VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR ONE-CENT 1851 TYPE IIIa FROM PLATE 4, WITH A LARGE AND UNTRIMMED PORTION OF THE IMPRINT, TIED ON COVER BY A RED NEW YORK CITY CARRIER DEPARTMENT DATESTAMP. ALONG WITH THE OFF-COVER SINGLE OFFERED IN THIS SALE, THIS IS THE MOST COMPLETE PORTION OF THE PLATE 4 IMPRINT IN ANY SINGLE STAMP WE HAVE OFFERED.
The Neinken book states “Stamps from Plate 4 showing part of the imprint are very rare.” A Power Search review reveals that we have offered a handful of unused and used Plate 4 singles with part of the imprint (both Scott 8 and 8A), but these stamps have invariably been cut from the sheet with a portion of the imprint trimmed away in the vertical direction.
This stamp, along with the single offered in lot 69, shows the largest portion of the imprint possible on a single stamp. This is also the only cover we have offered with a Plate 4 imprint, though there is reportedly one more in existence.
Ex Cipolla.
1¢ Blue, Types II-IIIa-II-IIIa-IIIa-IIIa (7-8A-7-8A-8A-8A), Positions 14-19R1E, horizontal strip of six, first and third stamps from left Type II, other four Type IIIa, large margins to just in at one or two spots, beautiful Plate 1 Early "Robin's Egg" Blue color and impression, cancelled by non-standard 8-bar open grid, matching "San Francisco Cal. 1 Oct." (1851) circular datestamp on brown cover to Sing Sing, New York, strip tied by pencil "Oct. 1st 1851" docketing at left
Very Fine; cover with small tears at right, top flap mostly complete and tucked under other flaps.
This is an extremely rare use of the 1¢ 1851 Issue paying the new July 1851 6¢ prepaid rate for distances over 3,000 miles, and it was mailed on the first sailing from San Francisco to Panama after the new issue arrived.
The arrival of the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. Oregon on September 18, 1851, brought the first shipment of 1851 Issue stamps to California. The earliest recorded use of the new issue from the West Coast is a cover with a pair of 3¢ Orange Brown postmarked at Sacramento on September 30, 1851 (Sale 1072, lot 86). Eastbound mail postmarked in San Francisco on October 1, 1851, was carried on the return trip of the Oregon, departing on that day and arriving in Panama on October 20. The mail crossed the isthmus and was carried from Chagres to New York on the U.S. Mail Steamship Co. Ohio, departing October 25, and arriving November 5. This cover was part of that mail. It is unlikely an earlier use of the 1¢ 1851 in California exists. Ashbrook considered this cover and other 1851 Issue covers with the same postmark date to be "first day" uses from California.
Ex Edgar B. Jessup, Dr. W. Scott Polland, Louis Grunin, George J. Kramer and Joseph Hackmey. With 2003 P.F. certificate.
1¢ Blue, Types IIIa-IIIa-II-II-II/II (8A-8A-7-7-7/7). Positions 51-55 and 61R1E, L-shaped combination strip of six, top two left stamps Type IIIa, others Type II, huge margins showing left interpane margin and part of seven adjoining stamps, slightly in at top on left pair of upper stamps and at right, tied by neat strikes of grid cancel and "New York Sep. 26" (1851) ocean-mail circular datestamp on September 23, 1851, blue folded letter to San Francisco--carried from New York to Panama on the U.S. Mail Steamship Co. Georgia, departing September 26, 1851, then by Pacific Mail Steamship Co. Panama, departing around October 17 and arriving at San Francisco November 4--discreet receipt docketing at left "recd. Nov. 5/51 pr 'Panama' mail"
Very Fine; tiny scuff in left margin of Position 52R, cover has a few negligible bleached spots.
A beautiful and extremely rare combination strip of 1¢ Blue Types II and IIIa from Plate 1 Early paying the 6¢ prepaid transcontinental rate to California--the more common method of franking was a pair of 3¢ stamps.
Ex Ryohei Ishikawa and Joseph Hackmey.