CEPHALONIA 1859 - RARE USE OF THE ½d ORANGE + 1d BLUE ON 1½d...

Hammer

£1,200

CEPHALONIA 1859 - RARE USE OF THE ½d ORANGE + 1d BLUE ON 1½d-RATE (BY AUSTRIAN STEAMER) COVER TO CORFU - Fine 16 July 1859 EL from Cephalonia to Corfu with 4-margin 1859 1d Blue (tied by indentation of "X") + 4-margin rare 1859 ½d Orange (filing crease; cut extremely close at top right) both cancelled by black manuscript "X" markings with partly fine blue Cephalonia fancy oval d.s. (confused date; crease) on the front and with mainly fine blue 2-ring "CORFU" cds on the top flap; both stamps clearly belong to this cover. The 1½d rate represented 1d Ionian Is. postage + an extra ½d for carriage by the Austrian Lloyd steamer. A rare example of this rare rate (of which only 15 are recorded) and franking. Rare cover with two values of this short-lived and most attractive Perkins Bacon issue; these stamps were in use for less than 5 years, as the islands were finally ceded to Greece on 30 May 1864. Simmermacher Cert. (1979). Cross Reference: AUSTRIA