Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3052

(x) Austrian Levant & Ottoman Postal Interaction in Albania (1869-1870)
1870 (Oct. 25). Cover from Scutari to Venice, franked for the Scutari-Antivari courier horse-ride route with 1870 1pi. yellow (Michel 15B), tied by the all-Arabic "Iskodra/81" double circle (Coles & Walker fig. 3), showing at right two pairs (one stamp with irregular perforations at base) and one single of 1867 Coarse Printing 5s. red, tied by "antivari" (26.10) c.d.s.'s (Tchilinghirian type 2), paying 10s. for the maritime transport to a "Küstenland" port and the 15s. single rate to Italy (in force from 1867), "P.D." at top. The reverse with Trieste (31.10) and Venice (1.11) c.d.s.'s. A spectacular franking of which four examples are known, this being particularly appealing with clear postmark strikes.

note: From October 1870, the small “thimble” c.d.s. of Scutari ceased to be used. The postal procedures were as follows: since 1867, and to avoid conflict with the Ottoman authorities, letters from Scutari had to be franked with Turkish stamps to cover inland transport. These stamps were applied by the Austrian P.O., after which the mail was handed over to the Ottoman posts, where the Turkish postmark was applied on the franking before delivery to the Turkish couriers on horseback. Austrian Levant stamps were applied in Scutari at the Austrian P.O. to cover overseas postage and remained uncancelled until arrival at the Austrian homologous office in Antivari, where the Austrian Levant franking was cancelled with the Antivari c.d.s., and the “P.D.” marking was struck before the mail was loaded onto an Austrian Lloyd ship calling at Antivari.

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

Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2700