"Lafayette" Collection
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1849-1850 Ceres Issue
1 franc vermillion terne "etrusque" tęte-bęche

tęte-bęche in used strip of three, plate 1, positions 34-36

Provenance:
ex Champion

This item was saved from destruction by a postal clerk who retained possession until 1931 when it first appeared on the philatelic market.

References: 
Ceres #T7B, Yvert #7da

Census:
only reported example of error in vermilion "etrusque" shade

Production information:
Two plates of 150 were used, plate one had tęte-bęche cliché at position 35. A total of only 122 thousand vermilion stamps were returned to the Post Office in December 1849 and annulled or destroyed. The strip above is from that group.