Lot 20155 – 50 Bani red + 20 Lepta blue18711871 Entire folded letter

50 bani red deep blue and red, good even margins, tied by ornamented “Giurgiu 8/2 DIM (in the morning)“ black cds, on 1871 entire folded letter addressed to Nicolas P. Ralli in Syra, Greece “Via Rouhtsciouk & Varna”, in combination with Large Hermes 20 Lepta blue, very large margins, applied on arrival and paying internal postage due, reverse with Austrian Post Office “Constantinopel 11/2” and (Austrian) Lloyd Agency “Constantinopoli 14/2” transit cds and arrival cds “Syra”.

The front also bears a blue crayon “20” rate (to be paid at arrival) and the black mark “P.P.” (partially paid).

Corinphila, December 2007, catalogue 152, lot 7217: ”..no more than ten combination covers recorded”.

Expertise: signed R. Zoscsak, at the time, the Romanian and the Austrian posts were using the Gregorian calendar, while the Greek post was still using the Julian calendar – hence the dates difference Corinphila, in December 2007 (Cornelia Collection 2) sold only a cover, with less attractive cancels, lot # 7217, for CHF9,000! rare stamp combination on full entire, seldom seen at auctions.

Provenance: Ferrari Collection: 15-26 April 1929, lot # 7128