Sale No: 284
Lot No:1955
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

Syria, Austrian / Ottoman Posts 1856 (Nov 6): Entire letter from the Sardinian Consul in Constantinople (full oval black seal on reverse), mailed to the Sardinian Consul in Aleppo via Alexandrette, struck at left with "L.A. From the Austrian Post / Aleppo" negative seal in black with Roman 'L.A.' (Tchilinghirian & Tranmer fig. 1 / Müller 2024a = 1'400 pts.) - unlisted in Coles & Walker - this handstamp was used on transit mail between 1855 and 1856 only when withdrawn possibly due to Ottoman complaints, probably applied at Alexandrette, with very few examples known. The sole recorded entire not from the Dahlah correspondence, f fine and very rare. Ex collection Keith Tranmer.rnNote: This is the only bilingual Austrian Levant postmark - a rarity only in use from 1855/56. Ing. Edwin Müller (1960) knew only two items with this cancellation in black, a number not changed until 1976, when Keith Tranmer published his study on this subject (see collection 'Monte Napoleone', Corinphila sale 78, Sept. 1988, lot 895; collection 'Cihangir', Corinphila sale 121, May 2000, lot 1929). Keith Tranmer originally stated that this handstamp was used only as an arrival mark. However four covers, all struck in 1855/56 in blue or blackish blue and all being part of the same Dahlah correspondence, sent via Trieste or intended to be sent via Trieste to London, where this postmark clearly functioned as a temporary despatch postmark (Collection Franz See, Corinphila sale 62, May 1979, lot 2423; Collection 'Cihangir', Corinphila sale 121, May 2000, lot 1994 & Corinphila sale 124, Oct 2000, lot 5756). This entire is an additional cover to Thomas Berger's 2019 census and is not applied to a Dahlah correspondence cover. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)