378th Auction

Tunis: 1856, letter sheet from Tunis to France, franked with 1853 Napoléon imperforated 20 c. blue in a left marginal horizontal strip of three, touched in two places but generally good to large margins, tied by PC "3716" of Bone with adjacent "TUNIS 17 SEPT. 56" (Pothion = 21 points) and framed "P.P." in red, reverse with Bone Algerie, Marseille & Montpellier transit and St. Pons arrival (Sept 26) cds's. Charge '4' décimes due upon arrival. A scarce and attractive item; signed Calves; cert. Roumet (1998). Note: Adhesives on mail from Tunis were cancelled in Bone, Algeria with the Petits Chiffres '3716' or Gros Chiffres '5015', respectively in the years between 1852 and 1862. In 1863 Tunis became a Bureau de distribution and received its own Gros chiffres '5107'.

Tunis: 1873, entire letter from Tunis to Marseille, franked with 1871/73 Cérès 10 c. brown on rose and two singles of 25 c. blue, tied by GC '5107'  with adjacent "TUNIS 7 OCT 73" (Pothion = 13 points), framed PD in red and "TUNIS-PAR-BONE ALGERIE 8 OCT 73" cds in red, reverse with Marseille arrival (Oct 12) cds.; one short perf, otherwise fine and fresh, a scarce and attractive item with the 60 c. rate for covers up to 10 gr. which were transported with 'Paquebots de l'Algérie' vessels  

1966, Birds 50-500fr., block of four from the lower right sheet margin with complete printing date, fine

1871, General issue Napoleon 30 c. brown, 2 horizontal pairs, with Ceres 10 c. bistre, strip of 3, 2 pairs and single, all tied by lozange of dotts to quadruple rate lettersheet (not quite complete on reverse) from "MOULE GUADELOUPE 27 FEBR. 72" to Nantes. By mistake boxed "Affranchisement insuffisante" applied, but cancelled by romboid of diamonts. Creases affecting all Ceres stamps, 3 stamps applied defective, still a very attractive entire with an impressive and rare franking.

1921, Dejure 2-5r. tied by cds. "TIFLIS 30.1.21" to image side of local picture postcard with arrival mark, 5r. small corner crease, otherwise fine, scarce, signed. Prof. Winterstein

Provenance: 19. Stanley Gibbons Frankfurt (1981)

1856/58, 1 d. deep rose-red (plate 34) on white paper, die II with watermark 4, block of 4 (QA-QB/RA-RB) with large left sheet margin, unused with large part of original gum, folded horizontally and partly separated between stamps, otherwise fine, certificate Louis BPP (2017)

1840, 1d. black, pl.8, FL, cut in on 2 sides, otherwise huge margins, including parts of three neighbouring stamps, tied by red MC to entire letter 1841from Liverpool via London Forwarding Agent Robert Forster, Beer Lane, for onward transmission to Madeira. On reverse Liverpool despatch cds. and London cds, both in red, On front “160”(reis) Madeira due in manuscript, to be paid by the recipient. A rare and attractive usage of a penny black on letter to abroad. Certificate BPA (2013).

1 £ brown-lilac, ED, fresh colour and good perforation and centering, neatly cancelled "VICTORIA ST. B.O. JY 10 83", faint horizontal creasing including a tiny paper split in and above "E" of "ONE", certificate Louis BPP(2021)

1882, 5 £ orange, DF, nice deep colour, neatly cancelled by clear central "CREWE DE 19 02"; pressed crease in the lower right corner and few perfs at right slightly deepened, still fine and most attractive, certificate Louis BPP (2021)

"BRITISH ARMY POST OFFICE B SP22 1855" on reverse of cover to Cruachan near Fort William, Scotland, franked on front with 1854/57, 1 d. red-brown in vertical strip of 3, tied by "47" upon arrival

"BRITISH ARMY POST OFFICE ...." with unclear date on reverse of cover to Dublin, franked on front with 1854/57, 1 d. red-brown in horizontal strip of 3, tied by "48" upon arrival in England (March 1856); endorsed "Crimean letter" and "Via Marseilles"

1973, sights 3p. frame grayish yellow instead of medium olive, block of four with right sheet margin, mint never hinged, fine

1973, sights 3½p. frame gray-brown instead of olive gray, block of four with right sheet margin, mint never hinged, fine

DWI: "PAID AT ST. THOMAS" (CC2), good strike on entire letter from St. Croix with adjacent Danish "CHRISTIANSTED 12 5 1862" to South Zorra, West Canada, endorsed "Via Halifax", paid with 4 c. inland postage and "pd 4 d." British postage to Halifax, transported via "ST. GEORGES MY 18 1862", on reverse also transit mark of Quebec and arrival mark of May 31; on front marked "unpaid 5" which was applied to part paid letters. A very interesting and rare letter with light patina, one of the few recorded carried by open mail

"GUADALOUPE A MR 26 71", red cds. on reverse of entire letter, dated inside "Pointe a Pitre March 23th 1871" to Digby, Nova Scotia, franked with French Colonies Eagle issue 20 c. blue for the french postage, tied by mute cancel, adjacent  "PAQ. ANG. / POINTE A PITRE GUADe 25 MARS 71", on reverse transit "ST. THOMAS MR 28" and Digby arrival mark of April 14. In Halifax tax mark "CTS 12½" applied and charged with "4" pence upon arrival, to be paid by the receipient. Stamp small water stain and light corner creases, cover creases not affecting the stamp. A rare letter.

1919, First Aerial Post England-Australia, the so-called Ross-Smith vignette in dark blue tied by flight cachet "FIRST AERIAL MAIL 26.FEB.1920" to cover with adjacent three line handstamp "PER VICKERS VIMY AEROPLANE TO AUSTRALIA" to Melbouren, fine and rare cover, signed A. Diena with certifacate (1961) and Raybaudi with certificate (1971)

"C" on 1865/67, 4 d. vermilion on cover endorsed "Via Varna" 1875 to Manchester

1852/57, 3d. red, clear to large margins, used with central target, very fine, signed Georg Bühler

POSTAL STATIONERY: 1897, envelope ½ a. blue, unused, very fine

1899, 4 CENTS on 5$ with 4v mm spacing, with additional franking on registerd Bickel-cover from "KUDAT 8 JUL 1905" to Germany with transit- and arrival marks.

1900, cover from Bavaria to Bloemfontein,, undeliverable and returned, with violet "RETURNED LETTER OFFICE BLOEMFONTAIN" and "PASSE CENSOR H.P.Y." and rose censor lable.

1862/68, Final Athen printing, last printing run, 20l. dark cobalt-blue, fresh and deep color, good to large margins all around, used with clear and centrally struck numeral "109", this printing is mentioned in the Kohl-Handbuch and regarded as "final printing", very fine and interesting, signed Schulz with certificate (1968)

1899, Small Hermes head 5l. green, cut into at left, tied by cds. "ATHENS 24 APR 1899" as additional franking to postal stationery card 5l to Dalby, Queensland, there re-posted and franked with 1890 Victoria ½d. green and 1d. orange and returned to the sender, interesting card 

1871, 2 k. orange, nice fresh colour and good perforation, tied by "TOLCSVA 7/9 71" to printed matter without contens to Nyiregyhaza, very fine

1933, Balbo flight 1-10 kr. cpl. tied by cds. "REKYJAVIK 9.VII.33" to piece, fine, certificate Kaiser (1979)

1852, 6 baj. on greenish grey and two pairs 8 baj. black, mostly good to large margins, tied by grid cancel to entire letter from Rome 1857 via France and England to Rio de Janeiro with transit marks on front and reverse. Small paper fault in the outer letter at left, otherwise fine and fresh for this destination. Letters from Europe to Brazil during this period are exceedingly rare.

1853, Coat of arms 15c. red, fresh colour and good to wide margins all around, tied by neat red cds. "FIORENZUOLA  DECEMBRE 1854" to folded lettersheet to Parma, very fine and attractive

1855/1863. 80 cmi. ocre, slightly touched at bottom sides, otherwise good to large margins, and 20 cmi. blue with full margins, tied by cds. „GENOVA 4 SET. 59“ to letter sheet with large part of contents via France and England to Bahia, Brazil with transit marks on front and reverse. The letter with file folds, not affecting the stamps. A fine and rare letter to South America.

1933, Balbo Transatlantic Flight 5,25 l + 44,75 l. with overprint "I - CALO", tied by cds. "LA SPEZIA 14.6.33" to registered airmail card with blue flight cachet via Rom to New York with arrival mark, fine, rare, sign. A. Bolaffi

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map 016 Bausk mint never hinged, minor wrinkles in the margin only, fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map H17 Dorbiany, mint never hinged, small corner creases in the margin only, fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map H17 Dorbiany, mint never hinged, some tears in the margin only, otherwise fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map J17 Salanty, mint never hinged, few smaller tears in the margin only, otherwise fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map J17 Salanty, mint never hinged, fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map J17 Salanty, mint never hinged, fine

1918, 5 k. red, complete sheet on map L19 Worny, mint never hinged, rusty staple traces in the margin, otherwise fine