Auction 333-341 Europe & Overseas - Day 5

French Post Office in Beirut 1872 (Sept 24): Shipmail envelope from Beirut to Lyon, bearing Napoléon laureated 30 c. brown (2), Napoléon perforated 5 c. green on blue, and 1872 Cérès 15 c. bistre, a fresh and fine three-issue franking, tied by clear Anchor lozenge in black, octagonal "BEYROUTH / PAQ, FR. X No 5" datestamp in black, framed "PAQUEBOTS DE LA MÉDITERRANÉE" in red and framed PD in black alongside, reverse with LYON arrival (Oct 11) cds in black. A most attractive French shipmail cover, the rare combination franking paying correctly the 80 centimes rate of July 1871 from the Levant to France, signed Brun, certs. Holcombe (1991), Brun (2000).
Provenance: Corinphila sale 83 (Sept 1991), lot 4948; Collection Cihangir, Corinphila sale 121 (May 2000), lot 2966.