366. Auktion März 2018

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, the 2m pale gray rose on wove paper, corner block of four with violet blue circular control in the middle and each with the very scarce "MARGARITAIS" straightline cancel in blue. Very small lower right corner crease just into the frame line of the lower right stamp. A very nice multiple with a seldom seen cancel.

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, two 2m blue, one on wove, with trace of the control mark at top left corner, unused no gum, thin spot, backstamped; one on quadrilled paper, without control mark, uncatalogued as such, unused no gum. Very Fine. 

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, three 1m yellow green, one mint and two canceled, with pin perforation all around, and a canceled 2m black with a roulette perforation, signed Buhler. Seldom seen. 

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, 1m violet on quadrilled paper, uncatalogued without any control mark, rich color, nice margins all around, unused no gum, backstamped, unpriced unused. Very Fine. 

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, the 2m black on wove paper, an unused block of six and a single, all with the small control mark that was used in the later "Trident" issues. Although considered by some to be proofs, these are scarce, and the block of six is considered a large multiple. The single has a small corner crease, the block of six a diagonal crease affecting four out of the six stamps, the single backstamped Schmitt. 

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, the 2m black on wove paper, two copies without any control mark, one canceled with the very rare "FODELE" straightline. Both are fresh, sound, backstamped by J.U. Schmitt. 

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, 2m black on quadrilled paper, a complete sheet of 20 (4x5) with control mark covering the upper 16 stamps and with the first and third horizontal rows with "RETHYMNON" straightline cancel in blue, rows two and four without the cancel and row five without control or cancel. According to Holcombe, the status of this small sheet format is unknown. May be unique, some minor wrinkles on the edges of the sheet do not detract, very desirable, with Holcombe certificate (1988). 

1899, First "Trident" Issue, complete set of 3 values in six different colors, with and/or without control mark, the 1gr green is canceled, all others mint, a couple with small faults, a couple with no gum, some are backstamped, including the scarce 2m black which is also signed by Diena but has some perf thins on top. Overall a very nice complete set plus the extra stamps. 

1899, First "Trident" Issue, complete set of 3 values in six different colors. Either with blue or violet small control mark and most are canceled-to-order with either a "RETHYMNO" straightline or cds. Some are backstamped.

1899, First "Trident" Issue, complete imperf pair set of three values in six colors each. The 1gr rose and 1gr lilac with the left stamp having the broken T in ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΟΝ. Sheet selvage pairs from the original plates, without any controls, unused. Very rare as a complete set.

1899, Russian Post Office, "Trident" Issue Without Stars. An imperforated composite Proof in black comprising 1gr. type 3 & 4 and 2m. type 3 & 4, as well as a single imperf black proof of the 1m. All are printed on the reverse of a trial obligation (bond) printer's waste. The 1m single has neither control nor cancel. In the composite proof, all bear the small circular control mark in blue, one of the 1gr with partial "RETHYMNON" cds, the other with the scarce "ANOGEIA" straightline in black. Of the two 2m. proofs one has no cancel  and the other a "RETHYMNON" cds. The composite proof may be unique. Folded between top and bottom pairs, a couple of minor wrinkles in the gutter do not detract. No hidden faults, Peter Holcombe's writing in pencil on the back of all items, with his certificate detailing more information and stating his opinion that these are genuine proofs printed from the original plates. A high quality showpiece of great rarity and significance. Certificate Holcombe

1899, "Trident" Issues Proofs: From the First Issue, two proofs: an imperf single 1m blue on the front and 2m blue on the back; and an imperf 2m lilac on the front with a 1m lilac on the back. From the Second Issue: a sheet selvage imperf single with a double impession of the 2m and 1gr green; a sheet selvage single with a double impression of the 2m and 1gr blue; a sheet corner imperf block of four of the 1m rose printed on one side and the 2m rose printed on the other, signed Spanos; a sheet corner imperf block of four of the 2gr green on one side and a double inverted impression of the 2m and 1gr green on the other, signed Spanos; a sheet selvage imperf block of four of the 2m lilac on one side and with a double impression of the 1m blue upright and of the 1gr violet inverted, signed Spanos. 

1899, Second "Trident" Issue, the 1gr rose, Imperf Sheet of 32 stamps, the third and seventh vertical rows with the dot between the S and I of Grosion variety, sheet was folded in four along the middle rows, reinforced with tape on the back, a crease on the right just into the upper right corner stamp. Note in Schmitt's handwriting describes this as a proof. Very rare, the first we have seen. 

"AGIOS GALINIS" full violet straightline cancel on cover franked with 1899, 1m green and 2m black, mailed to Rethymnon,  some folds and normal wear and tear, superb strike of this difficult cancel. 

"GARAZO" full black straightline tying an 1899, 2m. black on two similar covers to Rethymnon, clean, with very fine strikes. 

"MELAMBES" full black straightline tying an 1899, 2m. red on cover (reduced at right) to Rethymnon. A rare cancel on a scarce stamp. Very Fine Provenance: Dr. Maurice R. Friend (1982)

"RETHYMNON" full straightline in blue tying an 1899, 1m blue Trident  on cover to Roustika (reduced at right) and "RETHYMNON" cds in black on two different covers sent to the same recipient in Pigi; first tying an 1899, 1m & 2m orange Trident and a second tying an 1899, 1gr yellow Trident. Nice and useful.

"ROUSTIKA" full straightline cancel in blue on pair of 1899, 1m blue Trident with Stars on cover to Rethymnon; two covers, both mailed from Rethymnon to Pigi, one franked with a single each of 1899, 1m rose imperf at right (listed in Hellas) & 2m blue Trident with Stars and the other with a single 1gr rose. Overall very fine and one with a scarce perforation error on cover.

"SPILI" full black straightline on two covers to Rethymnon. First ties pair of 1899, 1m green, the second a sheet selvage copy of 2m black. Some creasing and normal wear & tear, very fine strikes of this scarce cancel. 

REFUGEES MAIL: 1921, Lemnos: 3 philatelic covers with surcharged stamps (philatelic issue for the financial aid of the Russian refugees), all tied with large cds "RUSSKAYA POST LEMNOS"

1863/66, Inscription on coloured ground 2k. light-rose/black, used with clear numeral "390", a very rare stamp with numeral cancellation, fine, signed Fulpius and certificate Mikulski (1998)

4 k. yellowish-green/black, fresh colour and good margins all around, unused, fine, signed Pfenninger, Jem a.o.

1866/70, green oval without green borderline 2 k. in combination with Russia 10 k. tied by cds. "WENDEN 29.APR.1870" to cover to Riga, very minor cover toning and discoloration to the stamp, a very attractive and rare cover, signed Eichenthal and certificate Buchsbayew AIEP (2011)

1871, green oval without green borderline 2 k. tied by manuscript mark to cover in combination with Russia 1866 10 k. with cds, "WENDEN 13 SEP.", to Kroppenhof, few faults, otherwise fine, certificate Mikulski Provenance: A. Faberge                       The Dr. Hubert Schrödinger Collections (361. Heinrich Köhler Auction)

1884/94, Wenden coat of arms 2 k. with manuscript and Russia three singles 1 k. yellow and 7k. blue tied by cds. "WENDEN" to cover to Nice, little unfresh, reverse with paper faults, a attractive and scarce combination

1884/94, Wenden coat of arms 2 k. and Russia 1889 3 and 7 k. tied by cds. "WENDEN  12 XI 1899" to cover to Wandsbek, Germany, minor toning, a scarce and attractive combination, signed Mikulski

1884/94, Wenden coat of arms 2 k. tied by cds. "STOCKMANSDORF" to Russia postal stationery 3k. to Dünaburg, fine, signed Prof. Winterstein and Mikulski

1884/94, Wenden coat of arms 2  k. tied by cds. "STOCKMANSDORF" to Russia postal stationery envelope 7k. to Newe, Estonia, slight toning, otherwise fine

1901, Ruin Wenden 2k. slate-green/brown, imperforated archival sheet, lower left sheet form with inverted center on field 16, without gum, rare, small creases and two small thin spots in margin, otherwise fine Provenance: "Die Sammlungen Harry von Hofmann" (359. Heinrich Köhler Auction)

1901, Ruin Wenden 2 k. slate green/red-brown, two monochrome proof sheets of the frame only, with 5 gutter pairs, perforated at bottom and three vertical rows, otherwise imperforated, horizontal fold through one row, otherwise a fine and spectacular multiple, signed Prof. Winterstein

1884/94, Wenden coat of arms 2 k. and Russia 1889 7 k. tied by cds. "WENDEN 24 VIII" to cover to Havanna, Cuba, a very unusual and rare destination, slightly tropical, otherwise fine  

2k. as vertical pair and 3k. five singles with additional franking tied by cds. "SADWORBIE 26 8 19" to registered cover to Reval with arrival mark, 2k. one stamp corner fault, otherwise fine

5 k. as vertical strip of four and single together with Russia 1889, 25 k. as block of three tied by manuscript to reverse of registered cover from Kisla Ken to the Editorial office of the newspaper "Tallinna Teataja" in Tallinn with arrival mark, cover folded at top and a little shortened at left, otherwise fine Provenance: The Dr. Hubert Schrödinger Collections (361. Heinrich Köhler Auction)

1919, 5k. as vertical strip of four with additional franking tied by bluish railway cancel to cover to Tallinn, fine

PROOFS: 1-7 r. with red overprint, unused, 5r. with crease, otherwise fine, signed

1 rbl. tied by cyrillic cds. "POLNA 2-10 19" to reverse of registered cover sent from Gdov, registration markings applied by hand, to Tallinn, Estonia with arrival mark. The Gdov canceller was apparently lost and that of "Polna" was applied instead (see "BJRP" No.7, page 139), a very fine and rare cover Provenance:  Andrew Cronin Collection (2009)