(Tuscany) 1860 (12.7.) outer letter sheet to Genova bearing single franking 20c light greenish grey-blue, just touched, tied by Livorno cds with further strike alongside, underpaid with P.D. obliterated with five bar cancel, italic ‘Insufficiente’ handstamp applied at top, manuscript “3” and red ‘Da Livorno/ VIA DI MARE’, arrival backstamp. A very fine and scarce usage, Raybaudi Cert.
1852 (20 Fevr) ‘Presidence’ 25c. blue close to large margins tied by ‘gros points’ on envelope to New Orleans with two strikes of framed ‘affrancht- Insuffisant’, a most unusual underfranked cover with this issue.
1858 mourning cover and 1875 cover front to France, both franked at 1d. rate with red and black INSUFFICIENTY/ PREPAID handstamps in red and black, an attractive pair
1865 (FE 28) cover to Reading, underfranked with Great Britain 1862-64 6d. tied A26 obliterator. Underfranked with fine example of Insufficiently Prepaid handstamp, manuscript “Deficient postage 6d/ fine 6d” and ‘1/-‘ handstamp at right. The Insufficient handstamp had just been delivered to the Gibraltar Post Office in January 1865.
1872 (Jun 26) 3c. postal stationery envelope to Montreux, Switzerland, uprated 1870-71 1c. ‘Franklin’ and 3c. ‘Washington’ cancelled by segmented cork handstamps, San Francisco despatch cds and New York Via England & Ostend transit, at centre straight-line ‘INSUFFICIENTLY PAID’ and ‘VIA OSTENDE’, blue manuscript “15”, red “35” charge on arrival (The U.S. 3c deficiency is equivalent to 15c and then a 20c. penalty added). Basel transit and arrival cds; some small tears repaired at top.
1881 (12/7) underfranked envelope to Tonbridge, England franked 1880 10pf vertical pair tied Hamburg cds, framed Unzureichend/ franeirt handstamp and at left similar two-line italic handstamp, framed ‘T.’ and handstamped ‘5’ charge, Tunbridge arrival backstamp.
1896 Unfranked cover posted from Varna to Shumen, taxed on arrival by imperforated 30st/50st 1895 surcharged postage due issue. Very rare commercial usage of this imperforated stamp.
1907 (25 Avril) cover to Vatomondry franked at printed matter rate with 1900-01 Sage 5c. yellow-green tied by Tananarive cds, addressee no found and straight-line INCONNU and two-line RETOUR/ A L’ENVOYEUR hand stamps applied, as a printed matter rate item, the return postage had to be paid for, so triangular framed ‘T’ handstamp applied and framed AFFRANCHISEMENT/ INSUFFISANT with imperf 10c. Postage Due applied and tied Tananarive cds; fine and rare usage, Ex Grabowski.