Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

Austrian Lloyd P.O. in Beirut 1862 (April 19): Ingoing envelope originating from Milano, Italy to Beirut, endorsed „Via Trieste“, bearing Sardinia used in Italy 20 centesimi blue, touched at upper left and pre-use paper fold, tied by indistinct MILANO cds (April 2, 62). Upon arrival in Beirut, struck by clear two-line „BEYRUT. / 19. APR.“ datestamp (Tranmer fig. 2). Front shows handstruck '15' soldi charge for Austria and handwritten '20' soldi for the Lloyd for the residual journey.

Note: After the 1859 War of Italian Independence and up to May 1862, the postal relationships between the new Kingdom of Italy and Austria came to a halt. Mail from either side of the frontier could only be paid by the sender to the border, the receiver had to pay the residual journey. This is also the case for this cover. The sender could pre-pay only the Italian inland rate of 20 centisimi using a Sardinian adhesive of that face. The cover was charged 15 soldi for the third Austrian rayon up to Trieste and 20 soldi for the Lloyd part of the journey, in total 35 soldi which had to be paid by the receiver.