289 |
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15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II
(119). Intense shades and impressions, couple trivial pulled perfs at
bottom, cancelled by grid at origin and by ms. "X" in transit (as later
explained), "Haverhill Mass. Feb. 9" (1870) circular datestamp on small
cover to Aleppo, Syria (Turkey), red "5" in circle credit handstamp
and matching "New York Paid All Direct Feb. 12" backstamp, red "Bremen
Franco" transit and matching "Weiterfr. 2 Sgr." German rate handstamp,
sequential transits on front and back are Vienna (Mar. 2), Constantinople
(Mar. 10), Beirut (Mar. 31) and Alexandretta (Apr. 3), bluish-black "TAXE"
handstamp and matching boxed cancels tying Turkey 1869 20pa and 1pi, Red
Brown Border, Postage Dues (J16, J17) on back, ms. "6" decimes due
marking and pen lines applied by French postal clerk thru all prior
transits and rate notations (and 15c stamp), ms. "Trouve a la boite"
notation, blue crayon "12" due on front, other blue crayon arithmetic
notations on back, opened up for display, a few minor faults VERY FINE
APPEARANCE. AN INCOMPARABLE 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVER, PASSING THROUGH
FIVE DIFFERENT POSTAL SYSTEMS ON ITS JOURNEY FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO A
MISSIONARY IN ALEPPO, SYRIA, ONE OF THE OLDEST INHABITED CITIES IN THE
WORLD. This cover is pictured and described in Jeffrey M. Forster's
1982 Register article on 1869 mixed frankings (pp. 104-106), where
he states "This cover is remarkable inasmuch as it passed through the
United States, German, Austrian, Turkish and French postal systems. This
writer knows of no other cover which demonstrates this outstanding
accomplishment." To summarize the cover's journey, it was stamped 15c
for the North German Union Direct rate to Syria (Turkey). The U.S. retained
10c and credited the North German Union with 5c for postage beyond NGU
boundaries. From Bremen the cover was sent to Vienna (Mar. 2) to enter the
Austrian postal system, which maintained offices in Turkey. It was
postmarked at the Austrian P.O. in Constantinople on Mar. 10. However,
without an office in Aleppo to receive the letter, the Austrians turned it
over to to the Turkish P.O., which determined that it should be sent by
French Mail. Two Turkish postage due stamps amounting to 1 piastre and 20
paras (approximately 7-1/2 cents) were affixed on back and tied by Turkish
cancels (the "TAXE" handstamp is in identical ink). From Constantinople the
cover was carried by French Mail to Beirut (Mar. 31), then to Alexandretta
(Apr. 3) for the final leg of the journey inland to Aleppo. Evidently the
French P.O. assessed postage due at 6 decimes (12c).
(Image) |
E. 15,000-20,000
SOLD for $15,500.00
Will close during Public Auction |