1902, 1 c. blue, marginal strip of three, tied by cds. "ST. THOMAS 20/1 1905" to commercial, unsufficiently prepaid postcard from "KJØBENHAVN 31.12.1905" to St. Thomas. One stamp tiny applied over the edge of the card, still very fine and scarce.

Note: The PO did not require that dues be cancelled, so very few cancelled dues exist on entire.

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 805

1875, Foreign postcard 8+8 penni green, with c.d.s. “FINSKA JERWAGENS POSTKUPEEXPED. 26 8 1877” to Badenweiler, Germany, with transit mark of St. Petersburg on revers. Very fine and scarce. 

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 240

1871/93, seven used cards including double card issue 1885 10 penniä and unused card issue 1875 8+8 penniä, also card with 1875/82 32 penniä rose used with “FINSKA JERNVAGENS POSTKUPPE EXPED. No.3 6.12.1877” and 1889 25 penniä cancelled upon arrival “LONDON JY 17.00” on envelope with backside “FOUND IN THE RETURNED LETTER OFFICE WITHIN THE FOLDS…”  , mostly fine

1862, Napoléon 20 centimes blue, horizontal tête-bêche-pair within a strip of four, together with horizontal pair and four singles, all in fresh colour and with fine perforation, tied by GC “2046” to entire letter to London. A fine and spectacular franking. Signed Roumet and J.F Brun. (Yvert 22)

BALLON MONTÉE: CÉLESTE: 1862, Napoléon 10 centimes bistre horizontal pair and a single, tied by cds “PARIS 29 SEPT 70” to private post card with embossed side margins, sent to Spa, Belgium (interestingly addressed to an “American Citizen”), with transit cds “FRANCE MIDI 3 OCT”, boxed red “PD” (crossed out) and arrival mark “SPA 3 OCT 70”. Minor transportation marks. (Yvert-Nr. 28A)

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 53

1870, Cérès 10 centimes yellow-brown tied by Paris dotted star “1” to small postcard with adjacent cds “PARIS (PLACE) DE LA (BOURSE) 3 JAN 71” alongside, sent to St Bonnet-Elvert, very fine (Yvert no 33)

Note: Probably flow on the 55th Ballon ‘Le Duquesne', by pilot Charles Richard, which departed Gare d’Orleans on 9th January at 3am, arriving at Ludes at 3pm the same day.

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 53

1871, Cérès 2 centimes red brown and 4 centimes grey, fresh colours, tied by cds “LE HAVRE 1 JANV. 76” to newspaper wrapper to Belgium, except for a couple of short perforations very fine. Thought to be the only known printed matter item mailed on France’s first day in the GPU. Also Cérès 15 centimes tied by Paris dotted star to formular card dated on reverse 1st January 1876 but posted on 31th December 1875, sent to London with red two-line “AFFR. INSUFF P 24”, later striped in pencil and recognized as correctly franked, fine. A very scarce duo illustrating the hazards resulting from tariff changes

The wrapper was sent the first day of French UPU membership, inadvertently overfranked at 6 centimes, the former pre-UPU tariff of 1st January 1866 (in effect up to the previous day), the newly introduced UPU rate being 5 centimes

1871, Cérès 5 centimes green and 15 centimes yellow brown, fresh colours, tied by GC “246” with cds “AUTUN 20 FEVR. 76” alongside to forerunner postcard to Boston with arrival red cds “BOSTON MAR 7 PAID”, a corner crease affecting the 15 centimes, otherwise very fine. A most unusual early UPU transatlantic postcard, correctly franked at the very scarce 20 centimes rate

1871, Ceres 15 Centimes yellow-brown and 25 Centimes blue each with GC "2484" on postcard from "MONTLUCON 25.DEC.73" with red "PD" to Strasbourg. Few short perfs, otherwise fine. A rare use at the Post Franco-Prussian War letter rate on a postal card from France to Germany. Signed Roumet

1793/1966 (ca), interesting assembly of 14 covers and cards, some better items with 1793 entire with red two-line “Com.on de la marine et des colonies”, 1858 wrapper to Saxony, early 1872 unused formula card, 1883 Sage 5 centimes postal note with low printed number “3,569”, etc., an ecclectic choice in mixed condition

1872, Cérès 15 centimes yellow-brown, 2 copies, tied by GC “5005” to envelope to Ireland with adjacent cds “ALGER 1 (J)ANV. 76”. Light transportation marks. A rare item of the First Day of Algeria in the UPU.

 

1870, France Cérès 40 centimes orange, 10 centimes brown on rose and 80 centimes rose, neatly tied by GC “5104” with cds “SHANGHAI CHINE 14 JANV. 76” alongside to entire letter to Lyon, reverse arrival cds “LYON FEVR 76”, the 10 centimes with a small closed tear at top and a few minor imperfections, of no importance, still fine. A scarce 1,30 francs first weight step rate via Brindisi within the first two weeks of French UPU membership (Yvert-Nr. 38, 57, 58) 

1872, France Cérès 30 centimes brown, a fine horizontal pair in combination with Sage 20 centimes lilac-brown, tied by GC “5104” with adjacent “SHANGHAI CHINE 25 AOUT 77” to double rate envelope, originating from the German consulate in Shanghai with its blue embossed seal on reverse, sent via Marseilles and with arrival cds, very fine and attractive (Yvert-Nr. 56, 67)

1875/1920, lovely group of 7 covers and cards, with French General Colonies Cérès 40 centimes orange tied by cds “PONDICCHERY JUIN 77” to entire letter to Nantes via Brindisi, Sage 25 centimes, two singles tied by “ALEXANDRIE EGYPTE 16 AVRIL 84” to a domestic envelope with adjacent “BM”, French Post Office Shanghai with Sage 4 centimes as a pair tied by GC “5104” to 1881 printed matter to France, etc., a most eclectic group, mostly in good condition

1872, Cérès 10 centimes brown on rose, together with 15 centimes yellow brown in horizontal pair, fresh colours and all with clear to large margins around, tied by dotted diamond to letter sheet (small part missing) from Guadeloupe to Bordeaux, endorsed “steamer français” with maritime cds “PAQ. FR. POINTE A PITRE 8 JUIL. 76”, reverse transit and arrival, very fine and rare (Yvert-Nr. 19, 22)

Possibly the earliest cover known from any French colonies franked at their first UPU tariff  (French possessions abroad were admitted to the UPU on 1st July 1876, incoming mail to France was charged at maritime rate of 40 centimes)

1900/35, Postage Dues and taxed mail, 5 covers and cards, with 1928 “BYRD ANTACRTIC EXPEDITION” envelope to Tahiti and taxed upon arrival, scarce usage of a registered official envelope “VALEURS RECOUVRÉES” from Paris to the French Post Office in Constantinople with 10 centimes brown postage due applied upon arrival and tied by cds “CONSTANTINOPLE GALATA 19 10 06”, etc., some occasional faults, mostly in good condition

1876, Typeset Postage Due 15 centimes black on pale blue paper, a well margined copy of fresh colours, tied by cds “GUADELOUPE POINTE A PITRE 6 AOUT 1880” to local unfranked envelope with adjacent departure cds struck the day before, postage due handstamp "15" alongside, reverse flap missing, fine. A remarkable and most appealing Drop letter rate usage with only 2 covers recorded, certificate J.-F. Brun (2013) (Yvert-Nr. TT4)

Provenance: ex Grabowski, Spink Shreves Galleries 2007, lot 321

POSTAGE DUE: 1896/97, 50 centimes violet, tied by cds “FIANARAMTSOA 7 JUN 00” to incoming Boer War soldier's envelope from Natal, with cds. “DURBAN 7 AP 1900” and adjacent "T" in circle. Backflap missing.

“NLLE-CALEDONIE NOUMEA 15 JUIN 77” circular datestamp, very fine strike on letter sheet with part of content to France, alongside tax handstamps “7” and “T”, embarked on English packet, with red cds “PAQ. AN. V. SUEZ”, transit via Marseilles and reverse arrival, fine and very scarce.

Note: Postage due:  2x30c (double the French GPU base rate) + 10c = 70c

1872, General Issue Cérès 5 centimes green, horizontal pair with good margins, together with 30 centimes brown, neatly tied by blue dotted diamond “GOR” with adjacent blue cds “SENEGAL ET DÉPces * GORÉE 25 SEPT. 76” to mourning envelope to Bordeaux; on reverse faint postmark. One 5 centimes with small tear at top and 30 centimes light corner crease, otherwise a fine and attractive cover. Signed Calves and Jamet (Yvert-Nr. 17, 20)

Correctly franked at the 40 centimes French maritime rate to France, confirmed by the endorsement at top “Paquebot français” 

1875, 1 drachma black/green, tied by Athens c.d.s. to envelope from Vienna 1894 to Athens, franked on reverse with strip of five 1890, 2 kreuzer. Charged postage due because the franking was on the reverse, which was contrary to Greek PO rules.   Very fine and very scarce.

1871, Emperor Franz Josef 2 kreuzer yellow tied by cds. "NAGYBANYA 9.11.74"  to Austrian postal stationery card 2 kreuzer (which was not valid in Hungary!) with printed address to Vienna, with arrival postmark. A fineand most unusual usage.

1904, 5 filler light green/black, two adhesives (one mostly torn off) tied by unclear cds dated 3rd March 1906 to small wrapper to Djibouti, treated as unpaid since Ethiopia was not yet a member of the UPU, and taxed upon arrival with blue crayon “T” and on reverse Ethiopia Postage Dues ½ gersch  vermilion pair, 2 gersch dark brown and 4 gersch lilac-brown, paying the domestic rate of 7 gersch and tied by cds “ HARAR 2 4 6”, some imperfections as to be expected, still fine, very scarce

Newspaper rate correctly paid at the country of departure, however invalidated upon arrival by a non-UPU member (Ethiopia joining on 1st November 1908)

1881/1915, 1881, 20 kr. tied by cds. “BRASSO OCT.18.81” to registered folded letter to the International Postal Organisation in Bern with interesting text regarding article 5 of the International Postal Treaty from 9th October 1874, postal stationery card with additional franking sent as express card in 1915 with censor mark to Germany

1903, 10 filler with First Day cancel “BUDAPEST 903 NOV.-1"” on unfranked locally used card, with adjacent despatch- and  arrival mark. Supposed to be the only First Day item of the first Postage Due issue.

1871, Emperor Franz Joseph Stationery card 2 kreuzer yellow with additional franking 2 kreuzer yellow, each used with bilingual cds. “BUDAPEST 74.APR.26.” to Dagmarsellen, Switzerland. Card with small corner creases, otherwise fine, a rare pre-UPU postal rate valid untill 30.6.1875

One of the few times in GPU history that a postal rate increased upon formation of the postal union, from 4 kr to 5 kr.

1869/71, postal stationery card 2 kreuzer with German imprint, early use with cds. “PEST 8.10.69” (8 days after issue) together with stationery card 2 kreuzer with Hungarian imprint, early use with blue cds. “NAGYKATA 14.10.(69)", also 1871 stationery card used with cds. ”NAGYKANIZSA" and Company address label on front, fine and attractive bilingual trio

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 20 and 741

1904, "I Gildi / 02-03", UPU Reprints with ‘Large Crown’ watermark, complete set of 18 including the seven Official stamps, very fine and fresh, unmounted mint. Very rare (Facit = 14'000 Skr.).

Note: The despatch of this new issue to the UPU Headquarters in Bern had been overlooked. By the time the P.O. was alerted to this, supplies of the issue had been exhausted. Denmark reprinted the issue with the new watermark and the stamps were sent to Iceland to be overprinted and thereafter forwarded to the UPU. 

Provenance: ‘Severin’ (Corinphila 2012)

1902, 2 reply parts of domestic double cards 5 aur, uprated in Germany resp. Austria with 5 pfennig resp. 5 heller, and send to Kopenhagen, with arrival marks. Both cards from the same sender, obviously a Danish fish dealer. An interesting ensemble, 

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 763

1859, ½ Bajocchi on yellow, vertical pair, slightly touched at top, otherwise clear to large margins, with parts of two neighbours stamps at left, tied by grid to reverse of pricelist from "FAENZA 30 OTT. 59" to Russi. The entire was mailed unfranked, taxed upon arrival and stamps applied on reverse as receipt. Signed Alberto Diena and Vaccari.

1853, 9 centesimi light blue, in combination with Modena 1852, 5 cents green, with dot after figure, both of fine colour and with good to mostly large margins, tied to first page of newspaper "Messaggere di Modena" of October 24, 1853. A rare and most attractive complementary mixed franking, of which only very few examples have been recorded. Certificate Sorani (2002)

After the revolutions of 1848 Austria and a couple of northern Italian states instituted a tax to be collected on incoming foreign newspapers to discourage their import.

1867, King Emanuel II 20 centesimi blue, used with diamond of dots on postal stationery card 10 centesimi brown from “COMO 27…74” to Karlsruhe, Germany, fine. A scarce usage at the letter rate from the Pre-UPU period

1877, Vittorio Emanuele 10 centesimi blue, tied by c.d.s. "FIRENZE FERROVIA 26 3 78" to postcard 10 centesimi,  to New Haven, United States, with New York arrival mark. Slight creasing, not affecting the franking. A scarce early usage to overseas; this rate ceased as of April 1st, 1879..

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 286

"COMMISION D'ETUDES U.P.U FLORENCE 1923/ 4.10.23", clear strike on 1901, 1 Lire on cover to Paris

A pre-Congress conference meeting in Florence to prepare the agenda and special studies for the Congress of Stockholm 1924.

1879, reply part of double card 15 + 0 centesimi, unused, showing on front clear c.d.s. "COLOMBO PAID DE 11 79" and on reverse large crowned handstamp "POSTMASTER GENERALS OFFICE CEYLON DE 11 1879". This item was sent by Ceylon authorities to the UPU at Berne as evidence in its complaint against Italy, sending reply cards to non-UPU-members. A unique item from the Ex-UPU-archive.

Illustrated in James Peter Gough ‘The Postal Card’, p. 562/63

1878/79, 10 centesimi blue, two copies, one with rounded corner, tied by barred "234" with adjacent "ALESSANDRIA D'EGITTO POSTE ITALIANE 20 OTT. 79" to cover to Florence with arrival mark. A fine and scarce franking with special “Restricted Postal Union” rate of 20c at the domestic Italian rate.