CORINPHILA AUCTIONS 297 - 308 Day 7

French and British offices in the Levant 1862: Cover from Beirut via Alexandria to Lyon, bearing Cérès 1871/72 5 c. green and 25 c. blue type III in a combination franking with Great Britain 1873-80 2½ d. rosy mauve (Gi 139 = Z6). Upon despatch in Beirut, the British adhesive was tied by bold vertical oval 'G06' with "BRITISH POST OFFICE BEYROUT" cds (July 27, 76) alongside. The cover was transfered to the French postal system in Alexandria, where the Cérès adhesives were cancelled by fair "ALEXANDRIE EGYPTE" cds (July 31, 76) cds with information strike alongside. The cover was returned to the British and the front was struck by French "PAQ. ANG. V. BRIND. / A MOD. / 5 AOUT 76" entry cds in red, reverse with LYON arrival (Aug 6) arrival cds. Horizontal file fold well away from combination franking, a very interesting cover showing in principal two correct UPU frankings of the British and the French post offices, a sought after combination. Signed Roumet & Calves; certs. E. Diena (1987), Brun (2022).rnrnNote: In 1873, Great Britain opened a Consular post office in Beirut which used the French and Italian post offices in Alexandria as intermediaries, in order to transmit its mail towards Europe. Between 1873 and 1876, i.e. well into the time of the General Postal Union, mail from the British P.O. in Beirut shows always combination frankings between British and French or Italian adhesives, respectively. It is not clear why this procedure was not discontinued in July 1875 after France had joined the GPU.