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.

1854, 6d. grey with superb large margins all round used with 1 s. vermilion, margin just nicked at top left on 1858 cover from Sydney to Genoa, Italy endorsed 'per Victoria via Marseilles', tied by dumb obliterators in black with reverse showing SYDNEY / NEW SOUTH WALES datestamp of despatch (April 9) in black. 'Australie v. Suez' entry marking in red on front (June 15) and Genova arrival (June 17) where charged 2 lire due.

1851/60: 1 d. red brown on blued, 3 d. bright blue and 6 d. deep green all used on delightful small 1860 envelope endorsed 'per Cunard Steamer' to Nice, Sardinia. The adhesives with excellent colour and large margins with just the 1 d. value being just shaved at left, tied by mute barrred grid handstamps in black and by 'London / Paid' transit cds (March 5) in red. Manuscript '1/1d.' at left and reverse with Halifax despatch cds (Feb 23) and 'Nizza Mara.' arrival cds (March 8) in black. A famous and very rare cover. Cert. RPS (2011). Note: This cover remains the sole known usage to continental Europe other than France - Sardinia returned Nice to France just 16 days after the arrival of this letter as a result of the Treaty of Turin (March 24, 1860). Provenance: Argenti, Mayer, Hackmey.

1857 (Oct 14): Entire letter franked by Great Britain 1857 1 d. rose-red, perf. 14 in a horizontal pair, tied to cover to Genoa endorsed 'Col Piroscafo', by two strikes of 'G' obliterators in black. 'Via / Di Mare / (E)' in red at right. Charged '3' with black handstamp and '10' in manuscript on arrival (Oct 20). A fresh and fine cover - the earliest recorded cover bearing British adhesives is dated September 7, 1857.

1857 (Oct 22): Entire letter franked by Great Britain 1857 1 d. rose-red, perf. 14 in a horizontal pair, tied to cover to Genoa endorsed 'Col Piroscafo Albania', by two strikes of 'G' obliterators in black. Double arc GIBRALTAR cds at right in  blue and 'Via / Di Mare / (E)' in red above. Charged '15 cmi' with black handstamp on arrival (Oct 26). A fresh and fine cover - the earliest recorded cover bearing British adhesives is dated September 7, 1857.

1860 (Aug 2): Entire letter from Gibraltar to Genoa, Italy franked by Great Britain 1857 1 d. red stars, perf. 14 pair tied by 'A26' obliterators in black with GIBRALTAR cds of despatch alongside. Red 'Via / Di Mare / (E)' at top and charged on arrival with handstruck '2' in black for local delivery. Reverse with Genova arrival (Aug 7) in red. A fine and early usage.

1857 (April 13): Entire letter from Hong Kong to the 'Le Comte Cavour', Minister of Foreign Affairs in Turin (and later a leading figure in the movement to Italian Unification), endorsed inside 'pr. Steamer Madras via Marseilles' and on front panel 'via Alexandria and Trieste', struck on despatch with Crown PAID AT HONG KONG in red with double arc 'Hong Kong' cds in black (April 14) on reverse. Blue ink '9/9' (kreuzers by land and sea) deleted at left, struck with 'D. A. a. L.' (Diretto Austriaco Austriache Lire) in red above. Fascinating letter: 'I shall have much pleasure in accepting the offer of Consul at Canton...you will be aware that relations with the Govt. at Canton are suspended owing to the measure of hostilities that have been forced on the Representatives of Her Britsih Majesty's Government...the British Admiral still retains his position on the river at Canton, he has punished aggresive measures...an adequate force would enable him to strike a decisive blow'. A fine and most unusual usage prepaid to Sardinia.

1863/71: 2 c. brown, 12 c. pale greenish blue and 30 c. orange vermilion overlapped on small 1866 envelope endorsed 'via Alexandria' to Genoa, Italy tied by 'B62' obliterators in black, with single ring 'Hong Kong' despatch cds (July 26) on reverse. Transit cds of British Post Office in 'Alexandria' (Sept 6) on front and small cartridge PIROSCAFI / POSTALI / ITALIANI in black. Reverse with Brindisi cds (Sept 10) and Genova arrival cds. A charming and scarce 44 cent three colour franking.

1858: Britannia (4 d.) green imperforate, ample to large margins all round, tied to 1859 entire letter endorsed 'via Marseilles' to Genoa, Italy by circular target handstamp in black. Manuscript 'Short Paid 8d.' alongside adhesive and reverse with Crown 'Mauritius / GPO' datestamp of despatch (June 20), single ring 'Malta' transit cds (July 17) and Paris arrival (July 21), where charged '10' décimes due in manuscript. A rare and most unusual entire. Cert. BPA (1995).

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: 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).

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.