Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

Sofia, Austrian P.O. 1864: Arms 10 s. blue, perf. 9½, a vertical pair used on 1865 entire letter written in Hebrew on May 16th from Samakoff, some 60 miles South East of Sofia to Constantinople, mailed in Sofia and tied by "SOFIA" circular datestamp (May 18) in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 864). Reverse with Austrian P.O. "Constantinopel" cds of receipt (May 22). Adhesive slightly touched by file fold but a very rare Arms issue entire from Sofia with just four covers recorded. Signed Enzo Diena.
Provenance: Corinphila, Zurich, 7 Oct 1991, lot 5198.

Note: Tchilinghirian states "It is worthy of note that the 1864 issue (used in Sofia) is only represented by 5 loose examples and one cover (ex Franz See) in the Tchilinghirian & Stephen census of the Blecher, Blomfield, Felser, Kohane, Mazloum, Moreton, Mossirson, Poulie, Rosenzweig, Sacher, Steindler & Walker collections". There were no covers in the Houser collection either.