360 / Mai 2015 London

1850: Arms definitive, hand-made paper 9 kr. blue, type III, plate 5 on vertically laid paper (gestreiftes Papier), a fine example with fresh colour and good to large margins, neatly cancelled by framed "PRAG 29/5 2 U." datestamp. A rarity of Austrian philately. Sign. Friedl, cert. Matl (1980) Ferchenbauer = € 18'500.

1850/54, First issue 2 kr. on machine made meshed paper, type IIIa, block of 4, large margins all around, cancelled pairwise by 2 strikes of boxed "WIEN 22 MAER."; pre-cut between stamps at left not touching the design, otherwise very fine, a scarce multiple

9 kr. blue with large margins all around, tied by cds. "TRIEST 10/3" (1858) to part-paid letter sheet via the Roman states to Naples in the Kingdom of Sicily, The 9 kreuzer paid the distance up to the border of the Roman states, cover backstamped "Transito per lo Stato Ponteficio", the remaining postage of "29" (grana) marked in manuscript on front to be collected from the recipient, adjacent red "AGDP" of Naples. A very scarce and attractive part-paid entire.

1850/54, machine-made paper 9 kr. blue with good to large margins, tied by black date stamp "WIEN 27/11" to letter sheet with part of the contents to Calcutta, India, showing on reverse transit mark of Triest, blue transit mark of Alexandria and "CALCUTTA STEAM LETTER bearing" with adjacent manuscript "A8"; the cover was paid until Triest with the 9 krezer stamp for the German Postal Union fee and with additional 9 kreuzer in cash for the sea postage to Alexandria; the remaining postage for the route beyond Alexandria of 8 anas = 1 shilling had to be paid by the recipient; some toning, otherwise fine. One of only 3 first issue letters known to India. A remarkable item; certificate Prof. Ferchenbauer VÖB (2009).

1851, newspaper stamp 5 kreuzer/30 centisimi yellow, so-called 'Yellow Mercury', type Ib, close at bottom and slightly touched at upper left, otherwise good margins, unused without gum, faint vertical crease; a nice copy of this stamp which is extremely rare in unused condition; certificate Dr. Ferchenbauer (1996). Ferchenbauer 45.000,- Euro

1858: 5 kr. red, vertical pair, single 10 kr. blue and 15 kr. used on registered cover to Cham, Canton Zug, Switzerland all tied by superb strikes of circular AUSSIG datestamps (29/12) in black (Müller fig. 115b). Handstruck 'Recommandirt' at top in black. A delightul three colour franking.

1860: 10 kr. brown used in combination with 1863 15 kr. pale brown, perf. 14 on cover to Geneva, Switzerland tied by bold WIEN 27/7 datestamp in black. An exceptional and rare mixed issue franking in outstanding quality. Cert. Ferchenbauer (1988).

War against Denmark 1864 (14 Feb): Arms definitives, 1864 15 kr. brown perf. 9½  on front in mixed franking with 1863 10 kr. blue perf. 14 on reverse, both fresh colour, 10 kr. good perf., sign. Ferchenbauer (15 kr. with refurbished tear and wear), both tied by crisp "K.K.FELDPOST Nr. 1" cds's (Müller no. 3451 = 600 resp. 400 Punkte) with "RECOM:" alongside to registered envelope (opened roughly on two sides), sent to Währing nearby Vienna with arrival datestamp (17/2) on reverse. An extremely rare Fieldpost cover dispatched during the war of Austria and Prussia against Denmark at the F.P.O. at Kolding. The war commenced at 1 February 1864 and until 20 May 1864 the rates of the German-Austrian Postal Union had been valid, thereafter postal franchise came into force. Due to the short duration of this regulation of less then four months only few franked covers from the War against Denmark are known. A great item for the collector of Austrian Fieldpost and Austrian postal history in general. Cert. Kimmel (2004).

1864: Arms definitives 2 kr. yellow, 10 kr. blue and 15 kr. brown, perf. 9½ in mixed four colour franking with 1867 Franz-Joseph 5 kr. red, coarse whiskers, fine and fresh examples, tied by two line "ROVERETO 30. AUG" (Müller no. 3299c) datestamps to envelope (vert. fold away from stamps) with "P.D." and "RECOM" in oval alongside, sent to Milano. A fantastic cover sent in August 1867, three months after the issue of the 1867 definitives and prior to the introduction of the general 15 kr. rate in October 1867. The 32 kr. franking overpays the 31 kr. rate to Italy, consisting of 21 kr. for the postage and 10 kr. for the registration which were franked against the regulations on front of the cover. Cert. Enzo Diena (1991). Provenance: Collection Capellaro.

1867/74: 2 kr. brown on buff postal stationery card, up-rated with 3 kr. green and 5 kr. red to pay the 10 kreuzer rate to Poona, India, tied by LUNDENBURG bilingual datestamps (Aug 5) in black. SEA POST OFFICE / E datestamp at left (Aug 19) and both Bombay and Poona datestamps alongside (Aug 24) at left. A charming and scarce card to a most unusual destination.

1867: 50 kr. rose-brown, perf. 12, an attractive single usage of this scarce shade, one corner perf. missing, used on 1873 registered cover to Moscow, tied by 'Sielerstätte / Wien' datestamp (1/7) in blue. Framed RECOM at top in blue and straight line FRANCO at upper right in black. A remarkable and scarce single franking to an unusual destination. Cert. Ferchenbauer (2010).

1867: Franz-Joseph definitive 25 kr. lilac grey fine whiskers, hor. pair on front in mixed franking with 1883 Double Eagle definitive 20 kr. olive grey & black (2) on reverse, fine and fresh examples, tied by fair "TRIEST 20/6/7A/84" cds's to large-sized registered envelope of the 8th weight rate (some age wear, opened on three sides for display, addressee's name redrawn) with "R Nr" handstamp alongside and sent to Modena with Udine transit and Modena arrival cds's from the following day. A rare mixed franking for the payment of this heavy cover, cert. Puschmann (1992).

1863: Arms 3 soldi green in a vertical pair, single 5 soldi rose and 15 soldi brown in a horizontal pair, all perf. 14, used on cover from Ibraila to Genoa, Italy tied by two line dated IBRAILA / 17. MAG. handstamps in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 728). Italic 'P.D.' in black below (fig. 732) and reverse with 'Pesth / Früh' transit cds and Genova arrival (May 24). The 5 s. with closed nick at base on application but an extremely rare usage of three values from the perforated 14 issue from Romania. A magnificent and extremely rare three colour franking for the specialist. Cert. Ferchenbauer (1992).

1864, 15 so. brown, horizontal strip of 3, pair and 4 singles together with 5 so. rose, all tied by clear cds. "CONSTANTINOPLE 16/12" to cover front of large size registered quintuple-rate letter to Genova; somewhat soiled, light cover creases affecting one stamp of the strip; a remarkable and rare franking, signed A. Diena and Fiecchi with certificate (1959)

1867: Levant 5 soldi red and Austria 10 kr. blue used on small 1871 envelope from Constantinople endorsed 'via Varna' to Vienna, tied by CONSTANTINOPEL datestamps (23/6) in black. Reverse with 'Mariahilf / Wien' cds of receipt (27/6). A superb and extremely rare Soldi / Kreuzer mixed franking. Cert. Ferchenbauer (2003).

"LAGOS 20/3 91" on 1888, 20 PARA on 5 kr., 2 horizontal pairs, on front and reverse of registered envelope to Paris and re-directed to Dunkerque; one corner perf of the reverse side pair bend over, otherwise fine; very rare, only one further registered cover is known from Lagos; certificate Goller BPP.

1859 (Jan 1): Newspaper Tax Stamp, 2 kr. red, Type II, a fine interpanneau 'tête-bêche' pair from the centre of the sheet with 62 mm. margin, file fold through the margin as usual, fresh and fine unused with gum. Rare. See Ferchenbauer, Vol. II, page 582 = € 5'000, Sassone: 3

1967: Marriage Prince Hans Adam, imprimatur of the miniature sheet, printed by the government printing office Vienna showing three diff. colour combinations from which the rightmost was chosen by the Liechtenstein administration showing "Gut zum Druck ! Buchel" note and signature as well as "Amt für Briefmarkengestaltung / Vaduz" handstamp alongside the chosen sheet.

1970: European Environmental Year, compl. set of four with essays of the printing development with five steps included plus the final composite printing, mounted on carton for each stamp. From the Courvoisier archive, dated 18.8. / 19.8.1969

1851/54, Rayon I 5 rp. blue/red in horizontal pair in combination with 1854, Strubli Munich printing 5 rp. orange-brown, all in fresh colour and with good to mostly wide margins, tied by light grid cancel to letter sheet dated "1854 / Frauenfeld 25 Sept." and with faint adjacent date stamp, to Stein with arrival mark; a faint ironed horizontal crease affecting the upper area of the Strubli stamp; an attractive and very rare entire. Only 41 covers with combinations of Rayon and Strubli are known; this is the only existing with a sole combination of two different 5 rp. stamps, certificate Rellstab/Witschi (1992) (Zumstein 17IISFe)

1854, Munich printing 40 rp. yellow-green, 10 copies, all with ample to very good margins, tied by grid cancel to quadruple rate coverfront with top backflap (mounted on lettersheet to appear complete) from "FLEURIER 7 JANV. 1855" to Canton, China, endorsed "Via Marseille, Suez & Bombay"; on reverse flap French transit marks and part of British PO cds. of Canton; a very attractive and rare early franking to the Far East. Certificate Rellstab BPP (1989; as 'Faltbriefumschlag') Zumstein 26A

1855/57, Issue on thin paper: 5 rp. brown in horizontal strip of 3, good colour and large margins all around, tied by cds. "LENZBURG 18 FEB. 58" to entire letter to Bern; small pre-cuts between the stamps at top, the stamps have been lifted for inspection and re-fixed; a rare and very fine entire. Certificate Rellstab (1987) Zumstein 22F.

1862, 2 rp. grey in vertical block of 10, fresh colour and good to large margins all around, cancelled by several nice strikes of cds. "THUN 29 MAI 1863 VORMITTAG"; a rare and attractive multiple in very fine condition, we have only 2 other blocks of 10 recorded of this stamp. Zumstein 21G