1c Blue, Type IV, Printed "Paid" Precancel (9 var). Horizontal pair, precancel on left stamp in all capital letters, right stamp in all lower case letters, font matches "Sent Free" line in newspaper, large margins to just in, used on brown newspaper wrapper addressed to Southington Conn., accompanied by original enclosure of The American Eagle newspaper of Cleveland O. dated Feb. 2, 1857, left stamp small corner crease at bottom left, few small toned spots, wrapper aged and brittle but de-acidified by a paper conservator to prevent further deterioration

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS WRAPPER WITH A PAIR OF THE "PAID" PRECANCEL AND ENCLOSURE SOLVED THE MYSTERY OF WHERE THIS RARE PRECANCEL ORIGINATED. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS CLEVELAND PRECANCEL ON A WRAPPER.

Little is known about the "Paid" precancels on the 1c 1851 Issue. The Ashbrook 1c book illustrates several varieties of actual and supposed precancels, including a pair similar to that offered here. Ashbrook surmises that "the markings...were printed from newspaper type. In all probability the overprinting was done in a newspaper printing plant..." In fact, the same font is used for the precancel and in the newspaper.

From our 2004 Rarities sale, where it was first offered publicly after its discovery. With 2004 P.F. certificate.

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