Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

British Post Office in Beirut 1874 (Dec 1): Combination part cover from Beirut to Milano, bearing Great Britain 1858/69 2 d. blue pl. 14 tied by ‘G06’ obliterator with “BRITISH POST OFFICE / BEYROUT” cds in black alongside (March 5) paying single rate to Alexandria. In addition, Italian ESTERO 1874 40 centesimi rosa (Sassone 7) was added, tied by ‘234’ grill numeral in black of the Alexandria post office. Struck alongside with "ALESSANDRIA D'EGITTO / POSTE ITALIANE 9 MAR 74” cds. Reverse lower backflap missing with MILANO arrival (March 14) cds. An appealing combination cover, certs. E. Diena (1994), Colla (2009). 

Note: A British postal agency was opened in Beirut on 20 March 1873 and the ‘G06’ obliterator used there. Combination frankings with French or Italian adhesives occur as mail  to France or Italy, respectively went via the British packet to Alexandria and then by either French or Italian packets to Europe. One has to assume that the ESTERO adhesive had been added to the letter already in Beirut. Between October 1873 and September 1875, a total of 18 combination covers are known despatched at the British P.O. in Beyrouth and franked at the Italian P.O. in Alexandria with Italian or ESTERO adhesives for the onward journey to Western Europe, see Zanaria & coworkers - Catalogo storico-postale dei francobolli in uso negli uffici postali italiani all’estero 1852-1890 on pages 274-277.
Reference: Displayed and discussed in Zanaria & coworkers - Catalogo storico-postale dei francobolli in uso negli uffici postali italiani all’estero 1852-1890 on page 274.