Sale 1144 — Smithsonian National Postal Museum Benefit Auction
Sale Date — Tuesday, 13 December, 2016
Category — 1c 1851-56 Issue, Types Ia-II (Scott 5A-7)
1c Blue, Ty. Ib (5A). Positions 3-4R1E, horizontal pair, right stamp large margins all around, left stamp three huge margins including significant portion of adjacent stamp at left (Position 2R1E), clear to just barely touched at top and showing distinct triple transfer at top left ornament, beautiful bright early shade, light strikes of appropriately-named Franklin Pa. datestampVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND RARE PAIR OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib. THE RIGHT STAMP IS EXTREMELY FINE.
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 ironed out when the entries were made below them.
The left stamp, Position 3R1E, shows a clear triple transfer in the ornamentation at top left. Neinken calls this position "an exceedingly interesting study in double transfers." (p. 60).
With 1999 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. Ib (5A). Position 3R1E, bright Plate 1 Early color, large margins all around except just barely touched at upper right, tied by well-struck "Auburn N.Y. Nov. 17" circular datestamp on folded printed circular for land warrants to Rock City Mills N.Y.VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib PAYING THE CIRCULAR RATE.
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 of 3-6R and 8-9R were ironed out when the entries were made below them.
Signed Ashbrook. With 2001 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. Ia (6). Position 97L4 with Curl on Shoulder plate variety, mostly large margins to clear at lower right, deep rich Plate 4 color nicely complemented by blue circular datestampVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE, SHOWING THE CURL ON SHOULDER PLATE VARIETY.
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 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic).
The Curl on Shoulder variety resulted from a tiny thread adhering to the relief on the transfer roll.
With 1989 and 2000 P.F. certificates
1c Blue, Ty. Ia (6). Position 99R4, huge margins all around, intense color and impression, neat crossed-lines pen cancel leaves entire design clearly visible, certificate notes "small stain" at top right but this appears to us to be canceling inkEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING 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 which are sub-type Ic).
With 1997 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as pen-cancelled
1c Blue, Ty. Ia (19). Position 97R4, spectacular deep rich color and proof-like impression on fresh paper, centered slightly right but with the key design elements showing at top and bottom, tied by perfectly struck "Boston Mass. 7 Sep." circular datestamp on small 1857 Academy of Arts and Sciences circular to Cambridge, light central file fold does not affect stampVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE PERFORATED 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia ON A SMALL FRESH FOLDED CIRCULAR.
Type Ia was produced by only 18 of the 20 bottom-row positions on Plate 4. Most examples on cover are either off-center, have small faults or are used with other stamps. The example offered here, a choice single on a pristine circular, is a condition rarity.
The earliest documented use of a Scott 19 is September 7, 1857, if the August 1 cover without a yeardate is excluded (see footnote in Scott Catalogue). This predates the September 9 EDU
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 1L1E, huge margins to clear including bottom right corner interpane margin with centerline and dot, beautiful Plate 1 Early color, neat strike of Mobile circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice, the Neinken book notes this is a swing position and that a small break in the outer line at top developed as the plate wore away, making it a Type IIIa (Scott 8A), we detect what could be a tiny break but still identify this as Type II
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 65R1E, the most prominent double transfer on Plate 1 Early, large margins to just in, deep rich color from a late impression, bold strike of blue circular datestamp cancel, fresh and Fine, this is the most pronounced of the eight double transfers on Plate 1 Early, the lines of Franklin's shoulder and the lower label are extensively doubled
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 46-48R1E, horizontal strip of three, large margins to clear including part of two adjoining stamps, each with red "PAID" handstamp, applied twice in criss-crossing fashion on left stamp, trace of manuscript at right, left stamp faint corner crease at bottom right, center stamp small thin spot, right stamp small sealed tear at bottom right, otherwise Fine-Very Fine, an attractive strip
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 41-43R1E, horizontal strip of three, ample margins to just touched, beautiful bright shade contrasted by red grid cancels, Very Fine, Plate 1 Early strips with red cancellations are extremely scarce and desirable, ex Vogel
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 26-28L1E, horizontal strip of three, large margins to just in at top center and bottom left, middle stamp double transfer, radiant color nicely complemented by red grid cancels, fresh and Fine-Very Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 79R1E, large margins to clear, bright Plate 1 Early color, tied by red grid cancel on blue folded printed circular for annual meeting datelined "Great Falls July 12, 1851" to Portsmouth N.H., vertical file fold well away from stamp, fresh and Very Fine, a very early use
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 1E, huge margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at bottom and top sheet margin, beautiful Plate 1 Early color, tied by black grid cancel, blue "Ellsworth Me. 16 Feb." circular datestamp on locally addressed embossed Valentine cover with floral design, Extremely Fine, with 2010 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 1E, large margins to just in at top including part of adjoining stamp at bottom, tied by "FREE" straightline handstamp on cover to Chillicothe O., faint horizontal file fold affects stamp, otherwise Fine, very unusual with the "FREE" handstamp, with 1980 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 1E, horizontal strip of three, large margins to in, brilliant color, tied by grid cancels, red "Mobile Ala. Sep. 21" circular datestamp on 1851 folded printed circular to Boston, wax seal on back indicates this was sealed, vertical file fold well away from stamps, fresh and Fine, unusual use of a circular sealed and sent at the first class 3c rate, ex Cipolla
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 4R1L, the only position on Plate 1 Late which was not recut, huge margins to barely in including part of adjoining stamp at left, tied by "New Orleans La. May 2?" circular datestamp on cover addressed to Dr. Walter Gary in New Orleans, manuscript "advertise" at top, barely reduced at left and minor wear, Very Fine and very unusual use paying the 1c drop letter rate, the letter was not collected so it was advertised and delivered to the recipient, signed Ashbrook
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 89R2 with the most pronounced double transfer on any United States stamp, traces of original gum, huge margins to ample including part of adjoining stamps at left and top, Very Fine and choice, the position below 89R2 is the famous 99R2, for a complete explanation of how the 89R2 double transfer and the 99R2 short transfer occurred, see Neinken book pages 181-187, Scott Retail as with original gum
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 2, horizontal pair, huge margins all around showing part of four adjoining stamps at top and bottom, original gum, lightly hinged, rich colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM PAIR OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE II.
With 1998 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 31R2, large margins including part of adjoining stamp at top, tied by perfect strike of large Boston "Paid" grid cancel, red "Boston Jul. 23" circular datestamp on locally addressed cover, additional Boston circular datestamp of the following day, minor edgewear, Very Fine, a beautiful cover, ex Emerson, with 1998 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 2, ample to large margins showing traces of adjoining stamps and top and bottom, dark shade, tied by perfect bold strike of "Boston 22 Aug. Paid" circular datestamp on blue folded cover to Williams & Hall in Boston, sender's notation "Staghound" which refers to the Stag Hound, the first extreme clipper ship, built in 1850 by Donald McKay in East Boston, the addressee was an East India trading firm, Extremely Fine, this probably originated outside the U.S. and was privately carried to Boston and posted there as a drop letter, ex Neinken (who assigned this stamp to Plate 1 Early) and Wagshal
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Three items: No. 7 tied by large Boston "Paid" grid, red "Boston Mass. 22 Sep." circular datestamp on folded printed circular which is a turned use (opened for display), second is No. 7 on blue folded printed Prices Current from Savannah to Providence R.I., third is pair of No. 7 on part of cover from Boston to N.H., Fine-Very Fine group
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 61R3, huge margins to just in at bottom including left interpane margin with centerline, deep rich color, Very Fine and scarce position item from Plate 3
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Positions 4/14/24R3, vertical strip of three, large margins to just in, deep rich color, unobtrusive pen cancels leaves design clearly visible, Fine-Very Fine, a scarce strip of three from Plate 3, signed and plated by Ashbrook, unpriced as such in Scott, Scott Retail as pair and single
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Plate 3, A Relief, full margins all around, deep rich color and mottling which is typical for Plate 3, cancelled by "PAID" handstamp and tied by "Savannah Geo. ?" circular datestamp on blue folded outer lettersheet to Providence R.I., manuscript "Open P/C" confirms 1c circular rate, receipt docketing "Savannah P/C May 9, 1856", faint vertical file fold well away from stamp, Very Fine, this is the earliest reported use from Plate 3, note on back from Ashbrook reads "Rare Plate 3-Relief A, May 6, 1856 -- this is the earliest known use of a Plate 3 stamp S.B.A. Oct. 27, 1935", Scott Catalogue confirms this is still the earliest known use, we are unsure where he got the May 6 date, probably from an enclosure which no longer accompanies, there is offset from enclosure but we are unable to discern a date, described in Ashbrook 1c book (Vol. 1, p. 214), ex Emerson
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 43L3, large margins to clear including part of adjoining stamp at bottom, typical mottling for Plate 3 with deep color, manuscript precancel of two horizontal lines, on cover addressed to postmaster at East Hebron Me., minor edgewear, Very Fine, scarce precancel use of a Plate 3 stamp, with note on back "A precancel cover" with Ashbrook signature and dated June 1948
1c Blue, Ty. II (7). Position 91L3, large margins to just in, deep rich color, cancelled by manuscript, used with horizontal strip of three of 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), also cancelled by manuscript and tied by "Bethlehem Ct. June 2" circular datestamp with day in manuscript, to Garden Valley Cal., minor edgewear, Very Fine, scarce use of the 1c Plate 3 stamp, Garden Valley is just north of Placerville, with 1981 P.F. certificate