Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 6

Early Mail from Smirna 1637/1873: The collection on Exhibit leaves (24 covers/entires) with 1637 entire letter to Marseille, 1680-1697 entire letters (6) from the Venturini archive with docketing of both Ship's and Captains, 1759 entire letter to Marseille originally endorsed via Vienna but redirected via Geneva due to the Seven Year's War; 1764 entire to Marseille, 1791 entire to Verviers and 1788 entire to London with "VOIE DE MER / PAR...

Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1846: Entire letters (2) from Smyrna to Aleppo each struck on despatch with "An janib posta Izmir" negative seal handstamp (Coles & Walker fig. 1) in bluish-black ink, with manuscript rate 6 piastres 10 paras for a 3 dram letter travelling 250 route hours; together with a large piece showing a wonderful strike of the rare "Postahane-i Izmir 1278" handstamp (1278 = 1862 gregorian) perfectly struck in bright...

Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1863: Toughra first printing 2 pi. black on blued thin paper and third printing 1 pi. black on lilac on thick paper, used on 1864 entire letter from Smyrna to Karahishar (Afyon), tied by two strikes of dotted 'Battal' handstamps in black. A fine entire and scarce combination of printings demonstrating the 3 piastre rate for a distance of between 50 and 100 route hours = 3 kurus. Illustrated in Mehmet Basaran's '...

Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1867: Official cover from the Government Survey Department carried free of charges with intaglio rectangular "tahrirat muhimme" (registration / important) handstamp in blue, "Hanefi Land Office" seal in black at upper right and early usage of Smyrna's first bilingual datestamp "Izmir / Smyrne" cds (5 May 1867) in black. File folds do not detract from a scarce cover.

Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1884: Empire 1 pi. blue, a single example used on 1889 cover with full contents to Chios, Greece tied by good strike of octagonally framed arabic "Izmir Kordon Vapur Subesi / 1293" (The Shipping Agency on the Quay / 1877) in violet; sold together with a piece from the same correspondence to Chios bearing 1880 20 pa. black on rose similarly cancelled in blue. Scarce.

Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1889: Germany 10 pf. carmine, a horizontal pair used on 1884 cover to Berlin, Germany tied by "SMIRNE / TURQUIE / DEPART"  datestamp in black (Oct 22) with information strike at left. Sender's cachet at lower dated two day's prior and reverse with Berlin arrival (Oct 28). Corner clipped at upper left but a remarkable accepted usage, there being no German P.O. in Smyrna at this date. Sold together with two further...

Lots & Collection, Ottoman Post Office in Smirna 1827/1922c.: The Exhibit collection on leaves (95+ covers/cards on exhibit leaaves) with Dulos issue cover with 20 pa. green and 1 pi. yellow cancelled by boxed "Izmir 81" handstamp, 1869 3 pi. orange staionery envelope up-rated with 2 x 10 pa. lilac to Kutaia, Empire issue covers/postal stationery (17) with framed "Izmir" handstamps (C&W fig. 20) and circular datestamps, Official usage...

Smirna in World War I 1915/18: Exhibit collection (64 covers/cards) on leaves showing the beginning of Censorship on overseas mail from Smirna with Censor cachets of Constantinople in black, violet and red, red perforated circular seals on reverse of covers (and two usages of the much rarer seal in green); usages of the rectangular perforated red Censor label; fine 1915 Parcel Card multi-franked at 34½ piastres with 1914 issue incl. 25 pi....

Steam Navigation Co. 1844 (Dec 12): Entire letter from Smirna to Constantinople struck with framed negative handstamp "STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY SMYRNA / PP" struck in black with "PP" in italics in vignette, fresh and very fine. For another / the other example see the Cengiz Arsman collection (DF, May 2005, lot 20350). An extremely rare entire. Signed Calves.

Turkish Steamship Company 1859 (May 1/13): Prepaid entire letter from Smirna to Constantinople struck with fine oval strike of "ADMINE DEI VAPORI DEL ARSENALE / IN SMIRNE / PP" in blue-green (Ringström & Tester type 20). Some file folds away from the cancellation but very rare.

Asia Minor Screw Steamship Co. 1867: Austrian Levant 10 s. blue, three examples used on registered cover from Smirna to Constantinople tied by "LLOYD AGENZIE / SMIRNE" circular datestamp (Nov 9) in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 8) and in manuscript ink, struck at base with three line "THE ASIA MINOR / SCREW STEAMSHIP CO. / SMYRNA AGENCY" in black. Turksih negative seal at right "Olunmishdir taahud" (it has been registered) in black and reverse...

Bells' Asia Minor Steamship Co. 1871: Unpaid entire letter from Symi to Trieste, with outstanding strike of four line "BELL'S / ASIA MINOR / STEAMSHIP CO. / SMYRNA AGENCY" handstamp in blue at left, struck in transit with "SMIRNE" thimble cds (Oct 21) in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 10) and charged "20" kreuzer due upon receipt with arrival (Oct 27) on reverse. An extremely rare entire.
Provenance: Collection "Monte Napoleon", Corinphila...