384. Auction

1885, 5pa lilac (2 singles and one pair), 10pa green, (2), 20pa black on rose (1), and 1pi (1), all overprinted Type I in black or blue, used save for one 10pa example, a small study showing contrasting overprint impressions caused by the use of standard or aniline inks, some small perf flaws, else a fine reference group for the specialist.

1885, 5pa black on olive, Type I, overprint in blue, affixed to postal card for local usage, with attached reply card, both unused, ink stain at lower right, else fine, handstamped Zagorsky, with his 1995 certificate.

1885 (September 18), 5pa black on olive, perforated 13.5, overprint Type I, tied to local postal card by Poste Slivno c.d.s. in blue, a most unusual and scarce usage of the 1881 5pa value overprinted, fine; with 2022 Hitzler certificate noting the franking as “extremely rare.”

Note: the 1880/1 5pa was no longer available at the Post Office at the time the 1885 Provisional Lion overprints were prepared. However, individuals and commercial firms could continue to bring their stamps to the Post Office to be overprinted.  Usages of the 1880/1 5pa overprinted issues are correspondingly rare.

1885, 5pa lilac (2) and 10pa green (2), perforated 11.5, overprint Type I in blue, with one of each denomination showing regular and aniline ink varieties, the odd trivial perf flaw, else a fine and useful reference.   

1885, 5pa lilac and 10pa green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, aniline ink varieties, each affixed to an individual postal card, the 10pa with attached reply card, a fine duo.

1885, 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue aniline ink, affixed to postal card for local use, cancelled in Plovdiv, unaddressed, handstamped Georg Buhler, fine.

1885 (September 9), 5pa lilac on pale lilac, overprinted Type I in blue, cancelled on the first day of issue by clear Plovdiv c.d.s., without backstamps, the address post-contemporary, small hole at upper right corner of card, yet a rare strike.

1885 (September 24), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprint Type I in blue, tied to local postal card by Plovdiv c.d.s., the message on reverse inviting the recipient to a meeting of the Revolutionary Committee, a fine local usage, handstamped Friedl.

1885, 5pa lilac on pale lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type II in blue, showing a dramatic double strike, postmarked with neat partial Plovdiv c.d.s., well clear of overprint, a fine and fresh example.

1885, 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprint Type II in light blue, with dramatic double impression, on unused postal stationery card, striking and scarce, particularly desirable with the combined second overprint strike and use of inferior, Type I ink.

1885, 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprint Type II in light blue, on unused postal stationery card, a fine example showing this distinctive overprint shade of the earlier Type I inks.

Note: The Type II handstamp was delivered on September 10, the same day as the requisitioned high-quality ink was received at the post office in Plovdiv, intended to replace the poorer-quality inks of Type I.  Only a small number of examples of the 5pa are recorded using the earlier, inferior inks.

1885, 10pa green, perforated 13.5, overprint Type II in black, affixed to unused postal card, a particularly clear strike of this overprint, fine and rare, the only example recorded by Hitzler of the 10pa 1880/1 overprinted issue on stationery card; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1885, 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted in blue, showing a scarce double overprint variety, cancelled with neat oval grid cancel, a few slightly blunted perfs at foot, adhesion to reverse, yet a rare example, pencil signed on reverse.

1885, 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, tied to postal card by crisp Aitos (Aytos) c.d.s. in blue (Sep 15), reverse with clear Poste Slivno c.d.s. in blue (Sep 18), a choice example of the 10pa inland postcard rate.

1885 (October 1), postal card to Russe, via Gabrovo, franked with 10pa green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, aniline ink, cancelled by circular grid, postmarked with Poste Kasanlik c.d.s. in green, with neatly-struck transit and arrival marks in blue, adhesive with trace of perf toning noted for strict accuracy, a visually-appealing and rare card, used the day following the official end of validity of these issues; handstamped Zagorsky.

1885, 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type II in blue, showing a crisp double overprint, clean black grid cancel, fine and scarce.

1885, 20pa black on rose, perforated 13.5, Type I, overprinted in blue, affixed to unused postal card, with attached reply card, a scarce usage of the 1880/1 printing.

1885, 20pa rose on pale rose, overprint Type I in blue, on postal card from Freiherrn von Gissa, postmarked with Plovdiv c.d.s. (Sep 13), to Hemer, Westphalia, with Sofia transit c.d.s. (Sep 15), a fascinating card providing insight into the philately of the period, further enhanced by its being franked with the rare Type I blue overprint. 

1885, 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, Type I overprint in blue, affixed to unused postal card, a fine example of this postal stationery with the later 1884 overprinted stamp.

1885, 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, overprint Type 2, two used singles, one each overprinted in black and blue, both neatly-cancelled in blue, a fine duo.

1855, 20pa rose on pale rose, overprinted Type II in black, showing a striking double overprint, unobtrusive corner cancel, the odd short perf at right, else fine and scarce.

1885, 5pa black on olive, perforated 13.5, overprinted Type IV, affixed to unused postal card, a few trivial marks to card, an extremely scarce Type IV overprint on an 1880/1 issue, which were not officially overprinted, and could only be overprinted if brought to the post office privately; signed Zagorsky, with his 1996 certificate.

1885 (September 21), 5pa lilac, perforated 13.5, overprinted Type III in black, tied to  postal stationery card by Plovdiv c.d.s., addressed to the Consulat-General of Austria-Hungary, inviting the recipient to dinner that evening, a fine local usage.

1885, 5pa lilac on pale lilac, perforated 13.5, overprint Type III, the overprint tying adhesive to unused postal stationery card, an uncommon result when individuals brought postal cards franked with 1880-1 issues to the Post Office to be struck with the Lion Provisional overprint, or when Post Office officials pre-franked stationery before handstamping, fine.

1885 (September 21), 5pa lilac, perforated 13.5, overprint Type III, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, tied to postal card by blue Tchirpan c.d.s., to Tirnovo Seimen, with next-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, card with torn corner at upper left, adhesives lightly discolored, but a most unusual franking.

1885, 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprint Type III in black struck twice, on unused postal card, a scarce double overprint variety, fine.

1885 (September 14), 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type IV in black, tied to postal card by green Tirnova Seimen c.d.s., to Plovdiv, without backstamps, small marks on upper back corners from prior mounting, a fine early usage from a provincial town, which received its supplies of the overprinted stamps several days after they were made available in Plovdiv.

1885, 20pa black on rose, perforated 13.5, overprinted Type IV, affixed to unused postal stationery card, an uncommon usage of overprinted 1880/1 issues, fine.

1885, 20pa black on rose, perforated 13.5, overprinted Type IV, tied to small piece of postal card overprint, adhesive with perf flaws at lower right, an unusual example illustrating the occasional consequence of stamps behind handstamped with the Lion Provisional after having been affixed to card.

1885, 20pa rose on pale rose, perforated 11.5, two singles, one each overprinted Type III and IV in black and affixed to unused postal stationery card, Type IV with attached reply card, fine.

1885, 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, overprint Type III inverted, affixed to unused postal stationery card to pay the foreign postcard rate, scarce and fine.

1885, 1pi black and blue, overprinted Type III, vertical pair, tied to back of registered cover to Leipzig by neatly-struck Plovdiv c.d.s. (Sep 30), next-day Sofia transit c.d.s. alongside, Leipzig c.d.s. receiver (Oct 18), a significant cover, paying the 1pi letter rate up to 15g with the 1pi registration fee, sent on the final day of validity of the provisional overprints.

1885, 1pi black & blue, perforated 13.5, overprint Type III inverted, cancelled by multiple partial strikes of c.d.s., upper right corner fault, but a rare variety.

1885 (September 17), 1pi black & blue, perforated 13.5, overprint Type III, inverted, tied to cover piece by Plovdiv and Sophia c.d.s., adhesive with some staining, yet a rare variety; signed Kosack.

1885, 20pa black on rose, perforated 13.5, overprint Type I in blue, affixed to unused postal card, fine.

1885, 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, Provisional Overprints, two tied to piece by Plovdiv c.d.s. in blue, two affixed to postal card from Plovdiv to Bridgetown, United States, tied by Plovdiv c.d.s. in black, a fine group, illustrating the usage in Plovdiv of both coloured inks for cancellations, uncommon for post offices in Eastern Rumelia and South Bulgaria.