Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

Austrian P.O. 1864: Arms 5 s. rose, perf. 9½, a horizontal pair used on bilingually addressed 1867 cover to Constantinople tied by "SOFIA" circular datestamp (May 23) in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 864). A great rarity from Sofia, a town of under 20'000 people at this date - there being no known usages of the 1863 perf. 14 issue recorded from Sofia; this being the one of just two recorded covers bearing the 1864 5 soldi adhesive. Signed Colla, Ferchenbauer.
Provenance: Dr. Anton and Elizabeth Jerger, Corinphila sale 140, 15-16 May 2004, lot 970.

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, Scaher, Steindler & Walker collections".