388th Auction

20 k. blue/red tied by cds “S. PETERBURG 11 DEC 1891” to reverse of a registered envelope to Nagasaki, Japan, addressed to the “care of the Russian Consul, Imperial Russian frigate staff surgeon”, endorsed on front “Via Brindisi”, reverse transit cds “HONG KONG FE 11 92” and arrival mark “NAGASAKI 6 FEB 1892 JAPAN”, very fine and most unusual, in addition two registered covers from Vladivostok to either Hakodate or Nagasaki. A fine trio

1915, Money stamps Nicholas I. 15 k., complete sheet unused without gum as issued, folded twice, slight peripheral faults as to be expected, still fine

1919, Arms 5 k., horizontal strip of three and pair tied by red cds. “SIGULDA 30 4 19” to front of a money transfer for the sum of three roubles to Riga with reverse arrival cds., the card and franking cut in at right otherwise very fine and exceptional usage in Soviet Latvia, both cities being under Bolshevik rule; also a 1919 parcel card from “PSKOV 27 4 19” to Riga, also under Soviet rule, very fine. A scarce Bolshevik duo

St. Petersburg City Post: 1848/68, envelope 5(+1) k. blue, size 135x105, used in Moscow locally with arrival mark and manuscript arrival note of October 11, 1858. Very fine and rare. Certificate Mikulski (2007)  

St. Petersburg City Post: 1848/68, envelope 5(+1) k. blue, size 121x88, used locally with clear city post arrival mark of 23.12.1858. Very fine and scarce.  

“BLAGOVESHCHENSK-NIKOLAEVSK 18 7 12 a” (type 2, large format), very fine strike on 3 k. to postcard to St Petersburg, fine and scarce ship mail on the river Amur

“GEORGIYEVSK” undated straightline (Dobin-Nr. 48.1.02), fair strike to reverse of folded entire without correspondance to Tambov, the letter disinfected with rastel marks during the early 19th century cholera pandemic in the Caucasus, very fine and scarce

“MURAVIEVSKI LAGER 20 VI 1907” CAMP MURAVIEV on postal money transfer order for the sum of 262 roubles and 15 kopek with the camp label alongside, reverse arrival “KOVNO 21 VI 1907”, 5 k. couple of short perfs. of no importance, very fine and very rare, one of only a few postal money order from this temporary post and telegraph office which was opened during Summer only

“PARAKHODA. OBSCH. R.V.A.P. z 19 4 09” (STEAMSHIP OF EAST ASIATIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY), fine strike on 2 k. (2) to postcard to Shanghai, China with arrival cds “SHANGHAI POSTE RUSSE 6 5 09” and Chinese PO “SHANGHAI 6 MAY”, very fine and attractive. A very scarce combination

“VILNA TEMP(ERORY) P. O. V LAGER 16 May 1892” VILNA MILITARY CAMP special cds. on 20 k. registered postal stationery envelope to Roma with reverse arrival cds. “ROMA 6 -92”, minor imperfections no detracting, still fine. Extremely rare and the earliest date of usage recorded for this camp

“FIELDPOST OFFICE P.B. 55 23 MY 19” cds, fine strike on small soldier´s envelope to England, vertical fold and flap rebacked, still fine. A scarce mail from the British forces during their intervention in Northern Russia

1920, 20k. on 14k. cobalt/red tied by cds. "VLADIVOSTOK 28 10 21" to registered cover with Russian and French r-label to Miloslaw, Poland with adjacent polish censor mark "P10" of Posen, London transit and "MILOSLAW 16.12.21" arrival mark, horizontal fold and some light transport wear, a very rare and with polish censor mark probably unique cover, certificate Mikulski (2005)

1920, Vladivostok issue 70 k. on 1 k. imperforate, four large margins all around, tied by cds. “VLADIVOSTOK 4 10 21” to registered envelope to New York with reverse transit and arrival marks, fine and scarce usage

1921, Vladivostok issue 2 k., good to large margins, tied by cds. “VLADIVOSTOK -1 3 21” to printed matter band to Riga, Latvia, alongside singleline “PECHATNOE”, mail sent “via Japan”, reverse arrival cds. 13 IV 21, very fine. A very scarce single usage at the printed matter rate

SHATSK: 1886, 3 k. black with Zemstvo PO head office straightline “RYAB(inski)” to registered envelope from “MORSHANSK 7 FEV. 1887” correctly franked at the 14 kopek rate, reverse Imperial post transit cds “SHATSK 9 FEV. 1887”; light vertical archival fold and negligible aging mentioned for accuracy, still very fine. A scarce mixed franking (Schmidt-Nr. 7)

Provenance: Oleg Fabergé (120th Corinphila auction, 1999)

1919, Handstamp 3-75 kopek and 5-35 kopek, tied by cds. "JELGAWA -11 10 19" to blank cover, reverse with manuscript "guaranteed to be genuine..." and signed by the Postmaster, signed Hofmann BPP

1919, Handstamp on 10 kopeks blue, tied by cds. “MITAVA 19 10 19” to piece, fine and scarce, certificate Wassmann (2001)

1919, Sun Design 20 and 35 kopek, with additional franking, tied by cds "JELGAWA 11 10 19" to registered local cover, cover slightly discolored, otherwise fine

1919, Sun Design and Liberation of Riga 35 kopek each, tied by cds. “JELGAWA 22 10 19” to local registered cover, reverse with manuscript "guaranteed to be genuine..." and signed by the Postmaster, fine

1919, Sun design 3-5 kopek, with additional franking, including un-overprinted 25 kopek, all tied by cds. "JELGAWA 14 10 19" to local registered cover, fine

1919, 50 kopek violet, horizontal pair, tied by cds. "JELGAWA 18 10 19" to registered cover to Chemnitz, from there forwarded to Dippoldswalde, with transit and arrival mark, fine 

Provenance: Dr. Hubert Schrödinger - BALTICA (361st Heinrich Köhler Auction, 2015)

1919, 35 kopeks with inverted overprint, position 4, mint never hinged, very fine and scarce, only one sheet printed, certificate Klein (2013)

1919, 5 kopek imperforated, horizontal pair, tied by cds. "JELGAWA 14 11 19" to registered cover, fine, signed Hoffmann BPP

70(k) on 15 kopek with inverted and shifted overprint, with lower sheet margin, tied by cds. "JELGAWA 14 11 19" to "Herrn Alexander von Rautenfeld Staffel der Baltischen Landeswehr", folded otherwise fine, scarce

CASH-PAYMENTS:  1919, "ПОЧТОВЫЙ СБОРЬ УПЛОЧЕНЪ" black straight-line with adjacent signature and additional postmark "JELGAWA -25 10 19" on registered letter to Mitau, fine

1857, "1" watermark proof, complete sheet of 100, comprising 4 panes of 25, showing the position layout and watermarked inscriptions "POCHTOVAYA MARKA IN 10 KOPECK 1857". Folded between the groups and small marginal faults. A unique  and most important item of Russian philately. Certificate Citerne BPP (2026)

Provenance: Fabergé (Harmer,1939)  Baughman (Siegel,1971)  Bianchi (Investphila, 2008).

Note: The Russian Postal Museum owns similar sheets with watermarks “2” and “3”

10 kopeck brown & blue, good colour and large even margins, without any indication of cancellation (also under UV and VSC), with old but not original gum. Some minor age spots only visible under UV. An attractive stamp. Will be sold 'as is'.

10 kopeck brown & blue, clear to mostly wide margins, cancelled by manuscript „21/3“ and unclear
postmark. Fine, signed Buchsbayew.
 

10 kopeck brown & blue, horizontal pair with mostly wide margins, just touched at upper right, used with pen crosses. Left stamp faint crease, otherwise fine and fresh. Certificate Mikulski (1984)

10 kopeck brown & blue, good to large margins, tied by pen cross to envelope (one backflap not
complete) to Moscow. The stamp with unobtrusive tear at right, still fine and attractive.
Certificate Buchsbayew (2017)
 

10 kopeck brown & blue, even large margins, lightly cancelled, very fine, signed Buchsbayew.
 

10 kopeck brown & blue, even large margins, lightly cancelled, very fine
 

10 kopeck brown & blue, even large margins, lightly cancelled, very fine, signed Buchsbayew.
 

10 kopeck brown & blue in combination with 1865, 1 kopeck and 1866/75, 3 kopeck with error 'background  of 5 kopeck', tied by oval "S.P.B" to small piece. The 10 kopeck somewhat damaged at lower left and upper right corner (Probably adhering to previous substrate), otherwise very fine. The No. 1 was valid until 1881; this is the latest recorded usage of this stamp and a unique combination with the 5th and 6th issue. A great rarity. Certificate Mikulski (1999)

Provenance: A. Fabergé (Harmer 1939) 

ARKHANGELSK: 10 kopeck brown & blue, large margined copy from the lower right sheet corner, tied by pencross to letter sheet with reverse side dispatch straight-line, to St. Petersburg . Very fine and choice; the only recorded entire from Arkhangelsk with a manuscript cancellation. Certificate Buchsbayew (2014, mentioning only right sheet margin)

BALASHOV: 10 kopeck brown & blue, good even margins, neatly tied by pre-philatelic straight-line "BALASHOV" to entire letter, dated inside April 12, 1858, to Moscow. The stamp has been lifted for inspection and replaced, very fine condition. The only recorded No.1-entire from this small village. Certificate Buchsbayew (2016).

Provenance:   Z.S.Mikulski (Cherrystone, 2006)