384. Auction

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.

1885, 20pa rose on pale rose, overprinted Type II, tied by blue Yambol c.d.s. (Sep 23),to postal card to a well-known collector and dealer in Brussels, c.d.s. receiver struck on front (Oct 11), with message on reverse from the Postmaster of Yambol, S. Georgieff, discussing these overprinted stamps, which had been issued less than two weeks prior to the posting of this card, fine.

1885 (September 14), 10pa green, perforated 11.5, Type I, Second Printing, two singles affixed to postal card, paying the 20pa rate, tied by Plovdiv c.d.s., to Brussels, Belgium, endorsed “voie de Sofia”, with black Sofia c.d.s. transit struck on front (Sep 15),  attached reply card unused but franked with two additional 10pa green, with 1994 Zagorsky certificate, suggesting that cancellations had been slightly enhanced, and 1994 Karaivanoff letter indicating his view that the differing depths of shade can be attributed to light cleaning to card, both attesting to the card’s overall genuineness, scarce, 

1885 (September 15), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, tied to local postal card by Pechtera c.d.s., with attached reply portion, similarly-franked and postmarked on the same day, likely favour-cancelled, fine; with 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1885 (September 17), 5pa lilac, perf 11.5, overprint Type I in blue, and 5pa lilac, perf 13.5, overprint Type III, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, each tied to postal stationery card by green Tirnovo Seimen c.d.s., reverse with next-day Sliven c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a fine and scarce mixed franking.

1885 (September 17), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, alongside 5pa perforated 13.5, overprinted Type III, tied by green Tirnovo Seimen c.d.s. to postcard to Aitos, with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (Sep 19), an attractive franking.

1885 (September 17), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type II in blue, and 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type III, each tied by green Tirnovo Seymen c.d.s. to postal stationery card to Aitos, with September 19 c.d.s. arrival backstamp, despite its philatelic origins a fine mixed-issue franking, 

1885 (September 17), postal card franked with two 10pa green, perforated 11.5, Type I overprints, one each in black and blue aniline ink, each cancelled with crisp Tirnovo Seimen c.d.s. in green, to Sofia, with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (Sep 20), a lovely and scarce franking, handstamped Buhler.

Note: This card was franked at a total of 20pa, the prevailing rate for postcards sent abroad. However, following the revolution earlier in September, Bulgaria was  covered by the 10pa inland rate, this card thus being overpaid by 10pa.

1885 (September 17), 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, two singles, overprinted Type I in blue and Type II in black respectively, each tied to postal card by green Tirnova Seimen c.d.s., to Plovdiv, without backstamps, a fine mixed issue franking, overpaying the 10pi inland postcard rate.

1885 (September 17), 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, two singles, one overprint Type I, the other overprint Type IV, both in black and tied to postal card to Tartar Pazardjik by green Tartar Seimen c.d.s., with next-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a striking and scarce mixed franking.   

1885 (September 18), 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, tied to postal card to Plovdiv by neatly-struck Hadji-Elles c.d.s., with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, the odd light stain, but a choice strike of this difficult cancellation.

1885 (September 18), postal card to Aitos, franked with 10pa green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in black, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, with Tatar Pazardjik c.d.s. in green, with next-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, fine.

1885 (September 20), 1pi black on pale blue, horizontal pair, perforated 13.5, overprint Type I in blue, paying the tied to back of registered cover to Prague by blue circular grid cancel, postmarked Poste Slivno in blue, handstamped RECOMMANDEE, reverse with neatly-struck Osman-Bazar c.d.s. (Sep 23), Prague c.d.s. receiver, a few stains to reverse from prior seals, a rare franking from a provincial town, one of only a small number recorded; signed Thier.

1885 (September 22), 5pa lilac on pale lilac, perforated 13.5, overprint Type IV, horizontal pair, tied to postal card to Plovdiv by blue Poste Slivno c.d.s., with next-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a fine example paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, handstamped “Rossl”

1885 (September 23), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type II in blue aniline ink, scarce as such, tied to locally-used postal card by blue Plovdiv c.d.s., some staining mostly confined to reverse, lightly around edges in places, else fine, certificate Hitzler (2022)

1885 (September 24), 5pa black on olive, perforated 13.5, overprint Type I in blue, tied to postal card to  by Plovdiv c.d.s., attached reply card similarly franked and also cancelled in Plovdiv, the sender’s message inquiring regarding the recipient’s intention  to pay a debt, with the reply disclaiming any plans to do so, some minor separation between cards, else fine and scarce, handstamped Zagorsky, with his 1993 certificate, and 2022 Hitzler certificate, noting the card “with the 5paras is most probably the only recorded.”

Note: the 1881 5pa issues were not officially overprinted; however, individuals could bring their stamps to the Post Office and have them handstamped with the Provisional overprint.

1885 (September 24), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprint Type I in blue, tied to local postal card by neat Plovdiv c.d.s., the sender writing to invite the recipient to a meeting of the Revolutionary Committee, a fine usage of historical interest, handstamped Friedl.

1885 (September 24), 5pa lilac, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, tied to postal card by neatly-struck Plovdiv c.d.s., paying the correct local postcard rate, with message on reverse inviting recipient to a meeting of the Revolutionary Committee, fine.

1885 (September 24), 10pa green on light green, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type I in blue, neatly tied to postal card by blue Plovdiv c.d.s., to Sofia, some adhesions to reverse and light edge wear, else a fine single franking, correctly paying the 10pa inland postcard rate, which applied to Bulgaria after September 6.

1885 (September 24), 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, Type II overprint in black, diagonally bisected and affixed to cover to Paris, tied by superbly-struck Poste Yamboli c.d.s., likely of philatelic origin, nevertheless striking and scarce; with 1959 RPSL certificate.

1885 (September 27), 1pi black, overprint Type I, 10pa green pair and 20pa rose single overprint Type IV, all tied to cover by Plovdiv c.d.s., to Galata, Constantinople, with blue Burgas c.d.s. transit backstamp and partial black c.d.s. receiver, cover has been repaired along top, the pair with some corresponding flaws, yet an exceptional three-colour franking, correctly paying the 2pi foreign letter rate for the second weight stamp; a major rarity, arguably the most attractive commercial usage of this issue, and one of the most important covers of Eastern Rumelia; with 1975 Buhler and 2022 Hitzler certificates.

1885 (September 27), 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, overprinted Type III in black, paying the 10pa inland postcard rate plus 10pa registration, tied to postal card to Sofia by blue Poste Slivno c.d.s., handstamped “Recommandee” in blue, reverse with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (Sep 29), a scarce registered stationery card.

1885 (September 27), 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, overprint Type I, tied to registered postal card to Sofia by blue Poste Slivno c.d.s., faint blue “Recommandee” straight-line, a fine and rare usage, Bulgaria then being subject to the 10pa inland postcard rate following the revolution of September 6.

1885 (September 27), 20pa rose, perforated 11.5, Type II overprint in blue, tied to cover to Constantinople by Plovdiv c.d.s. in blue, underfranked for the 1pi foreign letter rate and thus struck with “T” due mark, backstamped with Burgas (Sep 29) transit in blue and Constantinople c.d.s. receiver, piece torn from back flap, else a fine and unusual cover, particularly scarce with the rare Type II overprint in blue; with 1934 Friedl certificate, to famed collector Konsul Weinberger, and 2022 Hitzler certificate.

1885 (30 September), 20pa rose on pale rose, perforated 11.5, overprint Type II in blue, tied to postal card to prominent philatelist J.B. Moens in Brussels by Plovdiv c.d.s., Sofia (Oct 1) transit and Brussels c.d.s. receiver (Oct 18) both struck on front, a scarce card, postmarked on the final day of validity of these provisional overprints, certificate Senf (1937)