  #31 Click on the images to see them bigger (83 Kb and 82 Kb) |
I would like to have any possible information about this envelope.
It appears to originate from a prisony camp held by the russians, from where it was sent to Germany,
where it received an american cancellation. It eventually arrived in Italy! Thanks for any information you may provide!!! Posted by Mauro Crestini on 17/12/97
I'm almost positive, based on the placement of the stamps on the
envelope, that all the stamps were applied at the same time.
The card came from the American Zone in Southern Germany (Munich) and
had nothing at all to do with Russia or the Russians. The stamps on the
bottom are probably labels (not real stamps) from a D.P. (Displaced
Persons) Camp. The sender was probably a Ukrainian Ostarbeiter (forced
laborer).
The extra stamps on the cover are five of eight of the first set
of stamps issued in the Regensburg Camp in 1947, intended for use in
delivering mail around the camp.
Both Regensburg and Rimini (Italy) were sites of Ukrainian DP
Camps. The 80 Pf. in German postage overfranks the cover by 5 Pf.
The Munich censor mark is fairly common. By the way, Regensburg is in the
American Zone, not Russian (Soviet). |
 #32 |
I believe this stamp belongs to the 1928 turkish pro Red crescent issue.
It was printed by Thomas de la Rue & Co. Ltd.. What I find strange is the
violet overprint: I was not able to decipher it nor to find it on my catalogue.
I can only say that it seems to cancel the old value. Turkey changed valuta
in 1929, replacing piaster with kurus. Was this stamp overprinted by some local
post office, just like the unofficial stamp duty stamps created by many countries
by adding a 'T' on the stamp? Posted by Stefano on 12/01/98
This might have been a local overprint but I rather suspect it is a philatelic fake. The cancellation date seems to be 1936,
at which time there had already been official overprinted issues (1932-34, however no 10 krs value) and a new issue (1934-35)
with the same map but roman characters and numbers instead of arabic, which had been banned after the alphabet reform. The
Michel catalogue indicates high print quantities (3 to 11 million) for this issue and, again, no 10 krs value, which only
appears later, in a 1938 issue (with the Red Crescent re-named in modern Turkish). "...SIN" is probably Mersin, a major town
in Southern Turkey, which would normally not be short of current stamps. I would also exclude any local, private fund
raising intent, as you would then expect mint and not postally cancelled stamps. So much for my knowledge of Turkish stamps! |
 #33 |
This stamp is not listed by Yvert & Tellier. I'd like to have any information on
this issue (I also have 5 more different stamps belonging to the same set). Posted by Stefano on 12/01/98
#33 - One of a set of six issued in 1956 by the Romanian Government
in Exile. Many other stamps were issued according to the catalog by
Popescu and Strejnicu. |
 #34 |
I would appreciate your assistance in identifying the purpose and place
and time of origin of this stamp inscribed "Rhenania" and "Brief-beförderung". It appears to
have "Bonn" printed at the bottom under the cancellation.
Posted by Derrick Grose on 12/01/98
#34 - Bonn it is. Rhenania is the private post company who issued
this German local stamp in 1896. Michel Privatpostmarken Katalog B.1. |
 #35 |
Is this really Albania?
Posted by Stefano and Casper on 13/01/98
The Littleton Stamp and Coin Company listed this set of stamps in the
second edition of their 1975 Catalogue with the following description:
"LOW QUANTITY PRINTING PRODUCES SCARCE STAMPS - Said to be secretly
issued in 1941 by the Liberation Committee in exile in Italy, these
stamps were to be used when Albania was freed from the Reds. Although
not listed in Scott's Catalog or even listed as postage stamps, they are
very interesting. These spectacular large stamps are of brilliant
tri-colors and portray three great fighters for liberty: Roosevelt,
Churchill and Albania's own Kastrioti. The total printing of this set
was ridiculously small and they are extremely hard to find. Here is
your opportunity to add this scarce set to your collection. S87 -
Albania - Roosevelt (4) - 50˘"
Those are the Littleton Stamp Company's words, not mine. :)
#35 - Really Albania, but not really a stamp: a fantasy issued
in 1952 listed by Chapier in a set of 8 as #63-70 (four values, and
four more in different colors overprinted "1952"). These all exist
overprinted for Churchill and Kennedy in black and in gold. Also with
three different "T"'s for postage due. Look for one value
(50+20) with a different profile of Roosevelt. |
 #36 - 36A |
Talking about Albania. I wasn't able to catalogue these two stamps. Were they
local stamps or perhaps a never released issue?
Posted by Stefano on 13/01/98
They are probably fantasies.
#36-36A - Chapier 27-37, fantasies issued in 1921 for the insurgent
"Mirdites Republic". Five values were issued, also with five "TAKSE"
(postage due) overprints, and one value was overprinted "25 qint". |
 #37 |
This stamp is not listed under the Japanese Occupation of Dutch Indies.
Is it something else?
Posted by Stefano on 16/01/98
#37 is one of many local handstamps used by the Japanese occupation
forces in the Netherlands Indies.
This stamp is indeed Japanese Occupation of Dutch Indies. It was issued
on Sumatra in 1944. The upper line printed on the stamp says:
"Postal service of the Japanese Empire" (or something like that).
The four symbols on the lower end of the T indicate Sumatra. |
 #38 |
This stamp is not listed under Croatia. A local issue? Does the big capital 'U'
stay for Ustasha? The overprint reads
N.D. Posted by Stefano on 16/01/98
Maybe I can answer myself. I just discovered that there was a croatian occupation of Italy in 1944.
To be more precise they occupied Split (Spalato) and its surroundings, which had been
in turn attached to Italy a couple of years before. |
 #39 |
This stamp is not listed under Croatia. I guess it was issued in Tito years by some nostalgic
of Ante Pavelic rule. N.D. Hrvatska (Independent State of Croatia) was the denomination of the short-lived Kingdom of Croatia in WW2 years. Any hints?
Posted by Stefano on 16/01/98
#39 was issued by the Croatian Government in Exile in a set of six
birds and six flowers, each in two versions. To see more of these
issues, check out this link: |
 #40 |
One more triangular mystery. I have no clues about this stamp (?). What can it be?
Posted by Stefano on 16/01/98
#40. This stamp's design style is very reminiscent of the
stamps of Hejaz (now part of Saudi Arabia) from the
early 1920s. Could it perhaps be a revenue stamp?
#40 This is one of a set of five Arabian fantasies said to have been
printed in Poland in 1922 [Chapier, "Les Timbres de Fantaisie"]. |
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