1863-65 First Tughra issue, 30 mainly very fine used stamps with wide margins all round. All the values are represented including the postage due issue, two tête-bêche pairs and a cover; a very scarce lot in this selected condition. (Image)

1863 2ghr black on gray lilac, third printing on thick paper, extremely fine example with good margins all around and an attractive and scarce blue cancel of Filibe (Plovdiv) Bulgaria. (Image)

1863 postage due 5ghr red-brown; extremely fine used pair. (Image)

1863 5pi black on red, lightly cancelled, with the typical narrow separation lines visible on three sides, a choice example (Mi €750). (Image)

1863 Tughra 1pi black on grey, 3rd printing, thick paper, extremely fine vertical tête-bêche pair, very wide margins and a light dot and line cancel, the bottom stamp has a light wrinkle at foot otherwise an extremely fine tête-bêche pair (Scott $900). (Image)

Ottoman group of 15 covers addressed to Persia, mostly ipi frankings with some origination from Iraq including Kerbela and Kiazimie, Baghdad and suburb of Nedjef Echref, fair to fine condition. (Image)

Ottoman Iraq group of items from Kerbela to Persia with 1890s envelope franked on reverse with 1pi black on grey-blue tied by framed negative handstamp (maybe) of Kerbela, 1892 issue 1pi grey-blue cover with contents to Ispahan tied double-ring date stamp, 1901 cover with two 1pi showing good clear cancels, via Baghdad, two further similar covers, one with franking on reverse, plus late 1900s 1pi blue tied by fine blue cds. (Image)

Ottoman Iraq 1910 envelope franked on front with 1pi tied very fine and clear Kiazimie cds of 14.8., Koum arrival and depart transits (21 VIII), reverse with further transit and arrival on front, a fine cover. (Image)

Ottoman Iraq 1901 envelope franked on reverse with good strike of scarce Kazimie date stamp, Teheran transits and arrival cds (Image)

Ottoman Iraq 1908 registered cover franked 1pi and 2pi to Teheran tied single double-ring Kerbela date stamp, framed registration above, reverse with Baghdad transit and arrival date stamps, envelope slightly reduced at side on opening (Image)

Ottoman Iraq three 1910 envelope to Ispahan or Yezd, Persia each bearing single franking 1pi and tied single ring blue, black or purple Kerbela despatch date stamps, good array of Persian transits, slight tears on blue cds cover, a good trio (Image)

1916-18, Selection of nearly a 100 imperforate proofs for the diverse pictorial issues and Sultan Mehmed issue, with duplication (also pairs), also noted 2 unissued values of 1917/18 definitives, all MNH, (Mi nos.353U-57U, 477U-84U, 626U without overprint, 629U-36U, XIB, XIVB), valuable group and apparently the remainders of that Vienna Staatsdruckerei find (Image)

1920 handstamped overprint 1336 on theatre subsidy 20 paras, a very fine lightly hinged rarity with only 200 stamps surcharged and a little over 20 stamps recorded today; cert. TFDF (1998), Mi. €5'000. (Image)

1930-31 postal tax airmail stamp surcharge Bes (five) Lira on 15chr green and yellow, mint unhinged; superb and very fresh in this outstanding condition; certif. Vachat (1999), Mi. €4'500. (Image)

A truly astounding collection in five large albums, comprising stamps 1863-2000s. Very strong classic section, including 1863 imperforates complete sets used and unused, 2ghr tête-bêche pairs used and unused, 1891 “Imprimé” overprint complete set. Many of the classics occur in multiple copies, specialized in parts with notes of overprint anomalies, bisects, etc. Very strong in better complete sets, such as 1911 stamps of 1901-05 overprinted “Monastir”, “Pristina”, “Salonique”, “Uskub” complete sets MLH, 1914 200ghr (Mi 245) MLH (certificate Ferchenbauer), many with signatures, 1915 Red Crescent set and 1910 Red Crescent five values in double se-tenant block, mint no gum, 1918 the unissued Sinai Occupation 6 values (100 sets printed),1935 Women’s Congress complete set MNH. All modern is represented in complete mint. Also a range of early stamp booklets with Mi 214, 215, 216, 233-35. Additionally, fine range of official and due stamps, airmail, shipmail, tax stamps, etc. Nice section of Silicia and very strong Anatolia with many better values with expert signatures. An exceptionally strong collection with stamps in generally superb quality from a lifetime of collecting by a philatelist who did not compromise on anything. (Image)