Lot 80954 – 1857 Russia 10 kopek brown & blue, imperforate, tied to 1858 cover from Warta to Warsaw by Polish « 195 »

1857 Russia 10 kopek brown & blue, imperforate, very fine used example with large margins all round, tied to May 1858 cover from Warta to Warsaw by Polish « 195 » circular numeral handstamp in black. Despatch datestamp of ‘Warta’ in red at left with manuscript date (14/5), and reverse with Warsaw arrival cds of the following day in red with Time Code ‘9/R’ alongside. The adhesive lifted for checking. An exceptionally unusual cover, unique according to the description as a re-used stamp and Postal Fraud in the Mazepa sale (as per Petriuk certificate). A great cancellation rarity on the Russia #1 and believed to be the sole recorded example.

Expertise: Cert.Jungjohann AIEP (2007), P. Scheller (2008), S. Petriuk (2017).

Provenance: Agathon Fabergé, Collection Dr. Jim Mazepa, Collection Georg Mehrtens.