Lot 50005 – 1852–57 3d Deep Red, Unique Partial Gutter Pair on

1852–57 3d Deep Red, Unique Partial Gutter Pair on Entire to USA

3d deep red on thin hard wove paper, bottom right corner marginal pair, positions 99 & 100 from top Pane B, showing partial frameline from the top of position 10 from the lower Pane A, clear to good margins on the other sides, tied by concentric circles on entire from London, U.C., 13 December 1854, with red CANADA PAID 10 Cts. handstamp of Toronto, routed via Suspension Bridge, New York, to New York.

This extraordinary franking represents the only known partial gutter pair in « PENCE » philately, demonstrating that Pane B was positioned above Pane A in the original printing arrangement.

Provenance: Brouse; Lichtenstein; Wilkinson; Hackmey.

Expertise: Cert. B.P.A. (1997).

Note: Described by Firby in the Wilkinson Collection as the most important 3 Pence item. In the Hackmey sale it was similarly highlighted and regarded as rivalling the famous Sandford Fleming cover.