Lot 549 o
1857, 1¢ blue, type Ia, wide spaced perforation at top and bottom, Position 92L4, perfect centering amid uncommonly wide margins even at sides, beautiful rich vibrant color on bright paper, a Superb jumbo gem, ex-Eno, Zoellner, Hinrichs & Tahoe; with 2004 P.F. & 2008 P.S.E. certificates, the latter Graded (Superb 98J, SMQ $330,000).Scott No. 19 $10,000.
A TRULY OUTSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 1¢ TYPE 1A PERFORATED ISSUE - CONSIDERED TO BE THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THIS ISSUE AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 1¢ FRANKLIN ISSUES IN EXISTENCE.
According to Neinken, the Type IA stamps were only produced from 18 of the 20 positions from the bottom row of Plate 4. For some months prior to the manufacture of Plate 4, Toppan, Carpenter & Co. had been making experiments with a machine to perforate sheets of stamps. When Plate 3 was made in the spring of 1856 their experiments had not advanced to the state where they considered the new method practical, because Plate 3 was not made with spacings large enough to permit the inclusion of perforations. In contrast, when they made Plate 4, their experiments had reached the practical stage, and consequently Plate 4 was made with spacings large enough to introduce perforations in the vertical and horizontal spacings.
The plate four designs of the six reliefs on the roller were approximately of the same length but the short transferring on the plate, combined with the erasures in the horizontal spacings, made the designs in the 2nd to 9th rows inclusive, somewhat shorter than the designs of the top and bottom rows. As a result, when the sheets were perforated, if the perforations did not touch the top part of the designs in the top row, the perforations did cut into the bottom of the designs of these top row stamps. And in addition, it was found that the perforations, with the machine so set, cut into the tops and across the bottom of the stamps in the bottom row. To correct this defect, the machine was reset for the perforating of the top and bottom rows for the first lot of sheets run through the perforating machine. This accounts for stamps from these two rows which show the horizontal perforations farther apart than found on any stamps coming from the body of the plate. This practice of resetting the machine was not continued for any length of time, but the resetting gave us what we refer to as the "wide spaced perforations", the only fine copies that are known of the scarce Types II, IC and IA from Plate Four. The length of the design of a IA stamp is 26mm whereas the normal perforations measure between 25 and 25½mm apart, top to bottom, on stamps from the body of the plate. A short temporary resetting of the machine to 27 to 27½mm was necessary to produce a perforated Type IA stamp not cut into by the perforations.
The perforated Type IA stamps that are not touched by perforations as the rarest stamps in the 1857 perforated issue. This example offered here not only exhibits this quality, but is superbly centered making this the finest example known.
Current Opening Bid: $75,000
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.
Current Opening Bid: $7,500
Lot
510 
1851, 1¢ blue, type II, Plate 3, o.g., lightly hinged, full bottom sheet margin with huge margins around encompassing portions of adjacent stamps at top and left, rich bold color and sharp detail impression, a Superb jumbo gem, awarded by the Philatelic Foundation the highest grade attainable; with 2011 P.F. & 2016 P.S.E. certificates Graded (P.F. Sup Gem 100J & P.S.E. Gem 100, SMQ $18,000 for 100).Scott No. 7 $2,000.
A PHENOMENAL MINT ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THE VERY SCARCE 1856 1¢ TYPE II IMPERFORATE FROM PLATE 3. WITHOUT QUESTION, THE FINEST MINT EXAMPLE IN EXISTENCE.
The 1¢ stamps from Plate 3 where produced in the early spring of 1856, likely due to the compulsory prepayment of postage that was introduced after April 1st of 1855 and an increased demand for the 1¢ value. Also Plate 2, that was in production at the time, had a large plate flaw and there may have been concerns that the plate would deteriorate to a point that it would have to be withdrawn. There is no evidence why Plate 3 had a short life, but it assumed that due to numerous surface cracks developing during it's use that this was the main reason that the plate was deemed unfit for use.
Current Opening Bid: $6,500
Lot 524 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type III, Position 73R4, huge margins all around including part of three adjoining stamps, intense Plate 4 color with a sharp flawless impression clearly showing breaks in outer lines, light strike of town cancel, a Superb jumbo gem, ex-Merlin & Iwate; with 2008 P.S.E. certificate Graded (Superb 98 Jumbo, SMQ $32,500).Scott No. 8 $1,650.
A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1851 1¢ TYPE III GRADED SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY THE P.S.E. - THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND ONE OF ONLY TWO TO ACHIEVE IT.
Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, the majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) has small breaks in at least one line.
Current Opening Bid: $6,000
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.
Current Opening Bid: $6,250
Lot 528 o
1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa, plate 4, relief "C", showing clear break in frameline at top, light town cancels, huge to enormous margins showing significant portions of adjacent stamps at sides, rich intense color enhancing a sharp crisp impression, a Superb jumbo, an extraordinary used stamp from the scarcer plate four, ex-Saadi; with 1989 & 2019 P.F. certificates, the latter Graded (Superb 98J, SMQ $16,250).Scott No. 8A $1,250.
ONE OF THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THE 1857 1¢ TYPE IIIA IMPERFORATE FROM PLATE 4.
For comparison, the P.S.E. Population Report only three examples with such grade with no examples grading higher.
Plate 4 imperforate stamps are desirable and rare since they were issued in April-June 1857 shortly before perforations were introduced.
Current Opening Bid: $4,250
Lot 525 o
1851, 1¢ blue, type III, Position 61R4, showing clear break at top and wide break in frameline at bottom, left margin single, neat face free town cancel, large evenly balanced margins with wide sheet margin, gorgeous intensely rich color enhancing a crisp detailed impression, Superb; with 1979, 1994 P.F. & 2020 P.S.E. certificates, the latter Graded (Superb 98, SMQ $21,000).Scott No. 8 $1,650.
A STUNNING MARGINAL EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1851 1¢ TYPE III GRADED SUPERB 98 BY THE P.S.E.
Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, the majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) has small breaks in at least one line.
Current Opening Bid: $4,000
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.
Current Opening Bid: $3,750
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.
Current Opening Bid: $3,500
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.
Current Opening Bid: $3,500