386th Auction

1865, Coat of Arms 5 k. black/reddish-violet, together with 1866 10 k. brown/blue and 1875 8 k. grey/carmine-rose, tied by two-line “BORCHAGOVA P(ostal). S(tation). 6 JANUAR 1877” (Kiev province, Skvira county) repeated on reverse with framed “ZAKAZNOE” alongside to registered envelope to Nechanitz in Böhmen, from there re-addressed with final arrival cds. “PRAG 24 1”. Two adhesives with minor imperfections, still very fine and attractive. A rare three-issue registered cover from a small office to a scarcer destination

1 k. black/yellow horizontal pair and two singles, together with 1875 10 k. reddish brown/light blue, fresh colours, neatly tied by cds “EKATERINMBOURG 14 SEP. 1880” with framed “ZAKAZNOE” to registered envelope to Kutenberg, Austria, reverse transit cds “POSTAL WAGON N°47-48” and arrival cds., very fine

1866, 1 k. black/yellow horizontal pair, 3 k. black/green, 10 k. brown/blue and 1875 8 k. grey/carmine-rose, fresh colours, neatly tied by cds. “SUVALK 17 SEP. 1875” to reverse of registered envelope to Bozen, Tyrol, transit cds. “VARSAVAW 23 SEP. 1875” and arrival “BOZEN 7 10 75”, slight transportation wrinkles of no importance, a fine and most unusual four-colour franking to an elusive destination

5 k. black/lilac and 1875 8 k. grey/carmine-rose, the former in horizontal strip of three and the later as a pair, fresh colours, neatly tied by cds “DYLITSK P(ostal) S(tation) 4 OCT. 1878” to registered envelope to Prag, framed “ZAKAZNOE” and German red label for foreign registration mail, reverse departure and arrival cds, three intact wax seals, 5 k. at top with insignificant corner damage, still very fine. A delightful and most unusual combination franking making up the 31 kopek rate

“CHEEFOO 20 IX (18)99” large cds (T&S Type 1, Gregorian calendar), superb strike on “KITAI” 10 k. horizontal pair with adjacent framed “R Tchéfou, Chine N°. 254” to registered envelope to Austria, re-addressed to Bohemia, reverse transit Russian cds “SHANGHAI 10 SEP. 1899” (T&S Type 2, Julian calendar), “HONG KONG SP 29 99” and arrival cds, endorsed on back flap “Imperial Russian Post Master”, very fine. A remarkable cover, probably the earliest registered mail from the Russian Post Office at the Treaty Port of Cheefoo (opened 1896) and an extremely scarce registration mark