Sale 1034 — The Merlin Collection of Superb United States Stamps

Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 28-29 November, 2012

Category — 1c 1851-56 Issue (Scott 5-9)

Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
11
 
Sale 1034, Lot 11, 1c 1851-56 Issue (Scott 5-9)1c Blue, Ty. Ib-Ib-Ib (5A-5A-5A). Positions 4-6R1E, horizontal strip of three contiguous Type Ib positions, large top sheet margin, other sides large to just touched at bottom left and slightly in at left, marvelous bright Robin's Egg Blue shade of Plate 1 Early, tied by blue grid cancels and red Louisiana circular datestamp (part strike, town name indecipherable) on front only to Pittsburgh Pa., the strip has been lifted for examination, very slight creasing at right and two tiny margin tears at right from placement along edge, these negligible flaws are barely detectable and do not affect the appearance, the left pair is sound

VERY FINE. AN IMPORTANT 1851 ONE-CENT ISSUE MULTIPLE FROM THE TOP ROW OF PLATE ONE EARLY, COMPRISING THREE RARE TYPE Ib POSITIONS, INCLUDING 6R1E, ONE OF THE TWO BEST EXAMPLES OF TYPE Ib. THIS STRIP CONTAINS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF TYPE Ib POSITIONS KNOWN IN A SINGLE USED MULTIPLE.

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. 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. Although Positions 3-6R1E could form a strip of four, no such multiple has been recorded in used condition. Only the original-gum block from Positions 4-9/14-15R1E (Wagshal Census 5-UNC-002) contains a larger number of Type Ib positions than this strip.

Ex Waterhouse, Neinken and Wagshal. Scott Retail $35,900.00 as off-cover singles of Positions 4, 5 and 6R1E.

E. 15,000-20,000
15,000