France. 1849-52 The First Issue. 15c. green, large to very large margins all round, lozenge cancellation; very fine and attractive. Signed A. Brun. Spink Maury 2, €1,100 (Image1)

Est. £250-500

France. 1849-52 The First Issue. 1f. carmine, enormous balanced margins, light grid cancellation. Superb. A wonderful example. Signed Calves. Spink Maury 6, €1,100 (Image1)

Est. £250-500

France. 1849-52 The First Issue. Prepared for use but not issued "Marquelet" 25c. deep blue, unused with full sheet margin at left and large margins other sides; very fine. Spink Maury 8c, €3,000 (Image1)

Est. £2,000-4,000

France. 1852 "Présidence" Issue. 10c. bistre, delicate fine impression with colour uniformly applied, roughly separated on two sides, margins ranging from complete to very large, used on 29 March 1854 cover to Bucey-lès-Gy, lightly applied over the edge at top, tied by "OR" without-circle rural cancels. A very rare and delightful usage. Calves and Roumet certificates (1993). Spink Maury 9, €7,750 (for the "OR" within circle) (Image1)

Est. £1,000-2,000

France. 1853-61. 1f. carmine, wonderfully crisp impression with very large margins on all sides and gros points cancellation. An exceptional example of this scarce stamp. Signed Calves and others. Papadopoulos Certificate (1981). Spink Maury 18, €4,000 (Image1)

Est. £2,000-4,000

France. 1862 Perforated "Empire" Issue. 20c. blue, "face to face" tête-bêche pair, tied by "3218" gros chiffres cancellations of Roubaix to entire letter to Lille dated 23 Jan. 1863; horizontal filing fold clear of the adhesives, fine. Signed Calves. Spink Maury T22, €3,000 (Image1)

Est. £600-1,200

France. 1863-70 Laureated "Empire" Issue. 20c. blue "à la corne" (2) and "à la pipe" varieties, tied to separate entire letters; good to fine. Spink Maury 29IId, 29IIf (Image1)

Est. £250-500

France. 1876-1900 Type "Sage" Issues. 25c. ultramarine on greenish, type II, fine used and scarce. Maison Guy Certificate (1995). Spink Maury 78IIBf (Image1)

Est. £100-200

France. 1876-1900 Type "Sage" Issues. 25c. ultramarine on greenish, type II, tied by Andance Ardeche c.d.s. of 9 March 1877 to entire letter to Marseilles, very fine and attractive. Spink Maury 78IIBf, €650 (Image1)

Est. £150-300

France. 1876-1900 Type "Sage" Issues. 5c. yellow-green, vertical strip of three, dramatically centred to lower left, tied to piece by Paris "Flag" RF cancellation; fine (Image1)

Est. £200-400

France. 1876-1900 Type "Sage" Issues. 5c. yellow-green, types II and III, block of eighteen (6x3) from the lower right corner of the sheet containing three vertical se-tenant pairs with horizontal interpanneau margin; unmounted mint, fine and an attractive block. Spink Maury 102h (Image1)

Est. £500-1,000

France. 1876-1900 Type Sage Issues. 50c. rose, type III, five examples, centred to upper right, together with 10c., type III, used on insured commercial envelope from Pagny-sur-Moselle to Paris, tied by dispatch c.d.s.'s with unreadable date, the rate paid being 15 times the single weight (2.25 francs), 25 cents registration fee and 10 cents for the declared value. A rare and attractive high franking. Spink Maury 103, 104 (Image1)

Est. £120-240

France. 1900-02 "Mouchon" Issue. 10c. red type II, from the upper left corner of the sheet and showing misplaced perforation obliquely, unmounted mint, hinged in margin, fine. Spink Maury 116e (Image1)

Est. £300-400

France. 1900-02 "Mouchon" Issue. "Franchise Militaire" Issue 15c. orange, double overprint, pair Millésime "0", unmounted mint, hinged only in interpanneau; superb and rare. Spink Maury 124, F.M. 1 (Image1)

Est. £150-300

France. 1900-02 "Mouchon" Issue. "Franchise Militaire" Issue 15c. orange, block of four with interpanneau margin at top and in between with Millésime "1", unmounted mint; separated perforations vertically between two adhesives and the interpanneau at left, fine and rare. Spink Maury 124 (Image1)

Est. £120-240

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 50c. centre missing, part original gum; centred to right, fine. Spink Maury 120d, €600 (Image1)

Est. £120-240

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 50c. cinnamon and lavender, centre misplaced to foot, large part original gum; fine and fresh. Spink Maury 120e, €500 (Image1)

Est. £120-240

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 50c. cinnamon and lavender, from the upper left corner of the sheet and showing pre-perforating paper fold, large part original gum; fine and spectacular. Spink Maury 120g (Image1)

Est. £250-350

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 1f. lake and yellow-green, vertical pair from the upper left corner of the sheet, the first stamp showing an interesting pre-printing paper fold resulting in a portion being unprinted and with the missing part impression in the margin; unmounted mint, fine and spectacular. Spink Maury 121 (Image1)

Est. £400-800

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 1f. lake and yellow-green, from the upper left corner of the sheet and showing a pre-printing paper fold leaving an unprinted portion at upper left, mint, a few patches of missing gum; fine and spectacular. Spink Maury 121 (Image1)

Est. £300-600

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 1f. lake and yellow-green, block of four from the left of the sheet, variety centre misplaced, original gum with the lower pair remaining unmounted mint; fine. Spink Maury 121f, €1,180+ (Image1)

Est. £150-300

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 1f. lake and yellow-green, from the lower right corner of the sheet and showing a pre-perforation paper crease; large part original gum, light pencil notes in the margin. Fine and spectacular. Spink Maury 121k (Image1)

Est. £200-400

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 1f. lake and yellow-green, horizontal pair from the left of the sheet with pre-printing paper folds affecting both stamps; unmounted mint, fine. Spink Maury 121o, €770+ (Image1)

Est. £150-300

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 2f. deep lilac and buff, unmounted mint, well centred; fresh and fine. Signed Brun. Spink Maury 122, €2,600 (Image1)

Est. £500-1,000

France. 1900-27 "Merson". 2f. deep lilac and buff, block of four, one central hinge, some split perfs., quite well centred and fine. Spink Maury 122, €3,800 (Image1)

Est. £1,000-2,000