339 / März 2010

1838 (Feb 14): Entire letter, aged and with some splitting, used from Calcutta to London with faint oval "India" in red and struck in transit with fine oval "Care of / Mr. Waghorn / Suez" with manuscript "1 Rupee" at top and fine impressions of "Alexandrie / Egypte" of French Post Office (March 27) and framed "INDES ORIEN. / PAR / ALEXANDRIE" in black. Framed "BRITISH / FOREIGN" mark at top with rate details, charged on arrival (April 18) with 3 sh. 8 1/2d. to pay in manuscript. Despite faults a rare entire.

1857 (July 22): Entire letter to Bombay, somewhat aged, struck with good strike of scarce British P.O. "SUEZ" double arc datestamp in black, manuscript charge "Rs. 2" (Rupees) due on delivery, reverse with Bombay arrival cds (Aug 5) in black.

1859: Entire letter written from Cairo to Munich, no postal markings and probably sent as an enclosure, written on paper with superbly lithographed print of "Kairo" at top made by F.E.Feller of Berlin. With full German transcription, a rare and most unusual item.

1863, Envelope from Cairo to Zurich, Switzerland with circular "Posta Europea / Caire" in black (Type IV), thence via French P.O. in Alexandria and Marseille (Jan 13). Zurich arrival datestamps on reverse. A scarce destination for Posta Europea mail.

1864, Cover from Cairo with Type VI "Posta Europea / Cairo" in green on front, mailed to Benha at 1 1/2 piastre rate with scarce oval "Posta Europea / Benha" (Type V) arrival in blue-green on reverse. The cover opens perfectly for Exhibit display.

1865, Government Post : Entire letter to Cairo cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Mansura" datestamp in black with manuscript "2" (piastres) paid in red crayon, reverse with "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" arrival datestamp in blue. A fine example of the short-lived system operating after the closure of the Posta Europea and the issue of adhesives on 1st January 1866.

Essays by Riester of Paris, the set of four depicting two sphinxes, eagle, star and crescent; with full ornamentation at top in brown, blue (slight crease), green and red (Nile Post E21 = $ 500). It is interesting to note that these Essays are always attributed to the first issue, however the size of the rectangular design is exactly the same as that utilised by the second, 1867 issue.

Riester Essays without ornamentation at top (2) in green and brown, additional green, blue, brown and red examples with trimmed ornamentation, a further example in green with ornaments etc. (Nile Post E20+E21 = $ 500+). 

10 pa. brown, four examples (three are Type I, one Type II) used on 1866 cover to pay 1 piastre rate to Cairo, tied by good strikes of "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Alessandria" datestamps(Nov 20) in black. Cairo arrival datestamp on reverse (same day). Some minor bends to cover and small paper thinning to letter sheet at base, well away from adhesives, but a scarce and attractive first issue franking. 

1 pia. claret, Plate Proof block of four, perf. 13, with imprint "Egiziane" in margin at top, fresh colour and without gum as issued. A fine and scarce multiple. Certificate Ceremuga.

1 pia. claret, a fresh and fine mint vertical pair, both stamps Type I, imperforate between, perforated 12 1/2 at right. Fine colour and part original gum. A scarce pair. Certificate Ceremuga (SG-no. 4b; 400,- £).

1 pia. claret used on large piece of 1867 cover, slightly toned and cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali / Cairo" cds (Feb 17) in blue, in combination with Italy 1863 60 c. mauve cancelled by ´234´numeral obliterator.

1 pia. claret, used on August 1866 entire letter to Alexandria cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" datestamp in blue, repeated strike alongside and arrival (in black) on reverse.

2 pia. orange yellow, an imperforate example, wmk. inverted, used on small piece and tied by Alexandria cds. Scarce. Signed Thier (SG 5b. Nile Post = unpriced).

5 pia. rose, printed on both sides, imperforate Proof with Turkish overprint reading "10 Piastres" in error on front, printed on ungummed and unwatermarked paper with partial design on reverse. Extremely scarce. Certificate Hass (SG 6da = £ 500, Nile Post D6mmP = $ 900).

Essay for 1 piastre value in bright yellow orange, a fine block of four showing all the types, one stamp fixed with hinges, good colour, large part original gum. Rare (Nile Post E50b = $ 350).

Riester Essays, a fine group of 3 imperforate unadopted Essays for 20 pa. in pale blue, 20 pa. deep green (corner marginal) and 20 pa. in deep brown. Scarce (Nile Post E47, E47a = $ 225).

Essays (3) by Prevost of Paris for "00" para in black on green paper, in black on white paper and in salmon red on greyish blue paper; all with "Epreuve" below design. A fine and scarce group (Nile Post E38 = $ 225).

Essays by Penasson, imperforate "Lion" Essays (3) for proposed 1 piastre value, in yellow, grey and red. Thins and small faults but very scarce (Nile Post E25 = $ 1´000+).

5 pa. orange-yellow, a fresh unused example clearly showing the "Chain" variety, position 30 on sheet, with flaw running from top panel through to pillar below upper left "Para". Exceptional and scarce (Nile Post  D8b= $200).

10 pa. dull violet, fine mint example showing the extra arabic letter "heh" in lower panel, with unused and used examples (3) all showing the same flaw in various states. A generally fine group and scarce (Nile Post D9a+D9b+D9c = $ 325+).

10 pa. violet, a fine used block of four (Types 1-2/3-4) cancelled by "V.R. Poste Egiziane / Benha" datestamps in black. Small stain at right but a scarce used multiple.

10 pa. dull violet, single example tied to 1869 consignee´s letter from Manchester to Tanta, mailed as Printed Matter and tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Alessandria" datestamp in black. Reverse with Tanta arrival cds of the same day (July 12). Some peripheral toning but a rare example of this scarce rate. Signed Todd AIEP.

10 pa. violet, two fine horizontal pairs used on 1869 entire letter to Alexandria, neatly tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Tanta" datestamps (July 2) in black. Reverse with Alexandria arrival datestamp of the following day. Minor ageing around perforations as is normal with this stamp when used on letter; a rare make-up of the 1 piastre rate and a very attractive cover. Signed Todd.  

20 pa. green, vertical pair on neat 1868 cover to Cairo cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Mansura" datestamp (March 9) in black with repeated impression superbly struck at right; arrival cds on reverse. Flap missing to envelope but an attractive and scarce usage. Signed Todd AIEP.

20 pa. yellow green and 2 pia. blue used on faulty 1871 envelope to Sachsenhausen, Germany tied by Alexandria cds´s (June 9) with italic "Franca" at upper right. Reverse with further Alexandria cds and two different Frankfurt cds´s of receipt (19/6). Despite faults, a scarce franking.

1 pia. red used on 1867 cover front to Manchester tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" cds in black, in combination with Great Britain 6 d. mauve, pl. 5 tied by "BO1" obliterator of Alexandria with datestamp of ame (Oct 27) above. A very rare mixed franking. Signed Sorani.

1 pia. red used on 1869 cover to Ajaccio / Corsica cancelled by "Poste Egiziane / Serapeum" datestamp (very rare) in combination with France 1863/67 Laureated 20 c. blue in a horizontal pair tied by ´5080´gros chiffres with Alexandria French P.O. cds below (Oct 28). Reverse with "Poste Egiziane / Alessandria" cds and Ajaccio arrival  cds. Addressee´s name removed and part Paquebot handstamp coloured in, nevertheless a rare cover.

1 pia. red used on 1870 cover, side flaps removed and adhesive crossed by file fold, to Marseille tied by "V.R. Poste Egiziane / Porto Said" cds in black (June 2), transferred to French P.O. in Alexandria with France 1863/67 Laureated 40 c. orange tied by ´5080´gros chiffres. Despite faults an attractive combination usage.

1 pia. red cancelled at Cairo used on 1870 cover to Milan in combination with Italy 1863 40 c. carmine rose tied by ´234´numeral obliterator, with "Alessandria D'Egitto" cds (Oct 22) alongside. A few minor imperfections but scarce. Signed Calves and Lamy.

1 pia. red, toned, cancelled by Cairo cds (Nov 16) in black, used in combination with Italy 1867 20 c. blue (2) tied by ´234´numeal obliterators. A scarce combination cover. Signed A. Diena. Certificate Colla.

1 pia. red, corner tear at upper right of cover, tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" cds in black (March 4) used in combination with Italy 1867 20 c. blue in a vertical strip of three all tied by ´234´dotted numeral of Alexandria. Small cartridge "Piroscafi / Postali / Italiani" alongside and reverse with Livorno arrival cs (March 11). File fold but a scarce combination.

1 pia. lake, a fine mint example in this very scarce shade, with Colour Trial without watermark (thinned) in same shade and a normal mint 1 pia. red for comparison.

2 pia. blue, horizontal pair unused with minor thinning, with variety "vertically imperforate between" and perforated 15 at top and at base. Scarce (Gi 15c = 425 £, Nile Post D12g = $ 500).

2 pia. blue, single example centred to right, used on 1869 double rate "Port to Port" cover tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Alessandria" datestamp (June 30) with repeated strike alongside, revese with "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Costantinopoli" arrival cds (July 6). Cover with file folds away from adhesive, a scarce franking.

5 pia. brown, a used reconstruction of the four types, 2 stamps with tiny thins but a generally fine looking assembly (Mi.  1.000,-+).