366. Auktion März 2018

1899, "Trident" Issues variety lot. First Issue set of three values in six colors: Imperf set of sheet selvage singles without control marks; the 1gr rose, 1 & 2m lilac, 2m green, 1m orange thinned, all mint hinged gum with remnant. Also included are an imperf 1m orange with control and blue "RETHYMNON" straightline, and an uncatalogued imperf at right sheet selvage 1gr blue with control mark and blue "RETHYMNON" straightline; both are thinned. Second Issue imperf sheet selvage 1m rose with control mark and "RETHYMNON" straightline, with thins; an uncatalogued 1m green imperf at right with the sheet selvage, "RETHYMNON" administrative control at lower left and black cds on top; a displaced horizontal perforation used 1gr green tied on fragment. Finally there are used 2m. blue and 1gr (variety dot between S and I of Grosion) blue, both with double control marks, the 2m with a thin. Excellent for the specialist. 

1899, "Trident" Issues Proofs: From the First Issue, two proofs: an imperf single 1m blue on the front and 2m blue on the back; and an imperf 2m lilac on the front with a 1m lilac on the back. From the Second Issue: a sheet selvage imperf single with a double impession of the 2m and 1gr green; a sheet selvage single with a double impression of the 2m and 1gr blue; a sheet corner imperf block of four of the 1m rose printed on one side and the 2m rose printed on the other, signed Spanos; a sheet corner imperf block of four of the 2gr green on one side and a double inverted impression of the 2m and 1gr green on the other, signed Spanos; a sheet selvage imperf block of four of the 2m lilac on one side and with a double impression of the 1m blue upright and of the 1gr violet inverted, signed Spanos. 

1899, First and Second "Trident" Issues, cancelation group. Stamps may have some faults, others are very fine in quality. Included cancels are "AGIOS GALINIS" (x6), "ANOGEIA", "AMARI", "KASTELI" (x3), "MARGARITAIS" (x2), "MELAMPES" (x4), "SELIA" (x6) and "SPILI". Some cancels are very clear and full strikes. Very nice group, high catalogue value, some are backstamped. 

1899, Russian Offices accumulation of mint and used. Handstamped Issues include 24 copies of 1m blue Type I including two pairs, three copies of 2m gray rose, 11 copies of 2m rose and red including a pair, numerous 1m green with mint blocks in various sizes, and numerous  2m black including a mint part sheet of 80, other smaller multiples, and many mint and used; all stamps with paper and color shade varieties, condition is mixed from faulty to very fine, overall a very nice group. Trident Issues with over 100 First Issue without Stars, almost all canceled, about just as many mint Second Issue Trident with Stars and about half that many canceled, variety of control mark colors when present; some forgeries lurking around and few with faults, but spot checks showed these to be genuine and in overall good quality. Also included are two sheets of 32 of the 2m and the 1gr violet (some separation, 1gr with vertical rows 3 & 6 showing the dot after S of Grosion). Excellent basis for study and expansion

1899, Second "Trident" Issue, the 1gr rose, Imperf Sheet of 32 stamps, the third and seventh vertical rows with the dot between the S and I of Grosion variety, sheet was folded in four along the middle rows, reinforced with tape on the back, a crease on the right just into the upper right corner stamp. Note in Schmitt's handwriting describes this as a proof. Very rare, the first we have seen. 

"AGIOS GALINIS" full violet straightline cancel on cover franked with 1899, 1m green and 2m black, mailed to Rethymnon,  some folds and normal wear and tear, superb strike of this difficult cancel. 

Almost complete collection of Russian straightline cancels (only "Margaritais" missing) on 56 singles, pairs and a block of the 1899 Handstamped Issue, noted a 1m blue type I with "MELAMBES," a 1m green single with a "DAMASTA," and a block of four with "SELIA," a pair of 2m black without control (unlisted as such) with "ANOGEIA," a single with "FODELE," and another single with "DAMASTA," and numerous others; lot contains only one "RETHYMNON". Very fine, difficult to assemble, most are clear and in most cases full strikes.  

"GARAZO" full black straightline tying an 1899, 2m. black on two similar covers to Rethymnon, clean, with very fine strikes. 

"MELAMBES" full black straightline tying an 1899, 2m. red on cover (reduced at right) to Rethymnon. A rare cancel on a scarce stamp. Very Fine Provenance: Dr. Maurice R. Friend (1982)

"RETHYMNON" full straightline in blue tying an 1899, 1m blue Trident  on cover to Roustika (reduced at right) and "RETHYMNON" cds in black on two different covers sent to the same recipient in Pigi; first tying an 1899, 1m & 2m orange Trident and a second tying an 1899, 1gr yellow Trident. Nice and useful.

"ROUSTIKA" full straightline cancel in blue on pair of 1899, 1m blue Trident with Stars on cover to Rethymnon; two covers, both mailed from Rethymnon to Pigi, one franked with a single each of 1899, 1m rose imperf at right (listed in Hellas) & 2m blue Trident with Stars and the other with a single 1gr rose. Overall very fine and one with a scarce perforation error on cover.

"SPILI" full black straightline on two covers to Rethymnon. First ties pair of 1899, 1m green, the second a sheet selvage copy of 2m black. Some creasing and normal wear & tear, very fine strikes of this scarce cancel. 

REFUGEES MAIL: 1921, Lemnos: 3 philatelic covers with surcharged stamps (philatelic issue for the financial aid of the Russian refugees), all tied with large cds "RUSSKAYA POST LEMNOS"