1858 rate: 1865 (14 July) Double-weight registered envelope from St.Petersburg to Beaune/France, pre-paid 87 1/2k, redirected to Langres with France, Prussian "Recomandirt" and "AUS RUSSLAND / FRANCO" and French "Chargé" alongside as well as red P.D., rectification on reverse made in Beaunes from 19,25gr to 19,1gr., we know of no other Russian redirected registered cover to France from this period. Lot includes two further covers with the 1858 rate Rate: 87 1/2 k being 2 X 36 1/4k plus 15k for registration
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1866 (22 Oct.) Pre-paid stampless registered envelope to Paris/France, red P.D., Prussian boxed Recomandirt in red and French FRANCO alongside with accountancy marking "7/36/5", reverse bears KIEV despatch cds, PARIS arrival and French Chargé-accountancy hs, cover opened out for display and mounted on exhibition page, a rare item Rate: 36k for single weight cover, 7k for registration and 5k for acknowledgement of receipt Provenance: Bianchi collection
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1868 (30 March) Pre-paid stampless TRIPLE-weight folded cover to Paris/France, St.Petersburg despatch cds, oval OPAHKNPOBAHO in black, ms "3" for "Prussian" triple weight and "2" for "French" triple weight, very fine 84k rate cover
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EXCEPTIONAL FIVE-COLOUR FRANKING 1869 (13 Jan.) Double-weight envelope to Paris/France, franked by 1866 20k, 10k(2), 5k, 3k(3) and 1k(2), perf. 14 1/2 on horizontally laid paper, tied by S.P.B in dotted oval handstamp, French entry cds PRUSSE / ERQUELINES / 28 JANV. 69 alongside, ms "2" for "Prussian" double-weight (15 to 30gr.) and ms "3" for "French" double-weight (15 to 22,5gr), "11"Sgr accountancy marking of which 6 3/4Sgr going to France and 3/4Sgr going to Belgium, small part of flap missing on reverse not detracting from this UNIQUE PRE-UPU 5-COLOUR FRANKING GOING ABROAD, signed JF Brun Provenance: Fabergé and Bianchi collections
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LARGEST KNOWN FRANKING TO FRANCE FROM THIS PERIOD 1871 (16 Oct.) Quadruple weight folded cover to Bordeaux/France, franked by ELEVEN 1866 10k and two 1k, perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, tied by RIGA cds, French PRUSSE ERQUELINES 18 JUIN 69 entry-cds, ms "4" for "Prussian" quadruple-weight (45 to 60gr.) and ms "7" for "French" septuple-weight (45 to 52,5gr), ms "22"Sgr accountancy marking of which 15 3/4Sgr going to France and 1 3/4Sgr going to Belgium, attractive franking mounted on exhibition page
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1866 Rate : Balance collection of 7 stampless covers mounted on exhibition pages, various markings including registration, cover to Africa ! (Philippeville, Algeria), cover from Warsaw, etc., very fine
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1874 (9 Dec.) Envelope to Algeria franked by 1866 10k and 5k, perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, tied by KAUNAS cds, French RUSSIE ERQUELINES-PARIS entry-cds alongside, reverse bears ALGER/ALGERIE 27 DEC 74 arrival cds, rare sending to Africa of which only 7 items are recorded from this period Rate: 13k closed paquet rate (1 April 1874), 2k overpaid
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1874 Two Insufficiently franked folded covers to Bordeaux/France, respectively double-weight bearing 1866 10k pair, perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, and quadruple-weight with pair and to singles, first with ms "80"(c) corresponding to 20k, hs "6" (décimes) for due to pay (140c - 80c = 60c), Russian and French hs for Insufficiently paid, second with ms "1f60" corresponding to 40k, hs "12" (décimes) for due to pay (280c - 160c = 120c), Russian and French hs for Insufficiently paid, a fine pair to same address
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1874 (24 Dec.) Insufficiently franked double-weight envelope to Bordeaux/France bearing a 1866 10k and 3k, perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, tied by Poti (Georgia) cds, French RUSSIE ERQUELINES-PARIS entry-cds alongside, ms "2" corresponding to double-weight, hs "9" (décimes) for due to pay (140c - 52c = 88c : rounded up at 90c), Russian and French hs for Insufficiently paid, scarce taxation of a double-weight cover, plus further cover taxed "6" included (140c - 80c = 60c), a fine duo
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1872 (26 Dec.) Folded cover to Marseille/France bearing 1866 10k (filing crease), 5k and 3k(3), perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, tied by Odessa cds, boxed AUS RUSSLAND EISENB. POST BUREAU, Russian OPAHKNPOBAHO boxed hs (franked) alongside, reverse bears PARIS transit and MARSEILLE arrival Rate: 24k rate (1872 - April 1874)
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MIXED FRANKING WITH RUSSIAN LEVANT - LARGEST RECORDED FRANKING 1875 (29 Jan.) Envelope from Constantinople to Paris/France franked by 1866 1k(3), 5k, 10k and 30k(2), perf. 14 1/2, on horizontally laid paper, and Russian Levant 1872 1k(2), 3k(2) and 10k, all cancelled on transit in Odessa, endorsed "voie d'Odessa et Vienne", French RUSSIE ERQUELINES - PARIS entry-cds alongside, cert. JF Brun Rate: Russia 78 kopek: 6-fold 13k rate of 1st April 1874, weight between 75 and 90 grams plus Russian Levant postage for the Black Sea journey (6 X 3k =18k) An extraordinary 7-colour mixed franking. Largest recorded mixed Russia/Russian Levant franking.
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