Lot 251501 – 1868 spectacular envelope to Gravesend, England franked at 45 soldi, Kustendje mixed franking.

1868 spectacular envelope to Gravesend, England franked at 45 soldi, bearing 1867 Danube & Black Sea Railway 20 pa. black on green in combination with Austrian Levant 1864 15 s. brown, perf. 9½ vertical strip of three, all tied by bold and very clear strikes of “LLOYD AGENZIE / KUSTENDJE” datestamps (29.6) in black (today Constanza in Romania), red framed “PD” at right and handstamped “W.Fr 14x” at left (Von der Linden fig. 2094). Reverse with Vienna transit cds and Gravesend arrival (JY.7.68). A famous D.B.S.R. local post combination cover, of which just 14 exist, and a top exhibition item. Illustrated in the may 1951 article by Denwood N. Kelly published in the London Philatelist. Signed Müller. Certificate Alberto Diena (1954).