386th Auction

1888, King Luis I 10 reis green, fresh colours, tied by cds. “CANTON * MAY 25.93” to reply pre-printed card with message to Macau, reverse arrival mark, small corner creases, otherwise fine

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 719

1880/81, 25 reis grey, tied by barred "1" to reverse of small cover from "NOVA GOA 8 8 80" to Bombay, British India. Fine and scarce. (AF no. 58)

1881, 2 T on 100 reis lilac and 1882 1 tanga rose,  tied by cds. “NOVA-GOA 26.NO.84” to envelope to Lisbon with arrival postmark, 2T adhesive with perforation faults at right and cover roughly opened with small part missing on reverse, otherwise fine, rare franking

Postal Stationery: 1882, postcard 1 tanga used with cds. “NOVA-GOVA 5. MA.83” via Bombay and Singapore to Java with arrival cds “SOERABAJA 31.3.1883” on front, light creases at bottom of no importance, still fine

1893, Overprint issue 30 on 300 reis orange, fresh colours, tied by cds. “TIMOR 1.4.94” to pre-printed double card without text via Makassar and London to Guatemala with arrival postmark. A rare card with most unusual destination.

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 753

1871/1956, group of nine covers and postal stationery cards, some better items including 1896 cover with Romanian Post in the Levant 10 para, 20 para and 1 piaster with violet handstamp, 1871 5 bani carmine tied by cds. “BUCURESTU 12.10” to postal receipt, along with two postal stationery cards with additional franking sent in 1877 to Triest and Berlin, mostly fine

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

3 kopek black/green with 1875 20 kopek blue/red orange, fresh colours, tied by cds “WARSAW 13 MAY 1877” repeated alongside to registered envelope to Vienna, Austria, with adjacent framed “ZAKAZNOE” (registered) as well as endorsement “Recommandiert”, reverse arrival cds “JOSEFTADT WIEN 26 5 77”. Except for a few short perforations on the 3 kopek and a few negligible toned spots on the envelope, in very fine condition. A very scarce early registered franking to a foreign destination

Correct 23 kopek franking, with UPU domestic rate 8 kopek and registration fee 15 kopek

1908, 10 kopek dark blue, 35 kopek lilac brown/green and 1 ruble brown/sienna/orange-red, all tied by “LODZ 13.10.11” to reverse of a German parcel card with Germania 20 pfennig blue and Representative 2 marks dark blue with cds “CHEMNITZ 27 9 11”, one stamp missing on front, some tear and minor imperfections, still an attractive and most unusual mixed franking

1870/82, interesting assembly of seven covers and cards, displaying a fine range of rates and usages, some better items with 1875 2 kopek printed matter rate to Italy, 5 kopek postal stationery card used at the newly introduced UPU 4 kopek rate with “ST PETERSBURG 17 AUG. 1875”, better destination with Sweden, etc, some occasional faults, overall in good condition

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

1872, 1 kopek brown and 5 kopek blue, two of each, fresh colours, tied on transit by Russian post office blue cds “ALEXANDRETTA”, repeated on reverse, and an additional single pen strike, to commercial envelope from Mersina to Aleppo, handed over on transit to the Ottoman post with Turkey 1876 Duloz 1 piaster yellow, strip of five and single, paying the domestic rate and cancelled with negative seal; one adhesive folded in half on the edge of the envelope and a few short perforations, still fine. A rare and appealing mixed franking

Provenance: Joseph Hackmey (Spink1986)

1872, 5 kopek blue, tied by blue cds “KONST-NOPOLSK FEV 74” with an additional strike alongside, to small envelope (with content) to Mitylene, originally posted at Odessa with Russia 3 kopek black/green and 10 kopek brown/blue paying the correct 13 kopek rate to Turkey via Russian steamship up to Constantinople, the last leg to Mitylene being paid by the Russian Levant adhesive. The 5 kopek with light vertical crease, 10 kopek shortened perforations on the right side and the envelope with part of back flap missing, still fine. An attractive colourfull mixed franking and most unusual Levant usage

1876, “8" on 10 kopek carmine/green, fresh colours and good perforations, neatly tied by cds “KONSTANTIN 15 JUNE (18)78” to letter sheet with content to Taganrog, reverse transit via Odessa and arrival cds “TAGANROG 20 June 1878”, fine and rare usage of the provisional issue correctly paying the 8 kopek rate

Provenance: “Cihangir” (121. Corinphila Auction, 2000)

1879, 7 kopek on 10 kopek carmine/green, Type II in black, tied by cds “CONSTANTINOPLE 21 JUL 1880” to printed commercial envelope to Odessa; on reverse arrival cds “ODESSA 23 NOV 1880”. The envelope with minor peripheral wear and aging, not distracting. Fine and very rare. Signed Romeko and certificate Eisold BPP (2000)

1884, 1 kopek orange, Second Printing, a vertical block of six of fresh colours and good perforations, used with cds “ROPIT AFON 15 OCT 1900” to reverse of an envelope to Mount Athos, originally posted at Samara with Russia 7 kopek blue paying the domestic rate, endorsed on front “via Odessa and Konstantinople” with all appropriate transit cds, taxed “T”, envelope opened on two sides, fine. A very scarce usage

Mail underfranked by 3 kopek, the 6 kopek Levant adhesives acting as postage due stamps representing the taxation of double the amount missing

1869/78, Milan 15 para orange, vertical pair, tied by c.d.s. "BEOGRAD 3 VII"(1875) to entire letter to Vienna, with arrival mark. A fine and scarce franking. Special rate from Serbia to Austria, commenced on 1 July 1875.

1869/80, Milan 40 paras lilac, horizontal pair, tied by blue bilingual cds. "BELGRAD 4 APR 1878" to small registered mourning cover to Florence, Italy, with transit mark of Vienna. Very fine and scarce.

1851, Isabella  6 cuartos black, horizontal block of 12, deep fresh colour, little abrasion at lower left, otherwise clear to large margins, tied by spider cancel with adjacent “VICH CATALUNA 11 JUL 1851” to large cover to Barcelona, with arrival mark. Some usual light creasing. The largest recorded block and most important item of this stamp. Certificate Jose Soler AIEP (2017). 

1854, Coat of Arms 4 cuartos carmine, fresh deep colour, just touched at top left otherwise clear to good margins, tied by grid  with adjacent “VILLAFRANCA P. BARCELONA 1 NOV 54”, to letter sheet used locally. An attractive and scarce First Day cover. 

1855, Isabella 2 reales reddish violet, two single copies with full margins, tied by barred oval to lettersheet with part of content with adjacent blue "CADIZ 15 ENE 56" to Buenos Aires, endorsed "Via Canarias". In transit marked with crowned circle "PAID AT TENERIFE" and on reverse "TENERIFE FE 15 1856". A fine and rare combination cover.

1860, Isabella 4 cuartos orange on greenish, horizontal strip of 6, nice fresh colour and clear to large margins, tied to double rate letter sheet with adjacent c.d.s. “VALENCIA 27 NOV 60” to Paris, charged additional “5 c” upon arrival (effective from January 1860 till July 1869 on all mail from Spain to France). A fine and scarce franking)

1864, Isabella II 4 cuartos rose on reddish buff, complete sheet of 100 with 2 blocks of four, horizontal pair and a single, all in vivid colour and with ample to huge margins, used with black cds “MALLORCA 18  NOV 64” on large format envelope to Palma. Some mostly light creasing and few faults, still remarkably well preserved for the size. A spectacular rarity; the only recorded complete sheet of any classic imperforate stamp on cover. 

1874, Justice  40 centavos lilac, tied upon arrival by French GC "2240" to letter sheet from Barcelona, docketed "28 JUN 75" to Marseille, with adjacent red "ESPAGNE MARSEILLE 1 JUIL 75", the first day of UPU. A scarce and most interesting entire, documenting the transition into the UPU-period. 

1875, Alfonso 25 c. with cds. "CEUTA CADIZ 11 AGO 75" on cover to Urbino, Italy. Fine and scarce.

1874, Justice  40 centavos lilac, 2 copies, tied by mute cancel to 2nd rate letter sheet with adjacent "ESTAFETA DE CAMBIO MADRID 1 JUL 75" to Lagnau, Switzerland. Originally the letter had been franked just with one stamp, the post detected second weight step, marked the letter "2" and applied the tax handstamp "T", which was cancelled after the sender applied second stamp for correct postage.  Only reported FIRST DAY USE of the GPU “T”.  A world class rarity.

1920, UPU 1 centavo – 1 peseta, two part sets, tied by different special cancellations to official envelope and sheet (the later folded and fixed by hinges), also the three high values numbered"A000,000" on reverse, mint never hinged.

1920, UPU 1 peseta and 5 centavos, tied by special boxed cancellation "BUREAU DE POSTE DU VI CONGRESS POSTAL UNIVERSEL RECOMMANDE MADRID/1.XI.20" two special registered envelope with special registered label, to New York. The envelope with transportation marks and backflap missing, still fine and very rare.

 

1862/1926, interesting assembly of 9 covers, cards and 1878 front with blue special cachet “CONGRESSO CORREOS”, including franked postal receipt from “SANTA ISABEL 27.NOV.26”, also 1862 cover “Ferro-carriles…CONSTRUCTION” to France, Philippines 1879 8 cent. de peso (overprint type II) unused, etc.

1873, postcard 5 centimos blue, used from “CADIZ 13 JAN 74” to Gibraltar, with front side arrival mark. Light creasing at left and tiny thin on reverse, still fine and attractive. This is the earliest use of a Spanish postcard to abroad and the earliest of 3 recorded cards from Spain to Gibraltar before UPU.

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 189

1875, postcard 5 centavos blue, with additional franking 1876, Alphonso 5 centavos brown, cancelled in transit by blue French transit mark "ESPAGNE ST.JEAN DE LUZ 2 DEC 76", to Paris. Fine and unusual.

1882, postal stationery double card King Alfonso XII 15 centimos greyish green, complete with its answer part, with departure cds “MALAGA JUN 90” to Dorpat, Russia with arrival cds “DERPT LIFL. 24 JUN. 1890” (Old Style calendar), there re-addressed to “REVEL 26 JUN 1890”, correspondence finally returned to Spain with departure cds “REVEL 27 JUN. 1890” and arrival “MALAGA 16 JUL. 90” (New Style calendar), some very minor toning of no importance, very fine. A very scarce usage to an unusual destination 

1879, 50 centavos grey, tied by mute cancel with adjacent "CORREOS HABANA 25 ENERO 1879" to cover to Schönbach, Germany, with arrival mark. Fine and scarce.

The transitional 50 centavos rate was valid only until March 31, 1879, which explains the scarcity of this single franking.

1882/87, Alfonso 1 centavo grey-green, tied by clear c.d.s. “HABANA 27 OCT,83” to printed matter envelope to St. John, New Foundland. Very fine and scarce.

1878, unpaid envelope sent to Chester, England, without despatch mark, but struck with typical “T” in ‘dried blood' colour, alongside manuscript “9” in black. On reverse transit mark “LIVERPOOL BR PACKET 11 DE 78”.  A rare cover.

1877, Surcharge “HABILITADO 12 Cs. PTA” inverted on 2 centavos de peso rose, tied by cds “MANILA 18 SE 77” to printed shipping circular, with adjacent merchant's cachet “G. VAN POLANEN PETEL & Co. Manila", to Marseilles; red French "PAQ. ANG. V. BRIND 3 NOV 77" alongside and on reverse arrival mark "MARSEILLES 4 NOV 77". The entire with usual folds, well clear off adhesive. A great rarity; the only recorded example of an inverted surcharge on this value on entire. Certificate Graus (1999). (Scott 59a)