360 / Mai 2015 London

1900: REICHSPOST definitives with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, four values 3 pf. ocre, 5 pf. green, 10 pf. carmine, and 20 pf. ultramarine, fine examples with very good perforation and vivid colours, unused with original gum, minute hinge remnants or traces. A scarce group, all signed and with certs. Jäschke-Lantelme (2005/06), the 10 pf. Jakubek (1997) Mi = € 3'450.

1900: REICHSPOST definitives with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, four values 3 pf. ocre, 5 pf. green, 10 pf. carmine, and 20 pf. ultramarine, 10 pf. in two copies, fine examples with good perforation and centering, fresh colours, cancelled by "TIENTSIN DEUTSCHE POST" cds's between Jan 23 and Feb 7, 1901, all on dates not known for CTOs, one 10 pf. on piece. A scarce group, all signed, with certs. Jäschke-Lantelme and Bothe (3 pf. and one 10 pf. simply signed) Mi = € 4'850.

1900: REICHSPOST definitive with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, 30 pf. red orange & black on dull orange, fresh colour and very good perforation, unused with original gum, tiny hinge remnant. A desirable stamp, signed Ph. Kosack, cert. Jäschke-Lantelme (2005) Mi = € 6'000. Provenance: 50. Stock auction (1931).

1900: REICHSPOST definitive with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, 30 pf. red orange & black on dull orange, fine and fresh example with good perforation and centering, cancelled by crisp "TIENTSIN DEUTSCHE POST 27.1 01" cds (no forwardslash between day and month) on piece, presumably CTO. Cert. Bothe (1978) Mi = € 3'500.

1900: REICHSPOST definitive with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, 50 pf. violet & black on brown orange, fine and fresh example with good perforation and centering, cancelled by crisp "TIENTSIN DEUTSCHE POST 7/1 01" cds. A desirable stamp, one of the major rarities of German colonial philately. Sign. Senf, Brandes, Richter, Pfenniger, and Kilian BPP, cert. Bothe (1986) Mi = € 17'000.

1900: REICHSPOST definitive with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, 80 pf. red carmine & black on dull carmine, fresh colour, good centering and very good perforation, unused with original gum, tiny hinge remnant. A desirable stamp, signed Friedemann and Köhler, cert. Jäschke-Lantelme (2006) Mi = € 6'000. Provenance: 42.. Köhler auction (1926).

1900: REICHSPOST definitive with diagonal "China" handstamp overprint, 80 pf. red carmine & black on dull carmine, fine and fresh example with good perforation and centering, cancelled by crisp "TIENTSIN DEUTSCHE POST 8 2 01" cds. A rare and scarce stamp,. Sign. Grobe, certs. Pfenniger (1967) and Jäschke-Lantelme (2005) Mi = € 6'000. Provenance: 141. Grobe auction (1968).

1905: DEUTSCHES REICH, compl. set of 13 definitives from 3 c. on 3 pf. ocre to 6 p. 25 c. on 5 m. green black & dark-carmine, all with add. handstamp "SPECIMEN", fresh colour (minute perf. problems), unused without gum or with small part gum. This set was part of the stamps given to the UPU administration in Bern to be dispersed to its member postal administrations, in this case to British Bechuanaland where the stamps were marked SPECIMEN and were glued in albums. A rare set of unique reference samples, certs. Bothe (1978) and Jäschke-Lantelme (2014).

1910 (12 July): 2nd Provisional Ponape issue, Hohenzollern definitive 3 pf. ocre brown with inverted overprint "5 Pf", tied by neat "PONAPE (KAROLINEN) 12.7 10" cds to picture postcard, sent to Dattenfeld a. d. Sieg with official cachet "KAISERLICH DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR PONAPE KAROLINEN", type II alongside. A fine and fresh postcard showing this rare provisional use of overprinted 3 pf. stamps issued for printed matter during a shortage of 5 pf. stamps to pay the postcard rate, in this case even with inverted overprint, written by the post office clerk Carl Kammerich. Cert. Bothe (1983) Mi = € 7'000. Provenance: Jakubek auction (April 1985), lot 2589.

1910 (12 July): 3rd Provisional Ponape issue, Hohenzollern definitive 20 pf. violet ultramarine, right half of a vertically bisected stamp, tied by neat "PONAPE (KAROLINEN) 12.7 10" cds to envelope of the "Südsee-Expedition der hamburgischen wissenschaftlichen Stiftung", sent to the Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg with official cachet "KAISERLICH DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR PONAPE KAROLINEN", type II alongside. An attractive and fresh cover, cert. Bothe (1983) Mi = € 9'000. The addressee of this cover is Prof. Georg Christian Thilenius (1868-1937), director of the above mentioned museum. He organized an expedition in 1908-1910 to the German colonies in Micronesia and Melanesia.

1900: 2nd Tsingtau issue, 10 pf. carmine, with diagonal "China" overprint at a 45 degree angle, letterpress "5 Pf." surcharge in the rare type 3a and additional handstamp "5 Pf." surcharge as well as blue crayon "Blaustrich" line, a fresh example of this very scarce stamp, rich colour on white paper, ideal centering and perforation, tied by crisp "TSINTAU KIAUTSCHOU 31 / 8.00" cds to piece. The additional handstamp overprints were done because the letterpress overprints had been very small in the fifth and tenth stamp row of the sheet. Very small printrun of only 200 copies. Cert. Steuer (2003) Mi = € 15'000+.

1900: 2nd Tsingtau issue, 10 pf. carmine, with diagonal "China" overprint at a 45 degree angle, and with "5 Pf." surcharge as well as blue crayon "Blaustrich" line, a fresh example of this very scarce stamp, vivid colour on crisp white paper, ideal centering and perforation, tied by crisp "TSINTAU KIAUTSCHOU 31 / 12.00" cds to piece. A rare stamp with a small printrun of only 1'700 stamps. Signed Stuckert, cert. Pfenniger (1971) Mi = € 5'000+.

1861, First Athens-Provisional Printing: 20 lep. deep blue without control figures, quadrille background, very nice and deep fresh colour and large margins on all sides, tied by numeral "13" to entire letter with adjacent light cds. "PYRGOS" (5.2.1862) to Kalamai with arrival mark of the next day. One of the finest examples known on letter; a great rarity, certificates Enzo Diena (1983) and Tseriotis (1985). Scott #10 Provenance: 'The Collection' (David Feldman 2005)

1861/62, First Athens Coarse Printing: 20 lep. deep blue in vertical pair, good colour and clear to mostly wide margins, unused with fresh original gum, the top stamp with natural gum crease. This is the only known mint multiple of this stamp and a great rarity of Classic Greece Philately, a wonderful item, certificate Tseriotis (2002). MT 13Id Provenance: 'The Collection' (David Feldman 2006)

1881, 3 c. bistre and 7 c. blue, latter tiny touched in upper right corner, otherwise good to mostly large margins, tied by blue "PORT-AU-PRINCE 24 JANV. 83" and French transit mark to small envelope to Paris; 7 c. very light bend at top, where affixed at the edge of the cover; very fine and scarce.

HOTEL POST 'HOHE RINNE' : 1896/1924, Exhibition collection mounted on 38 pages (+ Intro pages) with many rarities of this area, unused and used stamps, pieces, complete sheets and 14 postcards and letters including 1896, both types unused (2 each), used examples with double line and circular cancellations and 3 bisects on pieces, 1901, 4 h. perforated and imperforated each in complete sheet of 12, imperforated 4 h. on letter and imperforated bisect 4 h. on postcard; 1903, 2 h. in folded part sheet of 60 stamps (largest block known); 1906 5 h. in vertical block of 6 imperforated horizontally; 1923, 3 (h.) on postcard and 1924, 1 l. carmine used on latest cover recorded; an amazing collection.

1881, lithographed 5 c. mauve, 5 examples, all tied by good strikes of Qomsheh (Chomicheh) negative seal to reverse of small envelope to, dated May 1884; a marvelous multiple franking with a scarce cancellation. Sadri 46

1886, 'OFFICIEL' handstamp issue: 6 ch. on 5 c. and 8 ch. on 50 c., tied by Tabriz cds. to reverse of registered envelope to France with transit and arrival marks on front and reverse; slight opening faults (mainly on cover front); a very rare and attractive entire.

1902, local post issue for Teheran: "P.L. TEHERAN" on 2 ch. (pos. 2) tied by fancy Teheran cds. to local commercial cover, vertical cover fold not affecting the stamp; a very rare stamp on entire, signed Sadri with certificate (2014). Sadri 276

1902, provisional issue for Tabriz with handstamp "PROVISOIRE 1319": 2 ch. and 3 copies 5 ch., tied by cds. "TABRIZ 28 3" to registered postcard with register label to Belgium with arrival mark on front; a marvelous and very rare entire of this scarce issue. Sadri 244, 246

1902, Meshed provisional issue 5 ch. black, initialled in red, tied by cds. "MECHED 3/15" (day inverted) to reverse of cover to Yezd, fine and very scarce; certificate BPA (2015).

1935, Experimental coil stamp 2d. dark blue-green, perforated horizontally only, dark fresh colour, unused with fresh original gum and small hinge remainders. A tremendously rare stamp in unused condition, only 18 copies are recorded, this is no.10 in the Brady survey. SG 74b, Hibernian D4cii

1859 (Jan 1): Newspaper Tax Stamp, 2 kr. red, Type II, a fine interpanneau 'tête-bêche' pair from the centre of the sheet with 62 mm. margin, file fold through the margin as usual, fresh and fine unused with gum. Rare. See Ferchenbauer, Vol. II, page 582 = € 5'000, Sassone: 3

1868: 2 c. black & green surfaced paper, perf. 13, variety: 'Figure '2' of Value Missing', a fine mint example of this great rarity, position 84 in the first printing, centred to left with exceptional bright colour, fresh and very fine, with large part original gum. Just five mint examples of this famous error are recorded, this being one of the finest without any defects and in pristine quality. Signed A. Diena. Cert. E. Diena (1991) Scott 19b = $ 37'500/Sassone = € 70'000. 2 c. verde chiaro con la varietà 'senza la cifra 2', nuovo con piena gomma, ben dentellado e di ottima qualitã. Si conoscono solo cinque esemplari nuovi di questa varietã, di cui alcuni difettosi. Una grande rarità dello Stato Pontificio.

1853: 40 c. bright rose, the famous mint interpanneau pair with 4 mm. margin between the stamps, with large margins all round, minor vertical gum bend on right stamp of no great significance, the pair being of excellent colour and freshness, with large part original gum. A great rarity - the sole known mint example of an 'interspazio' pair. Exhibited in Monte Carlo in December 2004 as one of the '100 Rarities of the World'. Unique. Signed A. Diena. Cert. E. Diena (1986), A. Bolaffi (1986) Sassone, the variety 'without price'.

Italian Post Office in Tientsin 1922: Registered cover from Tientsin to Illinois, USA franked by 1918/19  ½ c. on 1 c. brown and further example on 1 c. pale brown (extremely rare in this shade), 1 c. on 2 c. red brown, 8 c. on 20 c. orange and 10 c. on 25 c. deep blue, all tied by R.R.POSTE ITALIANE / TIENTSIN-CINA datestamps (16/9) in black and by 'Affrancatura Secondo Tariffa' handstamp in violet. Reverse with Turin transit cds, Chicago cds's in violet (Nov 15) and Greenville arrival cds in black. For a further rare cover from this correspondence see Corinphila sale 186 (May 2014), lot 201. An exceptional and attractive usage.

Italian Post Office in Tientsin 1922: Registered cover sent Express from Tientsin to Illinois, USA franked by 1918/19  2 c. on 5 c. green, 4 c. on 5 c. rose-red (two very different shades), 10 c. on 25 c. deep blue and 1918 Express 12 c. on 30 c. red & blue, all tied by R.R.POSTE ITALIANE / TIENTSIN-CINA datestamps in black and by 'Affrancatura Secondo Tariffa' handstamp in violet. Reverse with Turin transit cds (Dec 19), Chicago cds's in violet (Jan 5, 1923) and Greenville arrival cds in black. For a further rare cover from this correspondence see Corinphila sale 186 (May 2014), lot 201. An exceptional usage.

Levant 1922 (November): Provisional Express '15 / PIASTRE' on 30 c. red & blue, a fine mint vertical pair with upper stamp showing the 'P' of PIASTRE impressed by further handstamp in black, minor imperfections but a fresh and fine pair with an extremely rare (Sassone = unpriced) variety. Signed A. Brun, A. Diena. Cert. G. Colla (2013).

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.

1871, Dragon issue 200 mon vermilion, plate I, vertical block of 10 and 2 vertical pairs, one pair clear at one side, otherwise all with good to large margins, nice fresh colour, tied by 2 clear strikes of Tokyo Kensazumi to reverse of triple rate envelope with adjacent manuscript date of 16. June 1871 and on front side red circle hakoba (letter box mark) of Kyobashi, sent to Saikyo (Kyoto); one stamp of right pair with central hole, the envelope some light creasing and small marginal fault, otherwise very fine and fresh. A beautifull and outstanding cover from the second month of the national postal system and one of the most spectacular items of classic Japan; signed Dr. Mertens and certificate Eichhorn BPP (2015)

1871, Dragon 100 m. dark blue, most striking error of engraving, position 18 with major variety "Dragon claw missing", two sides full to large margins, just touched at upper right and touched at left, unused without gum, certificate Eichhorn BPP JSCA #2f-v-2-18m

1874, Cherry blossom 20 s. reddish violet, syllable 3, on native paper, fresh colour, unused with full original gum, good perforation and very good centering, tiny rubbed spot under SE of crysanthemum, otherwise fine, signed Schlesinger and certificate Eichhorn BPP. JCSA Nr. 24

1923, unissued Royal Wedding 1½ s., 3 s. and 20 s., unused with original gum and tiny hinge marks, the two smaller values with bottom sheet margin, 3 s. very light gum bend, otherwise very fine and fresh, very rare.

1975 (Feb 1): Jordanian Women's Costumes - Unissued High Values - 30 f., 35 f., 40 f., 50 f. and 60 f. values in complete sheets of 50 (10 x 5), unmounted og. Sold with complete sheets of 50 of the issued five values. Rare and most unusual. Gi. 1091/1095 var

1952, Presidential Election 1000 w. souvenir sheet, ungummed as issued, 2 light marginal creases at left; fine and very scarce.

1967: Marriage Prince Hans Adam, imprimatur of the miniature sheet, printed by the government printing office Vienna showing three diff. colour combinations from which the rightmost was chosen by the Liechtenstein administration showing "Gut zum Druck ! Buchel" note and signature as well as "Amt für Briefmarkengestaltung / Vaduz" handstamp alongside the chosen sheet.