2018-03-09 Fri

One of the only five existing examples of a 1922 Italian airmail stamp will be offered by Cherrystone auction on 20th and 21st March. The stamp was prepared in Constantinople and was supposed to fly from Bucharest to Paris. The issue was rolled back and all examples of the stamp were destroyed since the French Embassy in Constantinople and the Lausanne Conference had ordered to close all Foreign Post Offices in Turkey.

Italy’s popular 25-centesimo horizontal special delivery stamp was issued in 1903. It was overprinted again and again for other uses. The first Italian airmail stamp is the special delivery stamp with a three-line black overprint. It was used in May 1917 for airmail.

The stamp on the offer was produced for Italy’s offices in the Turkish Empire. The overprint reads “Servizio Postale Aereo” over a silhouette of a classic biplane. A 15-piaster surcharge is also mentioned. A large portion of the stamp has original gum. The colour is impressive but features slight signs of aging. The stamp has a listed market value of €300,000. Cherrystone will be offering the stamp with an opening bid of $70,000.

Many more exciting philatelic delights would be offered at the auctions.

Image Courtesy: Cherrystone Auctions