Lot 1325 1867 (9 Feb.) folded letter from Poti, Georgia, to Constantinople, bearing 1865 10k strip of three and France Empire perf. 40c boldly cancelled "498", carried by the Ropit service to Trebizond and then by French ship, with "Trebisond/Turq. d'Asie" (26.2) and "Constantinople/Turquie" c.d.s., rate to Constantinople introduced on 1 January 1866, cover has addressee's name restored and slight splitting at folds, stamps Very Fine. One of the most important covers of the Levant and a marvelous exhibition item. Estimate 30,000 - 40,000 THE ONLY RECORDED RUSSIA-FRANCE COMBINATION COVER. Expertization: signed Calves. Provenance: Oscar R. Schenck (Harmer Rooke, 29 March 1950, lot 177), H.W. Schaefer (private sale)

Unsold

Lot 1003 1856 (30 Dec.) envelope from Fredricshamn to Christiania via Stockholm (17.1.57), bearing 1856 10k carmine (2, Fa. 2b) horizontal strip of three cancelled low-boxed Fredricshamn postmarks on reverse, two strikes boxed Stockholm postmark above intact red wax seal, addressed to the Russian Consul General in Christiania, docketed as received 23 Jan.; strip with large margins except close above two left stamps, Very Fine. Facit SKr 375,000 ($37,500). Estimate 20,000 - 30,000 AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE OF THIS EXCEEDINGLY RARE FRANKING. Expertization: 1979, 1997 Gummesson, 2003 Tuori Certificates. Provenance: Caspary, Sundman

Realized $29,900

Lot 1012 1871 (9 Oct.) large envelope from Åbo to London (16.10) via St. Petersburg (12.10), bearing 1866-74 1mk yellow brown roulette III (11, Fa. 10 C3) pair and two singles cancelled blue Åbo c.d.s., red boxed "P.D." and blue oval merchant's corner card handstamps, manuscript "5" rating, red manuscript "17½" (5 x 3½ Sgr.) credit to Prussia; cosmetically refolded on all sides with multiple cover faults including repaired tears, none of which affect the stamps, which have virtually all teeth intact. 400 penni was equal to 100 kopeks and was five times the new, lower 80 penni single rate via Prussia. Unlisted by Facit. In fact, only one cover is recorded by Facit with a multiple 1mk franking and that is a domestic cover with two stamps making up a 2mk rate. Estimate 20,000 - 30,000 A UNIQUE FRANKING — THE HIGHEST RECORDED UTILIZING THE ROULETTED ISSUE. Expertization: 2003 C. Schwenson Certificate. Provenance: Linz, Pettersson

Realized $23,000

Lot 1010 1870 (8 Apr.) folded letter from Borgå to London (14.4) via St. Petersburg (11.4), bearing 1866-74 roulette III, 1mk yellow brown (11, Fa. 10 C3) and 5p laid paper (12, Fa. 5 v1C3), cancelled Borgå c.d.s., oblong-boxed "FR.KO." and red boxed "P.D." handstamps, red manuscript "5" (Sgr.) credit to Prussia; 5p with two slightly short teeth, 1m with all teeth intact, Very Fine and very rare. The 1.05 mark was equivalent to 26 kopeks, a convenient repayment of the 1.04 mark rate via Prussia. Facit SKr 130,000 ($13,000). Estimate 10,000 - 15,000 THE 1MK IS VERY RARE ON COVER AND ESPECIALLY SO IN CHOICE CONDITION SUCH AS THIS. Expertization: 1998 Gummesson Certificate. Provenance: Mertens (I), Fabergé

Unsold

Lot 1014 1859 (15 Apr.) envelope from Wiborg to Berlin (24.4), bearing large margined horizontal pair 1856 10k rose (2, Fa. 2e) with right and bottom sheet margins cancelled by two of three strikes high-boxed Wiborg handstamps, backstamped "Ausg." receiver c.d.s.; stamps lightly toned, couple small sealed edge tears at left, Very Fine and equally rare. The 20k rate represents 10k inland postage plus 10k to Germany. Estimate 7,500 - 10,000 Expertization: 1978 H.Witt, 1997 Gummesson, 2003 Tuori Certificates. Provenance: Sundman

Unsold

Lot 1016 1864 (21 Jul.) envelope from Wiborg to Beetzendorf (26.7), bearing 1860 10k roulette I (5, Fa. 4 C1LKa) pair and two singles cancelled bold Wiborg c.d.s., fancy boxed "Franco" and red boxed "Aus Russland Franco" handstamps, manuscript "2" rating, clear Eydkuhnen-Bromberg railway datestamp (24.7) on reverse; stamps with some roulette faults, cover Very Fine. 40 kopeks was the rate for a double-weight letter to Germany. Estimate 7,500 - 10,000 THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF A DOUBLE RATE COVER TO GERMANY BEARING THE 1860 KOPEK-VALUE ISSUE AND LISTED AS SUCH BY FACIT. Expertization: 2003 C. Schwenson Certificate. Provenance: Pettersson

Realized $9,775

Lot 1009 1872 (16 Sep.) folded cover from Helsinki to Cette (21.9) via St. Petersburg (17.9) and Paris (20.9), bearing two 1866-74 8p roulette III (7, Fa. 6 v2C3) cancelled by T.P.O. "35/ NO. 5" c.d.s., red "P.D." and "Paris Etranger" French entry c.d.s., handstamped "Carl. Fr. Degener/ Telegram" corner card; stamps show minor natural gum toning, Very Fine. Content (since removed) was apparently a telegram and was sent at the 16 penni (4 kopek) printed matter rate. Estimate 7,500 - 10,000 AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND PERHAPS UNIQUE USAGE. Expertization: 2003 C. Schwenson Certificate. Provenance: Pettersson

Unsold

Lot 1027 1860 Poland 10 kopek light blue and rose, cancelled "1" in concentric circles on neat envelope to Vienna (13.1), "Warszawa" thimble type origin date stamp (12.1) in red, taxed "15" in red (Polish) and "15/30" in blue (Austrian) representing 3Q kreuzer in total shared between the two countries, minor cover faults including seal at back missing, Very Fine and exceedingly rare usage. Estimate 7,500 - 10,000 ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED USAGES OF THE 1860 10 KOPEK ON MAIL SENT ABROAD (THE OTHER IS LOT 1280). Expertization: 1999 Sorani and 2000 Jungjohann Certificates. The 1860 Poland 10 kopek was supposed to be valid for use only within Poland or on mail to Russia.

Unsold

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.

Unsold

Lot 1006 1858 (1May) folded letter from Björneborg to Nora, bearing a large margined horizontal pair of 1856 10k on narrow-laid paper (2C var., Fa. 2 v1) tied by pen cancel with low-boxed Björneborg postmark above, manuscript "2" rate and "via Aland" routing instruction, backstamped boxed Stockholm (10.5); minor splitting of internal folds, Very Fine. Estimate 6,000 - 8,000 A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THIS EXTREMELY RARE FRANKING. Expertization: 2003 C. Schwenson Certificate. Provenance: Pettersson

Realized $13,800

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