WORLDWIDE COUNTRY COLLECTIONS continued...

Mostly postal history, somewhat chaotically presented, representing the balance of an outstanding Alsace-Lorraine consignment. Many of these items were waiting to be incorporated into the main line exhibition collection. Items include postal history from 1834 with crisp Ste Marie les Mines (Markirch) pmk to Raon, an impressive earlier red straight line Mulhausen 1814 strike to Hagenau, various Napoleon heads perf and imperfs starting with the second republic 20ct black Ceres head single usage from Kayserberg to La Putroye. Also seen, again out of order, is a "B" under neck Napoleon head 25ct blue single usage from Mulhouse to Lyon, all the way through to Franco-Prussian war 1870/71 with various occupation stamps through the Armistice period, including rare mixed frankings shield and eagle types, this time with 2gr shield and 10pf eagle from Weissenburg to Switzerland, later usage in Metz, all the way through to WWI and beyond including printed postcard from German POW in Strassburg, re-directed to Lenzhirch with blue Uzes censor cachet and black oval Strassburg censor which is unlisted, etc. Also seen some outstanding collateral including very visual "Workers Insurance Card" 1895/6 with 52 stamps 20pf and 50pf through to similar, this time 1902/3 again with 52 stamps with 20,24 and 30pf denominations, accompanied by the Kaiser’s eagle from the Buergermeister’s double oval eagle strike. This outline description is only the tip of the iceberg, an important balance including good collateral items, please inspect.

 From the beginning through to the 1960s. neatly arranged in one volume, mostly used and note imperf Bordeaux, 1869 5fr used, Sage, on to 20th century strong incl1918 Red Cross used, 1922 5fr+1fr Orphans used (x2), 1925 Paris Exhibition S/S used (sound), 1930 Smile of Rheims used, 1936 ‘Banknote’ airmail used 1937 PEXIP S/S used, etc, mostly F-VF.

Excellent collection of about 125 postal history items here, representing 1914 to 1945, beginning with WWI prisoner of war mail on Russian postal stationery with cards from Vrutka in Russia to Alsace, with the collector identifying the different war time offices, followed by a study of postal control during the war with the recognition that much mail to France went outside of the military system. Certain examples such as the post Armistice 11th November 1918 withdrawal of the Germany army from the territory and the French army replacing it, yet clearly in transition as reflected by the delightful double oval postmark Stadt-Theaters Muelhausen, in German, uncensored. Further interesting covers with a 1918 registered letter from Wesserling to Berne with censor band, accompanied by double oval censor mark 55 and Belfort 21st October 1918 and Berne back stamps. Also seen superb propaganda caricature with cartoon of "some specimens of the 400,000 Boches, hirsutes and Vagrants who have invaded Alsace since 1871"! Yet another cover in the section relating to front lines being established in WWI, this time with 5cts letter to Paris from Moosch, sent out on the 14th June 1915 with seals of Mairie de Moosch, Bergermeister Moosch and the Commune de Moosch Alsace, making a most visual impression. Also most unusual German local court stationery used by the occupying French with a letter from Dammerkirch, for the government Commision of the 57th reserve division. Another great item is a registered letter from Pera in the Ottoman Empire to Metz with very visual Turkish censor marks and further large red censor sealing label on reverse in Arabic, accompanied by Ubewachungstelle cancel, specifically for military security opened under war regulations, full of character. Yet further material includes red cross letters, military express letter from KD Feldpost in Rumania to Huningen with boxed St Luwig PK cachet and unit briefstempel cachet on reverse Huningen (Obrels) cancel 25th February 1918, etc, etc. Just seen an exceptional card from German prisoner of war held in Japan, initially at Ninoshima camp, sent to Marienheim, Alsace on the 5th May 1917, accompanied by all kinds of Japanese characters. There is also good material in between the two world wars with a 14th April 1927 parcel card from Schitigheim to Nancy, franked with 4.65fr plus a 50ct fiscal used postally with Avricourt transit cancel and Nancy Ville receiving mark the next day, possibly unique. More interwar through to the late 1930s/1940s with American troops stationed In Alsace including advertising mail, letters from the Mayor’s office in Kindweiler to Strassburg, patriotic postcards, card sent by a British Sub Lieutenant serving with the French 158th Infantry occupying Alsace, picture postcard from Bad Nordach to Mulhausen with unusual "forwarding forbidden return" strike etc. The German Occupation section begins with a postcard from a childrens evacuation camp at Auningen by Metz, registered letter to the Special Commission of the OKW in Metz from the Mergemeister, Freisdorf with handwritten provision registration label and boxed provisional cancel etc etc. Outstanding with many scarce items present

 Collection of 100s housed in an old fashioned album with most value in classics with some duplication including shades and cancels with a good range of Napoleons, the collector has made a detailed study of different types in the 20th century, mint and used through to the airmails and occupations, etc,, etc. usual mixed condition, mostly F-VF.

 Old-fashioned collection of several 100s in a Schaubek album, decent 19th century incl 1869 5fr used (Paris star cancel), 1870 30c Brown used (signed Buhler), through to 1931 Arc de Triomphe mint, 1937 Paris Expo mint, 1938 50fr Ader mint, plus modern,  usual mixed condition, mostly F-VF.