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Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3017

(x) French Albania (1806-1814)
1808 (March 24). Entire letter from Dobrota to Venice (14.04) via the port of Kotor (“Cattaro” in Italian), bearing the rare French “cattaro/in albania” two-line postmark from the post office of the French "Division of Albania", as the Montenegrin coast from Budva to Dubrovnik was under the control of this division. Handwritten tariff of “18” cents due for letters weighing up to ¼ ounce, sent from a place located three radiuses from the point of departure, during the third tariff period of the French Italian Kingdom postal administration (01.02.1807-30.04.1809). Only about 20 covers are recorded bearing this postmark, and this is one of the finest, further enhanced by the very early usage -to our knowledge the earliest one- during this rare tariff period.


provenance: Markus Gmähle
note: The letters exchanged between members of the Tripcovich family, based in the Montenegrin village of Dobrota and addressed to Venice, were taken to the post office at the nearest port of Cattaro, both in the so-called "French Albania" (former "Venetian Albania"), very close to the southern borders of Ottoman Albania, before being placed on ships and transported by sea to their final destination. During their transit, the mail usually remained in quarantine at the Lazaret of Santa Chiara in Ragusa (Dubrovnik).

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£300 to £500

Starting price
£270