Auction 224 - Romania

1869: 10 bani blue, a fine used example (Transfer Type 2), tied by CALAFATUL datestamp (16/1) in green (Kiriac fig. 341) to 1871 entire letter from Calafat to Braila (Faranga correspondence), not sent by DDSG ship down the Danube but travelling via land. Reverse with CRAIOVA cds (17/1) in green (Kiriac fig. 386), 'BUCURESCI DUP'AMIADI datestamp (20/1) in black (Kiriac fig. 433) and Braila cds of receipt (21/1). A few imperfections on reverse but a fine and very rare entire.rnNote: In this and past Romania sales at Corinphila, we have discussed the DDSG ship covers from the Faranga correspondence between Calafat and Braila and attention is drawn to the Gabriel Sassower articles in the London Philatelist on the subject. This is the first cover we have offered where the cover has travelled by the much slower land route (5 days instead of one day), due to the January date of the letter and a frozen Danube: a contemporary report in the 'Irish Times' stating that travel on the Danube was 'impractible' on the week in question due to the 'exceedingly rough weather'.
Catalogue 224: ROMANIA