Lot
3205 
1869, 15¢ brown & blue, type II, rich colors, canceled by cork duplexed with "Middleborough, Mass. Apr 19" cds and tied by red "Boston, Paid All, Direct, Apr 20" exchange cds on 1870 tissue paper cover from the Washburn correspondence to Constantinople, Turkey, red crayon "5" credit rating, carried by NGL Line Hermann from New York Apr. 21st to Bremen arriving May 4th, red "Bremen, Franco, 4/5 70" framed transit and matching red "Weiterfr. 2 Sgr" framed handstamp restating credit in silbergroschen, Norddeutsche Post (5.9) arrival backstamp; small edge repair at top just affecting cds rim, Very Fine appearance. Scott No. 119 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF THE FINEST OF ONLY SIX RECORDED 15¢ 1869 COVERS TO TURKEY.
In US publications, quotes of postage rates were given for "Turkey", which actually meant the Ottoman Empire. Syria, including Lebanon, was a province of the empire and was not listed separately. The transit fee for Turkey was 5¢ (2sgr). This cover was prepaid for the 15¢ direct mail rate.
Realized: $2,700