Lot
1067 
1851, 1¢ blue, types I & IIIa, vertical pair, positions 7//17R1E, margins large to just touching scrolls at upper left (5) and bottom left (8A), on oversized bronze floral bordered Valentine cover to Miss Eunice M. Chittenden in Westbrook, Ct., in combination with 1851, 1¢ blue, type Ib (5A, position 3R1E) affixed to end of backflap and manuscript canceled, and 1851, 3¢ dull red, type II, three singles (11A) tied with pair by neat "Deep River, Ct., Feb 12" cds's all paying four times the 3¢ domestic rate, with embossed ornamental Valentine enclosure with multicolored woodblock print and decoupage floral accents around small embossed envelope holding an enamel card with four-line poem; cover with some edge soiling and a few tone spots, 1¢ stamps - type I with small bottom left corner repair from scuff, type IIIa with small margin scuff and corner crease at bottom right, and type Ib with nick and large sealed tear, Very Fine appearance, ex-Dr. Hubert C. Skinner (acquired from the Weill Brothers).; with 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 5,8A Estimate $40,000 - 60,000.
THE MOST REMARKABLE AND UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 1¢ TYPE I ISSUE IN A PAIR AND WITH TWO OTHER 1¢ TYPES ON A VALENTINE - A TRULY MAGNIFICENT USAGE AND ONE OF THE MOST QUINTESSENTIAL 1851 ISSUE COVERS IN EXISTENCE.
Dr. Hubert C. Skinner acquired this cover from the Weill Brothers and had been off the market for over 50 years. Dr. Skinner eventually made the cover a subject of an ongoing article in November 1994 edition The Chronicle (pages 245-250) entitled "Quintessential Covers: Part III".
Jerome S. Wagshall's census of position 7R1E lists this cover as no. 5-COV-080 and is one of only twenty three cover recorded. Of the eleven examples in multiples, this is the only example in combination with any other denomination of the 1851 issue.
Realized: $30,000