CORINPHILA AUCTIONS 297 - 308 Day 7

Austrian consular P.O. in Constantinople 1875 (May 21): Cover from Constantinople to Livorno, marked as double rate with blue crayon, bearing 1867 coarse whiskers 25 s. brownish violet, a fine and fresh horizontal strip of three, tied by "CONSTANTINOPEL 21 / 5 / 75" cds in black (Tchilinghirian fig. 389). "P.D." handstamp in black alongside, reverse with BRINDISI transit and LIVORNO arrival (May 28) cds's. Horizontal and vertical file folds well away from the franking, nevertheless an exceptionally rare usage of this multiple. Cert. E. Diena (1980) Ferchenbauer = € 6'500. Lot includes 1867 pair 5 s. red and 1878 fine whiskers 3 s. green two strips of three on piece, cancelled with this consular cds.rnNote: Franked although not endorsed for a triple rate cover sent via Varna & Vienna to Italy with three times 10 soldi for the Levant and three times 15 soldi for Italy. Transported with the next steamer via Brindisi, presumably only in the second rate, which would had to be franked with twice 15 soldi for the Lloyd and twice 8 soldi for Italy. A good deal for the Austrian side, the sender paid 29 soldi too much.rnProvenance: Oscar Collection, part 3, DF sale (Feb 2000), lot 10572.