Stamps of the Levant

Introduction

Stamps of the Levant is a broad category of stamps emitted by several European countries for use within the borders of the Ottoman Empire. Most notable ones are those issued by Germany, Great Britain, Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia (in the order for the Yvert&Tellier French catalog). They were finally out of service in 1923 (a clause of the Treaty of Lausanne), although most were closed in 1914 due to the war. Levant refers to the East (where the sun rises).

Lombardy-Venetia and Austria

The Lombardy-Venetia stamps were used before stamps specific to Austrian Levant in 1867.

Quality postmarks are to be located in the offices by current country in the more specific gallery Stamps of Austrian post offices abroad.

1867 issue

Not to be confused with the more frequent issues in fine whiskers (except the 50 sld.).

2 soldi, coarse whiskers, unused. Mi1Ia
50 soldi, brown, coarse whiskers, unused. Mi7I
50 soldi Mi7

1876-1883 issues

Fine whiskers, 2 to 25 soldi.

2 soldi yellow,issue 1882, unused bloc of 4. Mi1II. Postally used scarce.
3 soldi, green issue 1878, unused. Mi2II
5 soldi red, issue 1878, unused. Mi3II
10 soldi, circle cancelled by Lloyd Agenzie. Mi4IIA
15 soldi, reddish brown issue July 1881, unused.
15 soldi issue 1881, unused. Only shade is reddish brown.
Four 15 soldi used in Greece for comparison.
25 soldi, grey-lilac issue 1882, unused. Mi6II

Ship mail - Paquebot postmarks

Stamps of Austrian post offices with a ship (harbour landing) cancellation. Examples COL VAPORE from ALESSANDRIA, BERUTTI, SMIRNE, COSPOLI, SIRA or TRIESTE.

2 soldi orange, (LETTERE AR)IVATE / (PER MA)RE / (VARN)A 24.6.71. Mi1Ia
2 soldi, cancelled COL. VAP. DA ALESS. Müller type gLo since 30.8.75. Somewhat overwritten (25x4 points)!]]
15 soldi, frame cancelled LETTERE ARIVATE PER MARE VARNA in 1870, Müller type gaKj (30x4 points).
1883 issue, frame cancel: (LETTERE) ARIVATE / (PER) MARE. Mi10

1883 Eagle issue

Michel N°8-13. Known for fake postmarks (2 soldi).

2 soldi, circle cancelled ALEXANDRIEN. Mi8. Imitation postmark? The used stamp quotes 165€ versus 0.3€.
5 soldi rose, 1887 OESTERREICHISCHE POST cancel, Mi10
10 soldi ultramarine, 1883 issue, scarce small circle cancel 213 to be identified!

Surcharges with the Turkish currency

Sept 1886 - May 1888 Eagles with Turkish currency

Michel N°14-19

10 para on 3 kreuzer green block of six, Mi15
10 para on 3 kreuzer unused, Mi15
1888 20 para overprint (probably fake cancellation) Mi16
5 Piaster on 50 kr violet, Mi19

Sept 1890 - 1892

Michel N°20-27 - Values 8 para to 20 piaster (surcharges).

8 Para on 2 kreuzer brown, 1892 issue, Mi20
10 Para on 3 kreuzer green, 1890 issue, Mi21
20 Para on 5 kreuzer rose, 1890 issue, Mi22
1 piaster Mi23
2 piaster Mi24
5 Piaster on 50 kreuzer violet, 1890 issue, Mi25
10 Piaster on 1 gulden blue, 1892 issue, Mi26-Sc28
20 Piaster on 2 gulden carmine, 1892 issue, Mi27-Sc29

1891 and 1896 issues

Mi N°28-31. 2 to 20 piaster overprint on kreuzer/gulden. Valid until 30-9-1900.

5 Piaster on 50 kreuzer violet, 1891 issue, Mi29

January 1900 - June 1901 issues

Michel N°32-38: 10 para to 20 piaster in one line without varnish bars ohne Lackstreifen. With varnish bars Mi39-42.

10 para overprint on 5 heller, issue 1900, cancelled at PREVESA, Mi32
20 para overprint on 10 heller, issue 1900, cancelled at PREVESA, Mi33

1903 - 1907 issues

Michel N°43-46: 10 para to 2 piaster in 2 lines, with varnish bars. Michel N°47-52: same without varnish bars.

So-called Stamps of Crete - Österreichische Post auf Kreta

Stamps in French currency, but used also in Austrian Levant post offices. Only unused stamps here!

1903 10 centimes overprint Mi2
1903 1 Franc overprint Mi5
1904 4 Francs unused. Mi7.
1905 5 centimes, no varnish bars Mi12
1905 10 centimes, no varnish bars Mi13
1906 15 centimes Mi16

1908 Jubilee issues

In Turkish (Michel N°s 53-61) or French (Michel Kreta 17-22) currency.

5 centimes Unused Mi17.
10 centimes rose paper Unused Mi18.
15 centimes chamois paper. Unused Mi19.
25 centimes pale blue paper; Unused Mi20x.
50 centimes yellow paper. Unused Mi21
1908 1 Franc pair, Mi22

The Danube Steamboat Shipping Company (DDSG)

The Erste Donau-Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, or D.D.S.G. 'Donau Dampfschiffahrts Gesellschaft' (DDSG) (the word means Danube Steamboat Shipping Company) was a shipping company founded in 1829 by the Austrian government for transporting passengers and cargo on the Danube. In 1846 it received the right to transport mail within and from their sites (Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire) to the state border of Austria-Hungary. D.D.S.G. issued its own stamps. A private company made the train liaison between Cernavoda and the Black See (stamp issued in 1867).

1878 10 kreuzer
1867 Dobroudja (Küstendje) local post

France

The first French post office in Levant was opened in Constantinople in 1812. It was suspended during 1827-35 as a consequence of the Greek War of Independence. France began issuing stamps for its offices in the Levant in 1885. Some French Offices in the Ottoman Empire stamps were denominated in centimes and francs. Others were denominated in centimes, paras and piasters. World War I forced the closure of all the post offices on 13 October 1914. After the war, only the office in Istanbul reopened, operating from August 1921 to July 1923. Stamps of France were again surcharged, with values from 30 paras to 75 piasters.

Offices in the Ottoman empire were located in Alexandretta (now İskenderun), , Castellorizo, Kustendje (now Constanţa), Latakia, Mersin, , Rodosto (now Tekirdağ), Sulina, Tulcea and Varna (current countries info needed).

Post offices in Crete

Post offices were located in Candia (now Iraklion) and Canea (now Chania).

Post offices in Egypt

Post offices in Alexandrie, Port Said.

Post offices in Greece

Offices were located in Cavalla, Dedeagach (now Alexandroupoli), Port Lagos, Prevesa, Rhodes, Salonica (now Thessaloniki), Vathy (Samos island) and Volos.

Vathy overprint on 15c blue, 1893 issue

Post offices in Lebanon

Post offices were located in Beirut (1840) and Tripolis.

1 piaster overprint on 25 centime, 1885 issue, Beirut postmark

Post offices in Palestine (Israel)

Post offices were located in Jerusalem in 1900, Jaffa, ....

Carte UPU de Jérusalem (sept 1900) vers Le Caire via Jaffa. Oblitération la plus ancienne de ce bureau français. 10 c ordinaire de France. Lot vendu 380 FS en 2000 (collection Cihangir).

Post offices in Turkey

Post offices were located in Constantinople, Galata, Gallipoli, Sinope, Smyrna (now İzmir), Trebizond..

30 centime stamp, 1903 issue
3 Piastre 30 para on 25c stamp, 1923 issue for Istanbul usage

Germany - Deutsche Post in Türkei

In use between 1870 and 30-9-1914. International (French) currency since 1908. Cancellations before 1884 were made on German stamps as Kolonial Vorläufer.

Covers before 1884

Post office in Constantinopel.

With stamps of the Norddeutscher Postbezirk

Stamps of the North German Confederation used 1870.
With 1 and 2 groschen to Saxony in 1870. Sold 950 SF in 2000.
With two 2 Groschen, in 1871 to Switzerland, Mi17. Sold 1,400 SF in 2000.

With stamps of the German Empire

To Switzerland in 1872, 2 Grochen pair. MiV5. Sold 1,500 SF in 2000.
To Toulouse (France) in 1872. MiV18&20. Sold 600 SF in 2000.
To Winterthur (Switzerland) in 1873, with 1 & 2² groschen, MiV19&21a. Sold 700 SF in 2000. Mi18&20.
To Lyon (France) in 1873, pair MiV19 & Mi21a. Sold 500 SF in 2000.
To Paris in 1873, with 2 & 2² groschen, MiV20-21a. Sold 1,500 SF in 2000.
To Lyon in 1873, with pair of 2² groschen, MiV21a. Sold 1000 SF in 2000.
To Switzerland in 1874, two dates on 3 values! Sold 3,600 SF in 2000.
To Paris, with 5 groschen large eagle, in 1874. Sold 950 SF in 2000. MiV22.
To Krens (Switzerland), with 20 pfennig pair, in 1875. MiV34. Sold 850 SF in 2000.

1884 overprinted issue

Stamps of 1879 surcharged. Valid until 1-2-1891. D.P. for DEUTSCHE POST.

10 para surcharge on 5 pfg violet. Mi1
20 para surcharge on 10 pfg rose. Mi2
1 Piaster, cancelled CONSTANTINOPEL 1 D.P. on 13-9-87. Mi3d ultramarine
1 1/4 Piaster, cancelled CONSTANTINOPEL 1 D.P. Mi4 brown
2,5 Piaster, cancelled CONSTANTINOPEL 1 D.P. on 27-11-86. Mi5a oliv-grau

1889-1913 overprinted issues

All issues are overprints with the Levant currency in use.

Registered print from Constantinopel 1 Deutsche Post to Paris. Mi6&7&9 in 1891.
20 para stationery with issues 1889 in 1894.
Issues 1889 (10 para - 20 para) on cover from CONSTANTINOPEL 1 DP. Bilingual ALEXANDRIE on Egypt 2 piastre (SG D74) in 1897.
10 Para, issue 1900
Registered Cover with 5 piaster issue 1900 from Constantinopel 2 to Saxony. Mi20 I.
2 Piaster, issue 1900, cancelled at JERUSALEM in 1901. Mi17.
4 Piaster, issue 1900. Mi19.
20 para, issue 1906, cancelled JAFFA DEUTSCHE POST (Israel) on 4-2-1911. Mi37.
5 Piaster, cancelled CONSTANTINOPEL 2 D.P. issue 1907 (with lozenges). Mi44 karminrot

French currency in 1908

Imprinted, 5 Centimes overprint issue 1908, cancelled JERUSALEM DEUTSCHE POST on 12-9-1910. Mi U5
100 Centimes, issue 1908, unused. Mi52.

Great Britain

British Embassy mail started in 1832. In November 1854 an Army post office was established in Constantinople as a sorting and forwarding office for forces in the Crimea. The PO was opened for public service (postmark 'C' in oval of bars) in September 1857; further offices were opened in Smyrna in 1872 (postmark 'F87') and Beirut in 1873 (Postmark 'G06'). A second office was opened at Stamboul (postmark 'S' in oval bars) in 1884 but this was closed in the 1890s and did not reopen until 1908. Stamps of Great Britain were used before 1885.

Cover with British Empire 1d&3d&6d (G44-144-123) from Beirout to New York. Barred Oval G06 in 1874. Lot sold 6,000 SF in 2000.
Cover with 10d (1867), from Beirout to England. Barred Oval G06 in 1874 (SG Z24). Lot sold 1500 SF in 2000 (collection Cihangir).
1909 cover with 4 Half Penny (1905 issue) taxed 4 m from BPO SMYRNA to Egypt. Lot sold 200 SF in 2000 (collection Cihangir).
30 para surcharge on Edward VII (1909 issue).

Post offices in the 1919-1923 period

Known at Constantinople and Smyrna, following occupation by Allied armies.

11/2 piastres surcharge on George V stamp. DC cancelled at Constantinople in 1921. SG N°42.
41/2 piastres surcharge on George V stamp, issue 1921. DC cancelled. SG N°44.
15 piastres issue 1921. DC cancelled at Constantinople in 1923. SG N°46.

Italy

General issue

Both Venice and Naples maintained postal connections with the Levant in the 18th century but these had lapsed before unification. In 1873 Italian postal agencies were established in Constantinople, Smyrna, and Beirut.

The general stamps of Italy of 1863 were in 1874 overprinted 'ESTERO' ('ABROAD') and had some corner ornamental design alterations. The general issue was intended to meet the demand of all Italian post offices abroad: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Erithrea, Alexandria, Tunesia, Libya and The Ottoman Empire. In 1881 a second issue followed, Estero overprinted 1879 stamps. Area of usage of these stamps and the forerunners can be identified by its number cancellation eg. 234: Alexandria (1863-1884), 235: Tunis (1852-1897), 3336: La Goletta (1880-1897), 3051: Tripolis (1869-1911.

Usage of 'ESTERO' overprinted stamps stopped at the end of 1889, because specific stamps per area were issued. Some remaining Estero stamps were officially cancelled to order for the philatelic market, by two numeral-bar cancels made in Rome: 3364 (Susa) and 3862 (Massaua).