Lot 50008 – Austria – 1851-56 Newspaper Stamps « Mercure » 30kr, a fantastic lot comprising ten items

Austria – 1851-56 Newspaper Stamps « Mercure » 30kr, a fantastic lot comprising ten items including the only recorded engraved copper plate for this reproduction, with five accompanying ‘die’ proofs on bistre and white pelure paper, with an additional in ochre on wove paper, and four essays on white wove paper with one featuring two impressions including one with part cds; an extraordinary and unique lot demonstrating that Sperati not only used the photolithography, but also the typography as an attempt reproduce this great European rarity; the poor results obtained made him exclude this option.