First Day of usage for the Tughra Issue: December 29th 1862 1862 (29.12) Folded entire from Lefke (Bursa – Turkey) to Deraliye (Istanbul), dated “29 December 1862” in Greek, franked on arrival (dated 6th January) by Postage Due 1pi brick red shade, tied by “battal” cancellation in blue (Brandt Type II) – a First Day of usage (FDU) An important showpiece for the whole of the Middle East Provenance: ex Garmiryan; Basaran (2010), page 84. (Image)

5pi black on rose proof on thin paper, vertical pair, couple of stain spots, very fine & a scarce multiple (Image)

2pi black on dark blue, red control band at bottom, single neatly tied by Deraliye (Brandt Type I/2) battal cancel in black, on 1864 refolded envelope to Edirne (Adrinople), fine & a very rare single franking – blue registration seal at the back. (Image)

2pi black on blue & Third Printing 1pi, both neatly tied by blue dotted cancel on dispatch from Uzunova & tied on arrival by Deraliye (Brandt Type I/2) battal cancel in black, on 1864 folded entire dated 19th of September, a very fine mixed issue franking Note: Illustrated in Basaran (2010) page 28 (Image)

5pi black on rose & red, attractive selection of cancels on nine singles & one pair, showing battal, dot & line, plus rare markings of Filibe, Deraliye & Nis, mixed to very fine, a rare group (11) (Image)

5pi black on red, blue control band at bottom, used horizontal pair, with clear dot & line cancel, very fine (Image)

5pi black on rose, blue control band at bottom, used horizontal pair cancelled by dot & line cancel, very fine (Image)

5pi black on rose, blue control band at top, right sheet marginal single used with dot & line cancel, very fine (Image)

5pi black on rose, blue control band at bottom, showing plate flaw top right (Isfila BE141), used, very fine (Image)

5pi black on rose, blue control band at bottom, showing plate flaw at top, used, very fine (Image)

THE SECOND LARGEST USED MULTIPLE RECORDED 5pi black on rose, blue control band at top, used horizontal left marginal STRIP OF FOUR tied on fragment with a single Third printing 1pi by dot & line cancels, showing an array of different plate flaws. Very fine for this extremely rare used multiple Note: Illustrated in Basaran (2007) page 68 Provenance: Kuyas (Image)

5pi black on rose, central blue control band, vertical PAIR tied by both blue (Brandt II) & black (Brandt I) battal cancels, on 1864 folded registered cover addressed to Kevork Hoca at Valide Han in Deraliye, a stunning showpiece as only two such covers are recorded franked with vertical pairs Provenance: Brandt & Kuyas (Image)

5pi black on rose, three singles with two having blue control band at bottom, and one on the top, all tied by dot & line cancels, on reverse of 1864 folded cover from Istanbul to Nigde, dated July 27th, very fine & an extremely rare multiple franking of the five piastre value (Image)

5pi black on rose, left sheet marginal single (some creasing) tied by dotted battal cancel (Brandt Type II/4), on envelope sent to Istanbul addressed to the Local Governor (Mayor), fine & rare Note: Illustrated in Basaran (2010) page 36 (Image)

20pa black on brick red, without control band, mint TÊTE-BÊCHE BLOCK OF FOUR (head-to-head) (Types VIII-IX/XI-X), some usual creases as expected with these thin paper issues, a very fine & rare mint multiple (Image)

20pa black on brick red, without control band, mint right sheet marginal TÊTE-BÊCHE BLOCK OF FOUR (head-to-head) (Types III-II/IV-V), some usual creases as expected with these thin paper issues, a very fine & a rare mint multiple (Image)

TÊTE-BÊCHE BLOCK OF FOUR 20pa black on brick red, postage due, without a control band, unused TÊTE-BÊCHE BLOCK OF FOUR (Types III-II/IV-V) without gum, showing two tête-bêche pairs head to head & dramatic pre-printing paper flaw, very fine & a rare block (4) (Isfila Specialised No. 11 BV24) (Image)

20pa black on brick red, with blue control band at foot, horizontal pair neatly tied by line & dot battal cancel (Brandt Type I/2) in black, on 1864 small neat envelope from Corlu to Deraliye (Istanbul), very fine & a scarce usage of the brick red shade as a pair Note: Illustrated Basaran (2010) page 81 (Image)

1pi black on brown, blue control band at foot, two singles & 20pa single, all neatly tied by blue “battal” on small neat native envelope, slightly reduced at right, very fine & rare mixed postage & postage due franking (Image)

TÊTE-BÊCHE BLOCK OF FOUR 2pi black on red brown, with blue control bands foot to foot, used tête-bêche block of four (Types I-II/VII-VIII) on small fragment, showing attractive plate flaw, very fine & an extremely rare used multiple (4) (Image)

2pi black on brown & 1pi black brown, blue control bands at foot, both neatly tied on folded entire by clear “battal” applied on arrival, very fine & a scarce usage (Image)

5pi black on red-brown, no control band, unused showing “double ornament on left” variety, fine & a rare variety (Image)

5pi black on red-brown, red control band at foot, unused single showing “double ornament on left” variety, fine & a rare variety (Image)

5pi black on red-brown, blue control band at foot, unused single showing “double ornament on left” variety, fine & a rare variety (Image)

THE KUYAS STRIP 5pi black on reddish brown, with blue control bands at foot, STRIP OF SEVEN & two vertical tête-bêche strips of three & one single all tied to large cover front, apparently the stamps do not belong to the cover, an unusual item Provenance: Passer, Brandt & Kuyas (Image)