STOCKHOLMIA 2019 & ERIVAN Worldwide Rarities

1871, "Auf militairischen Befehl geoeffnet", small blue double-lined censor mark, both types, one on reverse of small envelope from Chambery (DEC 29, 1870) to Straßburg, the other one on reverse of folded letter from Olten, Switzerland (JAN 20, 1871) to Mulhouse. Both entires unfranked and charged with "30" resp. "50" centimes. A rare pair.

1828, 'Ille de France' 10 Fr. on 90 centimes and 10 Fr. on 1,50 francs, each with similar additional franking on 2 registered envelopes to Martel, France; the stamps tied by octogonal "NEW-YORK AU HAVRE 23-8-28" with adjacent special cachets in black and violet. A fine and attractive pair. Each signed Scheller with his certificates

1852, Entire letter docketed on front "Basse pointe 25 Juillet 1852", franked with Ceres 10 centimes bistre and 25 centimes blue, mailed from "ST. PIERRE (MARTINIQUE...)" and addressed to France, endorsed "Voie de Commerce". The stamps according to regulation cancelled at arrival with losange "PC2" of the railway Calais-Paris with adjacent date stamp of August 18, 1852. Although the letter was correctly franked for transportation with French commercial ship, the letter was taxed and boxed "Affranchisement insuffisante" applied. The stamps with minimal creasing at top. A very fine and most attractive letter of great rarity. Signed Calves and Scheller with his certificate (2018) This letter originates from the experimental period between October 1851 and December 1853 in which the French government supplied four of it's colonies with French stamps. There were just 2 rates existing: 35 centimes for transportation by French commercial ships and 1,50 francs for transportation by English ships. For this reason only stamps of denomination 10 centimes, 25 centimes and 1 franc were delivered to these colonies.

1859, 8 bajocchi black on rose, nice fresh and intense colour and good to very large margins, showing dividing lines on 3 sides and part of neighbour stamp at left, tied by light and clear grid to entire letter from Faenza (Oct 11, 1859) to Edolo. A most attractive single franking of this rare stamp in flawless condition. Signed Alberto and Guilio Bolaffi, Alberto Diena and Enzo Diena with his certificate (1991) Provenance: 'Collezione Pedemonte' (Bolaffi 1991)

1851, 6 grazie blue on bluish in intense deep shade and with good even margins on all sides, tied by beautiful clear strike of Austrian military cancel "FELDPOST Nr.2 26/11" to lettersheet with adjacent date stamp "FIRENZE 26 NOV. 1855", endorsed "mit Feldpost" and sent to Szemere in Hungary with transit marks of Waizen, Gran-Nana and Ipolysag on reverse. An extremely fine and attractive letter and one of the great rarities of Italian and Austrian postal history. Signed in pencil Ferchenbauer and Colla Asinelli with both their certificates Provenance: Dr. Anton Jerger (Corinphila 2005)

1882/98, 3 aurar brownish orange, 4th printing 1891, perf. 14:13½, used on postal stationery card 8 aurar violet, tied by cds. "AKUREYRI 5/6" (1892) and adressed to Shanghai, China, with Hongkong arrival mark (September 20, 1892) and short greetings text. A very fine and rare card to abroad with most unusual destination. According to certificate of C.A. Møller BPP (2018) just one further card to China has been recorded (from the same correspondance).

1852, William III 1 silbergroschen brownish-red (1853) in vertical strip of 3 with nice fresh colour and ample to large margins, tied by circle of 9 bars to small entire letter with adjacent red "LUXEMBOURG 16 DEC." to Rüdesheim in the Duchy of Nassau with transit and arrival marks. A fine and scarce letter. Certificate Demuth BPP (1981) Provenance: Issac Seligson (Corinphila 1982)

1855, Coat of arms 4 skilling blue, a magnificant lower right corner copy in fresh colour and with large margins including 8/8,5 mm sheet margins at right and bottom, used with clear circle of 11 bars on lettersheet with adjacent clear blue "BERGEN 5/3 1855" Trondheim. A beautiful and superb entire. Signed F.C. Moldenhauer in pencil with his certificate (1990) Provenance: 113. Auction E. Mohrmann (1963)

1855, Coat of arms 4 skilling blue, a marvellous horizontal strip of 6 with ample to mostly wide margins and in nice fresh colour, position D31-36, showing re-engraved corner on position 34, neatly cancelled and tied by circle of 12 bars to small envelope of the wellknown correspondance to "Fräulein Amalie Svensen, Leipzig" with frontside blue dispatch mark "BERGEN 6/7 1855" and adjacent boxed "Aus Dänemark". On reverse transit marks of Hamburg and arrival mark of July 11. Extremely fine and flawless condition. An outstanding first issue cover. Signed Herman Toaspern and Finn Aune with his certificate (2008) Provenance: Bernt J. Fossum (2004)

1856/57, Oskar 2 skilling orange-yellow and 8 skilling carmine in horizontal strip of 4, used with clear numerals "25" on small envelope from Bergen (Jul 20, 1858) to Paris via Hamburg and Thurn and Taxis post, correctly franked with 34 skilling. A fine and most attractive cover (some minor creasing in the envelope smoothed down). Certificate Enger BPP (2018)

1856/57, Oskar 2 skilling orange-yellow and 8 skilling carmine in horizontal pair, used with numeral "25" on cover from Bergen (Sep 3, 1857) with full contents to Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The letter is fully paid; the original endorsement "franco Hamburg" was changed in "franco". The franking slightly afixed over the top edge of the cover, but except of 2 shortish perfs of the right 8 skilling in fine condition. The earliest of just 4 recorded entires with the 18 skilling rate to Mecklenburg. Certificate Enger BPP (2018)

1856/57, Oskar 2 skilling orange-yellow, 4 skilling blue and 8 skilling carmine in horizontal strip of 3, all used with clear cds. "DRAMMEN 7 5 1860" on lettersheet via Hamburg to Purmerend, Holland with arrival mark of May 11. A most appealing entire in very fine condition. Certificate Enger BPP (2018)

1856/57, Oskar 3 skilling grey-violet in combination with 1863/67, coat of arms 4 skilling blue and horizontal pair 8 skilling rose, tied by cds. "RIISØER 18 8 1865" to lettersheet with transit marks "SANDØSUND 19 8 1865" and "NORWÈGE AMB. ERQUELINES" to Amiens, France. The 3 skilling stamps few short perf tips, otherwise very fine and fresh. Just 4 entires recorded with this franking. Certificate Enger BPP (2018)

1876, Double rate envelope with partly preprinted address "Do Servico de S.M. Fidelissima Ao Consulado de Portugal" to Amoy, China, franked with 2 copies 1870/76, 100 r. lilac, tied by barred oval "1" with adjacent cds. "LISBOA 8/3 1976", endorsed in red crayon "v Brindisi" and sent via Singapore to Hongkong, on reverse "HONG-KONG MARINE SORTER SINGPORE TO HONG-KONG AP 17/24 76", in Hongkong by mistake opened by the Portuguese consul, who added 2 notations on reverse to the effect that he had opened the cover in error and stating their was no Portuguese consul in Amoy, afterwards forwarded to Amoy, showing on reverse rare marine sorter "HONGKONG TO SHANGHAE AP 2 ../ 29 76". A remarkable and very scarce letter to China. Certificate Holcombe (1995)

1889/1904, 10 kopeks blue used on postal stationery envelope 10 kopeks, as registered letter from Glaritsaya (August 1, 1895) to the Russian embassy at Seoul, Corea, showing on reverse transit mark of St. Petersburg and clear brownish arrival mark "NINSEN I.J.P.O. 8 MAR 95"; some minor staining. An attractive letter with extremely rare destination

PSKOV 1896, 5 kopeks with 1898, 1 kopek in strip of 3 and 3 kopeks, tied by violet date stamp of November 1, 1901 to registered envelope from Pleshkavo (volost Dakatovo) to Pskov. Very fine and most attractive (Strebulaev 24, 29, 30) Provenance: Fabergé (Corinphila 1999)

1850, Isabella 6 cuartos black, 2 single copies, both with ample to large margins, used with blue "A" on lettersheet with adjacent red "AVILA 24 ENo 1850" to Madrid. A very fine and most attractive entire. Certificates EXFIMA (1978) and COMEX (2018)

1852, Isabella 6 cuartos rose, nice fresh colour and good margins, tied by clear blue 'barilla' cancel to entire letter, written on December 31, 1851 and posted on the first day of issue of this stamp "VALENCIA 1 ENO. 1852" (in red), addressed to Madrid. A very attractive and rare first day cover. Signed Holcombe with his certificate (1990)

1854, 6 cuartos carmine, nice deep colour, slightly touched at bottom, otherwise ample to very large margins, tied by clear "barilla" to entire letter with full contents of January 1, 1854, the day of issue of this stamp and posted the same day with frontside clear red "SEVILLA 1 ENO. 1854"  to Merida. A fine and attractive first day letter. Certificate Graus (1992)

1879, Cover from Tarragona to Kobe, Japan, franked with 1878, 25 centavos olive-brown, 2 examples, endorsed "Via Los Etados Unidos de America del Norte" with frontside red oval "To Late", transit marks of New York (May 9), San Francisco (May 16) and Yokohama (June 28), also arrival mark "HIOGO 4 JUL". Usual light transportation marks. An attractive and early cover to Japan. Certificate COMEX (2018)

1855, 24 skilling Bco. brickred, fresh colour and with a very nice perforation, used with superb strike of Stockholm cds. of 29.4.1857, repeated at left, on small envelope to Zeitz in Saxony, originally endorsed "via Lübeck" but changed into "f Nagler via Stettin", adjacent red "Aus Schweden". The cover with faint vertical crease not affecting the stamp. Very attractive and fine. Opinion Sjöman (1974) and certificate Dr. Helena Obermüller Wilén (2018) (Facit 5c)