Lot
3333 
France, 1870 (Sept. 25) Miniature Ballon Monté Cover, franked with 10c bister on yellowish, type II, Empire Laure, horiz. pair tied on homemade miniature Ballon Monté cover to Montpelier, tied by two strikes of "Paris R. St. Dominique St. Gn 53, 2E 25 Sept 70" double circle postmarks with additional strike on reverse, inside of cover with tiny hand written message, carried by the balloon the États Unis, Extremely Fine; signed Calves. Yvert Nos. 28A. Scott Nos. 32 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
THIS IS PROBABLY THIS SMALLEST BALLOON COVER EXISTENT AND CERTAINLY THE SMALLEST COVER FRANKED WITH A PAIR OF STAMPS. A WONDERFUL ARTIFACT FROM THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
Lot
3334
France, 1870 (Sept. 27) Ballon Monté to Chile, franked with 80c Rose + 20c Blue Empire Laureate tied by numeral "6" star cancel on Ballon Monté to Chile, postmarked "Paris Sénat 27 Sept. 70" double circle and red "London 3 OC 70" transit, manuscript "Voie de Panama ou Magellan" directive, light horiz. filefold affecting stamps, otherwise Extremely Fine; with 2019 Calves & Jacquart certificate. Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
A VERY RARE BALLOON COVER CARRIED BY THE BALLOON LES ETATS-UNIS TO THIS EXOTIC DESTINATION.
Lot
3335
France, 1870 (Oct. 17) Ballon Monté to Japan, franked with 80c Rose on Pinkish Empire Perf. tied by numeral "2" Star cancel of R. St. Lazare on small Ballon Monté Cover to Yokohama, Japan, postmarked "Paris R. St. Lazare 17 Oct.' 70" double circle postmark, backstamped Yokohama, Bau Francais 10 Dec. 70 arrival double circle, cover then returned to Paris with two different Marseilles transit backstamps of Feb. 10, Extremely Fine and choice; signed Boule, with 2006 Calves certificate. Yvert Nos. 24. Scott Nos. 28 Estimate $50,000 - 75,000.
A SUPERB BALLOON COVER TO THIS EXOTIC AND DESIRABLE DESTINATION CARRIED ON THE VICTOR HUGO. A TRUE EXHIBITION ITEM!
Lot
3336
France, 1870 (Dec. 22) Ballon Monté Cover to Port Natal, South Africa, franked with 80c rose on pinkish Empire Laure tied on small balloon cover to Port Natal, South Africa by numeral "15" star cancel, postmarked "Paris R. Bonaparte 22 Dec. 70" double circle and red London transit, Extremely Fine and choice; with 2011 "Bolaffi ad Honorem" certificate (reserved for exceptional rarities). Yvert Nos. 32. Scott Nos. 36 Estimate $75,000 - 100,000.
CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BALLOON COVERS EXISTENT TO THIS VERY RARE AND EXOTIC DESTINATION. CARRIED ON THE BALLOON LE DÉLIVRANCE.
Lot
3337
France, 1870 (Dec. 27) Formular Ballon Monté Cover, franked with 30c brown on yellowish Empire Laure tied large numeral "2793" losange cancel on blue printed formular folded letter with decorative Draped Flags design and addressed to London, postmarked "Paris Passy-les-Paris 27 Dec. 70" double circle, backstamped with "London JA 3 71" arrival cds, Extremely Fine, a lovely illustrated patriotic design. Yvert Nos. 30. Scott Nos. 34 Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Lot
3338
France, 1870 (Dec. 28) Ballon Monté Cover to French Guyana, franked with 80c rose on pinkish Empire Laure tied by numeral "4" Star cancel on small pre-printed Ballon Monté Cover to Cayenne, French Guyana, postmarked "Paris R. d'Enghien 28 Dec.' 70" double circle postmark, backstamped St. Nazaire -S-Loire transit and French Paq Ligne R Paq Fr. No 14 Janv. '71 packet boat arrival double circle, Extremely Fine and choice; with 2019 Calves & Jacquart certificate. Yvert Nos. 32. Scott Nos. 36 Estimate $50,000 - 75,000.
AN EXCEPTIONAL BALLOON COVER TO THIS VERY RARE DESTINATION CARRIED BY THE BALLOON "BAYARD". ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BALLOON COVERS OF THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
Lot
3339
France, 1871 (Jan. 26) Ballon Monté Cover Franked with 10c Bister on Yellowish, Tête-Bêche, tied by numeral "5" Star cancel of on small Ballon Monté, postmarked "Paris R. de Bondy 26 Janv.' 71" double circle postmark, Extremely Fine and attractive; with 1999 Calves certificate. Yvert Nos. 36b. Scott Nos. 54a Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
A SUPERB BALLOON COVER WITH THIS TÊTE-BÊCHE FRANKING, PROBABLY CARRIED BY THE CAMBRONNE.
Lot
3340
France, 1870, Siege of Paris, 20c dull blue on bluish, horiz. pair (left stamp with minor restoration at top) tied on small folded cover to London by very rare blue boxed Versailles Auswechselungs Stelle handstamp, manuscript "Paris 13. II. 71" in blue alongside, red "London FE 18 71" arrival postmark, cover with second Versailles handstamp alongside and two perfect strikes on reverse, Extremely Fine and choice; with 2017 Calves & Jacquart certificate. Yvert Nos. 37. Scott Nos. 57 Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A STUNNING COVER WITH THIS RARE CENSOR MARK "VERSAILLES AUSWECHSELUNGS STELLE" WHICH WAS USED FOR 5 DAYS BETWEEN FEBRUARY 10 AND 14, 1871. THE MARKING IS TYPICALLY FOUND ON THE REVERSE OF COVERS AND THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN COVER WITH THE STAMPS TIED BY THE CENSOR MARKING.