EARLY NEPAL EXPEDITION COVER / ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND of AUSTRIA (assassinated 1914 in Sarajevo, Bosnia) / INDIA USED IN NEPAL 1893 Registered envelope to Jockey Club, Vienna, with full hand-written contents by Archduke Franz Ferdinand franked at back India 4d olive and 1/2d green bearing circle killer type ‘A’ alongside ‘EXPERIMENTAL P.O. A-78 MA 21 93’ cds and ‘SEA POST OFFICE A MA 25 93’ cds, at front boxed EXPERIMENTAL P.O. A-78 cachet and ‘R’ registered cachet The registered envelope includes a 4-pages personal letter, hand-written by Archduke Franz Ferdinand, dated inside Nepal, Katani Terai 15.3.93 to the knight (Ritter) and General of Joelsen, lifetime member of the Jockey Club and president of the Austrian Campagne-horse-riding club and highly decorated Austrian military personality Archduke Franz Ferdinand whilst on a world voyage wrote this letter during a Nepal expedition to the Knight of Joelsen congratulationg him to a high royal decoration Archdukes Franz Ferdinands assassination in June 1914 in Sarajevo was the final catalyst for the outbreak of World War I An important Nepal cover but also of importance from various other aspects (geo-political, political and social) and also a quite rare autograph (Image)

1876-1959, Collection of ca.400 covers, incl. postal stationery, official mail, British and Indian embassy mail incl. 1948 Gandhi 1 1/2a FDC and a strong section of Pashupati issue covers incl. registered, mixed issue frankings, multiple frankings, various rates and range of cancellations, etc., interesting assortment (Est. CHF 700/900) (Image)

1881-1928, Collection of mint & used (mix of postal and telegraphic cancels) classic issues organised in a stockbook, incl. multiples and tête-bêche pairs, incl. 1881 4a green pin-perf unused, Sc.7 1a blue tête-bêche block, Sc.17a 1a green error of colour cert. Helrigll, Sc.29Ab 1a indigo used block of 56, wide range of shades, a great foundation for a specialised collection (STC Scott $5’978) (Est. CHF 700/900) (Image)

1881-1935, General unused & used collection in stockbook showing a good deal of completion, plus a fine array of later covers franked with the Pashupati issues, some useful registered usages, plus a few stampless, mixed to very fine (Est. CHF 400/700) (Image)

1881-1982, Mint & used collection, good selection of early issues, later with some duplication, some covers, noted 1975 2p block of 20 with dry print error, etc. a useful collection (Est. CHF 200/300)