386th Auction

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 (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, 20 pa. black on rose, perforated 13.5, overprinted Type II in blue, tied by "PECHTERA 28/9/85" c.d.s. to postal stationery card to PHILIPPOLIE 20/9 c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a used very rare stamp on card, Michel unpriced, fine

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.

1885, 20 pa. rose on dull rose perf 11½, overprint in blue, unused, fine, signed Wenzel and Pirl

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)

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 (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, 5 pia. red on blue, blue overprint type II, unused, fine, signed Drahn and Kosack

1885, South Bulgaria issue 5 pa. black on olive, perforated 13.5, overprinted Mi. Type I, affixed to postal card, cancelled by circular bar grid in green blue with PLOVDIV 18/9/85 c.d.s. alongside, corner faults and vertical crease, an extremely scarce Michel Type I overprint on an 1880/1 issue, signed

1885, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 13¼, unused and mint never hinged block of 25, very fine and fresh, signed Hassel Basel

1885, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 13½, double overprint, unused, signed Gebr. Senf a.o.

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, Three horizontal pairs, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 13½, 10 Pa green on dull green perf 11½ and 20 pa. rose on dull rose perf 11½ , all unused, signed Kosack a.o.

1885, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 11½, inverted overprint, unused no gum, signed Fulpius and Thier

1885, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 11½, inverted overprint, clear cancelled, signed Hassel, Fulpius and Thier

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, 10 pa. green on dull green perf 11½, unused and mint never hinged block of 25, some gum crease and left bottom corner crease, otherwise very fine and fresh, signed Hassel Basel

1885, Type I overprints, set of four stamps, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 13½, 10 pa. green on dull green, 20 pa. black on rose, 20 pa. rose on dull rose and 1 pia. black on blue, all unused, fine, signed Köhler, Friedemann a.o.

1885, 20 pa. rose on dull rose perf 11½, inverted overprint, unused, signed

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, 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, 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, 20 pa. rose on dull rose perf 11½, unused, showing variety double overprint, tiny thin, otherwise fine, signed

1885, 20 pa. rose on dull rose perf 11½, block of eight unused, third stamp on top row showing variety double overprint, fine, signed Kosack

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, 1 pia. black on blue, showing variety inverted overprint, unused part gum and few short perfs, otherwise fine, scarce, signed Kosack and Thier

1885, 1 pia. black on blue, showing variety inverted overprint, clear cancelled, fine and scarce, signed Thier

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, 5 piaster red and light blue, boxed type I overprint showing circular "o", unused with original gum, very fine and fresh, one of the major rarities of this area. Signed Fulpius, Thier and Hassel

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, 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac perf 13½, mint never hinged block of 25, some usual gum crease and bottom corner crease, otherwise very fine and fresh, signed Hassel Basel

1885, South Bulgaria issue 5 pa. lilac on dull lilac, perforated 13.5, overprinted Mi. Type II, affixed to postal card, cancelled by circular bar grid in green blue with POSTE BURGAS datestamp 27/9/85 alongside, tiny toned, otherwise fine

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 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.