Abyssinia Field Force 1867-68 1868 Officer’s cover written to Captain H.M. Burlton, sub-assistant Commissary-General, from Brecon (MR 12 68) in Scotland to Abyssinia, red arrival cds on reverse FIELD POST OFFICE / 5 AP / 8 / *ABYSSINIA*” on reverse, letter carried in a field force bag made up in London and transshipped at Suez from where it was transported to Zula. Captain Burlton was in command of the Udul Wells Depot, a staging post 40 miles from Zula on the way to Senafe, the important highland stores camp. (Image)

Abyssinia Field Force 1867-68 1868 Small mourning cover from Camp Mukkun to India, franked by India 1866/68 4a tied by F.F diamond grid hs, paying the officer’s rate to India, reverse bears the FIELDFORCE POST OFFICE / ABYSSINIA 2 JU 68 cds plus Bombay transit (7 June 1868) and Bengalore arrival marking, sent by Captain Elliot to his wife via his former commanding officer, very fine (Image)

1895 (January) Envelope to Djibouti bearing 1894 1g tied by HARAR (HR2) cds, reverse bears DJIBOUTI 5 FEVR 1896 POSTES arrival cds. Only 11 covers recorded cancelled by Payne’s HR2A postmark and only four used within the 1895-96 time period, APS certificate (Image)

1895 (20 June) Registered cover from Djibouti to Paris franked by French Somali Coast 1894 50c (25c rate to abroad and 25c registration), bears also Ethiopia 1894 1/2g(2) and 1g tied by ENTOTTO EN1B cds, cover prepared in Paris by famous dealer Arthur Maury, cds never used in Ethiopia, carried by British steamer to Brindisi then by train to Paris via Modane, Obock transit and Paris arrival bs (Image)

1896 (5 April) Printed envelope franked by 1895 2g brown tied by HARAR (Payne type HR2A) paying the in/external postage rate and French Somali Coast 1894 25c cancelled DJIBOUTI 5 AVRIL 1896 cds, paying the external rate by French steamer “Ligne N, paq, Fr. N°4, 5 Avril 1896” via Suez to Cairo, letter somewhat ragged at top as stated in 1999 Holcombe certificate, very rare. Only a few covers from Harar cancelled by the Amharic canceller HR2 are known. (Image)

1897 (12 October) Cover front to Levallois, France franked by 1894 1/4g and 1/2g tied by Entotto cds, carried to Djibouti where French Somali Coast 1894 10c (2) and 75c cancelled by Djibouti cds, carried onboard LV N°4 LA REUNION A MARSEILLE paquebot line, small faults, signed Miro (Image)

1902 Reg’d cover to Germany with mixed franking with two OBOCK stamps, arrival bs, rare combination (Image)

1902 (7 Jan.) Envelope from Addis Ababa to Harar franked by 1900-01 “Ethiopie” overprint 1g blue tied by AA1 7.1.1902 postmark, arrival bs Harar 17.1.02 in blue, some rough opening at bottom, still very fine & signed Holcombe There are two other covers known from or to Kristos Papadopolo. Only about a dozen internal pre-1908 covers are known, ex Heck (Image)

1902 (6 April) Registered envelope from Harar to Holstein in Germany (redirected to Prague) franked by 1902 “Bosta” overprint 1g blue tied by HARAR 6-4-2 cds in blue, French HARAR 8 AVRIL 02 POSTES FRANCAISES cds alongside, reverse bears Obock 1894 20c and 15c tied by DJIBOUTI 11 AVRIL 02 cds, KOLLMAR and PRAG 28/4 02 arrival backstamps, an exceptional cover This is the earliest reported cover franked with the “Bosta” handstamp and a very early and scarce usage of the Harar Postes Françaises handstamp. (Image)

1903 (6 Feb.) Small neat cover from Addis Ababa to Germany franked by 1902 “Botha” overprint in black 1/4g, 1/2g and 1g tied by ADIS ABEBA 6.II.1903 cds, most probably untravelled as it does carry a Djibouti stamp or postmark, Ethiopia was not a member of the U.P.U at this time and its stamps were invalid for international mail (Image)

1903 (6 Sep.) Registered cover from Addis Ababa to Munich bearing the complete 1903 “Melikt” overprint set of seven and erroneously cancelled by 1902 cds instead of 1903, together with French Somali Coast 1902 20c and 30c tied by DJIBOUTI 22 SEP 03 cds in blue, reverse bears HARAR transit and MUENCHEN 3 OCT 03 arrival cds, sent my merchant Trouillet, other similar philatelic covers may exist with the “BOSTA” and “ETHIOPIE” sets, very fine & rare (Image)

1903 (6 Sep.) 1/4g postal stationery card with 1903 “Melikt” overprint 1/4g green and 1/2g red from Addis Ababa (6 SEP 1903 although cds says 1902), sent via HARAR (September 19th) and Djibouti where Obock 1892 10c was applied and cancelled DJIBOUTI 22 SEPT 03, arrival in Metz/ France on October 3rd, very fine & scarce, ex Boksenbom (Image)

1904 (10 Jan.) Registered picture postcard franked by 1903 “Melikt” overprint 1g blue tied by ADIS-ABEBA 10.I.04 cds together with French Somali Coast 1902 10c and 25c tied by DJIBOUTI 1 FEVR 1904 cds, also HARAR 27.I.04 transit cds alongside, MESSINA 14-02-04 transit cds on reverse, special Djibouti registration label, a very handsome registered card (Image)

1904 (28 Jan.) Envelope from Addis Ababa to Italy frankes by 1903 “Melikt” overprint 2g brown cancelled ADIS ABEBA 28.I.1904 cds, also French Somali Coast 1902 5c(2) and 15c tied by DJIBOUTI 9 FEVR 04 cds for onward route to Italy, reverse bears HARAR 8-2-4 and ADEN FE 10 04 transits and MONTEROTONDO arrival, a few perfs shaved off from the 2g, fine & scarce, ex Boksembom (Image)

1904 (17 May) Registered picture postcard written by Hugues Le Roux (famous French author of “Menelik et nous”) from Addis Ababa to Paris franked by 1903 “Melikt” overprint 1g blue tied by AA 17 V 1904 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 10c & 25c tied by DJIBOUTI 21 MAI 1904 cds, blue R applied in AA with number 240 then further Djibouti number 180 on top, (Image)

1905 (15 Jan.) “Kagnasmatch Guenami, Vice Governor of Harar” picture postcard from Harar to Berlin franked by 1905 New Currency “10” on 1/2g red tied by HARAR 15.1.5 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 10c tied by DJIBOUTI 16 JANV. 05 cds, arrival cds dated 29/01 05 cds alongside (Image)

1905 (9 Feb.) Registered cover from Harar to Vienna franked by complete 1905 New Currency set tied by HARAR 9.2.5 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 10c(3) & 15c(3) tied by DJIBOUTI 11 FEVR. 05 cds, arrival cds dated 29/01 05 cds alongside, French Paquebot RÉUNION A MARSEILLE cds but no arrival in Vienna (Image)

1905 (27 Aug.) Scarce Menelik picture postcard from Harar to Italy franked by 1905 New Currency “05” on 1/4g green tied by HARAR 9-2-5 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 10c tied by DJIBOUTI 11 FEVR. 05 cds, Trieste transit Pola 24.2.05 arrival, ex Boksenbom (Image)

1905 (23 Mar.) Picture postcard with legend “Harar, Elephant dressé” bearing a 1905 “5c/m” bisect tied by HARAR 23-3-5 cds, cancel to order, note “Editeur A. Michel, Harar” at bottom left (Image)

1905 (24 May) Incoming envelope from Jerusalem to Addis Ababa franked by Ottoman 20pa pair and pair of Ethiopian 1905 1/2g postage due pair for internal postage, the 1/2g pair tied by HARAR 5-9-9 cds (Payne HR3) paid the internal postage for the stretch between Harar and Addis Ababa, ex. Sciaky Believed to be the only reported example of a Holy Land / Ethiopia mixed franking (Image)

1905 (27 Aug.) Picture postcard from Harar to Switzerland franked by 1905 New Currency “05” on 1/4g green tied by HARAR 27.8.5 cds on one side, plus French Somali Coast 1902 10c tied by DJIBOUTI 31 AOUT 05 cds, French paquebot cds and BERN 14.IX.05 arrival cds alongside, sent by Michel to his brother (Image)

1905 (17 Sep.) Part of “Kelley” cover from Addis Ababa to the US franked by 1905 New Currency “80” on 4g tied by AA 17.IX.1905 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 25c + 50c tied by black DJIBOUTI 3 OCT 05 cds, received in Boston on October 24th 1905 (Image)

1905 (21 October) Cover from Harar to Beyrout/Syria franked by 1905 New Currency “10” on 1/2g red tied by HARAR 21-10-05 cds, plus French Somali Coast 1902 25c tied by black DJIBOUTI 24 OCT 05 cds,reverse bears PORT SAÏD transit and BEYROUTH 10 NOV 06 arrival, cert. APS (Image)

1905 (24 Dec.) Picture postcard from Harar to Addis Ababa franked by pair of 1905 “5c/m” bisects tied by HARAR 24-12-5 cds, light crease a top of the card Card sent by Michel to Didier, who was a French clerk at the Ethiopian Posts in Addis Ababa for a short time. Genuine commercial domestic usage and one of less than two dozen internal cards/covers recorded from pre-1908, an exceptional item (Image)

1905 Diagonal “5 centimes” surcharge on 16g black, mint block of four, very fine & scarce, cert. Scheller (Yv. € 880) (Image)