Lot 50245 – 1871 (Feb 16) Maritime cover sent to Braila franked with 5b carmine-pink, Carol I with beard, imperforate

1871 (Feb 16) Maritime cover sent using the DDSG service to Braila, franked with horizontal pair 5b carmine-pink, Carol I with beard, imperforate (left stamp with repaired margin top and left) otherwise very fine, tied by a superb “Calafat Sera” cds in blue, “P.D.” boxed in blue, arrival on reverse “Braila Dim” dated 18.2, the cover endorsed “Cu Vaporu” (by Steamboat); overland mail took several days, the boat service being much quicker and the Faranga merchants having a special agreement with DDSG for postal deliveries the normal rate being 10b for a domestic letter (the service was in operation from October 1870 to late 1872); very few covers recorded which used this postal arrangement and rare franking with a pair of 5b, being of greater rarity than the single 10b frankings (with the exception of the Paris issue).