383rd Auction

1855/56, CRIMEAN WAR, correspondence of 14 letters, all adressed to Sir Alexander or Lady Malet at the British Legation in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). Most are backstamped "POST-OFFICE/BRITISH-ARMY" in black, blue or red and endorsed "via Marseilles", with french transit "ESCADRE DE LA MEDITERRANEE" but also a letter endorsed "From Black Sea Fleet" sent via French Post Office in Constantinople and two prepaid letters sent via the Austrian Post Office Constantinople with straight-line "FRANCO" and black disinfection mark "NETTO DI FUORA E SPORCO DI DENTRO" of Semlin. A rare destination for British mail from the Crimea and a fascinating group from this campaign. 

1813, entire letter of a swiss born member of the Irish regiment in the Grande Armée, from the Fort of Sedan to the minister of war, Duc de Feltre, at paris; charged "7" decimes.

1853, Napoleon III 20 c. blue on bluish paper, horizontal strip of four and pair, fresh colours, second and third stamp of the strip barely cut in, neatly tied by dotted lozenge "1152" with adjacent cds. "DUNKERQUE 19 AOUT 61" and red boxed "PD" to folded entire to Frederikstad, Norway, with transit cds. "SANDÖSUN". A very fine and attractive first step 1,20 Francs rate

1867, Laureated 30 c. brown, mint never hinged, very fine, signed G. Bolaffi with certificate (1972)

1867, Laureated 80 c. deep rose, mint never hinged, very fine, signed G. Bolaffi with certificate (1972)

1876/85, Type Sage 20 c.red on green, horizontal pair, mint never hinged, very fine, private signature

1877/98, Type Sage 35 C. black violet on orange, mint never hinged, very fine

5 fr. violet with part of sheet margin, mint never hinged, very fine

50 c. red, mint never hinged, very fine

1923, Philatelic Congress 1 fr., mint never hinged, very fine, signed Brun and Scheller

1925,  Philatelic Exposition Paris souvenir sheet, all four stamps with special cds. "EXPOSITION PHILSTELQUES PARIS 4.5.25", fine, two certificates A. Dreyfus (1995)

1925, Philatelic Exposition Paris souvenir sheet, unmounted mint, light pressure marks in the corners, otherwise fine

1927,  Philatelic Exposition Straßbourg souvenir sheet with special cancel in the sheet margin and full original gum, fine

1929/31, Pont du Gard 20 fr., perf. 11, mint never hinged, very fine

1936, Plane over Paris 50 fr. violet/red, fresh colours, unused with a barely discernible trace of hinge, extremely fine

1924, 25 c. und 50 c. tied by css. "LE HAVRE A NEW YORK 16.5.24" on preprinted letter card "LETTRE-OCEAN" of "COMPANGNIE RADIO MARITIME" with printed letter head inside, used to USA. The letter card vertical folded and small margin defects, otherwise fine, till now only a few early letter cards from this company are known

1870, LE GÉNÉRAL UHRICH: Laureate Napoleon 30 c. brown, lightly tied by star cancel "4" with adjacent cds. "PARIS RUE D´ENGHIEN 15 NOV. 70" and red boxed "PD" to folded entire to Bruxelles, Belgium, endorsed "Par Ballon monté", reverse arrival cds. 22 November, very fine and scarce

1870, LE PARMENTIER: Cérès 20 c. blue, tied by star cancel "32" with adjacent cds. "PARIS 16 DEC 70" to cpl. folded entire to Issoudun endorsed "Ballon monté", reverse arrival cds. 28 December, moving text about the disastrous consequences of the war, very fine and scarce

1894, Allegory 10c. tied by cds. "TELEGRAPHIE MILITAIRE POST No 6 BENIN 26 MAI 02" to Dahomey postal stationery envelope 5 c. to Paris, original contents included, fine

1940, Spitfire 25c.- 70c., cpl. set neatly tied by cds "DOUALA -8 DEC 40 CAMEROUN" to envelope to Nkongsamba, special commemorative "Journée du Spitfire" boxed handstamp, several censor postmarks, circle "A2" and boxed "PARTI SANS LAISSER D´ADRESSE" (left without leaving a forwarding address), very fine

1892, Sage 2 c. green, fresh colours, four even margins all round, a fine example of this scarce stamp, certificate Philatelic Foundation (1988)

1872, Cérès 10 c. brown on rose paper and Sage 15 c. grey, intact to large margins all round, tied by cds. "INDE PONDICHERY JUIN 1879" repeated alongside with red transit cds. "COL. FR. V. BRIND. A. MOD. 12 JUIN 1879" to folded entire from the Amalric correspondence to Marseille, endorsed "Par Bombay v. Brindisi" with arrival cds. on reverse; very fine (Yvert-Nr. 18, 33)

1902, 0,40 on 2 fr., large margins all round, fresh colours, with cds. "DJIBOUTI 16 JANV 02", very fine an early usage of this scarce stamp, signed Richter 

MADAGASCAR UPU SPECIMENS: 1916, Occupation franco-anglaise 1c-5fr., each as horizontal strip of three tied by red handstamp "POSTES ET TELEGRAPHES MADAGASCAR COLLECTION DE BERNE" to 4 pieces, one piece with note "cent cinq figurines postales...." as well as signature and adjacent handstamp "LE DIRECTEUR des Postes et Telegraphes", 75c.,  1-2fr. some perfs cut at top, otherwise fine and attractive

1924, airmail surcharge issue 2 pia.- 10 pia. on registered airmail cover from Beyrouth via Baghdad and Cairo to Alexandria

30 Fr., epreuve d'artiste in orange-brown with artist's signature 'R. Serres', very fine

30 Fr., epreuve d'artiste in red with artist's signature 'R. Serres'

 Pierre de Coubertin, nice lot with epreuve de luxe, maximum cards, Haiti 1939 FDC, etc.

1924, special issue 10c., artist's proof, similar to the issued design but without „FRANCE“ and sun rays above arm, in light black-grey on wove white paper in block format, some light creasing, still fine. Signed Scheller

25 c., die proof in issued colour on white paper. Small thin in the outer margin, otherwise very fine. Signed Scheller

25 c., die proof in rose and brown on white paper. Very fine. Signed Scheller with certificate (2023)

1924, 30 c., proof in mauve and dark mauve on gummed paper, very fine, signed Scheller

1924, unissued design 'Roman arena in Nemes' 50 c., die proof in lilac-rose and rose on yellowish wove paper, very fine and scarce. Signed Scheller with certificate (2023)

1924, unissued design 'Roman arena in Nemes' 50 c., die proof in orange and brown on yellowish wove paper, very fine and scarce. Signed Holcombe with opinion (1993)

Official Olympic Committee envelope, franked with 'Semeuse' 50 c., tied by Paris machine cancel "JEUX OLYMPIQUES 29 III 24", to the Secretary-General of the Czech Olympic Committee at Prague, very fine.

1924, Paris, machine slogan cancel "JEUX OLYMPIQUES PARIS" on 37 letters and cards (few as arrival mark), many with Olympic frankings, including items during the games.