383rd Auction

„CUMA-I ATIK POSTA SUBESI 1286“, crisp strike of small negative seal on postal money order form for 426 piastres to Ruse. A great rarity; the only recorded example of this handstamp, not recorded by Isfila. Certificate Isfila (2016)

„CUMA-I ATIK“, dotted handstamp in black, 2 clear strikes on Tughra 3rd printing, horizontal pair with ample to very large margins and marginal guideline, used on small piece, very fine and scarce. Signed Pfenninger and opinion Todd AIEP (Isfila RRR)

DOBNICE (Stanke Dimitrov): „Dobnice“, all arabic double circle in black tying Duloz 1868/73, 20 pa. green (one side scissors cut) and postage due 1 pia. brown to entire letter, written at Samakov, to Thessaloniki. A very rare postmark with only a few entires recorded. Ex Hitzler (Isfila RRR)

FILIBE: „Fee has been paid 278“, blue negative Arabic handstamp, clear strike on cover of 4 dirhem weight and 3 gurush fee, sent from Deraliye 1862 to Filibe; very rare, unrecorded by Isfila. Isfila certificate (2016)

FILIBE: Cover to Edirne, franked with Tughra 3rd printing, 1 pia., tied upon arrival by clear blue dotted Edirne handstamp; one backflap missing, otherwise fine and attractive. Opinion Todd AIEP

FILIBE: 1864, entire  letter to Constantinople, franked with Tughra 2nd printing, 1 pia. and 2 pia. ‚damaged black print‘ (cut into at upper right), tied by indistinct dotted handstamp and additional battal. Fine and rare. Certificate Nakri AIEP
 

„Filibe 81“, all arabic double circle, 2 clear strikes, tying Duloz 1869/71, 1 pia. yellow and 10 pa. violet in vertical pair ( bottom stamp scissors cut at bottom), to envelope (somewhat roughly opened) to Constantinople, fine. Opinion Todd AIEP, ex Hornung

„Filibe 81“, all arabic double circle, 6 clear strikes tying Duloz 1869 postage due , 1 pia. brown, 2 vertical pairs and single and single 20 pa. brown, to overweight registered cover to Deraliye, franked on reverse with „Sehir“ overprint 1 pia. brown (pulled perf and small tear), tied by bilingual „BAGHTCHE CAPUSSI“, for local delivery. Usual slight transportation marks, still fine. A remarkable and scarce letter. Certificate Isfila

„HEZARGRAD“, all arabic double circle, to clear to fair strikes tying Duloz 1873, 10 pa. in horizontal pair and 1876, 1 pia. to entire letter to Varna. A fine and rare letter. Signed Nakri with certificate (Isfila RR)

ISLIMIYE: 1864, entire letter to Ruscuk, franked with Tughra postage due 1 pia. and 2 pia., cancelled upon arrival by dotted „RUSCUK“ handstamp. Despite a sharp but almost invisible crease affecting the two stamps a fine and very rare letter. Opinion Todd AIEP

Provenance: "Sultan" (David Feldman 2016, described as "very fine")

KAZGAN: 1864, entire letter to Ruscuk, franked with Tughra postage due 1 pia. with large margins and wide sheet margin at right, cancelled upon arrival by dotted „RUSCUK“ handstamp. An extremely fine and rare letter. Opinion Todd AIEP

„LOFCA 81“, all arabic double circle, 2 clear strikes tying Duloz 2 pia. red and 1 pia. yellow to entire letter to Tirnova: The stamps affected by light horizontal cover crease, otherwise fine and fresh. A very rare letter; just a few entires have been recorded with this handstamp. Opinion Todd AIEP (Isfila RRR)

MUSTAFA PASHA: 1882, military cover with clear arabic seal handstamp „2nd army, 7th cavalry regiment“, to Thessaloniki; fine and very rare; the sole recorded entire bearing this handstamp. Signed Nakri and opinion Todd AIEP

„PAZARCIK“, all arabic double circle, two very clear and almost full strikes on Duloz 1868/71, 1 pia. in strip of 3 on piece; very fine and rare (Isfila RRR)

„Petric posta subesi 294“, all arabic negative seal handstamp, 4 ample to very clear full strikes on 2 strips of 4 of 1876, 10 pa. lilac (left stamp scissors cut); very fine and most attractive. A rare cancellation of which only few stamps/pieces but no entires have been recorded; unrecorded by Isfila. Ex Hitzler 

RUSCUK: „RUSCUK“, dotted handstamp, clear strike tying Tughra 2nd printing, 5 pia. with wide margins, showing white sheet margin left, to entire letter from Deraliye to Ruscuk. A very fine and rare letter. Opinion Todd AIEP

„An canib-i Postahane-I Samakov 1274“ large arabic negative seal, superb strike cover to Sevlievo, rated 2 piasters in manuscript. Fine and scarce. Opinion Todd AIEP. (Isfila RR)

„SAMAKOV: letter sheet (part on reverse missing) from the well-known correspondence to  the Zahari of the Bulgarian church at Constantinople, franked with Tughra 2nd setting 20 pa. in tête-bêche pair with large margins and 2 copies 1 pia., all tied by blue ‚battal‘. The pair lightly affected by a cover crease. A fine and extremely rare entire; just 2 further tête-bêches on cover from Bulgarian soil have been recorded. Certificates Isfila and Nakri.

SAMAKOV: letter sheet from the well-known correspondence to  the Zahari of the Bulgarian church at Constantinople, franked with Tughra 1st setting 2 pia. And 2nd setting 20 pa. in pair with enormous margins including wide sheet margin at left, tied by ‚battal‘. A fine and rare usage from Bulgarian soil. Certificates Isfila and Nakri.

„SAMAKOV 81“, all arabic double circle, tying Duloz 1875, 10 pa. lilac-rose, 2 pairs, and postage due 2 pia. yellowish brown to reverse of entire cover to Saraybosna, bosnia; fine and rare. Certificate Isfila. Ex Hitzler (Isfila RR)

SOFYA: 1748, entire letter, written in French, from Sofia to Marseille, showing slight traces of desinfection. Tiny part of inner text sheet missing (most likely removed by opening), otherwise very fine. The earliest recorded letter from Bulgaria in private hands. Opinion Todd AIEP

„AN CANIB-I POSTA-I SUMNU 260“, clear arabic negative seal on registered letter sheet to Constantinople with adjacent small negative registration handstamp. Fine and scarce. Opinion Todd AIEP

„SUMNU“, dotted handstamp in blue, good strike on Tughra 2nd printing 1 pia. on entire letter to Ruscuk. The cover with vertical paper repair on face panel and the stamp with light horizontal bend. A rare letter. Ex Passer. Opinion Todd AIEP
 

"T.PAZARDJIK 17 1 87", cds. on front and reverse of unpaid cover to Constantinople, charged upon arrival, franked with 1884, 1 pia., tied by blue cds.. little roughly opened, otherwise very fine. Certificate Nakri (2017) and Todd (2013)    

„TUTRAKAN“, all arabic double circle in greenish blue, almost complete and clear strike, centrally struck on Duloz 1875, 20 pa. green. Very fine and extremely rare; just few strikes on singles stamps but no covers have been recorded from this small village at the Danube. Ex Hitzler
Reference: illustration copy of the Isfila handbook
 

„VARNA“, dotted handstamp in blue, nice clear strike with full name on 1865, Duloz 5 pia. carmine. Very attractive and fine example of this rare handstamp, of which only three singles stamps but no entires been reported. Ex Hitzler
 

„ZAGRA 81“ all arabic double circle, four good strikes on 1865, 20 pa. orange and 1 pia. Lilac-grey on entire double rate letter to Constantinople. A fine and scarce franking with quite rare cancellation. Opinion Todd AIEP

1879, 50 c. black/blue, fresh colours and nicely perforated, neatly tied by bilingual cds. "SOFIA 20 VII 81" to registered mourning cover to Wien, adjacent registration boxed postmark and reverse arrival cds., small opening tear on the back flap, of no importance. A very fine, very scarce and delightful cover.

1931, Balcan Games 1 l. - 50 l. in blocks of 4, unmounted mint

1934, Schipka monument 1-14 l. as ministers souvenir sheet, unmounted mint, fine, rare, only 100 pieces issued

Incoming mail: 1887, cover from the U.S. to Sistov, with blue transit mark of Roustschuk and arrival mark

1945, storm division souvenir sheet, used with cds. "ZAGREB 60 9.1.45", slightly wavy paper on top margins, otherwise fine, signed Gilbert and Dr. Rommerskirchen BPP

1945, storm division souvenir sheet, unmounted mint with diagonal bend at top, otherwise fine, signed Dr. RommerskirchenPP. Dr. Rommerskirchen BPP

1934, National Anthem, 1 k. claret and 2 k. blue miniature sheets, fresh colours, no gum as issued, complete with original folders, slightly creased in the margins, otherwise very fine, 2 k. signed Alfons Stach

1934, National Anthem, 1 k. claret and 2 k. blue miniature sheets, fresh colours, no gum as issued, sligtly crease in the margins, otherwise fine

1854/57, 8 sk. green, with 1864/70, 16 sk. olive, horizontal strip of 3 and three single stamps, and two copies 3 sk. lilac, tied by numeral "1" and partly by faint Kopenhagen cds., to lettersheet (side flaps missing) to St. Croix, Danish West Indies. A horizontal filing crease broken and thus one 3 sk. damaged, 2 further stamps small (filing) hole and some usual transportation marks. An outstanding franking.