388th Auction

1847, "JASSY 22 FEB." on entire letter (part outer lettersheet on reverse missing) endorsed "Via Vienna e Trieste" to Corfu, Ionian Islands, with arrival mark on front. Rare and most unusual.

1854, entire letter from Braila, privately carried to Triest and from here posted to Syros, with arrival mark. An interesting and scarce entire during the Crimean War.

1858, Bull's head 54 par. blue on green horizontally laid paper, fresh colours and wide margins, with green cds. “GALATZ 2/9”, a tiny paper break due to cancellation pressure near the “P” of “ПOPTO” and a faint corner crease at the bottom left in the wide outer margin not affecting the appearance, fresh and a very attractive example of this rarity, Cert. Philatelic Experts (2026)

1858, Handstruck 40 parale blue on thin blueish paper, showing clear and rare "Double Print" of the entire design in an under-inked pale shade, cancelled FRANCO PIATRA in black, full margins, very fine and scarce

1872, Paris print 10 b. blue, 15 b. deep brown and 25 b. yellowish bistre (2), tied to envelope from "BACAU 7 JUN 75", endorsed "via Varna", to Athens, paying the full tariff for mail to Greece of 75 bani (the cover was presumably held at the P.O. awaiting full payment, as the 10 b. is cancelled a day after the other three stamps). On reverse transit marks of Bucharest, Galatz, Constantinople and Piraeus. Charged for local delivery with postage due 1875, 40 l. tied by dotted "1". An exceptional and most unusual pre-UPU cover. Certificate Heimbüchler (2012).

Provenance: Fritz Heimbüchler (Corinphila 2013)

1872/76,  Paris printing 50 b. rose together with 10 b. blue Bukarest printing (two bottom corners with short perfs) tied on envelope by clear ‘IASSY 21/OCT/77’ c.d.s. and boxed 'Recom.' blue numeral 9835 and violet ms. ‘1348’ alongside, additional German railway registration label ‘vom Ausland über B.-P.5 (Oswiecim-Breslau) Eingeschrieben', on reverse blue threeliner 'REGISTERED NOV/14/1877' New York P.O.' and on front ms. receiving date OK 28/11/77, addressed  to Cincinnati USA, cover shortened on all sides and some crease and flaw. Despite some flaws, a highly interesting postal history cover with an unusual franking, rate and destination

1896, King Carol 5 b. blue postal stationery card used uprated with 5 b. blue, clear cancelled GALATI 31/JAN/96, red transit LONDON FE/4/96 and arrival mark ST. HELENA MR/10/96, all cancellations on front and full message for stamp exchange on reverse. A very early destination to Africa and to a British Colony, Romanian maritime mail service to Egypt began after 1899. In PROFI archive is no other mail from Romania to St. Helena recorded.

1932, Contemporary Photographs from the Printer´s Record Books: The following 20 Air Mail Essays have been removed from the printer´s daily photographic record books, many being of hand-painted essays and unaccepted designs, and mounted on card. The date stated is the entry date into the archive record book “Romania 1932 (31 Oct.)” Aviation Fund 50 b. (6), 1 l. (8), 2l. (6), all different unadopted designs, very scarce.

1862, Prepaid cover from Constantinople to Paris with CONSTANTINOPLE wreathed datestamp (11/6), straight line FRANCO and VIA KUSTENDGE-VIENNA handstamps all in blue (Tchilinghirian figs. 385+384+113). Crossed to denote prepayment with reverse showing Vienna cds. (18/6) and Berlin 18/6 arrival mark, fine.

1863, Folded envelope cancelled CONSTANTINOPLE 31/8 in blue (Tchilinghirian fig. 387) and FRANCO alongside, endorsed 'via Kustendje' (Constanza), sender cachet ‘Freres Simoff Constantinople’. The route of the cover is very interesting, from Constantinople by Lloyd ship to Kustendje, per Danube and black sea railway DBSR to Cernowoda and by DDSG to Roustschouk, file folds and tiny toned, otherwise fine. Nice postal history.

1877, GALATI 13.AUG.77 cds. in black on 5 b. postal stationery card used uprated with two 5 b. ochre, registration mark “Ra=17/77” in black and ms."R23/8" alongside, addressed to “Speditions Abteilung des Österr. Ungar. Lloyd in Triest”, transportet via Danube and black sea with Austrian ship, arrival mark TRIEST 16.8.77 on reverse, tiny border crease, otherwise fine and a very scarce registered usage

1917, Arad Airport first air force cancellations on Austrian fieldpost card: "K.u.K. Militärbauleitung am Flugfelde ARAD" in circle with coat of arms and twoliner with same text in violet. The airfield was based on the area where Aurel Vlaciu, a pioneer in Romanian aviation, constucted hanger and buildings with grass runways, vertical crease, otherwise fine. Unrecorded and important early aviation marks.

1918, 5 st. postal stationery card Bulgaria used during occupation of Romania, cancelled SILISTRA 8.4.18, blue german censor mark ‘GEPRÜFT 12.4.18 Postüberwachungsstelle’, black “T” in circle for taxe and blue crayon “10” alongside, addressed at first in latin script than in ottoman to ‘Braila 6th turkish army 15th unit’, so that we can assume that it was transported by the Turkish field post. Text complete written in old ottoman script by a Turkish officer, vertical fold and border faults, otherwise fine. An extremely scarce item of occupation period with turkish and german fieldpost and of great interest to the postal history of Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Turkey 

1931/32, CIDNA airmail post labels ‘PAR AVION’, two different booklets, one large size turkish-french bilingual, punched and without labels, with turkey revenues preprinted on reverse, the other small size containing 27 labels (missing 1) in french showing romanian air mail cover of 1931 imprint with tarifs for all countries on the route. The booklets advertise the 1 day flight from Paris, France to Turkey and retour. CIDNA was the name change from 1925 of CFRNA “The French-Romanian Company for Air Transport”. Fine and scarce.

1896, Ship Mail complete set of three values with violet overprints tied on envelope by, a used example to Bucharest cancelled by wreathed "Posta Romana / Cospoli 20.Apr 896" datestamps in violet, on reverse oval framed Ship Mail handstamp "EXPRESS / CONSPOLI-OSTENDA / CONSPOLI-CONSTANTA-BUCURESCI 20-Apr-1896" and Bucharest (April 21) arrival mark alongside. Tiny vertical crease, otherwise fine and Scarce - this is not an Orient Express usage: the Romanian Postal Agency was moored on an RSC vessel in Constantinople.

"GALATZ MOLDAVIE .. NOV 61", blue dotted c.d.s. on entire letter to Syros, charged with 80 lepta, paid by 1861, Paris printing, 80 l. rose with good to large margins, tied by no. "67". The very thin stationary paper with some ink corrosion, backed by hinges, otherwise very fine. A rare combination letter.

"GALATZ MOLDAVIE 18 JUIL 72", blue dotted c.d.s. as arrival mark on reverse of lettersheet from Varna, franked with Napoleon lauré 40 c., tied by blue GC "5103". Fine and scarce. Signed Todd.

"GALATZ MOLDAVIE 20 AVRIL 72", blue dotted c.d.s. on unpaid lettersheet to Constantinopel

GALATZ: "5085", GC in blue, clear on horizontal pair and 2 singles Napoleon perforated 10 c. bistre, on letter sheet with adjacent blue dotted c.d.s. "GALATZ MOLDAVIE 27 JUIL 67" to Constantinopel. The pair affixed with horizontal crease and one single stamp with small corner fault, still fine and attractive. A rare multiple franking for the single rate.

GALATZ: "5085", GC in blue, on Napoleon perforated 10 c. bistre, 20 c. blue, 40 c. orange and 80 c. carmine, on entire letter, written in Ibraila, with adjacent blue dotted c.d.s. "GALATZ MOLDAVIE 17 MARS 66" via Constantinopel to Athens. 80 c. with small corner fault (backed) and 40 c. light corner crease, otherwise fine and attractive. A rare colour franking.

1861, entire letter with blue c.d.s. "GALATZ.." (beneath Greek stamps), via Triest to Athens, here franked with 1861, First Athens printing 5 l. and 4 copies 40 l., tied by no. "1". One 40 l. faint horizontal crease, still fine and fresh. A rare and attractive franking.

"IBRAILA VALACHIE 6 MAI 58", dotted c.d.s. in black, as arrival mark on lettersheet (two side flaps missing) from Athens, endorsed 'Via Constantinopoli', to Ibraila, taxed with "5" decimes.

IBRAILA: "4009", PC, clear strike on small piece with 1853/54, Napoleon 10 c. and 40 c.

IBRAILA: "5087", GC in blackish blue, clear on Napoleon perforated 10 c. bistre and 40 c. orange, on letter sheet (2 side flaps missing) with adjacent blue dotted c.d.s. "IBRAILA 26 NOV 65", to Athens, with transit and arrival marks. Little stained, otherwise fine. A rare letter.

IBRAILA: "5087", GC in blue, clear on pair Napoleon perforated 40 c. orange, on letter sheet with adjacent blue dotted c.d.s. "IBRAILA 3 SEPT 64", to Athens, charged with 50 lepta, paid by 1862/68, 10 l. orange and 40 l. lilac, tied by Athens c.d.s. The French stamps somewhat oxidised and one defective, otherwise fine and fresh. A rare franking.

IBRAILA: "5087", GC in blue, clear on 2 pairs Napoleon lauré 10 c. bistre, on letter sheet without dispatch mark to Athens, with transit and arrival marks. One stamp with small faults, where applied over the edge of the entire, otherwise fine. A very scarce cover.

KUSTENDJE: "5139", GC in blue, clear and central on Napoleon lauré 40 c. orange. Light horizontal crease. Signed Calves

SULINA: "5099", GC in blue, clear on Napoleon lauré 40 c. orange, light bend
 

TULCEA: "5102", GC in blue, clear and central strikes on Napoleon perforated 10 c., 20 c. and 40 c. Small faults, 40 c. re-perforated.

BUCAREST: "102" in blue, clear on 1861, 80 l. rose. Extremely rare; PROFI has not recorded another example

Provenance: 227. Heinrich Köhler auction (1979)

1867, entire letter from Syros via Triest to Bucarest, franked with 1862/68, 5 l. green, 40 l. lilac and 80 l. carmine, with transit- and arrival marks of the Austrian PO. Small notations in red colour.

1874, cover with blue c.d.s. "CALAFAT 27 AUG 74", via Orsova and Triest to Athens, here franked with 1872/76, 40 l. in horizontal pair and 1868/69, 20 l. blue, tied by dotted "1". Fine and scarce.

1866, unpaid lettersheet from "GALATZ 9/2" (beneath Greek stamps) to Corfu with transit marks of Vienna and Triest on reverse. The letter taxed with "45" new kreuzer, plus Greek inland postage of 20 lepta charged with a total of "155" lepta in red crayon (somewhat faint) and franked with 2nd Athens printing 5 lepta green, 10 lepta orange, 20 lepta blue, 40 lepta mauve and 80 lepta carmine, mostly good margins, tied by clear cds. "KERKYRA 7 FEB.66" (Julian calendar). Top cover fold somewhat weak and fixed by hinges. the 10 lepta affected by vertical cover crease, but of only minor importance. An attractive and very rare 5 colour franking; PROFI has recorded just one similar item.

 

1863/64, Austrian Levante 15 s., tied by clear c.d.s. "GALATZ 22/2" (1866) to entire letter to Syros, franked upon arrival with 20 l. blue, tied by c.d.s. Fine and rare combination franking.

 

Provenance: 'Cihangir' (Corinphila, 2000)

1866, letter sheet with clear c.d.s. "GALATZ 2/5" and adjacent "FRANCO", to Corfu, franked upon arrival with 20 l. blue, clear to large margins, tied by Kerkyra cds. Vertical folds not affecting the stamps. A fine and rare entire.

1869, lettersheet with manuscript "Galatz 12/11" without further dispatch mark, via Triest (transit mark on reverse) to Corfu, here franked with 1868/69, cleaned plates 10 l. and 80 l., tied by Kerkyra c.d.s. Very scarce.