388th Auction

1861, Large Hermes head 2l. brown, two singles 5l. green and singles 40l. lilac on blue and 80 l. carmine on rose, fresh colors and mostly good margins, 40c. touched at top, applied upon arrival and tied by numeral “1” to folded letter originating in Marseille, an attractive 4-color franking, signed Bühler and certificate Scheller (2025)

1863, Volos (Turkey): Entire folded letter, with six pages content, marked in blue with the handstamp of the "Agency of the Hellenic Steamship Company at VOLOS", dateline 29-5-1861, red crayon ‘40’ (Lepta), sent to Syra with arrival mark on reverse, usual file folds, otherwise fine.

Provenienz: Cihangir, C. Arsman (Corinphila, 2000)

1912/14, 2 l., 3 l. 10 l. and 2 copies 30 l., tied by bilingual "SALONIQUE 26/2 13" to registered envelope to Dresden with arrival mark

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.

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)

"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.

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: "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.

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.

1869, lettersheet from Galatz to Corfu, forwarded to Constantinopel (faint forwarder handstamp on front left), here franked with 1868/69, cleaned plates 40 l. (large margins) and 5 l., Corfu arrival mark of 15.7.69. Fine and scarce.

1875, unpaid letter sheet from "GALATZI 20 APR" via Vienna and Triest to Corfu, taxed "100" lepta and paid with postage due 1875, 1 dr., tied by dotted "106". The stamp stamp was lifted for inspection, otherwise very fine and fresh. A very rare and attractive pre-UPU cover. Certificate Simmermacher BPP (2004)

1875, unpaid entire letter from "GALATI 18 JUL 75" via Bucarest and Syros  to Corfu, with circular "T" and Greek black handstamp "60", paid with postage due 1875, 60 l., tied by dotted "1". The stamp with very slight toning in the perforation, otherwise very fine and fresh. A scarce cover with the 1st postage due issue.

1876, unpaid entire letter from Galatz via Triest  to Athens, with circular "T" and Greek black handstamp "60", paid with postage due 1876/90, 60 l., tied by dotted "1". Entire letter roughly opened, otherwise very fine and fresh. 

1850, entire letter from Athens via Triest to Galatz, with transit marks and arrival mark of the Austrian PO. A scarce letter.

1871, entire letter from Agostolion, Cephalonia, to Galatz, franked with 1868/69, 40 l. lilac with full to large margins; transit marks of the Lloyd agency and Austrian PO at Constantinopel and arrival mark of Romanian PO. Very fine and scarce.

IBRAILA: "101" in blue, clear on 1862/67, 40 l. mauve (small faults). Extremely rare

1853, entire letter from Braila, privately carried to Constantinopel and from here posted to Syros, with arrival mark. Small sticky tape reminders on reverse.

"IBΡAIΛA (BΛAXIA) 23 OKT.59" and "BOYKOYPEΣTI 27 OKT.59" clear c.d.s. in blue on reverse of entire letter from to Syra with adjacent "P.E.D.", to Bucarest. Very fine and extremely rare.

"IBRAILA (BΛAXIA) 12 MAPT.60" clear c.d.s. in blue on entire letter with adjacent "P.E.D." to Syra, taxed on reverse with "100" lepta. Very fine and extremely rare

1857, entire letter from Sulina, carried by private ship to Syros, with arrival mark. Taxed upon arrival with "10" lepta. Small ink erosion on front, still fine and very scarce.

1883, “G.O. JOLY VICTORIA & CO / CHIO” violet circle cancellation on envelope from CHIO bearing Duloz 20 para green single, tiny vertical fold, scarce and attractive. In Profi archive only this Chio cancel on cover recorded.

Provinenz : ex Arsman Coll. (Feldman, 2005)

"MISSIS JAN 8 93", cds in bluish green, on postcard dated “Castellorizo 27/XII 92”, via Constantinopel and railway  "CONSPLE-MOUST.PASHA" to Germany. Very rare.

"NASLIDJ ", cds (ISFILA type 3) on postcard with long text, dated 1903, endorsed "via Salonique Athens". Supposed to be unique.

1817, entire letter from “LIVORNO” via Otranto to Corfu, taxed in transit in Neapel “10” Grana with reverse red “NAP(OLI) 27 MAR.”, slitted and roasted for disinfection, arrival faint circular bluish postmark “ISOLE IONIE” with “18” gazette to pay, fine. An extremely scarce early mail from the British Protectorate period

1818, entire letter endorsed inside “Zante 7 Augusto” to Corfu, faint red circular “IS(OLA) DI (ZANTE)” and framed “FRANCA”, fine, together with a 1819 entire letter from Malta to Corfu, endorsed “P. Osprey” and with faint red circular “ISOLA IONIE” with manuscript "45." gazette to pay, fine, both entires slitted and treated against cholera. A rare and early duo from the British Protectorate period

1916/18, WWI Fieldpost 13 covers & cards from Salonique, several cancellations and censors, nice cards, all to England, mainly fine.

1872/1995 (ca.), unused and used collection with duplicates, together with a few covers, in 6 albums/stockbooks

1890/1950, 22 covers/cards and 14 fronts, attractive frankings, censor marks and labels, french Saloniki, registered mail, mostly fine.

GREEK OCCUPATIONS & LOCALS: 1859/1942 (ca.), mint never hinged/unused and used collection with 24 covers, many duplicates throughout, some better items including fine group of 1913 Dedeagach (some signed Schmitt BPP), 1897 Turkish-Greek War with Feld Post, some with bilingual cds “VOLOS” and LARISSA", also noted Thrace, Samos, Creta with some postage dues, etc., together with a fine selection of duplicates from the first Ionian Island issue (Mi.-Nr. 1-3), some occasional faults as to be expected, overall in very good condition, a delightful assembly neatly housed in one stockbook