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.

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