STOCKHOLMIA 2019 & ERIVAN Worldwide Rarities

1840, Victoria 1 penny black, plate 1B, horizontal strip of 4, KB-KE with variety 'recut side-line, necessitated by burr rub following re-entering - left side', nice deep colour and good to large margins, neatly cancelled by black Maltese Cross. A very fine and most attractive strip. Signed Pröschold BPP and certificate K.-A. Louis BPP (2018) (SG 2)
Provenance: Stanley Gibbons Auctions Frankfurt (1974)

1840, Victoria 2 pence blue, plate 1, horizontal strip of 3, SH-SJ, nice deep and brilliant colour, ample to mostly large margins, lightly cancelled by black Maltese Cross, very fine. Certificate K.-A. Louis BPP (2018) (SG 5)

1840, Victoria 1 penny black, plate 6, EG, touched in the frame line at bottom, otherwise ample to very large margins, showing parts of adjoining stamps at top and left, tied by red Maltese Cross to small envelope, originally mailed from Burgsteinfurth, Prussia via Winterswijk (transit mark on reverse) to forwarding agent Coutts & Co. at London, here franked and re-directed to Plymouth. The cover shows on reverse nice red wax seal of the Princes of Bentheim and Steinfurth; it was prepaid to the border with 7 silbergroschen of which "20" Dutch cents were paid to Holland for transit, in England "8" pence shipletter fee charged. A very interesting and most attractive letter from abroad, franked with a Penny Black and the earliest recorded entire from Prussia bearing a postage stamp. Detailed certificate K.-A. Louis BPP (2003) (SG 2)

1871, Beautifully hand illustrated cover from the correspondance of Lucy Flora Campbell (later L.F. Don) showing a raven carrying a letter to a tower, franked with 1864, 1 penny rose-red, tied by duplex "ENSTONE SP 2 71" to Torquay. Stamp with small scratch, envelope with reverse flap missing, some minor aging spots and about 10 mm tear at right. A most attractive item

1871, Another beautifully illustrated envelope from the same correspondance with a scene from "The fox and the stork", franked with 1864, 1 penny rose-red, tied by Enstone duplex, to Torquay. A light vertical fold well off the stamp and 2 small marginal tears, not detracting from the beauty of the entire

1919, Hawker Trans-Atlantic Flight 3 cents brown in fresh colour and well perforated, used with machine cancel "ST. JOHN'S NFLD. APR 12 1919" on cover addressed to London, here officially sealed with white label "FOUND OPEN (OR TORN) AND OFFICIALLY SECURED" with date stamp "LONDON 30 MY 19". The stamp has been off and is inaccurately replaced (as often occured due to the emergency landing in seawater). A fine and scarce early trans-atlantic flight cover. Signed HR Harmer in pencil and certificate Philatelic Foundation (1972) (SG 142)

1851/60, 3 pence bright blue, diagonal bisect and 2 entire stamps, all in nice fresh deep colour and with good to mostly large margins, tied by grid cancel to small mourning envelope to London with red arrival mark (SEP 5, 1859) tying the bisect and neighbour stamp additionally. A very fine cover. Certificate Vincent Graves Greene Foundation (2018) (SG 3a, 3)

1852/57, Beaver 3 pence red, diagonal bisect in pair with entire stamp, nice fresh colour and large to very wide margins, showing part of neighbour stamp at the bisect bottom, used on entire letter of the Port Hope branch of the 'Bank of upper Canada', dated July 16, 1855, to New York. The stamps tied by black target and additionally by red double line "CANADA PAID 10 Cts", adjacent red (partly faint) dispatch mark "PORT HOPE U.C. JY 16 1855". The paper of the entire somewhat weak in the folds and partly split, but alltogether in fresh and otherwise flawfless condition. Allthough no 4½ pence rate has been recorded and the letter is underpaid for the usual 6 pence rate to the US it was treated as fully paid and remained untaxed in both Canada and the United States. A mysterical and most attractive letter which appeared for the first time 120 years ago. Only few bisects of the beaver stamp have been reported, especially in pair with normal stamp. Certificate Vincent Graves Greene (2018) (SG 8a, 8) Provenance: Illustrated and described in Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal June 30, 1898

1859, 'Sherwin' 2 pence deep blue in vertical pair, pos. 3/6, with good to large margins and in nice deep fresh colour, used with target cancel on entire letter to Nantes, France, backstamped "GPO MAURITIUS NO 10 1859", on front red "PAYS ETA. V. SUEZ 6 DEC. 59" and on reverse French transit and arrival marks. A very fine and rare letter, just 4 entires with a pair of the Sherwin issue are recorded. A beautiful and rare letter. Signed Calves, Roumet with opinion (1971) and Alberto Diena with certificate (1971) (SG 40)

1859, 'Dardenne' 2 pence slate-blue in vertical pair, the lower stamp with so-called 'feather variety', used with clear "PAID" in circle to mourning envelope with reverse side crowned "MAURITIUS GPO JA 7 1860" to Bordeaux. The envelope with slight creasing and small part at bottom missing (for optical reasons backed). A fine and scarce letter. Certificate BPA (1995) and Holcombe (1996) (SG 43b, 43) Provenance: 292. Heinrich Köhler auction (1997)

1863/72, wm crown CC, 1 penny brown, 4 pence rose and 6 pence green, used with "B53" on folded cover endorsed "Via Aden" from "MAURITIUS AU 18 68" to Saigon. On front octogonal "POSS. ANG. PAQ. FR. T No. 3"; on reverse arrival mark "Cochinchine ... SEPT. 68". A very fine and attractive cover to most unusual destination (SG 56, 62, 65) Provenance: Kanai (1993)

1852, Thiele printing 2 skilling blue, a large margined example, tied by clear numeral "1" to locally addressed lettersheet with clear adjacent bluish green oval foot post marking of December 8, 1852. A very fine and attractive entire. Certificates BPA (1968) and C.A. Møller AIEP (2018)

1855, Lettersheet with decorative engraving, cut out of a letter head of the famous Eau de Cologne factory of Johann Maria Farina, tied by Copenhagen 'Compass' postmark and transit mark "Aus Dänemark", adressed to the same mentioned company in Cologne, charged on arrival with "5" silbergroschen. Some very slight toning, otherwise fine and highly unusual.

1854/57, Dotted spandrels 2 skilling blue and 2 copies 16 skilling grey-violet with 1858, wavy-lined spandrels 4 skilling brown, all copies in fresh colour and with good to large margins, tied by 3 strikes of numeral "181" and further strike of duplex "182 / SJAELL. JB. POSTSPED. BUR. T2 18 1" of the Zealand railway, to small mourning cover to Paris. A rare colour franking in very fine condition with 4 flawless stamps. Certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2018)

1855, dotted spandrels 2 skilling blue with 1858, wavy-lined spandrels 8 skilling green, each in horizontal strip of 3 with good to very large margins, used with numeral "51" on lettersheet with adjacent blue Odense cds. (August 15, 1865) to London with arrival mark on front (August 18). A horizontal cover fold not affecting the stamps was pressed and cleaned. A very fine and attractive franking from a wellknown correspondance. Signed Kurt Mayer, Berlin and Hunziker with certificate (1973), certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2018)

1864/70, Large oval type perf. 13:12½, 2 skilling blue, 3 skilling dull violet and 16 skillling grey-olive used on orange coloured envelope from Copenhagen (Nov. 19) to Millerton, California, endorsed "Pr. Hamburg or Bremen steamer", showing 2 different franco marks at lower left, red New York arrival mark tying the franking. 2 skilling with some short perfs at top, otherwise very fine and fresh. A nice 3 colour franking to quite unusual destination. Certificate C.A. Møller (1987)

1689, A strictly confidential letter with full almost complete contents, closed with strings (mostly removed by opening) and 2 wax seals, written by a regional customs officer June 28, 1689 to the provincial officer in Tavastehus, docketed 10.7.1689. A very fine and rare letter. Certificate Heikki Pahlman (2003) Provenance: 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003)

1856, Small pearls 5 kopeks dark blue with nice margins on all sides, tied by rare boxed "WILLMANSTRAND 25 OCT 1856" to entire letter to Wiborg. An attractive and rare letter with a beautiful stamp with sole postmark cancellation. 3 signatures in pencil including Alberto Diena and certificate Schwenson BPP (2003)
Provenance: Agaton Fabergé (HR Harmer, 1940)

1856, Small pearls 5 kopeks dark blue in fresh deep shade and with full to very large margins, tied by boxed "LOVISA 20 JUL 1856" to entire letter to Borgå. The stamp with small gum stain in the right margin and the entire slightly unfresh on front. A very attractive and rare letter with sole postmark cancellation. Signed Friedl in pencil, certificates Gummesson (1977 and 1997), Tuori (2003) and Schwenson BPP (2018)
Provenance: A. Fabergé (1940), Kirchner (Corinphila 1978), 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003)

1856, Small pearls, 5 kopeks blue, a large margined horizontal pair, each stamp with central pen cross and tied by clear "HELSINGFORS 28/7 1858" to lettersheet to Abo. The left stamp shows faint trace of file fold, otherwise extremely fine and fresh. A most attractive and rare letter. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003)

1856, 10 kopeks carmine-red on wove paper, 2 large margined copies in nice deep shade, cancelled by concentric pen crosses and tied by superb "HELSINGFORS 10 6 1858" to lettersheet via Prussia and France to Cadiz, Spain with frontside red boxed "Prusse" and on reverse arrival mark of June 24. The postage paid the distance to the Spanish border, here an additional "8 Rs." (reales) were charged to the recipient. A filing crease in the lower part of the entire, well off the franking has been cleaned and ironed (mentioned for accuracy only). A most attractive and extremely rare letter to abroad. Opinion Gummesson (1989) and certifcate Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 2e)

1856, 10 kopeks light to lilac-carmine, a beautiful fresh and large margined copy with index number "12" at upper right and neatly cancelled by central boxed "WIBORG 2 11 1856", repeated at left, on entire letter to Helsingfors. A very fine and attractive letter with the earliest recorded date of the high boxed Wiborg cancellation. Signed Calves, 2 certificated Gummesson (1980 and 1997), certificate Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 2d) Provenance: A. Fabergé (1940), 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003)

1856, 10 kopeks dark carmine on wove paper, a large margined example with central boxed "ABO 7/6 1856" and tied by small index number "3" at upper right, used on entire letter to Lovisa. A small ink erosion does not detract from the overall very fine condition. A very fine item. Certificate Schwenson (2003) (Facit 2c)

1856, 10 kopeks carmine on wide laid paper, a large margined example with central pen cross and tied by clear boxed "KARIS 17 OCT. 1859" to lettersheet to Reval with frontside arrival mark (Oct 11 according to Julian calendar). A faint horizontal filing crease affecting the stamp at top. Still a fine and rare franking. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) (Facit 2v3)

1860, 10 kopeks carmine on rose, roulette B, horizontal pair, used on envelope from Helsingfors (August 10, 1865) to Upsala, Sweden with Stockholm transit mark (AUG 15) on reverse. The pair with 2 short tooth tips and the cover slightly pressed in the margins only. A very attractive and scarce cover. Certificates Jussi Tuori (2003) and Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 4C2a)

1860, 10 kopeks rose, roulette A, horizontal strip of 3 in brilliant shade, each value cancelled by pen cross on envelope with departure cds. "WIBORG 8/6 1863" via Stockholm (June 12) to Christiania, Norway with clear red arrival mark on front. A very fine and rare cover, signed Ossa in pencil, certificate Tuori (2003) and Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 4C1Kb)

1866/74, 8 penni black on green, roulette C, slightly separated vertical pair and 2 single stamps with 40 penni rose, roulette C, all in nice fresh colour, used on small envelope with small cds. "HELSINGFORS 8 8 1870" to Lausanne in Switzerland, travelled via St. Petersburg and Prussia with frontside red "AUS RUSSLAND über BUR. XI EDK. BRG. / FRANCO 11 8 70". The 8 penni stamps at top with some short perfs, otherwise fine and fresh. An attractive cover with rare 72 penni rate. Signed Ossa in pencil, certificates Gummesson (1978) and Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 6v1C3, 9v1C3)

1866, 8 penni black on green, 2 horizontal pairs with 2 copies 40 penni rose on bluish paper, used with small "FREDERIKSHAMN 19 1 1875" on double rate envelope to Lichtensteig near St. Gallen in Switzerland with arrival mark on reverse (January 23). Very fresh and fine, the 40 penni stamps and one 8 penni with few short/pulled perfs. A scarce combination from a wellknown correspondance. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) (Facit 6v4C2, 9v3C2)

1849, Ceres 20 centimes black on yellowish paper in horizontal tête-bêche pair, nice deep fresh colour and good to large margins, lightly cancelled by grid. A very fine and rare multiple. Signed W. Balasse with opinion (1972) and signed Scheller with certificate (2018) (Yvert 3e)

1850, Ceres 25 centimes dark blue, horizontal marginal strip of 4 including tête-bêche pair at left, nice deep and fresh colour and good to mostly large margins, showing about 3 mm sheet margin next to the tête-bêche, tied by clear grid cancels to letterfront with adjacent cds. "SAUXILLANGES 10 AVRIL 51" addressed to Riom. The strip with 3 small scissors' cuts in the two right interspaces and one slightly into the design of the right stamp at bottom right, the tête-bêche pair absolutely flawless. A highly attractive and rare multiple. Signed Miro and certificate Behr (2007)

1850, Ceres 25 centimes blue in block of 9, nice fresh colour and good to mostly wide margins with enormous 16/17 mm sheet margin at left, neatly cancelled by "gros points". Some light natural gum creasing, the upper right stamp with light small diagonal corner crease (not visible from front). An attractive and scarce multiple in fine condition. Signed Calves, opinion Robineau (1968) and signed Scheller with his certificate (2018) (Yvert 4)

1850, Ceres 40 centimes orange, 2 horizontal pairs in fresh vivid colour and with good to mostly large margins, fixed in form of a tête-bêche strip on entire letter 1858 from Cognac to London, tied by 'petit chiffre' "898" and red London arrival mark. A marvellous letter in fine condition. Signed Miro and von der Weidt with his certificate (1998) (Yvert 5)

1849, Ceres 1 franc vermillon vif, a beautiful copy in fresh vivid shade and with good to very large margins, showing part of adjoining stamp at lower right, tied by clear grid to small piece. A very attractive copy of this rare stamp in outstanding quality. Signed Calves and A. Diena, also Willy Balasse with his certificate (1972) and P. Scheller with his certificate (2018) (Yvert 7a)

1849, Ceres 1 franc vermillion terne in a very nice vivid shade and with large margins on all sides, cancelled very attractively with 2 parallel strikes of grid cancel. A marvellous copy of this rare stamp in superb condition. Signed A. Diena and Brun and also R. Calves with his certificate (1973) (Yvert 7b)
Provenance: 56. Corinphila auction (1973)
 

1853/61, Napoléon III 40 centimes orange, 2 strips of 3, 3 pairs and 3 single stamps with 10 centimes bistre and 20 centimes blue used on front and reverse of lettersheet from Le Havre to Lima, used with multiple strikes of red 'petit chiffres' "1495" with adjacent "BUREAU MARITIME LE HAVRE 31 JUIL 54", 3 stamps on the front additionally tied by bowed "FOREIGN PAID". Most stamps show full to large margins, five 40 centimes values on reverse affected by a light horizontal crease at top, otherwise fine and all together fresh condition and the entire being in its original state. A marvellous franking to South America. Signed Brun and certificate Behr (2007) (Yvert 13, 14, 16)

1853/61, Napoléon III 20 centimes type I, lower left sheet corner copy with huge to enormous margins, showing small part of neighbour stamp at top and ca. 7/15 mm sheet margin at left and bottom, tied by superb 'petit chiffres' "1152" to entire letter from Dunkerque (May 4, 1861) to Granville with transit and arrival marks. A fine and rare letter with an absolutely outstanding copy of this stamp. Signed Calves and Enzo Diena with his certificate (1987) (Yvert 14)