386th Auction

5 k. black/lilac vertical pair and single together with 1875 8 k. grey/carmine-rose, fresh colours, tied by cds “VALKI 27 JUIl. 1877” to small regsitered envelope to a “Poste restante” in Wiesbaden with alongside German red label for foreign incoming mail “Vom Ausland über…”, on reverse transit via travelling post office and arrival cds, minor back flap tear, very fine

30 k. rose/green and 1 k. black/yellow, fresh colours, each tied by cds “VILNA 12 JUL. 1875” to registered envelope to Königsberg with framed “ZAKAZNOE” and German red label for foreign registration mail, reverse arrival cds, fine. An extremely scarce early registered UPU mail from Russia and an early use of the German label, with new rates coming into force on 19th June 1875 (second weight step 16 k. plus 10 k. registration plus 5 k. international receipt)

1875, 2 k. black/red and 1884 2 k. olive green, together with additional franking paying the correct 14 kopek rate and tied by cds “ST PETERSBURG 27 APR. 1884” to reverse of registered envelope to Braunschweig, red framed registration mark “R St. Pétersbourg Russie.” and reverse arrival cds “BRAUNSCHWEIG 11 5”, minor imperfections of no importance, still fine. A rare mixed franking of the same facial value from two different issues, enhanced by the very early usage of the 2 kopek olive green