386th Auction

1881, ½ pre. on 20 pa. green, 20 pa. violet green showing double “R.O.” both unused, additional two 10 pa. overprinted “R.O.” in blue and “ROUMÉLIE ORIENTALE” in blue, each no gum, usual rough perforation, otherwise fine, signed Schlesinger, Wallner a.o.

1881, 1 pre. on 20 pa. green to 2 pia., overprinted “R.O.” in blue, used set of three, additional 1881 10 pa. overprinted “R.O.” and “ROUMÉLIE ORIENTALE” in blue, usual rough perforation, each signed, overall fine appearance

1880/85, Ten stamps lot including three stamps showing “R.O.” overprints, each signed, nine stamps used, fine group

1881, 20pa “R O” overprint, three used singles, one each cancelled with blue grid, blue c.d.s., and red c.d.s., the odd perf flaw as often seen, else a fine trio illustrated the cancellation types in use during this provisional period.

1881 (May 25), 2pi overprinted “R.O.” in blue, diagonally bisected and tied to cover by blue circular grid cancel, neatly-struck Plovdov c.d.s. alongside, the bisect paying the 10pi foreign letter rate, large portion of piece missing from back, trivial given the cover’s exceptional rarity, the only recorded usage of a bisected RO overprint, certificate Hitzler (2022)

1881 (October 4), 10pa black & rose, overprinted “R.O.” in blue, tied by neatly-struck circular grid cancel in blue to bilingual newspaper “Maritza”, Vol. 3, No. 322, published in Plovdiv, adhesive with remarkably bright colour, the newspaper with trivial flaws but similarly fresh, a superb and late usage, an extremely rare example of a sound “R.O.” overprinted issue on a newspaper; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1880, 20 pa. violet on green, inverted blue overprint “R.O.”, unused, fine, three times signed

1880, 5 pia. rose on blue, blue overprint “R.O.”, unused, fine, signed Richter and Schlesinger

1881, 10pa black & lilac, overprinted “R.O.” and “Roumélie Orientale” , block of four, cancelled with several strikes of blue circular grid, some perforation flaws, small thin at top, yet a rare multiple, with few genuine examples recorded; with 2004 Hitzler certificate.

1882 (February 9), 10pa black & lilac, overprinted “R.O.” and “Roumélie Orientale” in blue, tied by neatly-struck circular grid cancel in blue to bilingual part newspaper “Maritza”, Vol. 5, No. 360, published in Plovdiv, adhesive with various small flaws, newspaper quite fresh, both a late usage and rare franking, one of only two recorded examples recorded by Hitzler of genuine “R.O.” overprinted issue on newspaper, and the latest recorded usage of any denomination of this issue, uncommonly found used after July, 1881; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1881 (November 27), 10pa black & lilac, overprinted “R.O.” and “Roumélie Orientale” in blue, tied by crisp circular grid cancel in blue to bilingual newspaper “Maritza”, Vol. 4, No. 340, published in Plovdiv, adhesive damaged, torn in half prior to being affixed to paper, the newspaper itself with trivial edge flaws, a late usage of any denomination of this printing, uncommonly found used after July, 1881.

1881, 10pa black & lilac, overprinted “R.O.” in blue, overprint “Roumélie / Orientale” omitted, lightly corner cancelled in blue, stained at left side, but a rare used example of this scarce variety.

1880, 5 pa. black on olive and 1 pia. black on blue, unused red overprinted OZ (Specimen). Fine and scarce pair

1884 (October 3), 5pa black & olive, tied to front cover of newspaper “Science” by green circular grid cancel, below struck with ornate crossed Post Horn negative seal “Eastern Rumelian Post Plovdiv”, trivial edge flaws as commonly seen, not detracting from the tremendous visual appeal of this scarce franking, illustrating the domestic printed matter rate.

1884 (September 5), 5pa black & olive, perforated 13.5, tied to cover by scarce green triangular Post Horn local cancel of Plovdiv, corresponding c.d.s. struck above, light vertical fold, else a desirable franking of the 5pa local post rate for printed matter, and demonstrating the recurrence in 1884 of the triangular handstamp originally introduced in 1880-81; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1884, 5 pa. black & olive, two single, perforated 13.5 on postal card, paying the 10 pa. inland postcard rate, cancelled with circular grid cancel, HADJI ELLES c.d.s. alongside and PLOVDIV arrival mark, only few recorded, corner faults, otherwise fine

1885 (February 24), 5pa black & olive, perforated 13.5, two singles affixed at either side of postal card, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, 5pa paying only the rate for local delivery, tied by circular grid cancels, postmarked with Kazanluk c.d.s. despatch, to Tatar Pazardjik, two small tears and diagonal crease at upper right, else fine.

1883 (December 18), 5pa black & olive, tied by green grid cancel to December 15 edition of the “South Bulgarian” newspaper, with blue Plovdiv despatch c.d.s., the odd small edge tear to paper, a choice franking illustrating this inland newspaper rate. 

1880/81, 5pa black & olive, horizontal strip of four, cancelled with bold blue grid cancel and partial Yambol c.d.s., with 5pa black & green block of four and strip of four, each cancelled with neatly-struck green grid cancels, strip of six cancelled with light blue c.d.s. postmarks, a few trivial perf flaws, else a fine and scarce group of used multiples.

1880, 5 pa. black on olive, imperf corner margin block of 12, nine stamps mint never hinged, three unused, light vertical fold, otherwise very fine

1881 (January 9), 10pa black & green, perforated 13.5, block of four, tied to piece by blue Plovdiv c.d.s., trace of the odd toned perf, else of fresh colour and nicely-centered, a scarce multiple, being the early recorded use of the 10pa value. 

1884 (April 1), 10pa black & green, tied by circular grid cancel to March 28, 1884 edition of the “South Bulgarian” newspaper, with blue Plovdiv despatch c.d.s., to Tirnovo, typical small edge tears to news paper, the adhesive with some perf toning, else a fine example of the scarce foreign newspaper rate.

1883 (January 23), 20pa black & rose, tied to postal card by blue Pechtera c.d.s., year date incorrectly set to “82”,  sent via Constantinople to Tatar with Constantinople Yeni-Djani transit and blue c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a few trivial stains, but an uncommon cancellation.

1883 (September 8), 10pa black & green, perforated 13.5, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, tied to stationery card by blue Achielo c.d.s., reverse with Plovdiv c.d.s. arrival backstamp, light horizontal crease, else fine.

1881 (August 5), 10pa black & green, tied to postal card to Kazanluk by blue circular grid cancel, matching Karlovo despatch c.d.s. alongside, reverse with fine strike of Kazanluk c.d.s. receiver, an early example of the usage of the bilingual circular date stamp in Eastern Rumelia.

1881 (March 31), 10pa black & green, perforated 13.5, horizontal pair, tied to folded letter from Klissura (per sender’s notation), cancelled with purple provisional cork cancel, to Plovdiv via Karolovo, in Karlovo further cancelled with circular blue grid and corresponding c.d.s. (Apr 1), backstamped the next day with “Poste Plovdiv” c.d.s. receiver, a fine and important cover, demonstrating both an early usage of the rare Klissura provisional cork, but also one of the latest recorded usages of the Plovdiv Russian-type c.d.s; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1881 (October 5), cover franked with 10pa black & green horizontal pair, tied to cover from Plovdiv to Sliven by blue circular grid cancel, neatly-struck Plovdiv despatch c.d.s. above, reverse with Yambol transit and Sliven c.d.s. receiver (Oct 6), transit mark showing the rare “YAMPOLI” misspelling, trivial light wrinkling and the odd spot of discoloration, not detracting from this exceptional cover, struck not only with the scarce YAMPOLI error, but showing three examples of the newly-introduced bilingual datestamps.

1881 (May 13), 10pa black & green, three singles tied to newspaper “Maritza” by green circular grid cancels, paying the rate for three bundled newspapers of up to 30g, likely originating in Plovdiv as the newspaper was printed there, destination unknown as address label has fallen off, yet a rare and striking franking, likely the only such extant; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1881 (March 24), folded letter, Klissura origin notation in manuscript, franked with two 10pa black & green, cancelled “X” in black pen and tied by blue circular grid cancel, to Plovdiv, with neatly-struck “Post Plovdiv” Russian-type arrival backstamp (Mar 26), Karlovo c.d.s. transit (Mar 24) on front, a remarkably fresh entire with tremendous visual appeal.

1885 (March 1), 10pa black & green, perforated 13.5, and 10pa green & light green, perforated 11.5, each tied to postal card to Guadalajara, Mexico, by circular grid cancels, neatly-struck Poste Yambol c.d.s. despatch, Constantinople-Galata (Mar 17) and New York F-D (Mar 30) transit datestamps on front and further Istanbul transits on reverse, some small edge faults, but a rare 1881/84 mixed issue franking to an exotic destination.

1885 (June), cover franked with two 5pa perf 11.5, one each of 10pa, 20pa, and 1pi, perf 13.5, tied to reverse of registered cover to Kehl by circular grid cancels in blue, front with partial Plovdiv despatch c.d.s. and clear strike of boxed “U.P.U. / ROUMELIE / ORIENTALE / R”, reverse with Gabrovo (Jul 2) and Russe (Jul 5) transit backstamps, multiple Kehl c.d.s. receivers (Jul 20), three mostly intact wax seals remain, piece torn from upper right corner, 1pi adhesive discolored, but a most remarkable franking, paying the 2pi registered foreign letter rate, a late usage of the 1880/81 10pa and 20pa denominations, and an exceptional and iconic rarity of Eastern Rumelian postal history.

1880, 10 pa., 20 pa. and 1 pia. three imperf stamps, two with margin, all unused, very fine trio

1884, 20 pa. black & rose, single perforated 13.5 on postal card, paying the 20 pa. foreign countries postcard rate, cancelled by circular grid cancel, STARA ZAGORA 18.4.85 c.d.s. alongside, transit marks POSTE KAGANLIK on reverse and GABROVO Bulgaria on front. VORFERNBERG 6.5.85 arrival mark on front, a very scarce usage to Austria, fine

1884 (August 17), 20pa black & rose, perforated 13.5, tied to postal card to Sofia by blue circular grid cancel, corresponding Poste Yambol despatch c.d.s., transported by rail, with blue “Roumelie Orientale / Du Train” transit backstamp (Aug 18), next-day Sophia receiver struck on front, some light edge toning to card, yet a rare railway cancellation.  

1882 (October 3), 20pa black & rose, the scarce paler shade, tied to reply card from Budapest by blue crayon, sent via Constantinople, with c.d.s. transit backstamp (Oct 8), received by the Austrian Post Office in Plovdiv, with black Filipopoli arrival c.d.s. on front (Oct 11), a most unusual usage.

1884 (July 31), 20pa black & rose, dark shade, perforated 13.5, tied to postal card to Vienna by green circular grid cancel, matching green Tatar Pazardjik despatch c.d.s. at lower left, neatly-struck Constantinople-Galata / Départ transit (Aug 5) on front and Istanbul c.d.s. backstamp, redirected upon receipt in Vienna to Vardenberg, with c.d.s. receiver (Aug 10), fine.