Sale 295

Russian Foreign Mail


From Russia to Turkey
 
 
Lot Photo Description
Lot 1335

1877 (18 Jan.) folded cover from Kerrasunde to Marseille (15.2), bearing sender's cachet (also the postal agent) in Greek and "Kerasund" origin c.d.s. (Tchilinghirian fig. 110) in blue, carried overland, France Peace and Commerce 30c applied at Turkish port and cancelled by "Smyrne/Turquie" c.d.s. (9.2) with oval "BM" handstamp and framed "Paquebots/de la/Mediterranée" handstamp in red, Very Fine and unusual routing.
Estimate 2,000 - 2,500

During the Russo-Turkish war, which broke out in January of 1877, transport through the Russian post to Constantinople was not possible. The sender, who also happened to be the postal agent, was informed of this and removed the now-useless Russian stamps before having it sent overland to an open port.

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Lot 1336

1877 (21 Jun./3 Jul.) folded letter from Odessa to Cavalle via Trieste, bearing four 1875 2k cancelled Odessa c.d.s., backstamped Odessa-Kiev railway c.d.s. (21.6/3.7) and Trieste oval (7.7); small edge tears, Fine. 8 kopek U.P.U. rate.
Estimate 250 - 350

Routed via Austria and Trieste to avoid the areas affected by the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish War.

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Lot 1337

1867 (6 Oct.) folded cover to Trieste, bearing 1866 (2pi/20k) red and blue with inscriptions on white background (Michel 4I), bright colors, large to huge margins, cancelled by "Port Samsun" c.d.s. in blue and showing unframed "Porto" handstamp adjacent, taxed "60" (kreuzer) for double rate, cover faults including missing side panel, Very Fine usage of great rarity.
Estimate 7,500 - 10,000

THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE CLASSIC ROPIT ISSUE USED TO A FOREIGN DESTINATION.

Expertization: signed Miro, Calves, and 1998 Eisold Certificate.
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Lot 1338

1869 (13 Dec.) folded cover from Odessa to Trebizond, bearing 1866 10k cancelled by c.d.s. Extremely Fine.
Estimate 400 - 500

Expertization: 1994 Mikulski Photo Opinion.

Provenance: Mertens (II)
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Lot 1339

1872 folded cover from Samsun to Trieste (29.5) via Russian Post Office in Constantinople (29.5), bearing Levant 1868 5k and 1872 1k vertical pairs, pen cancelled, with "Lettere Arrivate/per Mare/Varna" framed datestamp (25.2), 12 kopek for double rate from a Russian Levant port and taxed "40" (kreuzer) on arrival, Very Fine and rare example of Austrian Levant entry, carried on an Austrian ship.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000

Provenance: H.W. Schaefer
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Lot 1340

1875 (1 Dec.) folded cover from Constantinople to Trieste (19.12) via Odessa (4.12) and Vienna (18.12), bearing Levant 1872 horizontally laid paper 3k and Russia 1875 8k cancelled by "Konstantin/1 Dec 75" c.d.s. in blue, Very Fine and rare combination cover, rate of 3k for Levant postage (Constantinople-Odessa) and 8k for U.P.U. foreign mail (Russia-Austria).
Estimate 2,500 - 3,000

Provenance: H.W. Schaefer
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Lot 1341

1878 (19 Sep/1 Oct.) stampless cover from Moscow to Jerusalem, a 10 ruble money letter sent via Odessa (23.9/5.10), Volochisk (25.9/7.20), Galizia (Poland, 8.10) and Austria, forwarded to Jaffa, five red wax seals on reverse, Fine. Manuscript rates (in kopeks) are "10 (postage +) 15 (insurance +) 5 (return receipt =) 30" plus 10k ("p 30/40") for forwarding.
Estimate 250 - 350

The normal Russian route from Odessa apparently was blocked at this time events related to the Russo-Turkish War.

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Lot 1342

1869 (8 Dec.) envelope from Pilica to Beirut (3.1) via Granica (8.12) and Szezakowa endorsed "via Szezakowa-Wien-Trieste, and Szezakowa endorsed "via Szezakowa-Wien-Trieste" showing merchant's sender's cachet, straight-line "Pologne" handstamp, and Austrian P.O. "Berutti" arrival c.d.s., Very Fine, 30 kreuzer to Trieste and then 10 kreuzer ship mail rate from there to Beirut.
Estimate 750 - 1,000
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Lot 1343

1879 (22 Sep./4 Oct) envelope from Constantinople to Tabriz (12.10), bearing ROPiT 1879 7k on 10k (Scott 18) tied by Russian Constantinople c.d.s., backstamped Tabriz; repaired open tears on reverse and onto lower right corner, Fine.
Estimate 600 - 800
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