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Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3041

(x) Austrian Levant (1820-1914)
Valona
The Unique Example of the Lloyd Postmark of Valona
1855 (March 3). Entire letter from Trieste (Triest) to Shkodër (Scutari) via Vlorë (Valona), correctly paying the Austrian inland rate of "10" kreuzer (blue crayon) to the Austrian Levant, struck with dispatch c.d.s. at top, exhibiting a very fine strike of the sunburst oval "agenzia del lloyd austriaco/valona" postmark, being unrecorded in any catalogue, although Tchilinghirian and Stephen note that the Vlorë Agency would have received a cancel of this standard Type “P” in 1854. The only example recorded of this Lloyd agency usage, a significant rarity of the Austrian Levant. Signed Nakri.

note: In 1854, the Austrian Lloyd inaugurated its “Albanian Line", including the first maritime postal establishments to operate in Ottoman Albania. The first postmarks supplied to the Maritime Agencies acting as post offices were the oval handstamps of Durrës (Durazzo) and Vlorë (Valona).


Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£7,500 to £15,000

Starting price
£7000