Auction Series 257-264 in Zurich Day 3

Austrian offices in Bulgaria 1867 (Aug 31): Entire letter from Constantinople to Bucharest bearing 1864 15 s. brown, a fresh single example with good perforation, tied by clear "VARNA 31. AGO." two line datestamp in blue (Tchilinghirian fig. 884) of the Consular post office. Alongside a framed oval FRANCO in blue, reverse with "BUCAREST 3 / 9" arrival cds (Tchilinghirian fig. 714). Light horizontal fold well away from stamp and postmarks, a splendid cover. Cert. Eichele (2002).rnProvenance: Mercury Stamp Company (Sept 1948).rnNote: The FRANCO handstamp on this cover is rarely seen and attributed by Tchilinghirain and Stephen to the Lloyd postal agency in Constantinople (fig. 443). This would imply that the FRANCO handstamp was applied in Constantinople, while the stamp was not cancelled earlier than in Varna on its way to Bucharest. However, another cover from the same Zafiropulo & Zarifi correspondence to Bucharest shows the identical combination (Cihangir collection, 121. Corinphila sale (May 2000), lot 1754). This and the identical blue shade of datestamp and FRANCO handstamp implies a usage of the FRANCO handstamp in Varna, not in Constantinople. 
Catalogue 257: EUROPE & OVERSEAS