12¢ Black, Plate 3 (36B), horizontal strip of seven, second and third stamps from left show double framelines, remarkably choice centering, used with two singles of 3¢ Dull Red, Type III (26) and tied by "Philadelphia Pa. Jul. 9"(1860) circular datestamps on buff cover to Paris, France, red "Philadelphia Pa. Paid 1860 Jul. 9" exchange office circular datestamp also ties strip, French arrival datestamp (July 23), receiving backstamp, light vertical file fold barely affects strip (mostly between stamps), left stamp perfs slightly affected from placement at edge of cover, missing part of backflap and a few minor cover flaws, Very Fine, this is one of the largest multiples of the 1859 12¢ issue from Plate 3 recorded, a wonderfully rare franking paying the six-times 15¢ rate to France, ex Grunin, Kapiloff and "Sevenoaks", illustrated in Brookman Vol. I (p. 248) and Rose, The First United States Perforated Stamps--The 1857 Issue (p. 67)

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