Europe continued...

1858, "Reçu le 1er Avril”, French two-line Bucharest arrival handstamp (Tchilinghirian Type 5, this very mark illustrated), fair strike on an entire letter written in Greek with reverse oval postmark "MOSCOU AVRIL 4”, dated inside 3 April 1858, on front endorsed in crayon "32K(opek)” (correct rate), very fine. A very rare entire

Provenance: 290th Heinrich Köhler auction (1996)

1859, "BUKAREST OTPR(avleno) 8 MAIYA” Cyrillic two-line (Tchilinghirian Type 4), a very fine strike of the despatch mark on reverse of an envelope from "KRONSHTADT APRIL 1859”, addressed to the ruler of Moldavia and Wallachia, Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Slight toning, otherwise very fine. A delightful, historically significant, and rare item. 

Provenance: 290th Heinrich Köhler auction (1996)

BUCHAREST INCOMING MAIL: money letter with undated framed "BALTA” (Kamenets Podolsk province) despatch on reverse, sent to Bucharest and regarding the sum of 30 silver roubles and 90 kopeks, extremely fine. A very scarce usage 

CONSTANZA: 1875, entire letter with full content endorsed in Greek script on the inside "Constanza 15 sept. 1875”, sent by steamer franked with Russian Levant 3 k. green and 5 k. blue as (horizontal pair) all struck on arrival with cds "ODESSA 17 CEP. 1875” repeated alongside; the entire with light vertical archival fold of no significance, very fine. Extremely rare, signed and certificate Holcombe (1992)  (Michel-Nr. 7x, 8y)

Provenance: Cherrystone auction (2009)

1846, "V GALATZ 1846 MAIYA”, Cyrillic two-line (Tchilinghinrian Type 2, Dobin-Nr. 1.01), a very good strike in red on the reverse of a large part lettersheet to Bucharest, red crayon "30” rate marking; despite the minor part missing still fine Russian abroad mail from this Moldavian port on the Danube. A very rare handstamp with only a few recorded

1846, "V GALATZ 1846 NOV. 30”, Cyrillic two-line (Tchilinghinrian Type 2, Dobin-Nr. 1.01), a very good strike in red on the reverse of an entire lettersheet to Odessa, very fine, also an entire letter dated inside "Galatz 15/27 Maggio 1828” to Odessa with disinfection rastel marks and slices, fine. A delightful duo

GALATZ: 1869, "GALATZ 19 MAI. 1869” (Tchilinghirian Type 6) in blue, fine strike (repeated on reverse) with additional blue dotted lozenge tying a Russian Levant 10 k. carmine/green to lettersheet to Taganrog via "ODESSA 20 MAYA. 1869”. Minor peripheral toning of no significance, very fine and visually appealing. Very rare and desirable combination, featuring both the Galatz cds. and the Retta cancel, from the known Svorono correspondence (Michel-Nr. 5)

Provenance: `Cihangir´ (121th Corinphila auction, 2000)

ISMAIL: 1843, "ISMAIL APRIL 2() 1843” Cyrillic two-line despatch handstamp (unrecorded in Tchilinghirian), fair strike on reverse of entire letter to Odessa with alongside cachet from the Vice Consul from Sardinia, dated inside "Ismail lo 14 Aprile 1843”, fine. Very rare

ISMAIL: 1846, "ISMAILA OTPRAV MARTA 8 1846” Cyrillic two-line despatch handstamp, excellent strike to reverse of a free frank official letter from the Azov military regiment to Tavabeyuev, vertical archival fold of no importance. Very fine, and very rare

1839, "YASSI” Cyrillic handstamp in slanting capitals (Tchilinghirian Type 1, Dobin-Nr. 1.02), a very fair strike on reverse of an official entire letter from the Kharkov Court to Yassi, endorsed both inside and on the back flap "Kharkov 15 September (1839)”. From Jassi the cover was forwarded to Bucharest via the weekly mail service linking the two cities, with manuscript dockettings "6 October” (reverse) and "10 October” (inside), very fine. An exceptional redirection  and a noteworthy use of this rare Jassi marking 

JASSY: 1844, Postal receipt from "JASSY POST OFFICE" for a brief sent to Bucharest, dated 10 February 1844, alongside black negative official seal. The receipt lightly folded as usual; very fine and rare, signed and certificate Mikulski AIEP (1994) 

1850, "YASSI 1850 5 OKTIAB”, Cyrillic foliate-ornament datestamp (Tchilinghirian Type 7), very good strike on the reverse of an ecclesiastic envelope to Constantinople; some wrinkles, still very fine. Very rare, and one of only three covers known from this correspondence

JASSY: 1851, Russian PO printed Receipt for a registered letter, struck with oval negative seal handstamp inscribed "From the Post Office Abroad at Jassy" with Eagle above, struck in black. Very rare.

1860, "YASSI SEP. 9 1860”, Cyrillic datestamp mit fleuron (Tchilinghirian Type 9), fair strike in blue on entire letter to Bucharest, fine and scarce

1860, "YASSI SEP. 23 1860”, Cyrillic datestamp mit fleuron (Tchilinghirian Type 9), very good strike in blue on entire letter to Constantinople with adjacent manuscript "received 30 September”. Slightly soiled at left, still very fine and scarce

JASSY: 1862, Postal receipt issued by the "JASSY POST OFFICE" for a money letter with an insurance value of 74 roubles and 2 kopek, dated 15 January 1862; light vertical archival fold, still very fine. A rare example of the small format receipt used in Romania

JASSI INCOMING MAIL: 1817, entire letter with straight-line "KISHINEV” despatch on reverse and addressed to Jassi, intact wax seal, fine; Kishinev herself was ceded to the Russian Empire after the end of the Russo-Turkish War. An early and very scarce cover

JASSI INCOMING MAIL: 1842, lettersheet with two-line "KISHINEV 15 DECEMBER 1842” despatch marking on reverse and addressed to Jassi, fine. A scarce destination

SCULENI: 1856, Postal receipt issued by the "SKULYANI POST OFFICE" for a sending to St Petersburg. Lightly folded, with some minor faults and toning, otherwise fine. Following its cession to Russia under the Treaty of Bucharest, Skulyani was the principal border post and key locality for mail exchange between Bessarabia and the Danubian Principalities. Rare

TULCEA: 1883, "R.O.P.i.T TULCHINSK. AGENTSVO 28 II (83)” (Tchilinghirian Type1), two fine strikes in blue on Russian Levant 1 k. black/yellow and 7 k. carmine/green to small mourning envelope to Livorno, Italy, with reverse transit cds. "ALEXANDRIE” and arrival. Envelope with missing black flap, small reinforced tear at top and minor soiling of no significance; the 7 kopek with one round corner. Overall very fine and attractive. A truly extraordinary cover of great rarity, being one of only three recorded from the Russian Post Office in this small port of the Danube Delta  (Michel-Nr. 12x, 14x)

Provenance: `Kurt Adler´ (455th Robert Siegel auction, 1974)

`Cihangir´ (121th Corinphila auction, 2000)