5c Brown, Double Transfer Ty. E (1-E). Showing clear double transfer of "U", "Post Office" and left numeral "5", large margins all around, bright shade nicely complemented by blue Philadelphia circular datestamp, negligible small thin spot at top center

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 5-CENT 1847 "MOWER SHIFT" -- DOUBLE TRANSFER TYPE E -- OF WHICH PROBABLY NO MORE THAN A DOZEN COPIES ARE KNOWN.

The so-called "Mower Shift" is named after its discoverer, the San Francisco dealer R. H. Mower. In an article discussing this rare position in the November 1976 Chronicle, Duane Garrett quotes a letter from Stanley B. Ashbrook, which states "this 'E' variety is quite scarce, much more than either the 'A' or 'B', probably due to the fact that the extra lines were not cut very deep on the plate and soon wore away. I believe that we can only find the 'E' among the very earliest prints from the plate."

Undercatalogued in Scott -- the last example we sold, ten years ago, brought $6,500 hammer.

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