STOCKHOLMIA 2019 & ERIVAN Worldwide Rarities

PAPILLON DE METZ: 1870 (September 23), small leaflet with 9 lines of text from a son to his parents, addressed to Avignon, accompanied by the original envelope of postal re-expedition, endorsed "par ballon" and showing clear date stamp "AVIGNON .. OCT 70". A remarkable and very rare ensemble of the Siège of Metz which lasted from August till late October 1870. 2 certificates Robineau (2000, 2001)

SIEGE OF PARIS: 1871 (January 11), original telegram form with 7 pages of text from the exile government at Bordeaux addressed to all French prefects and sub-prefects, repeating the contents of 3 official reports which were transported the day before with the ballon 'GAMBETTA' out of besieged Paris. Highly interesting contents about the bombardment of the Prussian army on Paris, which had started a few days before. The top form with date stamp "BOURG 11 JANV. 71". A highly interesting and most remarkable document of the siege of Paris and "Ballons montés"

1852, 10 c. bistre, two single examples and a horizontal strip of three, all with large margins, used on 1859 entire letter from Ineboli, Turkey to the Inspector of Customs in Syria in Beirut, tied by fine strikes of ‘4010’ petit chiffres in blue with pearled INEBOLI / TURQ. D’ASIE cds (May 3) and framed ‘PD’ in blue at right. Reverse with ‘Constantinople / Turquie’ cds (May 5) and ‘Smyrne / Turquie’ transit (May 8) both in black. File folds well away from the superb adhesives, a magnificent and very rare cover. Signed Calves. Certificate A. Roumet (2010). (Maury 13)

1855,  Great Britain 1 d. red-brown, wmk. Small Crown, perf. 16, a horizontal strip of three used on 1855 cover mailed from Gallipoli (where there was a British Army hospital during the Crimean War), mailed at the French Post Office and cancelled by good strikes of ‘3767’ petit chiffres. Pearled ‘Gallipoli / Turquie’ datestamp at left (July 17) in black. Small cartridge ‘Paquebot / De La / Mediterranée’ in red, thence via Marseille (July 24) to Glasgow, where taxed as posted out of course and charged 1/2 d. due to pay in manuscript. Exceptionally rare and probably unique usage. Signed Holcombe. (SG 17)
 

1862, Empire 40 c. orange, a used example on 1867 cover with imprinted ‘Messageries Impériales Services Maritimes’ on reverse, from Sinope, Turkey to Mothe St. Héraye, Deux Sevres, France tied by ‘5097’ gros chiffres with corresponding pearled SINOPE / TURQUIE D’ASIE cds alongside (Sept 9) in blue. Framed ‘PD’ at right and reverse with ‘Constantinople / Turquie’ transit cds (Sept 11), ‘Marseille a Lyon’ cds (Sept 17) and arrival. Extremely rare with just a handful of covers recorded from this Office. Certificate A. Roumet (2000). (Maury 23)

1870, Siège 40 c. pale orange, a used horizontal pair on 1872 cover from Ordou, Turkey to Mothe St. Héraye, Deux Sevres, France tied by ‘5097’ gros chiffres with corresponding pearled ORDOU / TURQUIE D’ASIE cds alongside (July 28) in black. Framed ‘PD’ at right and reverse with ‘Constantinople / Turquie’ transit cds (July 30), ‘Marseille a Paris’ cds (Aug 8) and arrival. Extremely rare with just a handful of covers recorded from this Office. Signed Calves. Certificate Soluphil (1990). (Maury 38)
 

1874, Entire letter sent unpaid from Énos (Enez, Thrace, Turkey) to Genova, Italy struck with exceptional impression of the pearled ÉNOS / TURQUIE despatch datestamp (May 8) in blue. ‘Les Dardanelles / Turquie’ transit cds at right in black (May 21) and large ‘90 LEP’ handstruck due marking in black. Reverse with further strike of ‘Les Daranelles’ datestamp, Messina cds (June 3), Naples cds (June 4) and Genova arrival, where taxed with Italian 1870 Postage Due 30 c. and 60 c. tied by ‘Genova’ cds’s (June 6). Minor imperfections of no significance - a magnificent and extremely rare entire – unique. Signed Calves.
Provenance: Collection 'Cihangir' (Corinphila sale 121, Zurich, 1 May 2000, lot 2843)

1900, Special printing on Bristol, 2 large pages (65:50 cm), with printed images (alltogether 12) of postcards, lettercards and envelopes. Slight marginal faults, but generally fine. Very rare, only 3 sets were issued

1900, Special printing on Bristol, 2 large pages (65:50 cm), with printed images (alltogether 9) of postcards, lettercards and envelope. Slight marginal faults, but generally fine. Very rare, only 3 sets were issued

1849, Ceres 20 centimes black on yellowish paper in horizontal tête-bêche pair, nice deep fresh colour and good to large margins, lightly cancelled by grid. A very fine and rare multiple. Signed W. Balasse with opinion (1972) and signed Scheller with certificate (2018) (Yvert 3e)

1850, Ceres 25 centimes dark blue, horizontal marginal strip of 4 including tête-bêche pair at left, nice deep and fresh colour and good to mostly large margins, showing about 3 mm sheet margin next to the tête-bêche, tied by clear grid cancels to letterfront with adjacent cds. "SAUXILLANGES 10 AVRIL 51" addressed to Riom. The strip with 3 small scissors' cuts in the two right interspaces and one slightly into the design of the right stamp at bottom right, the tête-bêche pair absolutely flawless. A highly attractive and rare multiple. Signed Miro and certificate Behr (2007)

1850, Ceres 25 centimes blue in block of 9, nice fresh colour and good to mostly wide margins with enormous 16/17 mm sheet margin at left, neatly cancelled by "gros points". Some light natural gum creasing, the upper right stamp with light small diagonal corner crease (not visible from front). An attractive and scarce multiple in fine condition. Signed Calves, opinion Robineau (1968) and signed Scheller with his certificate (2018) (Yvert 4)

1850, Ceres 40 centimes orange, 2 horizontal pairs in fresh vivid colour and with good to mostly large margins, fixed in form of a tête-bêche strip on entire letter 1858 from Cognac to London, tied by 'petit chiffre' "898" and red London arrival mark. A marvellous letter in fine condition. Signed Miro and von der Weidt with his certificate (1998) (Yvert 5)

1849, Ceres 1 franc vermillon vif, a beautiful copy in fresh vivid shade and with good to very large margins, showing part of adjoining stamp at lower right, tied by clear grid to small piece. A very attractive copy of this rare stamp in outstanding quality. Signed Calves and A. Diena, also Willy Balasse with his certificate (1972) and P. Scheller with his certificate (2018) (Yvert 7a)

1849, Ceres 1 franc vermillion terne in a very nice vivid shade and with large margins on all sides, cancelled very attractively with 2 parallel strikes of grid cancel. A marvellous copy of this rare stamp in superb condition. Signed A. Diena and Brun and also R. Calves with his certificate (1973) (Yvert 7b)
Provenance: 56. Corinphila auction (1973)
 

1853/61, Napoléon III 40 centimes orange, 2 strips of 3, 3 pairs and 3 single stamps with 10 centimes bistre and 20 centimes blue used on front and reverse of lettersheet from Le Havre to Lima, used with multiple strikes of red 'petit chiffres' "1495" with adjacent "BUREAU MARITIME LE HAVRE 31 JUIL 54", 3 stamps on the front additionally tied by bowed "FOREIGN PAID". Most stamps show full to large margins, five 40 centimes values on reverse affected by a light horizontal crease at top, otherwise fine and all together fresh condition and the entire being in its original state. A marvellous franking to South America. Signed Brun and certificate Behr (2007) (Yvert 13, 14, 16)

1853/61, Napoléon III 20 centimes type I, lower left sheet corner copy with huge to enormous margins, showing small part of neighbour stamp at top and ca. 7/15 mm sheet margin at left and bottom, tied by superb 'petit chiffres' "1152" to entire letter from Dunkerque (May 4, 1861) to Granville with transit and arrival marks. A fine and rare letter with an absolutely outstanding copy of this stamp. Signed Calves and Enzo Diena with his certificate (1987) (Yvert 14)

VICTOR HUGO: Small entire letter with 3 pages of text, franked with Lauré 30 centimes (slightly rounded corner) and 40 centimes, tied by star cancel with adjacent "PARIS R. ST. DOMQUE. St. GN 58/17 OCT 70" via London to New York with red transit and arrival marks on front. A fine letter with scarce destination. Certificate Brun (2017)

GENERAL UHRICH (supposedly): Small entire letter with 3 pages of text, franked with Lauré 80 centimes rose in very fresh and deep shade, tied by star cancel with adjacent "PARIS R. DE CLERY 14 NOV. 70" and sent to Moscow with adjacent Prussian transit mark "P.D.". A very fine letter. Certificate Brun (2017)

LE DUQUESNE (supposed): 'Gazette des Absents no. 21' with text dated January 5 and accompanied by coloured map "ÉDITION-BALLON", which is mentioned in the sender's text, franked with Ceres 20 centimes, tied by star cancel but without dispatch mark, addressed to Flamanville with transit mark "PARIS A CAEN 15 JANV. 71" and arrival mark (JAN 18). A fine and rare ensemble. Certificate Robineau (2004)

BOULES DE MOULINS: 1871, folded minature letter franked with Lauré 20 centimes and 80 centimes, neatly cancelled "LA FERTÉ VIDANE 3 JANV. 71", addressed to Paris and endorsed "Par moulins" with adjacent "OR". On reverse nice and clear strike of Paris arrival mark of March 18, 1872. A most attractive and rare letter of one of the early recoveries of a 'Boules de Moulins' after the war. Signed Calves and Brun, certificate Scheller (2018)

SACS DE RIZ: 1871, Entire small letter from Laferte Vidame (JAN 14, 1871) to Paris, endorsed "par Moulins" with Paris arrival mark (FEB 12, 1971), re-directed to St. Brieuc with arrival mark (FEB 20). Fine and very scarce. Certificate Behr (1997)

REPÊCHAGE DE QUILLEBEUF: 1871, Entire letter from Aix-en-Provence (Jan 7, 1871) addressed to a military major with the 2nd army, endorsed "Paris par Moulins" and franked with Lauré 80 centimes and Bordeaux 20 centimes type I, both cut to shape and tied by light GC "41", showing on reverse clear 3 line recovery-cachet "Trouvée dans une boîte échouée sur les bords de la Seine, à Quillebeuf (Eure), le 26 mars 1871." A truly outstanding item of the 'Boules de Moulins'. Certificate Behr (2004)

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.