386th Auction

1866, Coat of Arms 1 kopek black/yellow on vertically laid paper, two singles, with 3 kopek black/green on horizontally paid paper, all of fresh colours, making up the correct 5 kopek rate and tied by cds “REVEL 12 FEV. 1872” to official postal formula card to Moscow, adjacent railway travelling post office “39-40” and arrival cds “MOSCOW 14 FEVR. 1872”, fine. Rare early use of the newly introduced formula cards

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 81

1872, Postal stationery card 5 kopek green, used with cds “PLODSK 8 1875”, addressed to Warsaw with adjacent arrival cds “WARSAWA 7 AUG. 1875”, large blue framed “1875” (ca 47:26 mm), allegedly applied locally at departure to indicate the application of the new UPU tariff of 4 kopek, light vertical archival crease, otherwise fine

Following the implementation of the UPU tariff of 19th June 1875 (4 kopek for both domestic and international rate), the previous 5 kopek stationery cards kept on being sold at the counter and used provisionally at the new tariff. Several local post offices are known to have amended the indicium to reflect the rate change. Reference: Epstein, Postal Stationery of Russia and its Dependencies, Vol I, page 36

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 239

1899, Empress Maria advertising postal stationery lettersheet 5 k. light lilac, Serie # 5, used with additional franking on reverse with “MOSCOW TELEGRAPH 8 MAY 1900” and alongside registration label, sent to Apolda, Germany, reverse arrival mark, very fine and scarce usage

1868, 3 k. black/green, vivd colours, neatly tied by red cds “S. PETERBURG CITY POST 19 MAY 1872” repeated alongside to formula card (first issue), fine text in French on reverse “Please be kind enough to come at my place to finish our negociations…”, superb and very scarce usage

5 k. black/lilac, fresh colours, neatly tied by cds “REVAL 2 JUNE 1872" repeated alongside to formula card (first issue) addressed to Gapsal with adjacent arrival cds, one perf tip with a tiny tone spot, the card with some minor water stains on reverse, still fine. An extremely scarce usage of the 5 k. on vertically laid paper showing the inland formula card rate in force from 1st January 1872

1899, Empress Maria advertising postal stationery lettersheet 7 k. blue, Issue # 50 (dated 1899), complete, unused, very fine

1899, Empress Maria advertising postal stationery lettersheet 5 k. light lilac, Issue # 125 (dated 1901), complete, unused, very fine