386th Auction

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.

1880/1, 20pa black and rose, affixed to postal card, with attached reply card, tied by blue “Obrasets” (SPECIMEN) handstamp in blue, scarce and fine.

1884 (August), 20pa black & rose, perforated 13.5, dark shade, tied to postal card by green circular grid cancel, matching Plovdiv despatch c.d.s., to Vienna, Austria, with Constantinople-Galata / Départ transit c.d.s. of the French Post Office (Aug 9) and Istamboul - Arrivée c.d.s. backstamp, Mariahilf-Wien c.d.s. receiver (Aug 12), crease at upper left, some surface abraisions to reverse, else a fine example of the 20pa foreign postcard rate.

1883 (March 10), 20pa black & rose, tied to cover to Sheravna by blue “Poststation Schipka” Russian-type c.d.s., indistinct free strike alongside, toned and opening tear to reverse, but a scarce usage of this datestamp, with Sheravna continuing to use the Russian hammer after most other towns had replaced theirs with bilingual examples .

1884 (October 20), 20pa black and rose, perforated 13.5, tied to postal card to Dédéagh by green circular grid cancel, postmarked with green Tatar Pazardjik despatch c.d.s., reverse with partial Constantinople French transit c.d.s. in blue (Oct 24), a fine example to a scarce destination.

1884 (November 28), 20pa black on rose, perforated 13.5, tied to postal card to Vienna, Austria, by blue circular grid cancel and Plovdiv c.d.s., Constantinople - Galata / Départ transit (13 Dec) and Landstrasse / Wien arrival (16 Dec) cd.s. on front, slight toning in places, else a fine stationery card to an uncommon foreign destination.

1884 (July 8), 20pa black on rose, perforated 13-¼,, horizontal pair, tied to reverse of cover by blue circular grid cancel, front with Karlovo despatch c.d.s., reverse with Kazanlik (Jul 10) and Gabrovo (Jul 12) transit marks, Svischtov (Swischtow) c.d.s. receiver (Jul 14), piece torn from lower left corner, impacting one cancellation, else a fine example of the 1pi foreign letter rate.

1883 (June 6), cover franked with 20pa black on rose horizontal pair, paying the 1pi foreign letter rate to Schumen, adhesives tied by blue Haskoy c.d.s., matching free strike at lower left, alongside Gaborovo c.d.s. transit (Jun 10), second Gabrovo backstamp (Jun 12), and Schumen c.d.s. receiver (Jun 13), somewhat roughly opened through back flap, else a fine and unusual cover, the adhesives being cancelled by a c.d.s., contrary to regulations, and both the Haskoy and Gabrovo postmarks showing inverted day or year slugs.

1881 (January 11), cover franked with 20pa black on rose horizontal pair, paying the 1pi foreign letter rate, tied to cover to Schumen by blue circular grid cancel, matching blue Plovdiv despatch c.d.s. below, reverse with Varna c.d.s. transit (13 Jan), with Schumen c.d.s. receiver on front, the odd spot of toning, else fine.

1881 (March 27), 20pa black & pale rose, four singles, tied to back of registered cover to Constantinople with blue circular grid cancels, partial blue Yambol despatch c.d.s. on front, handstamped “Recommandee” in blue, reverse with neatly-struck blue Constantinople/Arrivee receiver (Apr 11), some tone spots to envelope and adhesives, one 20pa stamp with portion torn off, cover slightly reduced at right, yet a scarce example of the 2pi registered foreign letter rate.

1884 (June 18), 1pi black & blue, tied to cover from Kazanluk to Dresden by green grid cancel, Kazanluk c.d.s. despatch, dual Gabrovo transit marks, with both Russian (Jun 19) and bilingual type (Jun 21), reverse with Russe transit (Jun 22) and Dresden (Jul 7) c.d.s. arrival backstamps, light wrinkles, else a fine single franking paying the foreign letter rate.

1885 (August 28), three 1pi black & blue, perforated 13.5, two on reverse, all tied to registered cover to Arthur Maury in Paris by blue circular grid cancels, neatly-struck “Poste Yamboli” despatch c.d.s., black Constantinople transit backstamp and multiple Paris c.d.s., a scarce cover paying the 2pi foreign letter rate for the second weight class with 1pi registration fee, most attractive.

1880, 5 pia. red and light blue, unused overprinted with italic 'Obrasetz' in blue (Specimen). Fine and scarce

1884, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac, unused overprinted with italic 'Obrasetz' in blue (Specimen). Fine and scarce

1885 (April 26), 5pa lilac & pale lilac, perforated 11.5, tied to cover to Adrianopel by circular grid cancel, blue Plovdiv despatch c.d.s. alongside, partial blue Constantinople c.d.s. transit backstamp, some light staining and surface abrasions near adhesive, but a scarce franking, paying the inland printed matter rate of up to 50g, this example further demonstrating that destinations in Turkey were at this time covered by the domestic rate.

1884 (December 17), cover franked with 5pa lilac on pale lilac, perforated 11.5, tied to Plovdiv local cover by triangular “Plovdiv City Post” Post Horn handstamp, blue c.d.s. alongside, light vertical fold, else fine.

1885 (February 2), postal stationery card franked with 5pa lilac on pale lilac, perforated 11.5, tied to Plovdiv local cover by triangular “Plovdiv City Post” Post Horn  in blue, with c.d.s. struck at left, an uncommon local usage, attractive and fine.

1885 (August 16), 5pa lilac & pale lilac, perforated 11.5, horizontal pair, tied to postal card with circular grid cancel, Kazanluk despatch c.d.s. at left, to Kotel, with blue c.d.s. arrival backstamp (Aug 20), sender’s message on reverse related to the U.S.S. Quinnebaugh’s arrival in Constantinople, and its  encounters with Bulgarian gunboats, some toning and light creasing, yet of historical interest.