367th. Auction

SIÈGE DE BELFORT: Small soldier's letter with full text on reverse and dated "Belfort le 24 décembre 1870" addressed to St. Genis Laval with frontside clear arrival mark of January 7, 1871. This is one of the very few recorded balloon mail letters of Belfort. On Christmas Day 1870 soldiers got the permission to write letters on a quarter sheet of paper, unsealed so that no military information could be sent out. A first attempt of the balloon flight was made on December 25, but the balloon came down in the suburb of Fourneau, a further attempt 2 days later was also unsuccessful. On December 30 a third attempt was successful. A few existing items all have arrival marks between January 6 and 8. A very interesting and rare item of early airmail, accompanied by interesting additional information on exhibition page and article "LES BALLONS DE BELFORT" of 'LE COLLECTIONEUR' No. 53 of 1982 about the item offered here

PAPILLONS DE METZ: 2 small soldier's letters, the first dated September 19, 1870, addressed to Bignois near Lyon with text "Wounded lightly at the right shoulder in the affair of th 18th of August but I am much better" (vertical paper break), the second one dated October 1, 1870, addressed to Allevard les Bains, the later one very fine

1872/75, Ceres with large numerals: Error of colour 15 c. brown on rose in horizontal pair with normal stamp, unused without gum; the normal stamp with thinning at left, otherwise fine; a rare ensemble, certificates Ceres and Gautre (both 2002) (Yvert 55c)

1876/86, Sage: Type II, 10 c. green, 15 c. grey, 25 c. yellow-brown on yellow, 40 c. brick red, 50 c. carmin on rose, 75 c. deep lilac on orange and 5 fr. violet, all unused o.g., fine, all signed Brun (Mi. ca. 3.300,-)

1922, War orphans 5 fr. + 1 fr. blue and black, block of 4 from the left lower sheet corner, stamps mint never hinged, fine (Mi. 1.040,-)

1928, Ile de France air mail 10 fr. on  90 c. and 10 fr. on 1,50 fr., unused with original gum, very fine, signed A. Diena and Calves with certificates (1975)

1928, Ile de France 10 fr. on 90 c. red, wide spacing, with additional franking 50 c. red, tied by octagonel "New York au Havre 23.8.28" to cover, signed Calves and v.d. Weid with certificate (1986)

1928, Ile de France 10 fr. on 1.50 fr. blue with additional franking, tied by octagonel "New York au Havre 23.8.28" to registered cover with six line special flight cachet in black alongside, stamp with tiny traces of creasing at top, otherwise very fine, signed v.d. Weid with certificate (1986)

1930, Sourire de Reims 1,50 fr., cpl. booklet with sheetlet of 8 stamps, unmounted mint

1930, air mail 1,50 fr. lilac red, progressive die proof (3rd state) in issued colour

1936, Airmail 50 fr. yellow-green, copy from the lower left sheet corner with printing date, unmounted mint (Mi. 1.300,- +)

1936, Airmail 50 fr. deep green with sheet margin at top, unmounted mint, fine, signed Calves and Berck (Mi. 2.000,-)

1944, Provisional gouvernment, unissued 50 fr., 2 imperforated pairs in different colours, unmounted mint

1952, Meeting of the Council of Europe 30 fr., épreuve de luxe in green, fine

1952, Meeting of the Council of Europe 30 fr., twp épreuve de colour in red and depp blue, fine

1956, Europe 15fr., Epreuve d'Artiste in 20 different colours, mostly signed, mostly fine

1957, Europe 20f. as complete imperforated sheet of green color proofs, the last row bi-colored, the others one color, mint never hinged, fine

1958, Europe 20+25fr. as special imperforated souvenir sheet, mint never hinged, very rare with only 20 printed, fine

1958, Europe 35f. as complete imperforated sheet of color proofs, five stamps bi-colored, the others one color, mint never hinged, fine

1960, Europe 0,25-0,50fr., each as die proof (poinçon original) on thick carton paper, mounted on card, fine, certificate Gautre

1962, Coq d'Or 0,25 fr., unmounted mint, very fine (Mi. 800,-)

1963, Europe 0,25-0,50fr. sepia as epreuve de presentation (mise en train sépia), very rare with only 3 issued, fine

1982, Europe Historical events 1,60-2,30 fr., each as complete imperforated sheet of color proofs, 3 different colors of each value, mint never hinged, fine

1993, Europe 2,50-3,40fr., each as imperforated sheet, mint never hinged, fine

1997, Europe 3fr. as imperforated block of four with upper sheet margin, mint never hinged, very rare with only 50 imperforated stamps known, fine

1998, Europe 3fr. as imperforated block of four with bottom sheet margin, mint never hinged, very rare with only 50 imperforated stamps known, fine

ANNULÉ: 1923, Merson 45 c., block of 4 from the upper right sheet corner, unmounted mint (Yvert 720,-)

Merson 1 fr., block of 4 with part of sheet margin at bottom, unmounted mint, one stamp with small gum crease, otherwise fine (Yvert 740,-)

1911, "LIVRET D'IDENTITÉ" with imprinted typ Sage 50 c. rose, issued and cancelled "PARIS 24-10 11"; spine somewhat separated at bottom and small paper break due to official seal on the photograph, still fine and quite fresh; very scarce, only few recorded (Yvert 98-LI1)

1958, European Flag 8-50 fr. on five "Conseil de l'euorpe" first day covers, fine, rare (Mi. 1.710,-)

1958, Europe Flag 25, 35 and 50 fr., three épreuves de presentation in sepia, fine, very rare, only three series known

1958, Europe Flag 35 fr., two épreuve d'artiste in black (different nuanced) with engraver signature, fine

1958, Europe Flag 35 fr., three épreuves d'artiste in black (different nuanced) without engraver signature, fine

1963, Europe Flag 0,20, 0,25 and 0,50 fr., three épreuves de presentation in sepia, fine, very rare, only three series known

1983, Palace of Europe 2,00 and 2,80 fr. imperforated, two sheets of 50, umounted mint (Maury 3.250,-)

1986, Palace of Europe 1,90-3,40 fr. imperforated, three sheets of 50, umounted mint (Maury 4.250,-)