1c Blue, Ty. Ib (5A). Positions 4-6R1E, horizontal strip of three, all three stamps Type Ib, full margins on three sides, just in to clear at bottom, bright color, lightened manuscript cancel, right stamp few creases ending in small tears, center stamp tiny flaw at top, left stamp small corner crease at bottom left

FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE 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 Geary. Scott Retail as three pen-cancelled singles does not adequately convey the rarity of this multiple.

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