(Benin) 1894 cover to Marseille franked 1892 surcharges ‘01’ on 5c. pair and ‘40’ on 15c. tied Cotonou Benin cds with further strike below, to left red octagonal maritime LOANGO A MARSEILLE L.M. NO.2, light central vertical crease. A scarce cover.
(Disinfected Mail) 1833 entire to Marseille with framed ‘PAYS D’OUTREMER’ handstamp and Marseille cds alongside, reverse with straight-line MARTINIQUE despatch and italic ‘Purifiee a Marseille’ (partly missing) and another arrival cancel. Deisinfected with rastel punching.
(Disinfected Mail) 1871 outer letter sheet to Genova, franked ‘Bordeaux’ 20c. and 40c. with close to large margins, cancelled by ‘anchor’ lozenge, octagonal maritime Constantinople Paq. Fr. No.3 date stamp, framed PD, with two disinfection slits, reverse with Messina transit. A rare cover with a heavy central horizontal creasing.
(French Maritime Mail) 1869 (1 Sept) entire to Dijon, France bearing, at military concession rate, 20c Laureated Napoleon tied by anchor in dotted lozenge with Cor. D. Arm. Lig. T. Paq.Fr. no.1 cds at right, framed PD at centre, reverse with Paris transit and arrival cds. Inverted month in cancel. A recently discovered cover from the Messageries Imperiales shipping agent in Mahe. The French Post Office at Mahe was open from 1864 to 1870, the agent corresponded back to France over this period. Of this correspondence of 11 covers only three bore French stamps.
(French Maritime Mail) 1870 (12 Mars) entire to Dijon, France bearing, at military concession rate, 20c Laureated Napoleon tied by anchor in dotted lozenge with Cor. D. Arm. Lig. T. Paq.Fr. no.2 cds at right, framed PD to right, reverse with Paris transit and arrival cds. A recently discovered cover from the Messageries Imperiales shipping agent in Mahe. The French Post Office at Mahe was open from 1864 to 1870, the agent corresponded back to France over this period. Of this correspondence of 11 covers only three bore French stamps.
(French Post Office) 1897 (4 Sept) registered, slightly larger cover to Metz franked at 7½a. double rate with registration with 2a. on 20c., 2 ½a. on 25c. and 3a. on 30c. tied double ring cds, red framed ‘R’ handstamp, La Reunion A Marseille LV. No.3 octagonal maritime cancel, Metz arrival backstamp. The backflap is missing but still desirable as the latest recorded use of the red ‘R’.
(French Post Offices) 1897 (23 Dec) registered double rate printed envelope to Dresden franks 1½ anna on 15c. (2), 2 annas on 20c. and 2½ annas on 25c. tied double-ring cds, fine octagonal La Reunion A Marseille L.U. No.2 date stamp; arrival backstamp.
(Incoming Mail) 1866 (24 Jan) outer letter sheet to Genova bearing Constantinople company chop, at top French maritime cds for ship Danube, framed entry PIROSCAFI/ POSTALI/ FRANCESI handstamp indicating French Packet, Messina transit of 28th and red framed arrival.
(Maritime Mail) 1859 commercial entire from Constantinople to “Tagliaferro & figli”, Malta with company chop across reverse, the front bearing fine blue strike of Borysthene cds; good clean condition.
(Maritime Mail) 1859 outer letter sheet to Marseille franked Napoleon imperf 10c (cut into at base) and 40c. four margined, tied by blue anchor lozenge, blue CARMEL 28/Avri/59 cds and framed PAQUEBOTS/ DE LA/ MEDITERRANNEE alongside, arrival backstamp.
(Maritime Mail) 1868 outer letter sheet to Genova per Savona franked ‘Laureated’Napo;eon 80c. pair and single tied by ‘anchor’ lozenge cancel with faint octagonal Buenos Ayres date stamp at centre, various Italian transit and arrival cds. Carried by the “Carmel” to Montevideo and thence by “Guienne” to Bordeaux.
(Maritime Mail) 1871 (Fe 21) cover to Tenby, Wales franked ‘Laureated Napoleon’ 10c. and 20c. tied by’723’ obliterator (of Southampton), framed Southampton/ france/ MB handstamp below, arrival backstamp; very fine condition.
(Maritime Mail) 1872 ‘Frassinet Shipping Company’ invoice to Constantinople from Marseille franked ‘Laureated’ Napoleon 40c. cancelled on arrival by ‘5083’ gros chiffres, endorsed at top in manuscript “par Gyptis” as stated in body of invoice.
(Maritime Mail) 1873 envelope to Marseille franked ‘Ceres’ 25c. blue strip of four cancelled by two ‘anchor’ lozenges, at right octagonal Cuba date stamp of 25 Janv, two further maritime cancels on reverse ‘Ligne Paq Fr.*No.1*’on 25 Janv and octagonal Ligne B...No.4 date stamp of 31 Janv.
(Maritime Mail) 1880 (27 Fevr) military concession rate cover to France franked four margined Sage 15c. tied by red octagonal COL. FR. PAQ.FR. B. No.1 date stamp, second fine strike to right and below this Corr. D.Armees Lig.-B-Paq No.1 cds of same date, on reverse large double circle MARINE SERVICE A LA MER, Paris arrivals.
(Maritime Mail) 1880 (DE 2) cover to Bristol franked 25c. ‘Sage’ cancelled ‘723’ numeral (of Southampton) and to left Southampton/ France/ MB framed date stamp, arrival backstamp partly removed by loss of part of backflap; some toning.
(Maritime Mail) 1899 cover to Kurau, Germany franked strip of three 10k. tied two Japanese Nagasaki cds, framed PAQUEBOT handstamp in association, reverse with octagonal French maritime Ligne N Paq. Fr, No.4 date stamp; some slight ageing, scarce cover
(Maritime Mail) 1900 (2 Juil) cover addressed to ‘Lieutenant General Freiherr Fuchs von Bimbach’ at Berlin, redirected to Bavaria franked 25c. ‘Sage’ tied octagonal YOKOHAMA A MARSEILLE L.No 10 datestamp, Berlin backstamp.
(Maritime Mail) 1901 (18 Sept) cover to Dieppe franked 15c. tied Bordeaux A Colon L.D. No.3 octagonal date stamp, blue transit of two days later at San Jose Costa Rica, arrival backstamp.
(Maritime Mail) 1904 cover to Finistere franked 1902-03 Crete 10c. Mouchon pen cancelled and bearing violet Marine Francaise * Service A La Mer cachet at right, arrival backstamp.