377th Auction

Constantinople: 1868/69, cleaned plate 2 l. dull brown in horizontal pair and 40 l. dull mauve on blued and 1870, 1 l. chestnut brown, all tied by dotted '95' numeral with adjacent "Constantinople 31 JAN 70"  to  Athens by French ship, carried at 45 lepta rate (for under 10 grams) ; reverse with Athens arrival mark . A fine and rare entire. Illustrated in 'Les Tarifs Helléniques' on page 155. Signed Holcombe.

1868/69, Cleaned Plates Printing 10l. red-orange horizontal pair, bright and fresh colour with wide and well balanced margins, unused with original gum, an extremely fine and attractive pair of this rare unused stamp, certificate Tseriotis AIEP (2020) (Hellas ​26a)

1906, Intermediate Olympics Goddess of Victory 10l. greenish blue, imperforated plate proof on white cardboard, block of four, no gum as issued, tiny discoloration at upper left stamp, otherwise fine

1906, Intermediate Olympics Hercules and Antaeus 25l. rose carmine, perforated plate proof on white cardboard, no gum as issued, fine

1906, Intermediate Olympics Hercules and Antaeus 25l. rose carmine, imperforated plate proof on white cardboard, block of four, no gum as issued, tiny discoloration at upper left stamp, otherwise fine

DEDEAGH, locally produced negative seal on Thrace 1813, handstamp 1 p. on Turkey 2 pa. on cover with adjacent cds. of the Austrian PO "DEDEAGATSCH 20. X 13" to Mytilene with arrival mark, 2 filing creases not affecting the stamp nor postmarks; fine and rare

MYTILENE: "TELEGRAF VE POSTAHANE-I MIDILLU 318", negative seal postmark on cpl. telegram from Galaz to Mytilene, very rare

1899, Provisional Handstamp Issue, 2m. rose, one copy on laid paper and one on surface laid paper, both used with straight-line "RETHYMNON", fine

STEMPEL: "VAG. UJHELY NOV. 26", 2 good strikes on 2 copies 1860, 5 h. red on piece, fine (Guglin 700 points)

1931, Zeppelin 30a., block of four from the upper right sheet corner with marginal imprint "No 299 Y", mint never hinged, fine

1940, New York Exhibition overprint issue 20 a.-20 kr. on registered and censored first day cover from "REYKJAVIK 11.V.40" to England with arrival marks (Fazi 256-59)

1852, 6 baj. on lilac grey, 3 single copies with single 5 baj. on carmine rose , one 6 baj. little touched in one place, otherwise all clear to wide margins, tied by clear grid cancells to small envelope from "ROMA 28 GEN. 67" to new York, very fine, certificate Enzo Diena (2019) (Sassone 7A,6A)

1910, Naples referendum 5-15c., fresh colour and usual perforation, mint never hinged, fine

1921/23, B.L.P.  overprint proof, Sperati forgery in block format, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 1l. brown/green, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 1l. brown/green with inverted overprint, Sperati forgery, used, missing perf at left, otherwise fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 40c. brown with inverted overprint, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 60c. brown-carmine, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1944, 25c. propaganda with red overprint, all four different, mint never hinged, fine

1924, 5l. red-brown without inscription in bottom tablet, Speratis working color proof with additional printed notes on bottom, very fine and rare

1924, 5l. brown without inscription in bottom tablet, Speratis working color proof with additional printed notes on bottom, very fine and rare

1830, Entire letter from Riga to London with frontside transit mark "P.MEMEL 30 MAI" and manuscript notation "via Rotterdam p Steam Boat"; on reverse red entrance mark of Arnheim and "SHIP LETTER LONDON"

BOLSHEVIK PERIOD: 1917-19 (16.5) money transfer card for 15 rubles, sent from Lemburg, Lifland to a soldier with the 13th Finland regiment, via the Head Field Post Office at Velikie-Luki, from where it was directed to F.P.O. No.19, then to F.P.O. No.20, then F.P.O. No.18. Over 3 months later received in Kovrov, then to Riga (2.4.18), back to Kovrov (22.3.19) and finally returned to Lemburg two years later! A historical document, reflecting the fluid military situation and the disruption of postal communications during this period which saw the Bolshevik Revolution, German occupation of the Baltic States, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Allied Armistice and civil war in Russia. Despite the nearly two years of effort, the poor soldier never received his (now vastly devalued and nearly worthless) 15 rubles

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s. with right sheet margin, unused, fine

10 c. grey-black, horizontal strip of 4 with good to wide margins, lightly cancelled by Luxemburg circle of bars; the right stamp tiny corner crease resp. nick, otherwise very fine and fresh, certificate Böttger BPP (2017) (Prifix 1i)

1852, 10 c. grey-black in block of 4, clear at lower left, otherwise good to wide margins, neatly cancelled by 2 strikes of target cancel of Remich; the lower right stamp slightly thinned, otherwise very fine and fresh; one of the most attractive of the few blocks of 4 recorded. Certificate Goebel AIEP (2011) (Solufil 1f) Provenance: Juan del Puente ( 73. Corinphila-Auktion, 1985)

10 c. grey-black, 2 horizontal pairs with good to mostly large margins, tied by circle of bars to lettersheet with adjacent "LUXEMBOURG 20 JUIL. 58" to Paris; a scarce franking in fine condition, certificate Demuth BPP (1994)

1859/63, Coat of arms 25 c. brown with clear to good margins, tied by small cds. "LUXEMBOURG 26 OCT. 61" with additional strike alongside to entire letter to Völklingen, very fine, certificate Demuth BPP (1994)

1865/75, rouletted in colour, 1 c. brown orange, block of 9, unused with original gum, rouletting slightly split at top and some very minor toning, still fine and fresh; a scarce multiple, certificate Böttger BPP (2018)

1865/75, rouletted in colour, 12½c. rose in block of 4, unused with original gum, roulettings slightly split and strengthened by hinges, still fine and very scarce, certificate Böttger BPP (2018)

1865, Coat of arm rouletted in colour 12½ c. rose in block of 4, neatly cancelled by small cds. "ESCH-S-L'ALZETTE 5 MARS 76", very fine, certificate Böttger BPP (2016)

1865/75, rouletted in colour, 20 c. gray brown , block of 4 from the upper right sheet corner, unused with original gum, one stamp mint never hinged, fine and fresh ( minor faults in the margins only); a scarce multiple, certificate Böttger BPP (2018)

1865/74, 25 c. ultramarine, tied cds. "LUXEMBOURG 2 SEPT." (1870) to entire letter to Paris, endorsed "par la Belgique" due to Franco-Prussian war, showing on front blue "PARIS ETRANGÈRE 4 SEPT. 70"; a fine and interesting entire, certificate Demuth BPP (1995)

1908, Caritas forerunners 10 c. blue and 20 c. dark green with coat of arms 1 c. (12 copies + philatelic bisect), all tied by cds. "LUXEMBOURG-GARE HOLLERICH 28.9.09) to Germany; the Caritas labels light corner creases, otherwise fine; very scarce (Prifix 2, 4)

1920, Caritas forerunner 5 c. green souvenir sheet, unmounted mint, very fine and fresh

1921, Birth of Prince Jean souvenier sheet, used on philatelic registered local cover from LUXEMBOURG VILLE 11.1.21", tied by register handstamp; slight transportation faults, still fine and very scarce