Russian P.O. in Aleppo, Ingoing 1869 (Jan 22): Entire letter from
Constantinople via Alexandretta to Aleppo, bearing Russian Levant
1868 5
Russian P.O. in Aleppo, Ingoing 1869 (Jan 22): Entire letter from
Constantinople via Alexandretta to Aleppo, bearing Russian Levant
1868 5 kop. deep blue perf. 15½, tied by mute retta cancellation in
blue, reverse with KONSTANTINOPOL despatch (Tchilinghirian fig 3)
and "PORT ALEXANDRETTA” transit cds's (Tchilinghirian fig 799),
both in blue. Upon arrival in Aleppo struck by extremely rare
two-line “POSTE-RUSSE / d’ALEP” (Tchilinghirian fig 205). Some
foxing, nevertheless a most interesting cover, one of only four
covers known to date, one of only two of them in combination of the
elusive handstamp with a Russian Levant franking. Cert. Buchsbayew
(2014). Note: The existence of a Russian post at Aleppo remained
unsuspected for a long time. Most letters were transported by the
Turkish post from Aleppo to Alexandretta, where they were
transferred to the foreign postal services. Vice versa, incoming
mail was charged and Turkish postage due was added. However,
Tchilinghirian (1958) described in the collection of Franz See an
ingoing stampless cover from the Marcopoli correspondence which was
struck in Aleppo by a two-line “POSTE-RUSSE / d’ALEP”. In the 1960
supplement of their work, Tchilinghirian & Stephen noted two
additional covers with this cancellation, another stampless item
from the same correspondence ex Liphschutz and the present cover
from Smyrna ex collection Matuhin, franked with 5 kop Levant
adhesive. These covers establish that some sort of a Russian post
was functioning in Aleppo. In between a fourth cover was found, all
ingoing to Aleppo on the two dates of January 22 and January 28,
1869. Interestingly, this cancellation looks were similar to the
French “POSTE FRANCAISE / d’ALEP” and may have been manufactured by
the same craftsman. All four covers show a taxation of ‘1’
(piastre) in red crayon. Reference: Described in detail in
Tchilinghirian “Stamps of the Russian Empire used abroad”, part VI
on pp. 536-537 (1957)