334 / September 2008

1 c. grey-green, two singles, tied by 'PERIODICOS FRANCO' to cover to London, transit mark 'LE HAVRE 12 SEPT 87', reverse with arrival cancel, horizontal fold affecting both stamps, otherwise good condition (Edifil-no. 61)

5 c. blue-gray, strip of 3, a pair and a single stamp, tied by pre-philatelic straight-line 'GURABA' in blue to registered cover to San Francisco, on front handwriting 'No. 747 GÜRABO' and remarks 'UN-CLAIMED' and '2nd NOTICE', reverse with two violet register marks and triangle 'DEAD LETTER OFFICE AUG 12-82', some imperfections but nevertheless an exceedingly rare combination of pre-philatelic mark and registered cover (Edifil-no. 65)

10 c. blue-green, horizontal strip of three, tied by cds. 'YAUCO 8 MAR 89' to registered cover front to London, endorsed 'per Vapor Espanol', little stained, otherwise fine (Edifil-no. 67)

1891/92, 1/2 m. de peso olive grey in an interpanneau strip of six (with 'Via de Cadiz' on interpanneau margin), used on printed entire letter to Barcelona from San Juan; lightly cancelled in black. Two insignificant creases, one between second and third stamp, but an extremely rare example of the Printed Matter rate (Scott no. 76). This cover is illustrated in the Garcia-Lomas handbook on page 182

2 m. de peso violet-brown, single and strip of four on 1892 cover to New York, tied by oval framed "Franco" handstamps in black, reverse with New York arrival (Nov 28); some envelope creasing but scarce (Scott-no.84)

1893, Landing of Colombus 3 c. dark green, First Day Cover to Rio Pedras franked by mis-perforated stamp with extra vertical row of perforations through centre, tied by 'Admon Central / Puerto Rico' cds in black. Arrival cds on reverse of a very scarce cover (Scott no. 133)

1898, 1 m., 4-5 m., 3-4 c. and 20 c., tied by straight-line 'FRANCO' to registered cover to Toa Alta with adjacent 'BARRAN/QUITAS', a very rare and spectacular multicolour franking, Graus certificate

1 c. tête-pêche together with pair of 3 c. brown and 5 m. orange-brown and single 2 c. blue-green, tied by double-circle cds. 'ARROYO 24 ENE 98' to cover to Malaga with arrival mark, back flap partly missing and adressee somewhat restored, exceedingly rare and maybe unique, Graus and CEM certificates (Edifil-no. 135e,134,136-37)

2 c. blue-green and 8 c. brown horizontal pair, used on registered 1898 cover to New York with "Impuesto De Guerra" 1898, 5 c. blue-green, tied by framed "Certificado/San Juan" date-stamps in violet, framed registration cachet below (also in violet); faults but a rare mixed franking (Scott-no.141,146,MR7)

1 c. black-violet, 2 c. dark blue-green, 3 c. dark brown and 5 c. rosine, used with "Impuesto De Guerra" surcharged 2 c. pale claret and 2 c.dull violet, all tied to registered cover to Lincoln, GB by framed "Certificado/Ponce" date-stamp, French octagonal Ligne B Paquebot date-stamp alongside (July 22) and London transit (Aug 5); a very rare mixed franking (Scott-no.140,141,142,144,MR4,MR5)

2 c. blue-green and 8 c. brown, used on 1898 cover from Ponce to London via Martinique where forwarded with 1892, Martinique 25 c. black on rose, tied by Fort De France cds. in blue, reverse with St. Pierre/Martinique cds. in red (May 26) and London arrival cds.; faults but a remarkable usage (Scott-no.141,146)

6 c. dark blue, used in combination with "Habilitado Para 1898 y 1899" 2 c. red-brown (2) surcharged in red, tied to October 1898 cover by San Juan cds. in black, New York arrival cds. on reverse of a very scarce cover; illustrated in Garcia Lomas handbook on page 226 (Scott-no.145,159)

8 c. brown, defective, and "Impuesto De Guerra" 2 c. lilac, surcharged in violet on 1898 registered cover to Santurce, tied by framed Ponce date-stamp in blue-green; some ageing but a very scarce cover (Scott-no.146,MR5)

8 c. brown and "Impuesto De Guerra" 2 c. on 2 m. de peso orange (2), surcharged in violet, tied to 1898 cover to New York, endorsed "per Vapor Arcadia" by San Juan cds. in black, reverse with New York arrival (Oct 12) cds.; a scarce franking (Scott-no.146,MR2)

Hubilitado handstamps 2 m. yellow-green, tied by circle cancel 'ADMIN... PUERTO RICO' to small cover fragment to Madrid, fine, Graus certificate (Edifil-no. 152A)

2 c. red-brown (2) and 4 c. grey-brown, surcharged "Habilitado Para 1898 y 1899" in red, tied by framed "Certificado/Ponce" date-stamp in blue, addressed to Santurce, New York; a very scarce issue on cover, illustrated in Garcia Lomas handbook on page 220 (Scott-no.159,162)

3, 8 and 20 c., all surcharges "Habilitado Para 1898 y 1899" (doubled on 20 c. value) and 1898, 5 on 1 and 2 m. surcharges "Impuesto De Guerra" in magenta and violet respectively, all tied to registered 1898 cover from San Juan to Madrid cancelled by "Certificado/San Juan" date-stamps (Sept. 5) in violet; cover trimmed at top and missing left corner but a scarce usage of these Provisionals on letter (Scott-no.161,167,168,MR2,MR13)

PONCE: 1898, 5 c. violet on yellowish paper, horizontal strip of three, types I+III+III, unused without gum, some staining and vertical fold through second stamp, paper with imprint 'Official Business' in upper part, very rare and to our knowledge unique (Edifil-no. 1)

BRITISH POST: 1877 (Aug 1), incoming entire letter from London to San Juan franked by Great Britain 2 d. blue pl.14 and 4 d. sage green pl.16 tied by London duplexes. Reverse with extremely rare usage of pre-philatelic 'YNGLATERRA' handstamp on arrival; the only known usage at this late date. Some acid ink affects the front panel but the entire opens well for Exhibit display

FRENCH SHIP POST: 1867, entire letter from St. Jean de Puerto Rico, franked with strip-of-3 Napoleon perforated 20 c. (right stamp scissor cut at side due to bad centering) with anchor cancellation and adjacent "ST. JEAN DE PORTO RICO 24 MAI 67" to Martinique, showing on reverse octogonal "ST. THOMAS PAQ.FR.E.No.1"; the right stamp also with additional strike of "MQE" at arrival; 2 filing creases not effecting the stamps; a rare cover with 'Tarif inter-antilles', certificate Robineau

1911, Fiscal 1 p. 25 c. brown-purple, imperforate without Control number, surcharged "2 Cents" in bright blue in centre, a fine unused example of an un-catalogued provisional adhesive (or possibly an unadopted Essay), Graus certificate

Fiscal 1 p. 25 C. brown-purple, imperforate with Control number "A.0,006,882", surcharged "2 Cents" in red in centre, a fine unused example of an un-catalogued provisional adhesive (or possibly an unadopted Essay) with blue administration cachet in centre, Graus certificate

Fiscal 1 p. 25 c. brown-purple, imperforate without Control number, surcharges "5 Cents" in bright blue in centre, struck twice; a fine unused example of an un-catalogued provisional adhesive (or possibly an unadopted Essay), Graus certificate

1870, Spain 50 m. de peso ultramarine, used on cover front to Zaragoza, tied by rare oval "C:ESPANOL EN MARRUECOS-TETUAN" handstamp well struck in black; very rare, Graus certificate (Scott-no.166)

1889/90, Spain 15 c. brown on 1890 underpaid cover from Tanger to Bordeaux, tied by Tanger cds. (Sept 11), framed "T/Espagne" in black and taxed on arrival in France with pair of 10 c. black Postage Dues (Sept 15); a scarce usage

1908, Spain 5 c. deep green, a mint block of 24, surcharges "Tetuan" in violet (inverted, reading down to right), underprinted A294,156, large part o.g. with hinges to retain the multiple; nevertheless very rare and believed to be the largest known multiple of this stamp (Scott-no.9var.; Galvez-no.20i)

Spain 30 c. blue-green, a mint top marginal block of 6, surcharged "TETUAN" in black (inverted, reading up to right), unterprinted 100,693, large part o.g. and very fine; exceptional and very scarce multiple, signed Galvez and Comex certificate (Scott-no.14var.; Galvez-no.21hi)

Spain 30 c. blue-green, a mint corner marginal block of 4, surcharged "TETUAN" in black (inverted, reading up to right), underprinted 001,694, large part o.. with plate number in corner; exceptional and very scarce (Scott-no.14var; Galvez-no.21hi)

1937, National uprise souvenir sheet on regstered envelope from "TETUAN 27.9.37" (day before official issue) with violet "CENSURA MILITAR/TETUAN" to Bruxelles with arrival mark

1953, Esperanto-Weltkongreß 300 Din. im kpl. Kleinbogen zu 12 Marken, postfrisch, jede Marke sign. Zumstein

1918, Skauten 10 H. ultramarin und 20 H. rot mit Aufdruck "Puijez 1 presidenta Masauska" auf dreiteiligem Telegramm vom 21.XII.18 mit der Ankündigung vom Besuch des Präsidenten und seiner Gefolgschaft (Übersetzung beiliegend), beide Marken zusammen auf Telegramm sind von größter Seltenheit

1926, Masaryk 50 H. und 1928, 10 Jahre Republik 2 Kr. (2) auf vorgedrucktem Postauftragsdienstbrief von Teplice (R-Zettel durchgestrichen) nach Berlin

1934, Hymne-Blockpaar, jeweils einige Büge und leicht fleckig in Schutzhülle, ungummiert

PORTOMARKEN: 1922, 200 H. auf 400 H., gestempelt "PRAHA 7.VI.27" auf Formular-Zeitungssache nach Leipzig

1927, 100 H., 2 Stück mit Stempel "PRAHA 18.VII.27" auf Formular "Zeitungssache" aus Marienbad

1923, 500000 R., 2 Stück (1 Wert über Rand geklebt) auf Postanweisung, selten