341 / September 2010

POSTAL STATIONERY: 1915, postcard 1 c., used with cds. "SZECHUEN" to Wanhsien, on front with numbered dater in red, fine

WEI HAI WEI : 1898, 2c. on scarlet in combination with Imperial post 1c. ocre on small cover  to Chefoo, both stamps cancelled on arrival with Chefoo dollar chop. A rare item of Chinese philately, only about 20 covers are known with this stamp. Certificate BPA (2007)  

1967, 'Long live the invincible charmain Mao's thought' 8 f., cpl. set incl. both strips of 5 (lightly folded), unhinged mint, the golden strip with colour slightly changed in places, otherwise fine

1857, black oval handstamp "DIREZIONE DELLA POSTA EUROPEA ALESSANDRIA D'EGITTO" on folded letter to Cairo, reverse with blue cachet of the Belgian consulate in Egypt, interesting item, signed Holcombe

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.

1861, folded letter with blue straight line "FRANCO" struck at the autrian Post office in Alexandria to Constantinople, fine

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.

1866, 10 pa. brown, tied to local cover of Alexandria; stamp slightly damaged in the top perforation, where affixed over the edge of the entire, still attractive; a very rare single franking

20 pa. blue, imperforated proof, half sheet of 100 stamps with all sheet margins, ungummed, folded once between stamps, fine

1 pia. lilac, imperforated proof, cpl. sheet of 100 stamps with margins all around, slight marginal faults, otherwise fine

1 pia. lilac tied by cds. to combination cover with Lombardy Veneto 1864, 15 s. tied by cds. "ALEXANDRIEN 27 4" to folded cover to Triest, 1 pia. with corner fault and horizontal fold through 15 s., a rare entire

2 pia. yellow, imperforated proof, cpl. folded sheet of 200 stamps with all sheet margins, folded in the middle, rare

5 pia. rose, imperforated proof, cpl. sheet of 200 stamps with all sheet margins, folded in the middle, very rare

10 pia. blue, imperforated proof, cpl. sheet of 200 stamps with all sheet margins (here small faults), folded in the middle (here partly separated), very rare

1867,  1 p. imperforated, 6 different colour essays, without gum, few thins otherwise fine

Essay 1p. blue in block format with inscription "National Bank Note Co. N.Y", fine

1 pia. red, 3 copies, tied by "V.R. POSTE EGIZIANE SUEZ 7 APR 1871" to folded letter to Gedda with clear arrival mark, fine and rare

2 pia. blue, 2 copies, tied by cds. "V.R. POSTE EGIZIANE CAIRO 14 DEC. 1868" to lettersheet with adjacent "Dopo la Partenza" to Constantinopoli with transit mark of Alexandria and arrival mark, filing folds not effecting the stamps, a rare franking

2 p. blue, imperforated block of four, without gum, horizontal crease through bottom pair, otherwise fine

5 pia. brown, a used reconstruction of the four types, 2 stamps with tiny thins but a generally fine looking assembly (Mi.  1.120,-+).

1872, 10 p. grey-lilac, two singles and 1 pia. brick-red, tied by cds. to cover to London, there readdressed and franked by 1 p. red, transportation faults; interesting item

10 pa. grey-lilac, block of 4, tied by "POSTE EGIZIANE SULAH DASRUN 4 OCT 78" to envelope with contents to Kairo with arrival mark, fine and scarce

1 pia. rose, three singles tied by clear strike of "POSTE EGIZIANE ALESSANDRIA 3 LUG 75" to registered cover to Cairo with framed "RACCOMANDATO" alongside, roughly openend at right and few small impferfections

1 pia. red, perf 13 ½ and 2 pia. yellow, perf 12 ½; used on registered cover 1872 to Alexandria cancelled by complete strike of framed "Raccomandate" handstamp in black with Cairo cds (Aug 19) alongside. Flap missing on reverse but an exceptional and attractive cover.

1 pia. brick-red, tied by cds. "POSTE EGIZIANE SULAH DASRUV 17 MAR 76" to cover from Paris to Abou Kougas, bearing France 1872, 30 c., tied by "Etoile" on front with dispatch cds. "PARIS  6.7 MARS 76" alongside, the envelope with some minor faults, possibly unique, signed Calves and Lamy

2 pia. yellow, perf. 12 ½ x 13 1/4, fresh and fine mint, four stamps as joined multiple, tiny speck on one stamp but with large part original gum

5 pia. green, strip of 3, horizontal pair and single tied by Alexandria cds. to piece, one stamp perforation slightly cut, also piece with pair and 2 single 5 pia. and single 2 pia. yellow

1879, 1 pia. rose tied by cds. "POSTE EGIZIONE CONSTANTINOPLE 7 LUG 80" to cover to Metelino, roughly opened at top, a scarce cover

1879, 1 p. rose tied by cds. "SMYRNE" to cover to Constantinople, fine and scarce

1888, 2 m. green tied by unframed "DARDANELLES PORT 23-SEP-1912" to postcard, addressed to Constantinople with arrival mark on frontside, fine and extremely scarce, as only 2 examples of this cancellation have been recorded - a major rarity!

2 m. green tied by unframed "ALEXANDRIA PORT 28-JUN-1912" to postcard, addressed to Bucarest, taxed with 10 b. stamp on arrival, card with some imperfections and slighty soiled, only 2 examples of this cancellation have been recorded - a major rarity!

2 m. green tied by cds. "ALEXANDRIA" to printed matter entire to Monastir, further franked on dispatch with Turkey 1901, 20 pa. carmine tied by italic "Paquebot" with Smyrne cds. alongside, a very rare and interesting combination cover Provenance: ex Kuyas, ex Cihangir

1893, 3 m. orange tied by clear strike of "POST OFFICE CAIRO COOK'S TOURIST SERVICE 4.III.05" to telegramm of the Eastern Telegraph Co., addressed to Heluoan with repeated strike alongside, with original telegramm, fine and scarce

1914, 4 m. scarlet-red tied by russian cds. to Constantinople, fine and scarce

4 m. red tied to postcard by cds. "TUCHKA 20 FE 07" to postcard to England with cds. "WADI-HALFA 20 FE 07" alongside, fine