365 / September 2017

LE NEPTUNE Envelope endorsed "Garde Mobile de la Vendée" postmarked "PARIS 18 SEPT." with adjacent boxed "P.P." to La Chantaignerie with arrival mark of September 26 and transit mark; a fine and rare entire of remarkable importance, signed Roumet with certificate (2004)

Private envelope franked with Lauré 20 c., tied by star cancel "10" with adjacent "PARIS R. DU CHERCHE-MIDI 18 SEPT." to Pau with arrival mark of September 2 ... (not quite clear, supposedly 25). Only very few private letters are known from the first flight; certificate Von der Weid with confirming statement R. Pittier (both 1998) and opinion Sinais (1999). The cover will be sold 'tel quel'

Private double rate letter with 2 copies lauré 20 c. with adjacent clear "PARIS PL. DE LA MADELEINE 18 SEPT." to Grenade sur l'Adour with clear arrival mark of September 25, then re-directed to Vielda. Private letters from the Neptune are of greatest rarity due to the enormous demand for letters to be carried and the limited space, highly important official mail and very light letters were carried on this first flight. This is the only recorded double rate letter of the 'NEPTUNE' a delightful cover and one of very few double rate letters of any Ballon Monté flights. Certificates Robineau (2004) and Brun (2004)

Pli confié (Letter given directly to the pilot before departure and not traded in to a post office): Entire folded letter with letterhead 'Ministère de la Marine', dated 21.9.1870, addressed to Tours with frontside clear red boxed "P.P.", internal docketing "Recu le dimanche 25 ...", alongside with a letter of the same correspondance from the daughter in Tours back to her parents in Paris, endorsed "Ballon Monté" but not flown, showing the arrival mark of March 26, 1871; a stunning and interesting pair, signed Calves accompanied by a certificate for both items (2001)

VILLE DE FLORENCE Entire letter with lauré 20 c., tied by star "4" with adjacent "PARIS RUE D'ENGHIEN 24 SEPT." (somewhat unclear) to Luc sur mer with transit and arrival marks, both of September 28

Entire letter with mixed franking of Napoléon and Lauré perforated 10 c., both tied by star cancel with adjacent "PARIS (60) / 5 E. / 24 SEPT." to Alencon with arrival mark of September 27, signed Calves

Entire triangle letter with black boxed "P.P." and faint dispatch mark, showing on reverse transit and arrival marks of Santes, La Rochelle (both September 28), La Tremblade and Rochefort sur mer (both September 29); a fine and interesting item

Delayed letter, addressed on both sides to Bordeaux and franked on one side with lauré 20 c., on the other clear postage due stamp "PARIS R. DE BONDY / 30 c. / 23 SEPT. 70", the stamp cancelled by clear numeral "532" of Bordeaux, on reverse arrival mark of October 22; an unusual item of long delayed delivery

ETATS UNIS Entire letter with lauré 20 c. and adjacent "PARIS MINISTERE DES FINANCES 26 SEPT." and "DEFENSE de PARIS / TROISIEME ARMEE / QUARTIER GENERAL" to Neubourg with unclear arrival mark

Entire letter with pair Napoléon perforated 10 c. with star cancel "15" and adjacent "PARIS R. BONAPARTE 25 SEPT." to Chinon with partly unclear arrival mark "... SEPT. 70", signed Calves

Unfranked folded "flimsy" to Etoile-sur-Rhone with dispatch "PARIS (60) 26 SEPT." on reverse and tax stamp "30" on front, signed Roumet

CELESTE Pli confié: Folded letter franked with lauré 20 c., tied by GC "1352" of Dreux to Albi with unclear arrival mark; stamp and entire. Perfect condition limited only by the use of thin paper, fine and attractive, a scarce item, signed Roumet with certificate (2002)

ARMAND BARBÈS Entire letter with lauré 10 c. and 20 c., tied by star cancel with adjacent "PARIS (60) 4 / 2 OCT." to Ypres in Belgium with arrival mark, small marginal faults

Miniature envelope with original contents with printed heading "SERVICE DU BALLON", franked with lauré 10 c. (small faults) and 20 c. with adjacent "PARIS 28 SEPT." to Bruxelles with 2 different arrival marks of October 13, possibly a different flight, signed Roumet with certificate

Plis confiés: Entire letter with lauré 20 c., tied by "CP1" to letter with adjacent "CALAIS A PARIS 8 OCT." to Argenton l'Eglise with arrival mark on reverse and adjacent red cachet "Aerostiers Nadar-d'Artois Dorouf"; a very fine and rare letter, signed Sinais with certificate (2005)

Pli confié: Entire letter franked with Lauré 20 c., tied by clear GC "2161" with adjacent "MAGNY-EN-VEXIN 8 OCT. 70" to St. Cyprien, showing on reverse red "REPBUBLIQUE FRANCAISE 1 Aerostien Nadar-Dartois Duruof" and arrival mark; very fine and rare, a pretty letter

GEORGE SAND Pli confié: Entire letter dated 3.10., franked with 2 copies lauré 20 c., each with clear and nicely positioned railroad cancel "LILLE A PARIS 8 OCT." to Pistoia in Italy with transit and arrival marks; a fine and rare letter, signed A. Bolaffi, G. Bolaffi and Calves, certificate Ceres (2000)

NON DÉNOMMÉ No. 2 Entire letter franked with lauré 20 c. (negligeable small marginal faults) tied by clear rayon 1 cancel "PARIS (60) 1 / 2 OCT." to Dives with arrival mark of October 15, the rayon mark repeated on reverse; only 3 (!) entires recorded with this cancellation, signed Calves. Lhéritier illustrates among 'Le Top 100 des lettres du siège de Paris'

WASHINGTON / LOUIS BLANC Entire letter with lauré 20 c., tied by star cancel "1" with adjacent "PARIS PL. DE LA BOURSE 7 OCT." to the German occupied city of Colmar with transit mark of Mulhouse (17.10.) and arrival mark (18.10.), signed Sismondo with certificate (2001)

Folded letter with lauré 10 c. and 20 c. with adjacent "PARIS (60) 6 / 7 OCT." to Bruxelles with arrival marks of October 19

GODEFROY-CAVINAC Entire preprinted letter "PAR BALLON MONTÉ" with lauré 10 c. and 30 c. with adjacent "PARIS 7 OCT." to Amsterdam with arrival mark of October 19, fine and scarce, signed Roumet with certificate (possibly transported by Washington / Louis Blanc)

Entire letter with Lauré 80 c. tied by star cancel "1" and cds. "PL. DE LA BOURSE" to Kharkov, Ukraine, Russia, showing on reverse different transit marks of Moscow and on front arrival marks of October 14 (Julian calendar); a remarkable and very attractive item, one of the few and desirable Russian destinations besides Moscow and St. Petersburg, certificate Brun (2017)

JEAN BART No. 1 Entire letter with lauré 20 c. and 40 c. (2 short perfs) with star cancel "11" and adjacent "PARIS R. ST. HONORÉ 13 OCT." to Vienne with arrival mark "JOSEFSTADT 19 10 70", fine and a pretty two colour franking

JULES FAVRE No. 1 / JEAN BART No. 2 Entire letter with lauré 20 c. (applied defective), tied by cds. "PARIS R. CARDINAL LEMOINE 14 OCT." to Cauterets with transit "BORDEAUX A IRUN 20 OCT." and arrival mark of October 21 (possibly travelled with the "Jean Bart No. 2"), signed Calves

Entire letter with extensive text on very thin paper franked with lauré 30 c. (applied defective and affected by crease) tied by star cancel "1" with adjacent "PARIS PL. DE LA BOURSE 15 OCT." to Glasgow with arrival mark of October 19; interesting contents about the situation in Paris and a rare destination

Entire letter, written on stationery of the hotel 'Chatham', franked with lauré 20 c. and 30 c. with star cancel and adjacent "PARIS  R. D'ANTIN 15 OCT." neatly addressed to Copenhagen, Denmark with arrival mark of October 20; a fine cover with scarce destination, signed Calves and certificate Sismondo (2001)

Plis Confiés: Entire letter dated 15.10., franked with lauré 20 c., tied by faint GC "3997" with adjacent "TOURS 18 SET.", re-directed to Langannerie with arrival mark of October 22, cover of a stressful journey

Entire letter with lauré 40 c., tied by clear star cancel "35" with adjacent "PARIS MINISTÈRE DES FINANCES 14 OCT." to Alexandria, Egypt with arrival mark of October 23; negligeably stained, very scarce, certificate Boule (1997)

JEAN BART No. 2 Entire printed formular "PAR BALLON MONTÉ" with 3 pages of text, franked with lauré 80 c., tied by clear red "PARIS (SC) 15 OCT. 70" to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with blue arrival mark of December 2; a marvellous letter to South America and a great rarity for any 'Ballon Monté' collection, signed Calves

Post card dated "Paris 12 Octobre" to Montpellier, franked with lauré 10 c., tied in transit by a perfectly applied GC "2443" of Montcornet, fine and very rare post card, signed Calves. When aeronaut Henri Labadie came under fire from Prussian guns he was forced to throw over board anything he could to gain altitude, including several sacks of mail. This card, sending reassuring news to the daughter of the sender, was found and brought into the postal system at Montcornet

VICTOR HUGO Entire preprinted lettersheet "PAR BALLON MONTÉ" with 3 pages of text, franked with lauré 10 c. and 20 c., tied by star cancel "35" with adjacent "PARIS MINISTÈRE DES FINANCES 17 OCT." to the very rare destination Isle of Wight, showing on front and reverse transit mark "YAMOUTH NORFOLK OCT 20", on reverse also transit "PARIS A CALAIS"; 10 c. somewhat affixed over the edge of the entire, otherwise fine; a scarce letter

Pli confié: Entire letter, dated October 11 and franked with Siège 20 c., tied by cds. "TOURS 21 OCT.", addressed to Questembert, showing on reverse centrally applied red "1 Aérotiers Nadar-Dartois & Duruof"; a fine and rare letter

LA FAYETTE Plis confiés: Preprinted lettersheet "PAR BALLON MONTÉ" (interestingly crossed out) with 1 page of text, franked with lauré 30 c. (upper left corner added) tied by GC "3997" with adjacent date stamp "TOURS 25 OCT." to Bruxelles with arrival marks of October 27

GARIBALDI 2nd page of entire letter with lauré 20 c., tied by star cancel "22" with adjacent "PARIS R. TAITBOUT 20 OCT." to Cozes with arrival mark of November 2, fine

Small entire letter franked with siège 20 c., tied by star cancel "35" with adjacent "PARIS MINISTÈRE DES FINANCES 20 OCT.", showing on reverse large Red Cross seal "SOCIÉTÉ DE SECOURS aux BLESSES MILITAIRES PARIS" and faint transit or arrival mark; very scarce, believed to be the finer of two known examples of the Red Cross cachet on balloon mail, signed Calves and Djesmardaos

Entire lettersheet "PAR BALLON MONTÉ" with 3 pages of text, franked with lauré 20 c., tied by dotted "A.R.A.L." with adjacent clear "ARMEE DU RHIN QR. GL. 13E CORPS / 19 OCT." to Beziers with 2 arrival marks of November 3, resp. 4, fine and scarce, signed Jakubek