David Feldman Romania June 5, 2019

69 Romania – Early Postal History & Classic Stamps – June 5, 2019 Lot N° Symbol(s) / Photo Page Cat. N° Estimate ( € ) 20125 F 1 27 Parale, black on rose-pink horizontally laid paper, cut-round, with clear full margins all around, fresh colour, superbly tied by crisp readable bluish-greenish “Bakeu 1/9” cancel, on 1858 folded letter with full content; red “Jassy 2/9” transit cancel on reverse One of only fourteen examples recorded in private hands from the town of Bakeu, two additional examples are in museums A major Romanian postal rarity, a unique usage which passed through three of the five main postal routes of the time Note: The letter is addressed to the “Honorable Municipal Police Council of (the city of) Ismail”. It thus must have followed “Drumul Siretului” from Bakeu to Jassy, “Drumul Mare” from Jassy to Husi and “Drumul Basarabiei” from Husi to the very small city of Ismail (see: Kiriak Dragomir “The Monograph of the Romanian Post Stamps”, pg. 42-42). The content of the letter indicates that it was received by the addressee on September 10, 1858. Routing and Rate: Unusual franking for such a route: postal zone 2 (more than 8 “poste” - approx. 12.5 Km) and the 1st weight category (up to 2.5 “dramuri” – approx. 8g): correct franking would have been 54 Parale. The postal clerk in Bakeu mistakenly applied only one 27 Parale stamp (and drew the Andrew’s Cross indicating pre-paid status) although the route from Bakeu to Ismail well exceeded 8 “poste” and thus had to be franked 54 Parale. The post office in Jassy applied the “Jassy 2/9” transit cancel on the back, noticed the discrepancy and made the manuscript notation “N 3 To draw porto 27 Parale more”, to the right of the stamp. “N 3” part of the notation perhaps indicates the 3rd letter (or bundle of letters?) directed to Ismail. The arrival stamp at Ismail is missing, as its post office only received its datestamp in April 1859. Unknown why the Husi transit stamp is missing. Expertise: Heimbuchler (2010) certificate states “.. in very fine and perfect condition, no repairs” “This is the only recorded cover of the 1st Issue of Moldavia to Ismail/Bessarabia and the only one which traveled the three postal routes Drumul Mare, Drumul Siretului and Drumul Bessarabiei” , signed Kosack, Kohler Illustrated: Heimbüchler I, page 268 (#268/6) Provenance: Ernst Nygren (1995, lot #1790) Note: Full translation of the document may be viewed on line 20 - 24’000