Russian P.O. in Alexandria, Ingoing 1865 (Nov 3): Entire letter from Lattakia to Alexandria, opened out for display, bearing 2 pi. blue and
Russian P.O. in Alexandria, Ingoing 1865 (Nov 3): Entire letter from Lattakia to Alexandria, opened out for display, bearing 2 pi. blue and rose with shaved to huge margins, tied by fair "RUS. OBSHCH. PAR i TOR. / LATAKIICK. AGENTSTVO" agency seal handstamp (Tchilinghirian fig. 805) in black, very rare ornamental rectangular "ALEKSANDRIISK AGENSTVO 20 / XI" arrival datestamp in blue (Tchilinghirian unrecorded) on reverse. A spectacular combination of these two rarities of the Russian Levant, one of only two recorded covers with this Alexandria datestamp, unrecorded by Tchilinghirian but mentioned in Peter Smith’s treatise on Egypt, pp. 117-18. Cert. Mikulski (2000). Note: Interestingly, the ornamental datestamp of Alexandria has the sideways date with the month at right and the day at left, while the corresponding ornamental of Alexandretta is oriented vice versa. Provenance: Collection Liphschutz; collection Cihangir, Corinphila sale 131 (May 2000), lot 563.