Russia Shipwreck S/S Elbe in North Sea 1895 - Extremely Rare

EXTREMELY RARE SHIP WRECK RUSSIAN MAIL: STEAMER "ELBE" CATASTROPHE 1895 

Lokhvitsa, Poltava province 1895 (11 January) - International envelope to New York, mail embarked on the S/S ELBE at Bremerhaven for a transatlantic trip via North Sea, where the ship was sunk and lost at large on 30 January. Original Russian stamp soaked off during the catastrophe, envelope recovered at sea and brought back in Germany where the special red boxed provisory handstamp "Frei! Marke abgefallen - Paid! Stamp lost." and Bremen postal label were applied. Special blue handstamp "Geborgen aus der Postladung des untergegangenen Dampfers Elbe. Postamt 1 Bremen" ("Recovered from mail bags of the sunken steamer Elbe. Post office 1 Bremen"). Arrival confirmed New York PAID March 1895. Very Fine.

Great rarity, one of two covers known and the only Shipwreck recorded during Imperial times.

Certificate : Hovest
Illustrated in Wikipedia

Note: the transatlantic steamer "Elbe" was sunk after a collision with the "Crathie" in North Sea during the night of 30 January 1895. 334 out of the 354 passengers and crew members would dramatically perish during the catastrophe. Part of the mail could be recovered at sea.

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