Superintendent of the Cape Cod Branch Railroad in Sandwich, Massachusetts, receipt docketing “June 30, 1851, Snow & Wilder”

PROVENANCE

* Robert S. Emerson, Daniel F. Kelleher, 10/19/1937, Sale 394, lot 42 with Emerson’s pencil note “DFK Type I-B 5R1E” on back, which points to Daniel F. Kelleher as the source of the cover

* Clara DeWindt (according to Ashbrook and Hulme)

* Lester Downing (according to Hulme)

* Morris Fortgang (his pencil note on back); additional pencil note on back “Sam Paige” possibly as a dealer source

* Laurence S. Fisher, Shreves Philatelic Galleries sale, 5/30/1996, lot 11, to William H. Gross

CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES

* Stanley B. Ashbrook, The United States One Cent Stamp of 1851-1857, 1938 edition, Vol. 1, fig. 15-U, p. 120

* Lester G. Brookman, United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century, Vol. I, fig 161, p. 116

* W. Wilson Hulme, II “July lst 1851 Usages of the U.S. 1851 Issue,” The 1851 Issue of United States Stamps: A Sesquicentennial Retrospective, p. 119

* Mortimer L. Neinken, The United States One Cent Stamp of 1851 to 1861, fig. 10-U, p. 78

* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)

CONDITION NOTES

* Extremely Fine stamp and folded circular with vertical file fold

* Pencil note on back by Morris Fortgang, describing this as the only “recognized first day 1¢ 1851 in circulation,” at a time when the one other recorded cover (New York July 1, 1851, with 1¢ Type II strip) was in the Jefferys collection at the Franklin Institute

VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/29.pdf

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