Lot 501 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type I, Position 71E, ample margins showing complete design except just in at bottom right, excellent impression and color, blue town cancel, two light creases (so minor that the last time this was sold by Siegel in the 1991 Rarity Sale, it was described as only having a vert. crease), F.-V.F. appearance, ex-Newbury; with 1992 P.S.E. certificate, missing 1987 P.F. certificate (#178334).Scott No. 5 $45,000.
A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 1¢ BLUE SHOW THE FULL TYPE I CHARACTERISTICS.
The 1851 1¢ Blue Type I stamp, featuring Benjamin Franklin, was produced by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. using intaglio (steel line engraving). A master steel die engraved with Franklin's portrait - based on a bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon - was used to create a transfer roll, which impressed the design multiple times onto a soft steel printing plate of 200 positions; the plate was hardened and used to print blue ink onto imperforate sheets that were later cut apart by hand. "Type I" refers to the earliest plate state, distinguished by its complete, delicate outer frame lines before later recutting altered the design, making surviving Type I examples very rare.
Realized: $15,000
Lot 502 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ib, Position 6R1E, top margin single, blue Philadelphia, Pa. town cancels, margins large at side showing small portions of the adjacent "7R1E type I" at right, just shaving scrolls at bottom with full sheet margin at top, rich bright blue color, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Newbury; with 1978 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 5A $11,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 1851 1¢ TYPE IB ISSUE FROM POSITION 6R1E.
Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Only six positions on Plate 1 Early are Type Ib: Positions 3-6R and 8-9R. Type Ib is distinguished by showing complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. All Type Ib stamps are very scarce, and the two best examples (8R and 6R offered here) are rare. It is interesting to noted that this stamp was sold in a Siegel Rarity sale in 1978 for $2,700 (Hammer), versus a catalog value of $950.
Realized: $5,750
Lot 503 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ib, Position 4R1E, neat unobtrusive "1ct" boxed cancel of St. Louis, Mo. margin even and well clear of design all around with wide sheet margin at top, bright plate one early color, Very Fine to Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Gorham; with 1991, 2003 and 2022 P.F. certificates, the latter Graded (VF-XF 85 XQ), by way of comparison the SMQ value for VF-XF 85 is $12,500.Scott No. 5A $6,000.
AN EXCEPTIONAL SOUND ATTRACTIVELY USED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 1¢ TYPE IB ISSUE FROM PLATE ONE EARLY.
Type Ib was issued exclusively as an imperforate stamp from Plate 1 Early. Only six positions on Plate 1E - specifically 3R1E through 6R1E, and 8R1E through 9R1E - produced stamps that qualify as Type Ib. These are characterized by a complete design at the top and an almost complete design at the bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (along with 7R1E) displayed a complete design at both top and bottom. However, unlike position 7R1E, small portions of the bottom designs on the Type Ib positions were later ironed out during the entry of subjects below them.Complete images including certificate(s):
View gallery or Download PDF (8.2MB).
Realized: $5,250
Lot 504 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ib, Positions 4-6R1E, top margin horizontal strip of 3 (positions 4-6R1E), blue grid cancels and faint red Louisiana town on left stamp, margins clear to touching at bottom left and slightly in at left side, rich bright Plate One Early color, right stamp with the slightest of crease and tiny margin tear at right, Very Fine, accompanied by cover front from which this strip originated, Scott catalog value for 4-5R1E pair and 6R1E single, ex-Waterhouse, Neinken, Wagshal & Merlin.Scott No. 5A; $25,000 Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
AN EXTREMELY RARE 1851 1¢ TYPE 1B TOP MARGIN STRIP WHICH INCLUDES 6R1E - ONE OF THE TWO BEST TYPE 1B EXAMPLES.
Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Six positions on Plate 1 Early provided stamps qualifying as Type Ib - Positions 3-6R and 8-9R - distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, small portions of the bottoms were burnished away, with the exception of 7R. Positions 6R and 8R had less of the bottom erased than the other Type Ib positions, and for this reason they are more desirable examples of the type.
Realized: $5,500
Lot 505 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ia, Position 100L4, light unobtrusive town cancel, large beautifully balanced margins all around, with rich color and a sharp detailed impression, an Extremely Fine gem, ex-Vogel & Merlin; with 2011 and 2021 P.S.E. certificates, both Graded (XF 90, SMQ $18,000).Scott No. 6 $9,250.
A MAGNIFICENT USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 1¢ TYPE IA, OUTSTANDING IN EVERY RESPECT - AN EXCEPTIONALLY ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE FOR THE DISCERNING COLLECTOR.
Produced only from 18 of the 20 subjects in the bottom row of both panes of Plate 4, the 1¢ imperforate, type Ia owes it's rarity to the short three month period that the Plate 4 imperforates where produced. This stamp in sound condition and encompassed by large margins is one of the finest that exists.
Realized: $10,000
Lot 506 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ia, Position 100L4, bottom margin single, neat New Orleans, La. town cancels, clear to ample margins with full sheet margin at bottom, rich bold color enhancing a sharp impression, Very Fine; with 1986 & 1991 P.F. certificates.Scott No. 6 $9,250.
AN ATTRACTIVE SOUND USED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 1¢ TYPE 1A IMPERFORATE ISSUE.
Produced only from 18 of the 20 subjects in the bottom row of both panes of Plate 4, the 1¢ imperforate, type Ia owes it's rarity to the short three month period that the Plate 4 imperforates where produced.
Realized: $5,500
Lot
507 
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ia, Position 93L4, fine single with rich color, neatly tied by indistinct town cancel on fresh unsealed cover to Foxboro, Mass., endorsed "Paid" and "Circular" at left, Very Fine; with 2008 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 6; $14,000 on cover Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A RARE ON COVER USAGE OF THE 1851 1¢ TYPE IA ISSUE ON AN IMMACULATE COVER.
Produced only from 18 of the 20 subjects in the bottom row of both panes of Plate 4, the 1¢ imperforate, type Ia owes it's rarity to the short three month period that the Plate 4 imperforates where produced.
Realized: $3,250
Lot 508 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type Ic, "F" relief, Position 91R4, light manuscript cancels, large evenly balanced margins all around, rich intense color and sharp impression clear showing plume characteristics at bottom, Extremely Fine to Superb; with 1998, 2005 & 2021 P.F. certificates, the latter Graded (XF-S 95).Scott No. 6b var. $4,750 for pen cancel.
AN EXCEPTIONAL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 1¢ TYPE IC FROM RELIEF "F", POSITION 91R4 - ONE OF THE TWO BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS SCARCE TYPE.
Positions 91R and 96R on Plate 4 come from the bottom row and have the full plume at bottom left and partly complete plume at right (a sub-type of Type Ia). These two are the most desirable examples of Type Ic. Other Type Ic positions on the plate are less distinct. Neinken states that Position 91R4, offered here, yields the best example of the rare Type Ic.
Realized: $8,000
Lot 509 o
1851, 1¢ blue, types IIIa, Ic, IIIa, horizontal strip of 3 (Positions 82-84L4), town cancels, margins huge at top and left to into framelines at bottom, deep rich color, F.-V.F., this has been signed an plated by Ashbrook on reverse as a III, Ic, IIIa combination (see story text); with 1979 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 6b, 8A $5,750 for singles.
A RARE COMBINATION MULTIPLE OF THE 1851 1¢ IMPERFORATE ISSUE FROM PLATE 4 BEARING BOTH IC & TWO TYPE IIIA.
This strip was submitted to the Philatelic Foundation as a type III, Ic, IIIa combination as stated by Ashbrook on the reverse, however the Foundation certificate opinion shows that they believed that this strip was from the early printing of plate 4 in which position 81L4 (a type IIIa-III transitional position) still retained a complete frameline at bottom and has stated this to be a type IIIa, Ic, IIIa combination contrary to Ashbrook's notation.
Realized: $2,700