THE VADIM USTINOVSKY COLLECTION OF PRE-PHILATELIC MAILINGS: 1776-59, 14 pre-philatelic items, including Catherine the Great, envelope for Royal mailings on laid paper with watermark ‘’Crown ‘’M’’ 1778’’ (tear at top), entire letter from Tambov to Borisoglebsk (1799), Moscow Pochtamt receipt on ‘’Double Headed Eagle’’ watermarked paper (1843), mailings bearing pre-adhesive period markings of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kozlov, Spassk, Tula, Tver and etc., money letter from Lipetsk to Tambov (1855), all mounted on original pages from the Collection and meticulously described, mostly VF condition (Image)

1857, 10k brown and blue, balanced margins imperforated single, numeral ''1'' watermark, pen-cross and pre- philatelic cancellations, bold colors, fresh and VF (Image)

1858, 20k blue and orange, perforation 14½x15, printed on thick paper with numeral ''2'' watermark, intense colors, bright and fresh single, full OG, previously hinged, VF and rare in such condition, C.v. $13,000 (Image)

1858, 20k blue and orange, perforation 14½x15, cancelled on a piece with two-line boxed Zhytomyr ''21. JUNE.1858'' marking, stamp with bold colors and intact perforation absolutely beautiful collectible object, VF and rare so nice, L. Eisold certificate (Image)

1858, 30k carmine and green, perforation 14½x15, printed on very thick (0.13mm) paper with numeral watermark ''3'', excellent centering and perforation, unblemished colors, full OG, previously hinged, VF and very rare in such premium quality, C.v. $18,500 (Image)

1861, cover from the House of Merchant Kokorev at Pushkin (Moscow Gub.), sent without paying postage to editorial board of ''Russki Vestnik'', text on reverse reads: ''removed from a box of the Kokorev's House without postage stamp on September 7, 1861...'', black double-circle marking ''Due ''10'', mostly VF and scarce (Image)

1864, 1k, 3k and 5k, complete set of three with perforation 12½, bold colors and intact perforation, all with full/large part of OG, stamp of 5k has tiny translucent spot at top left, LH or previously hinged, VF, and difficult set in nice condition, C.v. $2,270 (Image)

1863, City Post, 5k black and blue, pane of 25 from the upper right part of a sheet, stamp on position 21 (position 46 in a sheet) with retouch over Arms at left, no folds or separations, full OG, NH, VF (Image)

1863, City Post, 5k black and blue, pane of 25 with margins at four sides (lower left part of a sheet), perfect flawless quality item, full OG, NH, VF (Image)

1866, 1k-30k, complete set of six in sheet margin blocks of four, printed on horizontally laid paper, post office fresh condition, full OG, NH, VF (Image)

1866, trial color perforated proofs of 5k in carmine, lilac, green, orange and blue, complete set of five, printed on horizontally laid paper, full OG, mainly LH, VF, three with Romeko or Mavrogordato expert's markings (Image)

1866, 10k brown and blue, printed on horizontally laid paper, ''kalach'' instead of ''10'' at the top left value tablet, neatly cancelled, fresh and VF (Image)

1875-79, 2k-30k, complete set of five printed on horizontally laid paper, all with sheet or corner margins, 20k with ''t'' variety, full OG, NH, VF and scarce in such condition (Image)

1879, 7k gray and rose, printed on vertically laid paper, bright colors and intact perforation, full OG, previously hinged, VF and scarce, especially in premium condition, P. Buchsbayew certificate, C.v. $2,000 (Image)

1883-88, 1k-70k, complete set of eight and additional 2k in yellow green, all are in top sheet margin blocks of four, perfect quality in every respect, full OG, NH, VF (Image)

1883-88, perforated plate proof of 2k in green (close to issued color), changed numerals, background and Crown, printed on vertically laid paper, full OG, very light trace of hinge, VF and very rare, a common stamp on horizontally laid paper is included for comparison, N. Mandrovski certificate (Image)

1884, 3.50r black and gray, 7r black and yellow, complete set of two in three side margin horizontal strips of five (from top part of sheets), printed on vertically laid paper, completely flawless and post office fresh, no folds or separations, full OG, NH, VF and extremely rare multiples, Raritan Stamps guarantee, this lot had been sold in our Auction #63 (lot #619) for $23,000 including buyer's premium (Image)

1884, 3.50r black and gray, printed on horizontally laid paper, blurry ''St. Petersburg. Expedition 1'' ds marking on a piece. We removed the stamp from a piece, and found a pinhole at bottom left and minor that corner imperfection, nevertheless VF appearance of this very rare stamp, ex-V. Ustinovsky, C.v. $15,000 (Image)

1889, 1r brown, pale brown and orange, printed on horizontally laid paper, side margin imperforated block of ten (5x2), red horizontal overprint ''Obrazets'', folds between stamps and on right margin, very fresh quality otherwise, full OG, NH, VF and rare item from the Postal Archives (Image)

1889, die proof of 14k in blue and rose, printed on thick chalk-surfaced paper, fitted for actual stamp size with short margin at the top, creased at the upper part of stamp, still rare item in collectible quality, no gum as produced, F/VF appearance, expertized by Z. Mikulski (Image)

1907, 3k rose red, printed on vertically laid paper, omitted background variety, used on picture postcard (view of Crimea) from Yalta to Pavlovsk (St. Petersburg Gub.), arrival ds is alongside, mostly VF and rare franking, N. Mandrovski certificate (Image)

1902, 3k carmine, printed on vertically laid paper, light impression of the background, top right corner sheet margin horizontal strip of five, partial offset on reverse, marginal bend, full OG, NH, VF (Image)

1902, 7k blue, printed on vertically laid paper, complete pane of 25 (bottom left part of a sheet), open pre-printing paper fold is affecting fourth horizontal row, full OG, NH or LH (two top stamps), VF and a spectacular piece (Image)

1904, 1r dark brown, pale brown and orange, printed on vertically laid paper, a single with orange ''X'' on margin at left (St. Andrew's Cross), full OG, two tiny adhesion spots on margin only, stamp is NH, VF, these stamps expected to be surcharged for usage in Russian PO in Levant, a stamp without such surcharge is very scarce (Image)

1909, postal forgery of 7k blue, printed on thin translucent paper with vertical varnish lines, perforation L14¾, NH, VF and rare, issued to defraud Postal Authorities, according to Lobachevsky Cat. this forgery has type IV, Raritan Stamps guarantee (Image)