David Feldman Saudi Arabia June 5, 2019

28 Lot N° Symbol(s) / Photo Page Cat. N° Estimate ( € ) Saudi Arabia – June 5, 2019 30012 F French Military Mission: 1916, the earliest recorded correspondence from one of the few soldiers who went to Jeddah in October 1916. The 6 covers include the 3 earliest known from this Mission with different “MISSION B” cachets in blue, applied in transit in Suez, followed by 2 covers with the earliest recorded strikes of the rare “MISSION MILITAIRE FRANCAISE AU HEDJAZ/Le Chef de Mission” and a registered cover sent via the Hejaz Post, franked with First issue 1 pia. in pair (only ca. 10 registered covers known of this issue). The covers dating sequence documents, that all were sent from Hejaz, thus providing evidence of the beginnings of the postal service of this mission. Also 3 covers with cachets from the “MISSION B” troops still waiting in Suez. Unique assembly of historical and military significance 1’500 - 2’600 30013 F 1917-18 The H. St. John Philby correspondence: Philby was the British agent in Iraq and the Nejd during WWI who later became advisor to King Abdul Aziz. OFS (one Field Service), envelope from Iraq 1917 (June), signed by Philby, to his wife in India, with her man. “Bagdad 30/6/17”. On reverse “IEF-FPO55 (23.6) and arrival Simla (2.7), plus similar envelope from Nejd 1918 (January), signed by Philby, to his mother, he was in Nejd Nov. 1917 to July 1918. The only recorded cover from him with an Iraqi FPO (17.1) instead of Bahraini or Kuwaiti transit postmark, a very rare pair 1’500 - 2’600