5c Red Brown (12). Three large margins, full at left, used with horizontal strip of three 10c Green, Type III-III-II (15-15-14), Positions 1-3L1, including Misplaced B Relief Positions 1L and 2L, ample to large margins except barely in at upper left, rich color, tied by "Bridgeport Ct. Feb. 17" (1857) circular datestamp on light buff cover addressed in a flourishing hand to Bienne, Switzerland, red "N. York Br. Pkt. Paid 7 Feb. 18" 7c credit datestamp also ties 5c, red "AACHEN 4/3 FRANCO" framed transit datestamp (Mar. 4) and matching "Franco Preuss:/resp:Vereinsl:Ausg:Gr:" framed handstamp (paid only to limits of German-Austrian Postal Union), Basel and other receiving backstamps (one with 1857 year date)

VERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND EXTREMELY RARE PRUSSIAN CLOSED MAIL COVER TO SWITZERLAND WITH THE 1856 5-CENT AND 1855 10-CENT ISSUES. THE COMBINATION OF TYPES II AND III IN A HORIZONTAL FORMAT OCCURS ONLY IN THE TOP ROW OF THE LEFT PANE WHERE THE B RELIEF WAS TRANSFERRED TO POSITIONS 1 AND 2.

This was carried on the Cunarder Africa, departing New York Feb. 18, 1857, and arriving Liverpool March 2. The letter was fully prepaid for the 35c Prussian Closed Mail rate to Switzerland, but the New York exchange office incorrectly credited Prussia for only 7c instead of 12c. Not to be denied their full credit, Prussia treated this as paid only to the border.

The 10c Plate 1 used to print 10c 1855-57 stamps was entered from Reliefs A (Type II), B (Type III) and C (Type I, bottom row only). For the most part, each entire row is one type, except for the eight scattered recut positions classified as Type IV--see diagram on page 223. The exception to this rule is the top row, where Positions 1L, 2L and 3R were entered from the B Relief (Type III) instead of the A Relief (Type II) used for the rest of the row. Since Position 3R was recut, it is a Type IV. A multiple in horizontal format with a combination of Types II and III is only possible when Position 3L is involved. For the specialist seeking various combination multiples, horizontal pairs and strips with the Misplaced B Relief are very desirable. The 10c strip on this cover--Types III-III-II--is not only a scarce multiple, it is used in combination with the 5c 1856 on a beautiful Prussian Closed Mail cover to Switzerland.

Ex Hill, Dr. LeBow and Hackmey. With 2005 P.F. certificate

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