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French Levant

The Ing. Pietro Provera Collection (part 1)
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  • Lot# : 5164 French Levant

    1853: Entire letter written in Adrianople on July 9, 1857 and sent to Lyon, bearing Napoléon imperf. 10 c. bistre and 40 c. orange, two fine and fresh examples with brilliant colours and and fair to large margins, each cancelled by framed "P.P." in black, "VILLE-DE-BORDEAUX 15 JUIL. 57" ship's cds and framed PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERRANÉE alongside. Reverse with Lyon (July 24) arrival cds. A superb and interesting shipmail entire. Signed Calves.rnrnReference: Salles - La Poste Maritime Française, vol II, pp. 89 and 137-138.rnNote: The 'Ville de Bordeaux' Paquebot sunk at the entrance of the port of Piraeus at Dec 12, 1855. The circular datestamp was saved, given to Constantinople and later given to the vessel 'Hermus' on July 4, 1857. As the 'Hermus' had no cds with its own name at that time, the 'Ville-de-Bordeaux' cds was used on the Hermus on its return journey. As there was no Anchor obliterator, the framed PD was used to cancel the adhesives. 
    Starting bid : 300 CHF
    Hammer price : 1,600 CHF

    Lot# : 5205 French Levant

    1867: Cover from Constantinople to Paris, bearing Napoléon laureated 10 c. bistre, type I, in a strip of four, a fine multiple with fresh colour, good perforation and centering, tied by light Anchor lozenge in blue. Octagonal "CONSTANTINOPLE P. FR. U No1 2 MARS 70" despatch cds and framed PD, both in blue as well as framed PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERRANÉE alongside. Reverse with Marseille transit and arrival cds's (March 10). An attractive item full of character, the multiple paying the 1866 40 centimes single rate from the Levant to France.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 5217 French Levant

    1868: Second page of an entire letter from the French post office in Alexandria to Nimes, bearing Napoléon laureated 20 c. blue type II in mixed franking with Bordeaux 20 c. blue type II report 1, two fine and fresh examples, tied by light Gros Chiffres '5080' numeral lozenge, despatch "ALEXANDRIE EGYPTE 28 FEVR. 71" cds and framed PD alongside. An exceptional combination of same colour and face value to pay the correct 40 centimes rate from Egypt to France, effective until June 1871.
    Starting bid : 300 CHF
    Hammer price : 300 CHF

    Lot# : 5320 French Levant

    1872: Envelope from Thessaloniki to Civita Vecchia, endorsed "via Napoli", bearing Cérès 5 c. green and 25 c. blue type III, tied in transit by straight line "coi Postali Francesi". Reverse with transit Napoli and arrival cds (7 GIU 76). Cover given directly to the vessel and the stamps postmarked upon arrival in Italy.
    Starting bid : 150 CHF
    Hammer price : 320 CHF

    Lot# : 5326 French Levant

    1862/68: Cover from Thessaloniki to Genova, mailed at the French post office at the Dardanelles, bearing a mixed issue franking of Napoléon perf. 40 c. orange 'vif' in a horizontal strip of four and Napoléon laureated 20 c. blue Type II, fresh and fine examples with good perforation, tied by clear Gros Chiffres '5084' lozenge, despatch "DARDANELLES TURQUIE 20 MAI 69" cds and framed PD alongside. Reverse with Messina transit and arrival cds's (May 27). A superb item with a delightful mixed issue combination to pay the correct triple rate from the French Post Offices in the Levant to Italy between 1866 and 1875.
    Starting bid : 750 CHF
    Hammer price : 750 CHF

    Lot# : 5327 French Levant

    1862: Lettersheet from Trebizonde to Genova, bearing Napoléon perf. 80 c. dark-rose, a fine example with good perforation and centering, tied by clear Gros Chiffres '5100' numeral lozenge, dotted despatch cds (April 7, 1866) and framed PD alongside. Reverse with French Constantinople cds and Napoli and arrival cds (April 19). Perforation toning and archive fold away from stamps and postmarks, an appealing cover representing the correct 80 c. rate.
    Starting bid : 100 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 5328 French Levant

    French Levant 1862: Cover from Cavala to Genova bearing Napolèon perforated 80 c. rose carmine in fresh colour and with good perforation, tied by '5095' numeral lozenge and "SALONIQUE 26 AVRIL 64 TURQUIE" cds in black, framed PD in black and PROSCAFI POSTALI FRANCESI in red alongside, reverse with Dardanelles transit (April 27) and Genova arrival (May 6) cds's. The cover was sent with a forwarder to Salonico and thence to the French postal system.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 200 CHF

    Lot# : 5329 French Levant

    1868: Cover from the French PO in Beirout to Lyon, bearing Napoléon laureated 40 c. orange, a fine example with fresh colour and superb perforation, tied by clear Gros Chiffres '5082' numeral lozenge, despatch "BEYROUTH SYRIE 22 JUIL. 70" cds, framed PD and framed PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERRANÉE in red alongside. Reverse with arrival cds (Aug. 5). A delightful item proving the continuous activity of the Messagières Maritimes at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War. Signed G. Lamy.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 260 CHF

    Lot# : 5330 French Levant

    French Levant 1875 (Jan 11): Double rate Envelope from the French PO in Cairo to Rome bearing strip of three of Siège 40 c. orange, a fresh multiple (two perfs clipped), tied by '5119' lozenge, "LE CAIRE Bau FRANCAIS 11 JANV 75" cds and PD in black alongside. Reverse with Alexandrie Egypte and Napoli transit as well as Roma arrival cds (16 GEN 75). A delightful cover. Signed A. DienarnNote: Peter Louis Grech points out in his monograph ‘The French Post Offices in Egypt’ that the Postal Rates from Alexandria from July 1, 1871 to December 31, 1875 were separated ‘via Marseille’ prepaid at 80 centimes under 10 grams and ‘via Brindisi’ prepaid at 1 franc 20 centimes for under 10 grams.rn 
    Starting bid : 250 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold

    Lot# : 5331 French Levant

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    Catalogue# : 38+54
    1870: Cover from Trebizonde to London, bearing Siège 40 c. orange in mixed franking with horizontal pair of Cérès 1872 10 c. brown, all tied by crisp Gros Chiffres '5100' numeral lozenges in blue, cogwheel "TREBIZONDE 9 OCT 75 TURQ. D'ASIE" cds and framed PD, both in the same blue as well as "LONDON PAID 21 OC 75" cds in red alongside. Reverse with Constantinople and Marseille transit cds's. An appealing cover, correct rate to Great Britain, as France and its Levant Offices had not yet joined the General Postal Union, while the United Kingdom did. Signed Calves and Papadopoulos Paris.
    Starting bid : 250 CHF
    Hammer price : 420 CHF

    Lot# : 5332 French Levant

    French Levant 1871 (July 5): Cover from Constantinople to Lyon bearing two single examples of Bordeaux 40 c. orange, the left stamp showing variety: "4 pseudo-retouché", both stamps in vivid colour and with fair to enormous margins, tied by Ancre lozenge in blue, LIGNE U cds (July 5) and PD in blue as well as framed PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERANNÉE in red alongside, reverse with Lyon arrival cds (15 JUIL 71). A delightful cover. Signed Jamet & Calves Yvert = € 2'650.
    Starting bid : 500 CHF
    Hammer price : 500 CHF

    Lot# : 5333 French Levant

    1875: Cover despatched at the French PO at the Dardanelles and sent to Paris, bearing Cérès 1872/75 10 c. brown on rose with Large digits, tied by "LES DARDANELLES TURQUIE 6 DEC. 78" cds in blue. Reverse with Paris Étranger (Dec 13) arrival cds. An appealing cover showing the 30 c. UPU rate.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : 220 CHF

    Lot# : 5334 French Levant

    1872: Envelope from the French PO in Suez to Tanlay, bearing Cérès 1872 80 c. rose, tied by clear Gros Chiffres '5105' numeral lozenge with cogwheel "SUEZ Bau FRANCAIS 3 NOV. 73" cds and framed PD alongside. Reverse with thre ambulant and Tanlay arrival (Nov. 11) cds's. A most appealing cover from this rare office, correct rate in the July 1871 tariff.
    Starting bid : 250 CHF
    Hammer price : 250 CHF

    Lot# : 5335 French Levant

    1876: Cover from Beyrut to Lyon, bearing Sage 30 c. brown on chamois, tied by "BEYROUTH SYRIE 22 DEC 76" despatch cds and framed PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERANÉE in red, an information strike alongside. Reverse with Marseille transit and arrival cds (Jan 4, 1877). File fold well away from stamp and postmarks, a fine early GPU usage.
    Starting bid : 100 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold

    Lot# : 5336 French Levant

    1879: Double rate Cover from the French PO in Trebizonde to that in Constantinople, bearing horizontal pair Sage 25 c. bistre on yellow, fresh colour and good perforation, tied by crisp cogwheel "TREBIZONDE TURQ. D'ASIE 11 SEPT. 80" cds in blue. Reverse with arrival cds (Sept. 15). Backflap torn due to opening, top left corner repaired, still an attractive item. Signed Roumet.
    Starting bid : 200 CHF
    Hammer price : not sold
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