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Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3065

(x) First Independent Albania (1912-1914)
First Issue
1913 (June 28). Registered cover from Durrës (Durazzo) to Naples, pre-franked with (1pi.) black handstamp at top left, cancelled by Durrës c.d.s. in violet on 28.6.1913, before being consigned to the Italian post office in Durrës and additionally franked at right with 1909 2pi. on 40c., tied by “Durazzo/Ufficio Postale Italiano” c.d.s. applied over six months later on 8.1.1914, repeated below, with registration marking in the centre, and arrival c.d.s. on the reverse two days later. The only example known of a first issue handstamp on envelope sent through an Italian P.O. Cert. Enzo Diena. Michel 1.

note: In order to avoid penalties on mail addressed abroad and franked with Albanian stamps of the first two issues that were not yet recognised internationally, one of the foreign postal offices operating in Albania at the time (Italy, Austria or Turkey) could be used to forward the correspondence abroad. In this case, given the time gap between the Albanian postmark and that of the Italian office, the letter may initially have been franked with the handstamp of the first issue, but it was decided not to send it immediately and to dispatch it months later by consigning it directly to the Italian post office, unless the Albanian office, unable or unwilling to handle foreign mail, retained the letter for such a long period of time before passing it to the Italian P.O. in the same city. The certificate does not clarify this point either, stating (translated into English): “...forwarded to Naples by the Durazzo post office".


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

Estimate
£500 to £800

Starting price
£420