1858 French Cêrès Essay: Plate Proofs (3), Imperforate in green, blue and bistre in marginal examples with the top inscription 'ESSAI 1858' and the value tablet '00', no Control Figures on reverse, an attractive group. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1861 French Cêrès Essay without inscription: Imperforate Plate Proofs (2) in red and blue without inscriptions in the top and bottom tablets; no control figures on reverse, fresh and fine.rnNote: Printed in 1861 in an attempt to improve the printing method initially developed during 1858/1859 by Dêsirê-Albert Barre in Paris and exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in London in 1862. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1860/61: Die Proof: Original Die Proof in red-brown on thin brown wove paper (56 x 66 mm.), complete except for the value tablets, insignificant paper thin spots, very fine appearance and extremely rare, twelve examples are recorded. Cert. Holcombe (1982) Constantinidis (1933) ES. IV.d.rnProvenance: Collections Yates and Zachariadès, 'The Collection' part IV, Feldman sale (Nov. 2006), lot 10000.rnThese 'empty square' Die Proofs were printed by Albert Barre. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image)

1861: Plate Proof for the 1 lepta, printed in black on thin vivid green paper, printed on both sides, fine example with good margins, scarce. Constantinidis (1933) 1 ES. I.7 (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1861: Barre Plate Proof 2 l. yellow-bistre on slightly yellowish paper, thinner than the paper of the issued adhesives, in a marginal horizontal strip of four from left of sheet with large margins all round, without gum. An attractive and scarce multiple Hellas P 2A / Constantinidis (1933) 2 ES. IVrnProvenance: Collection Zachariadès. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1861: Barre Plate Proof for the 5 l. green on pale greenish paper, the shade more vivid than that of the finally issued stamps, a block of four, marginal from right of sheet, positions 49-50/59-60 with position 50 showing variety 'Thinned Circle' (Hellas plate flaw 5F11), fresh and very fine with large margins all round. An attractive multiple Hellas P 3A / ​Constantinidis (1933) 3 ES. IV.rnProvenance: Collection Zachariadès. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1861: Plate Proof for the 20 l. value, printed blue on thin azure paper, a block of four printed on both sides,with reverse printed twice - once inverted, large margins all round, a most attractive and extremely rare multiple Constantinidis (1933) 5 ES. II.7rnProvenance: Collections Baron Ferrari de la Renotière, Corinphila, sale XII, April 1929; Collection Maurice Friend; Collection Alphonse Rothschild. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Plate Proof for the 40 l. value printed in carmine, the reverse with double print in orange and rose, large even margins, an unusual Proof Constantinidis (1933) 6 ES. III.2rnProvenance: Collection Zachariadès. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Plate Proof for the 40 l. value, printed in yellow-brown on bluish paper, reverse with yellow wash, large even margins all round, fresh and very fine. Rare Constantinidis (1933) 6 ES. III.4 (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Plate Proof for the 40 l. value, printed in black, a sheet marginal block of six (3 x 2), with large margins all round, slight creasing not affecting the splendid appearance Constantinidis (1933) 6 ES. I (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1861: Barre Plate Proof for the 80 l. value in pale carmine in a block of six (3 x 2) marginal from top of sheet, large margins all round, an attractive Proof block in a lovely delicate shade Hellas P 7A / Constantinidis (1933) 7 ES. II (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Paris Printing 1861: The complete unused set of seven values, all with good to large margins all round unused or with original gum, small surface spot on 5 l. green but the rare 10 l. orange marginal from top of sheet with large part og., 20 l. superb with large part og. and very scarce thus, 1 l. signed A. Diena, 2 l. signed Senf. A very scarce set so fine Hellas 1-7 / Mi = € 3'500+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Paris Printing 1861: 10 l. orange on blued paper, a used example with huge even margins all round, position 88 showing varieties: inverted '0' and uneven Control Figures, minor thin, well cancelled by numeral '9' of Piraeus. Rare and most attractive Hellas 4Nb = € 1'350. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Paris Printing 1861: 10 l. yellowish-orange on blue, 20 l. blue in a horizontal pair & 80 l. rose-carmine, all with ample to large margins, tied to small piece by '67' numeral of Syros. An attractive and scarce three colour usage Hellas 4a+5a+7a. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

First Provisional Athens Print 1861: 20 l. dark blue on quadrille background, a used example without Control Figures, with the typical 'yellowish wash' of this printing, narrow margins all round, cancelled by '1' numeral of Athens. An attractive example of this desirable and extremely rare stamp. Certs. Raybaudi & E. Diena (1984) Hellas 8/Ib = € 11'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Athens Printing 1861: 1 l. chocolate in an unused horizontal pair, ample to large margins all round in a rich shade. A most attractive multiple of this rare and desirable stamp, superb large part og. Signed A. Diena Hellas 9/IIa / Mi = € 2'200+. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Athens Printing 1861: 40 l. mauve on blue, an unused example of the fine printing, fresh colour, good to large margins all round, unused without gum. Some thins repaired, nevertheless an attractive example of a rare stamp. Cert. Scheller (2010) Hellas 14/IIa = € 4'500 for a mint example with gum. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Consecutive Athens Printing 1862/67: The complete set of eight values unused from 1 l. chocolate-brown to 80 l. rose-carmine, fresh and fine examples with vivid colour and fair to large margins, with the sole exception of the 2 l. value, all unmounted og. Hellas 15-22 / Mi = € 1'640 for unused stamps. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Consecutive Athens Printing 1862/67: 80 l. rose-carmine, block of 30 (10 x 3) from positions 71/100 in the sheet of 150 subjects with full selvedge at left and right, position 91 showing variety: 'Inverted Control Figure '8' in 80', very fresh and fine in a deep vivid shade, good to large margins all round, minor wrinkles as to be expected from a piece of this size, unmounted og. A delightful multiple Hellas 22a,22Na = € 2'150+.rnProvenance: Collection Zachariadès, 'The Collection' part VII, Feldman sale, June 2006, lot 10124. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Cleaned Plates Printing 1868/69: 40 l. grey-mauve on blued paper, an unused example from position 1, showing variety: "Control Figure '0' Inverted", large even margins, superb large part og. A very rare stamp, especially so in such fine quality Hellas 28aNb = € 1'600. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

New Values - Athens Printing 1876/77: 60 l. deep green in a horizontal strip of three, large margins all round in a deep shade, cancelled by indistinct datestamps in black Hellas 46a = € 400. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

Paris printing 1861 (Nov 5): Cover from Zante to Patras, endorsed in manuscript "Greek steamship", charged for inland postage upon arrival with '40' lepta for the double rate in red crayon, with 1861 Paris printing 40 l. mauve on blue, a superb example with vivid colour and large to enormous margins, cancelled with '9' numeral of Patras. Rare late usage of the 'Hyperthalassion' ("Over the Sea") handstamp in red applied in Patras, reverse with arrival cds (Nov 6). Some file folds away from stamp and cancellation, an attractive single usage. Cert. Scheller (2007) Hellas 6a.rnNote: The lot includes an article by A. Virvilis in Philotelia (2010) describing this cover as a remarkable example of the late usage of this shipmail handstamp on incoming mail via the Hellenic Steamship Navigation Company. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1880 (Feb 19): Small Ladies envelope with embossed crown and imprinted inscription 'OLGA' on backflap, mailed from Athens to Dessau, bearing Athens printing 30 l. olive-brown, with fresh colour and fair to large margins, tied by Athens despatch cds. Reverse with Dessau arrival cds (Feb 21). Envelope from Olga Constantinovna of Russia, Queen Consort of Greece (1851-1926) to Princess Frederick of Anhalt-Dessau. Backflap detached and opened out for presenation purposes. Rare. Hellas 45a. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Incoming from Greek Offices in the Levant 1862: Unpaid entire letter from Constantinople to Athens, despatch datestamp from the Greek P.O. in Constantinople on front (July 13) in black, charged upon arrival with '65' lepta in red crayon. Taxed with overlapped Athens print 1861 5 l. greyish green, 20 l. blue and 40 l. mauve on blue, three fine singles with vivid colour and large to enormous margins, tied with '1' numeral of Athens. Reverse with Piraeus transit and arrival cds (July 16). Double rate usage with 1½ times the basic ship letter rate of 30 lepta plus 20 lepta inland postage. A most attractive three colour franking Hellas 11/Ia+13/Ia+14/Ia.rnProvenance: Collection Zachariadès, 'The collection', David Feldman sale part III (May 2004), lot 10072. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Outgoing to Austria 1861/62: Athens print coarse impression 5 l. green, 10 l. orange, 20 l. Prussian blue and 40 l. dull mauve on blue, all of fresh colour and overall good to large margins, used on 1862 cover from Athens to Trieste, tied by '1' numeral of Athens, Despatch cds (April 28) and Greek PED (Foreign Paid to Destination) handstamp in red alongside. Reverse with Triest arrival cds (May 15g) and red crayon '3 + 15' (kreuzer) due for Triest and Lloyd equal to 55 lepta + 20 lepta for the Greek inland rate. An attractive early usage and four colour franking. Cert. RPSL (1984) Hellas 11/Ib+12/Ib+13/Ic+14/Ib. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image)