Auction 321 - 332 Romania – Special Catalogue, Worldwide Rarities – The ERIVAN Collection – 2nd Auction, Schweiz & Liechtenstein - Day 5

1861: Stampless entire, from Belgrade, Serbia, to Marseille, dated 21 October 1861, printed lettersheet headed up 'SOCIETE GENERAL FRANCO-SERBE-NAVIGATION DU DANUB', endorsed top 'Par voie de Vienna Austria', handstamp '10' charge mark in black and a 'A.' alongside a Galatz datestamp in blue 25 October, letter carried on the ship 'PAPIN' to Galatz where it was posted through Galatz to Vienna, sent by land to France where it received the charge mark, to the reverse a 'Wien' (Vienna) datestamp 30 October 1861 overlaying an arrival in Marseille dated 3 November 1861, horizontal filing crease centrally, otherwise fine, a rare cover; proving the French investment company at Levant were using their Danube shipping company boat to expedite mail transfer from the Balkans.