Russian P.O. in Alexandretta 1860: Registered Entire letter from
Alexandretta to Beirut, struck by extremely rare framed „COMPAGNIE
RUSSE
Russian P.O. in Alexandretta 1860: Registered Entire letter from
Alexandretta to Beirut, struck by extremely rare framed „COMPAGNIE
RUSSE / ALEXANDRETTE” datestamp (Tchilinghirian fig 196) with an
unclear date (27 / 15), a small framed "ASSe" registration
handstamp (Tchilinghirian unrecorded) alongside, both strikes in
blue. Manuscript notation 'K 15' of the pre-payment on top of
obverse. One of two items known with this datestamp, this being the
better one, fine and attractive, a choice piece for a ROPiT
collection, cert. Buchsbayew (2024). Note: The datestamp does not
give the month but instead the Julian and Gregorian calender dates
of '15' and '27'. This is also seen on the other item with this
datestamp from 1860, a cover front ex Cihangir, Corinphila 2000,
lot 542. The year 1860 was the year of the French military
intervention in Syria to stop the massacre of the catholic
Maronites. Wishing to remain neutral in this conflict, the merchant
community came to rely heavily on the Russian mail service.
Provenance: Oscar collection, DF sale 122 (Nov 1999), lot 20133
