1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (8A). Position 81L1E, double transfer, one inverted, this position shows a wide break in outer line at bottom (a rare Type IIIa with break at bottom instead of top), large margins all around, clear impression and light cancel shows the inverted transfer lines at left

EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE PLATE VARIETY. ONE OF THE THREE INVERTED TRANSFERS AND ONE OF ONLY TWO TYPE IIIa POSITIONS ON PLATE ONE EARLY WITH THE BREAK IN THE BOTTOM LINE INSTEAD OF TOP.

The inverted transfers on Positions 71L, 81L and 91L1E were made after the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early was entered from the Type I single-relief transfer roll. According to Richard Celler's theory (see Siegel Encyclopedia at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/pdf/1c1851.pdf), the three inverted transfers were made from a Type I design 3-relief transfer roll as a sort of trial after the top row entries had been made and the plate was turned around 180 degrees. When another plate ("Plate 0") had to be discarded, the siderographer returned to Plate 1 and erased the three inverted transfers before completing the plate with entries surrounding 3R to 10R. Positions 71L and 81L are double transfers. Position 91L was entered a total of three times, so it is a triple transfer, one inverted. When the plate was reworked in 1852, 71L and 81L were re-entered (but not 91L), making them all triple transfers, one inverted.

Position 81L1E is interesting not only as one of the three inverted transfers, it is what Ashbrook and Neinken described as "The finest example of Type IIIA from the plate."

With 2001 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $2,500.00)

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