339 / März 2010

20 pa. green, vertical pair on neat 1868 cover to Cairo cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Mansura" datestamp (March 9) in black with repeated impression superbly struck at right; arrival cds on reverse. Flap missing to envelope but an attractive and scarce usage. Signed Todd AIEP.

20 pa. yellow green and 2 pia. blue used on faulty 1871 envelope to Sachsenhausen, Germany tied by Alexandria cds´s (June 9) with italic "Franca" at upper right. Reverse with further Alexandria cds and two different Frankfurt cds´s of receipt (19/6). Despite faults, a scarce franking.

1 pia. red used on 1867 cover front to Manchester tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" cds in black, in combination with Great Britain 6 d. mauve, pl. 5 tied by "BO1" obliterator of Alexandria with datestamp of ame (Oct 27) above. A very rare mixed franking. Signed Sorani.

1 pia. red used on 1869 cover to Ajaccio / Corsica cancelled by "Poste Egiziane / Serapeum" datestamp (very rare) in combination with France 1863/67 Laureated 20 c. blue in a horizontal pair tied by ´5080´gros chiffres with Alexandria French P.O. cds below (Oct 28). Reverse with "Poste Egiziane / Alessandria" cds and Ajaccio arrival  cds. Addressee´s name removed and part Paquebot handstamp coloured in, nevertheless a rare cover.

1 pia. red used on 1870 cover, side flaps removed and adhesive crossed by file fold, to Marseille tied by "V.R. Poste Egiziane / Porto Said" cds in black (June 2), transferred to French P.O. in Alexandria with France 1863/67 Laureated 40 c. orange tied by ´5080´gros chiffres. Despite faults an attractive combination usage.

1 pia. red cancelled at Cairo used on 1870 cover to Milan in combination with Italy 1863 40 c. carmine rose tied by ´234´numeral obliterator, with "Alessandria D'Egitto" cds (Oct 22) alongside. A few minor imperfections but scarce. Signed Calves and Lamy.

1 pia. red, toned, cancelled by Cairo cds (Nov 16) in black, used in combination with Italy 1867 20 c. blue (2) tied by ´234´numeal obliterators. A scarce combination cover. Signed A. Diena. Certificate Colla.

1 pia. red, corner tear at upper right of cover, tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Cairo" cds in black (March 4) used in combination with Italy 1867 20 c. blue in a vertical strip of three all tied by ´234´dotted numeral of Alexandria. Small cartridge "Piroscafi / Postali / Italiani" alongside and reverse with Livorno arrival cs (March 11). File fold but a scarce combination.

1 pia. lake, a fine mint example in this very scarce shade, with Colour Trial without watermark (thinned) in same shade and a normal mint 1 pia. red for comparison.

2 pia. blue, horizontal pair unused with minor thinning, with variety "vertically imperforate between" and perforated 15 at top and at base. Scarce (Gi 15c = 425 £, Nile Post D12g = $ 500).

2 pia. blue, single example centred to right, used on 1869 double rate "Port to Port" cover tied by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Alessandria" datestamp (June 30) with repeated strike alongside, revese with "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Costantinopoli" arrival cds (July 6). Cover with file folds away from adhesive, a scarce franking.

5 pia. brown, a used reconstruction of the four types, 2 stamps with tiny thins but a generally fine looking assembly (Mi.  1.000,-+).

1872, Bulaq 5 pa. brown, perf 12 ½ x 13 ½, a fresh and very fine mint block of four, fine colour and large part original gum.

5 pa. brown and single 2 pia. yellow used on 1875 cover to Chislehurst, UK cancelled by arabic dated "Luxor" cds in black. As the cover would need a further 2 pia. stamp it appears that the Postmaster at Luxor deliberately placed the "PD" on the adhesive to show that the stamp had fallen off (rate was 4 pia. 5 pa. = 8 d. sterling). Reverse with Siut transit cds, British P.O. "Alexandria" cds (March 8) and Chislehurst arrival (Marcch 16). An interesting cover.

5 pa. brown and horizontal pair of 2 pia. yellow used on 1875 cover to London tied by Cairo datestamps (Feb 13) in black. Reverse with British P.O. "Alexandria" cds and front with London/Paid arrival cds (Feb 22) in red. A fine and attractive franking.

10 pa. mauve, two matching mint corner blocks of six in both perforations, two further mint blocks of four and 12 mint single examples, some with various flaws.

10 pa. mauve (4) and 1 pia. red (4), used on small double rate cover to Munich, with stamps applied on front cancelled on departure by "V.R.Poste Egiziane / Suez" datestamps and back of envelope with adhesives tied by Alexandria cds´s, with italic "Franca" applied in black. Slight ageing and opened for Exhibit display, a most unusual franking.

20 pa. blue, perf. 13 1/4, typographed, magnificent mint block of four, positions 184-185/194-195, fresh colour and fine, large part original gum. Extremely rare in a multiple. Signed Todd AIEP (Mi. 950,- +)

20 pa. blue, typographed, a superb single example used on 1873 Printed Matter rate entire letter to Thalweil, Switzerland tied neatly by Cairo datestamp (Feb 13) in black. Frame "PD" at upper right and reverse with Alexandria Italian P.O. cds (Feb 16) and Thalweil arrival (Feb 24). A delightful and extremely scarce entire.

20 pa. blue, typographed, two examples used on 1873 hand-made envelope to Cairo cancelled by "Poste Vice-Reali Egiziane / Atfe" datestamps (Oct 3) in black. Scarce.  

20 pa. blue and 1 pia. red (2), all typographed, used on attractive cover to Vienna from Cairo; struck with fine italic "Franca" at base and reverse with Alexandria transit (Feb 16) and Vienna arrival (Feb 24). Insignificant envelope fault at base of envelope but a scarce example of the single weight Austrian Treaty rate.

20 pa. blue and 2 pia. yellow used on 1872 cover from Mansura to Frankfurt with italic "Franca" at top, reverse with Alexandria transit cds and two different Frankfurt arrival cds´s (July 31). File fold at top and adhesives with some peripheral toning but a scarce franking.

1 pia. red, fine example tied to small piece by very scarce "Poste Egiziane / Ramses" datestamp in blue, in combination with France Siège 40 c. orange and 1871/75 80 c. carmine rose tied by ´5080´gros chiffres in black. An attractive and scarce piece.

1 pia. red, two examples used on delightful 1878 hand-painted cover front to London, neatly cancelled by "Alexandrie-A" duplex. London red arrival cds at lower left (Jan 2, 1879), both stamps faults. Egyptian hand-painted envelopes are exceedingly scarce in the classic period.

1 pia. red, typographed, a toned example used on 1873 entire letter to Alexandria cancelled by Cairo datestamp (Jan 31) with straight line "DALLA STAZIONE" handstamp in black below. Alexandria arrival cds on reverse.

1 pia. red, typographed, vertical strip of three on fine 1875 registered cover to Cairo cancelled by "Poste Khedevie Egiziane / Minuf" datestamps in black (July 22). Framed "Raccomnadato" above and arrival cds on reverse of a charming and scarce cover. Signed Todd AIEP.

1 pia. red and 2 pia. yellow used on 1872 registered cover to Cairo cancelled by "V.R. Poste Egiziane / Minie" cds with fine strike of framed "Per Consegna" handstamp in black below. Reverse with Cairo arrival. Roughly opened at top but a scarce cover.

1 pia. red, perf 13 ½ and 2 pia. yellow, perf 12 ½; used on registered cover 1872 to Alexandria cancelled by complete strike of framed "Raccomandate" handstamp in black with Cairo cds (Aug 19) alongside. Flap missing on reverse but an exceptional and attractive cover.

1 pia. red in combination with French Post Ceres 30 c. bistre brown in horizontal pair on cover from Cairo via Alexandria to Berlin with transit and arrival marks; the French franking small faults

2 pia. yellow, perf. 12 ½ x 13 1/4, fresh and fine mint block of four, tiny speck on one stamp but with large part original gum, scarce stamp in a multiple.

2 ½ pia. violet, used example on Treaty Rate 1874 cover to Rome tied by "Poste Egiziane / Cairo" cds in black (Dec 19) with repeated strike at right. Reverse with Alexandria transit and Rome arrival cds. Slight toning around perfs. but scarce.

1875, Bulaq 5 pa. brown, perf 12½ ,  block of four showing two vertical tête-bêche pairs, some hinge remants and toned perf. but still an attractive block.

10 pa. grey vertical pair and 1 pia. red used on 1877 mourning envelope to Count Radolinski in Constantinople tied by "Poste Egiziane / Cairo" datestamps in black. Reverse with unusual routing cds of Brindisi (Dec 13) and Austrian P.O. in Constantinople arrival cds (Dec 22). An attractive cover.

10 pa. grey, perf 12 ½, vertically tête-bêche mint pair, exceptionally fresh and fine for this variety (SG 36a).

10 pa. grey vertical pair and 1 pia. red, used on attractive March 1878 cover to Princess Radolinski in Constantinople tied by "Postes Egyptiennes / Helouan" cds´s. reverse with Cairo and Alexandria transits and Consttantinople Egyptian P.O. arrival cds (April 2).

20 pa. grey-blue, horizontal strip of three paying 1 ½ piastre rate, used on 1876 cover to Smirne, cancelled by "Poste Egiziane / Alessandria" cds´s with arrival of Egyptian P.O. in Smirne cds in black. A surprisingly unusual franking.