360 / Mai 2015 London

1854: Embossed 6 d. purple used with 1856 4 d. carmine on blued paper, tied to 1856 entire letter to Turin by London 1'5' obliterators in black. Oval 'PD' alongside and Calais transit (June 1) on front, reverse with Turin arrival cds. A charming entire in fine quality.

Zante (Italian Occupation) 1941:Greece Airmail 50 lepta violet-brown, mint block of four overprinted by framed handstamp OCCUAPZIONE / MILITARE DI / ZANTE / 1-5-XIX in violet, fresh and fine, natural age spot at upper left and paper flaw on left vertical pair, a rare multiple of a very scarce stamp. Cert. Sorani (2014) Sassone = € 8'800.

1858: 20 kop. deep blue & orange-yellow, 30 kop. red & deep yellow-green (2) and 1864 3 kop. black & green (2, one with slight stain) used on 1865 double rate cover from Tiflis (Georgia) to Naples, all tied by dotted '49' numeral handstamps in black with circular FRANCO above. Diamond 'Odessa' datestamp of transit at right. Reverse with Tiflis despatch cds, Vienna cds (July 16) and Naples arrival (July 20). A remarkable and rare 83 kopek franking. Provenance: Fabergé.

1872: Levant 3 kop. green on horizontally laid paper, minor tone spot on top perf., used in combination with Russia 1866 20 kop. orange & blue on 1874 letter endorsed 'via Odessa' from Constantinople to Livorno tied by cyrillic KONST POLSK Constantinople datestamp in blue (Feb 11). Odessa transit cds in black at right (Feb 13). Reverse with Russian 'Postal Wagon 47-48' TPO datestamp in black (Feb 14), 'Amb. Cormons-Venezia' TPO datestamp (March 1, gregorian) and Livorno arrival cds. A rare and most attractive mixed franking.

1899 (Aug 31): 2 k. green, tied by Constantinople cds (Tchilinghirian fig. 17) to complete newspaper 'Servet' with wrapper still attached and sent to Verona, Odessa transit cds (Sept 3) on reverse. To our knowledge the only recorded complete newspaper with Russian Levant stamp. Provenance: Collections Liphshutz and Cihangir, 121. Corinphila Auction (2000), lot 397.