|
Printed in Canada
H IIh1K
THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF
RUSSIAN PHILATELY
P.O. BOX 5722 Station 'A', TORONTO,
ONTARIO, CANADA, M5W 1P2
No. 7 December, 1980
CONTENTS
Editorial
Correspondence With Canada
Exhibition Round-Up .......................
Anatomy of a Cover ........................
A Postmark of the Russian Post
in Tarnopol 1809-15 .......................
Aeroflotsam ...............................
The Great Dot and Numeral Hunt
A Little Mystery Solved .... ................
Some Notes on Birobidzan ..................
A Cover from Turpel .......................
Soviet Battleships ........................
Postage Stamps Issued by the Zemstvos .....
Expertising Services ......................
A Question of Expertising .................
Russia at Arms 1902-20
Obituaries
Review of Literature
Philatelic Shorts
The Collectors' Corner
The Journal Fund
RO S SCA SOC C ETY
L I BR A RV / 1983
Andrew Cronin
Rev. L.L. Tann
James Mazepa
P.J. Campbell
Rev. L.L. Tann
Andrew Cronin
Peter Michalove
Barry Hong
Alex Artuchov
G.G. Werbizky
Dr. R.J. Ceresa
COORDINATORS OF THE SOCIETY
Publisher and Treasurer.....ALEX ARTUCHOV
Secretary....................P.J. CAMPBELL
Editor ......................ANDREW CRONIN
CREDITS
The Society is once again indebted to a number of individuals for
their contributions to this issue. Gratitude is accordingly extended
to Maili Nagel for her assistance with photography; to Claude Campbell
for her typing and to her father Pat for his additional duties.
p"-ST- KILER
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SZ DITORBRIAL
SHTEMPELGATE-THE AFTERMATH
Nearly two years after the initial detection of fraudulent Used
Abroad cancellations originating from the Soviet Union, a warning
and list of place-names and dates was finally featured in the June,
1980 issue of "Filatelia SSSR". While the article falls somewhat
short by failing to state that these postmarks forgeries were made
in the USSR, omits three of the offices and mispells another, the
VOF has undertaken to publish further information in the next issue
of the "Soviet Collector" annual.
The aftermath of this "shtempelgate" scandal is indeed a sorry one!
The damage done to the collecting of Used Abroad markings is both
heavy and lasting. The real danger lies in the fact that many office
listed by Stephen and Tchilinghirian were presumed to have existed
but no markings had yet been seen. Whereas, before "shtempelgate",
any material found from any such office would have been hailed
triumphantly as a new discovery, the position now is that any subsequent
finds will be under a cloud, because there is nothing to check
them against.
Even rare markings already known are suspect. Your Editor recently
acquired a piece bearing four Romanow stamps with the scarce "Kharbin-
Pristan/ Stn. of the C.E.R." postmark (see illustration):-
It came from a reputable dealer and appears genuine. However, there
are Soviet envelopes using a grade of paper similar to that of the
illustrated piece. The price was reasonable, so your Editor does
not care either way, but the moral of the story is that doubts now
pop up, where doubts never existed before.
In short, the situation is now coming to the point where have to
establish pedigrees for material. For instance, we can assure
Readers that the postmark from NOVONEZHINO on the C.E.R. line
described elsewhere in this issue by the Rev. L.L. Tann should be
genuine, as he found that particular example ten years ago and got
it for the price of the stamp.
Once again we remind our readers that there is more than enough
specialist material floating the Western World to keep us all busy
throughout our collecting lifetimes. The lure of trying to get
material at bargain rates or to obtain "new" discoveries from the
country of origin may well result in getting oneself badly burnt.
As the Greeks would say: "may you have fourteen eyes'"
CORRESPONDENCE
WITH CANADA
T.
"Correspondence with Canada" is a regular feature AA HAAVY
of this journal. Anyone possessing interesting
Russian mail to Canada is invited to share it
with the readership, by forwarding a photograph
or xerao copy of the item, along with same expla-
natory text to the Editor.
By Andrew Cronin
This time we are featuring a letter, or rather a front, franked with the 10-kop.
arms to pay the rate abroad from Bogdanovka, Tiflis Province and dated 19 Nov.
1911 (Old Style). It is addressed to "North America, Canada, Village of Petrovo,
to be received by Pdtr Grogor'evich Rezantsov (Matveev)" all in Russian and
with the following in Englishs "for Doukhobor, Kamsack, P. 0. Box 78, Sask.,
N. Amereca (sic), Canada".
Kamsack is 225 km. (140 miles) N.E. of Regina and near the Manitoba border. The
settlement of the Dukhobor religious sects in our country began in 1899 because
of religious persecution in Russia and has proved to be a mixed blessing for us
Canadians. However, early Russian mail addressed to the Canadian Doukhobors
before World War I is of great rarity, as many of them then were illiterate.
The only other recorded item in this field is a remarkable registered cover in
the collection of Dr. R. Casey of England. It consists of a 20-kop. stationery
envelope sent by an M. Arishchenkov, an inmate of the Dukhobor Penal Colony at
Ust' Notora in the Yakutsk Province and 200 km. from the mailing point at Amga.
3
The sender addressed the letter in French and Russian to : "North America,
Canada, to the town of Yorkton, the Dukhobor emigrant Aleksei Arishchenkov".
Sent from Amga, Yakutsk Province, on 7 March 1903 (Old Style), it passed through
St. Petersburg (9 April ? -O.S.) and the cover is also backstamped "WINNIPEG-12,
5 May 1903". Yorkton is also in Saskatchewan (167 km. or 118 miles N. E. of
Regina and not far from Kamsack) and the Dukhobor exiles in the Yakutsk Province
were allowed to emigrate to Canada in 1904.
It follows from all the foregoing that any pre-WWI Russian mail addressed to
Saskatchewan should be carefully examined and we would like to hear from readers
who may discover any further examples of these historic items.
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EXHIBg~gOM T.O'jf ON -lU
by Andrew Cronin
_A. "LONDON 1980".
Probably no other recent international exhibition had run into so many problems
in the preparatory stages than this one, held on the 140th. anniversary of the
appearance of the first postage stamps in the world in their land of origin.
One of the difficulties that arose was the initial appointment of an unusually
small jury (36 members) for the projected ntuber of frames (4000). There was
also no judge whom we in Russian or Polish philately could recognize as having
sufficiently wide qualifications to evaluate all the material in our areas.
Your Society wrote two stiff letters to the Organising Committee on the above
points and the BSRP also sent a letter supporting out first protest. The Jury
was finally expanded to 39 full members and 7 observer judges, but there was
still no recognisable judge in our sphere and the results were spotty, in the
opinion of the writer.
By stipulating that intending exhibitors nust have rained a vernail or better
at previous internationals, the Organising Comnittee ensured that a very high
standard would be set for entries at "London 1980". However, the restrictions
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placed on the allocation of frames were onerous and some of the more prominent
philatelists in our area, such as Adolf Lindemeier and Jan Poulie of Switzerland
chose not to exhibit. There was also dissatisfaction at the proposed handling of
postal history entries, resulting in a strong protest from the American
Philatelic Society. The Organising Committee finally compromised by having
separate postal history sections within each subdivision of traditional philately
and with a postal history judge also assigned to each such subdivision. This
scattering of the postal history entries was a very confusing arrangement and not
wholly in accordance with FIP rules. After the preliminary results were in, it
was felt that some of the postal history entries may not have been adequately
covered by this method and so a special group of five judges was formed,
including Canada's Kenneth Rowe, to make a final review of the postal history
results.
In short, the prevailing view on this side of the water was that, with a bit of
luck, the show would muddle through in traditional British fashion. To the great
relief and pleasure of all concerned, all the exhibits were successfully housed
in the frames brilliantly designed by John 0. Griffiths (now we know why he was
examining so closely the frames at "CAPEX '78" t), the various committees
managed to pull all the strings together on the eve of the exhibition and it
became a smashing success.
In our area, there were two great collections in the Court of Honour: "Kingdom
of Poland" by M. A. Bojanowicz and "Russian Essays and Postal Stationery 1848-
1909" by M. V. Liphschutz (the finest array of Imperial Russian essays in the
world and dwarfing the few remnants left in the USSR archives).
Coming to the competitive class, the writer had the impression that traditional
philately and postal history were rated on the low side and airmail entries on
the high side. The results were as follows-
LARGE GOLD: M. V. Liphschutz Russian Posts in the Danubian Principalities
and the Ottoman Empire. Undoubtedly one of the finest
collections ever assembled of this particular area.
SMALL GOLD: P A.Erixon Russia 1822-1922 (glorious array of No. is).
Vambola Hurt Estonian Forerunners 1636-1914.
N, Jakimovs Early Baltic Cancellations (a lot of the pre-
stamp material looked as fresh as if it had come out of the
official archives).
I. Morozov USSR Airmails 1922-1935.
V. Snegirev Foreign Policy of the ISSR 1917-1941 (thematic).
J. J. Verner -Czechoslovak Siberian Field Post.
VERMEILs N. Epstein -Imperial Russia (plus Special Prize). Despite the
poor write-up, this was a low award for a collection second only
to that of M. V. Liphschutz and containing not just great rarities
but many unique items with pedigrees from previous famous
philatelists.
B. Kaminskii -Russia 1858-1917 (with Felicitations).
B, Stenchinskii Zemstvo Post of Russia,
SILVERt F, Daniel -- USSR Airmail Markings.
E. Kobylanski Ukraine 1918-1920.
P.N.D. Lewis Cancellations of St. Petersburg 1878-1922
(a very commendable junior exhibit).
J. Mazepa -- Russian Administration of Poland (plus Special
Prize).
SILVER BRONZE:
BR"NZEs
E. Ojaste -- Postal Censorship in Estonia 1919-1921,
R, Thomas Rural Post of Imperial Russia (Zemstvo exhibit)
Eesti Filatelist- award in the Literature Class.
A. Presterud Russia 1857-1933. He has the first airmail
stamp in a vertical pair tete-beche and the 'plane overprint.
The writer feels that the basic tete-beche pair is genuine, as
each of the pair shows the same characteristics as the normal
45 r. stamp, but that the 'plane overprints would have to be
carefully examined to determine if they were genuine or not.
Monsieur Liphschutz is of the opinion that the whole thing is
bogus.
A. Certsov
I, Lukanc
L. E. Winick
- Laws for Everyone (thematic).
- Zeppelin Post and Airship Stamps of the USSR
(award in the Literature Class),
- Soviet Space Catalogue.
The USSR had a booth at the show, where a special envelope with an impressed 4-kop
die was on sale to commemorate "London 1980" and with an appropriate cancellation.
It sold for 20p. and there was also a range of covers inscribed in Russian on the
occasion of "NAPOSTA-78" handed out free of charge (please see illustrations).
Quite apart from the exhibition, one of the highlights of the trip was certainly
the opportunity of meeting colleagues in the BSRP and Rossica, many of them known
to the writer by correspondence for years. Pilgrimages were made to the Midlands
to see Peter Ashford, whose hospitality was overpowering; also to Enfield to
hobnob with that grand old man (figuratively speaking) of Russian philately Dr.
A. H. Wortman and, last but not least, out to the wilds of Essex to visit John
Lloyd in West Bergholt. This was all topped off on the afternoon of Saturday 17th.
May, when a meeting of the BSRP was attended and further personal encounters were
made. A photograph of the happy event, where Peter Ashford showed rare
Transcaucasian cancellations, is shown herewith.
In short, a
goodly journey withal
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Top Row L to R: P.B.Walker, Prof.V.Zacharov, E.Peel, J.E.Lee,
J.B.iloyes, I.L.G.Baillie, B. Pritt, A.Cronin, Mr.Harris, H.Norwood.
Bottom Row L to R: Dr.T.T.Rutkowska, Dr. A.Wortman, R.Joseph,
Dr.R.Casey, P.T.Ashford.
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AL AL .VLAL A.JLALALAL AL
ME)KAYHAPOAHAR
QHAATEAhICTL ECKASI BbICTABKA
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HiHAKC npeanpHrtTHU CBen3 MecTa Ha33aqeHHw
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OPIF-KOMIlITET
"OAI/IMnfIAA- 80"
HAH ~r
"HAnOCTA-78"
B. "NORWEX '80".
This exhibition was held at Oslo in Norway from 13 to 22 June 1980 on the heels
of "London 1980" and with David Dixon of Oakville, Ont. acting as the Canadian
Commissioner. Sincere thanks are due to Mr. Dixon for details about the show,
This was an extremely well-organised show right from the very outset, with 3500
frames and many enjoyable functions. Quite a few collections on view at "London
1980" were forwarded to "Norwex '80" and the results are given hereunder.
LARGE GOLD: M. V. Liphschutz Russian Posts in the Danubian
Principatlities and the Ottoman Empire (with Special
Prize).
SMALL GOLD:
A. Presterud
C. Telecan
A. Greblis
E, Johansen
BRONZE:
K, Berngard
S. M. Blekhman
F. Daniel
P A. Erixon
H. Gevirts
Harry v. Hofmann
Sven Kraul
Aldo Cecchi
Manfred Dobin
Eesti Filatelist
D. Lysogorov
G. Brynskikh
Vambola Hurt
E. Kobylanski
E. Ojaste
R. Thomas
Jap.Phil.Publ.
- Russia 1856-1917 Specialised.
- Airmail of the lBSR
- RSFSR stamps, letters, errors
and proofs.
- Russia 1822-1922 (plus Special
Prize).
- Zemstvos:strips,Sheets & letters.
- Latvia forerunners, Pre-stamp
and Postmarks,
- Latvian Letters (plus Special
Prize).
- Italian Soldiers in Russia
1914-1920.
- From the History of the St.
Petersburg Posts.
- Literature Class.
- From the History of WWII (plus
Special Prize).
- Simbirsk-Ulyanovsk
(Lenin thematic).
- Cerman Occpn. of Estonia
1941-1944.
Ukraine 1918-1920.
Estonia 1918-1921.
Zemstvo Posts.
Postal History of Saghalien
(Literature Class).
Russia 1857-1933.
The Letter from the Sender to
the Addressee (Thematic).
Postal History of Latvia.
Russian Finland 1.5.1891-25.4.1918.
VERMEIL:
SILVER:
SILVER-BRONZEs
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t.. i a
Breakfast with M.V. .Liphschutz(L)
and J.E. Marcovitch(R)
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Dinner with the Tanns
Andrew Cronin(L), Rev. Leonard
Tann(M), Alex Artuchov(R)
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C. "BUENOS AIRES '80".
The fourth international exhibition held under FIP patronage this year, this was the
most important show ever held in Latin America, from 24 Oct. to 2 Nov. 1980 and with
a capacity of 3500 frames of 16 pages each. The writer was the Canadian Commissioner
for this great event and the participation from our country was strong, a total of 8
collections and 4 literature entries being personally taken down. This was better
than the response from France, which has more than double our population. By the way,
our French subscriber Monsieur M. V. Liphschutz was a judge on the international
jury for the show.
Buenos Aires is the second largest Spanish-speaking city in the world (population
almost ten millions) and is a great metropolitan centre of international stature
and ambiance. Argentina is a very beautiful and rich country, with the highest
standard of living in Latin America, almost complete literacy and with a well-
educated and extensive middle class. The State Corporation of Posts and Telegraphs
"ENCOTEL" solidly supported the show financially and, together with FAEF, the
Federation of Argentinian Philatelic Societies, extended most cordial hospitality.
The philatelic community in Argentina is led by a band of dedicated and intelligent
collectors who worked very hard to make the exhibition a success and were not
afraid to admit any mistakes. Heartfelt thanks for their many kindnesses are due to
Colonel S. C. Yorio, M. A. Mansilla, E. J. Rocca, N. M. Ferrd, G. A. Ares, V. A. Di
Gaudio, 0. M. Giordano, M. D. Kurchan, E. M. Sinich, S. Giumelli, C. Buydoso,
V. Tondelli, N. Padrone, J. A. Romanelli, J. C, Sdenz, P. Weisz, Mario the
chauffeur and the other hospitable Argentinians who helped to make the writer's
stay in their country so enjoyable and at times hilarious.
The International Grand Prize went to our subscriber Sr. Dn. Enrique Martfn de
Bustamante of Madrid, Spain for his Classic Venezuela. The other awards were as
follow _a
SMALL GOLD:
VERMEILs
SILVER
SILVER-BRONZE:
E. M. de Bustamante Imperial Russia,
I. Berngard
Adolf Lell
Alex. Artuchov
P. Barbatavicius
L, Buzzetti
A. Gdalin
Dr. M. A. Kamieiski
Lithuanian Socs. of
NYC & Toronto
Ryszard Poddubiuk
Agnar Presterud
G. Malakhov
- Soviet Postal Rates 1920-1922.
- Estonia 1918-1920.
- South Russia Specialised.
- Lithuania 1918-1920.
- The Italian Fieldpost in WWI
(Literature Class).
- Alexander Pushkin (thematic).
- Poland to 1923, including great
Western Ukrainian rarities.
- Specialised Catalogue of
Lithuania (plus Special Prize),
- Kingdom of Poland 1815-1851.
- Russia 1857-1933.
- V. I. Lenin (thematic).
All in all, a very busy year philatelically on the international scene I
ANATOMY OF A COVER
by Rev.L.L.Tann
One aspect of the vast field of Russian Philately not yet mentioned in these
issues of Yamshchik is the Grand Duchy of Finland. Perhaps the experts will
forgive a brief outline for the sake of more general collectors.
One result of the upheavals of the Napoleonic Wars was the wresting from the
Kingdom of Sweden of its province of Finland. An armistice in November 1808
between the King of Sweden, Gustavus IV and Tsar Alexander I, ceded Finland
to Russia. Alexander ordered fresh elections to the Finnish assmebly, the
Diet, and when the Diet met in his presence in 1809, the deputies took an
oath to "have and to hold Alexander I and his successors as lawful sovereigns."
Alexander, in his turn, promised to uphold Finnish rights of free speech and
assembly, freedom of press, of religion and conscience. Styled as Grand Duke
of Finland, the Tsar was to uphold a freedom in Finland unknown in Russia.
Alexander III and Nicholas II spanning the years 1881-1917 infringed many
provisions of the Finnish constitution, riding roughshod over their cherished
freedoms. This included the Finnish post, which was reduced virtually to an
internal postal service.
From 1901, all mail destined ex-Finland had to be franked with Russian stamps,
Finnish stamps being used only for inland mail. Supplies of the 1902-6, 1909-
17 Arms issues, also the Romanov Jubilee stamps, the 1914 and 1915 War Charity
stamps, and the 1916 surcharged stamps were supplied to Finland. The Finnish
Post Office was debited for these supplies. Not, it must be made clear, the
face value, but only the basic cost of printing the supplies sent. So it will
be seen that the Finnish Post Office still retained control of its own finances,
and thus was not completely subordinated to Russian control.
Further, if a traveller or businessman carried stamps over the frontier with
him, they were valid for postage, though payment for the stamps had been made
to the Russian post at face value, rather than the printing charge to the
Finnish post. This point has caused sane Finnish experts some trouble, as
the problem in this period what is a Finnish stamp? becomes more blurred
by this problem, as will be seen.
The Ramanov Tsars, having made themselves thoroughly obnoxious to the Finns,
could not, in all honesty, expect them to enjoy using the Romanov Jubilee
stamps. Hence, generally speaking, their use in Finland is exceptional rather
than common. The War Charity stamps were regarded as paying an extra tax to
Russia, and also used less frequently than one might have imagined. The 1916
surcharged' stamps, issued in September 1916, had a very short life in Finland
before independence was declared in December 1917. Thus, their use in infre-
quent, curtailed both by time and by the fact that there was no shortage of
Arms stamps.
The cover which this essay seeks to examine is an envelope printed in both
Cyrillic and Latin of a firm in St. Petersburg. The cover bears a 10k Romanov
stamp and is cancelled by two (Grade A) postmarks reading: "H. FORS ST. P.
BURG./F. P. VAGON/29-XII-13/No. 2." The "F. P. VAGON" (meaning Finnish Postal
Van) is in Cyrillic, the rest in Latin characters. On this railway route,
No. 1 was Helsingfors to St. Petersburg, No. 2 was St. Petersburg to Hel-
singfors. The cover was addressed to an industrial ccapany in Norrkoping,
Sweden.
Is this cover Used in Finland?
Finnish specialists regard the stamps of Russia of this period as falling
into two categories:
1. A Russian stamp bought in Finland at a Finnish Post Office, and used
in Finland, is classified as a Finnish stamp. The Finnish authorities
had paid a flat printing rate for the stamp, and they now issued the
stamp for postal use, and received the face value, which went into the
Finnish postal coffers.
2. Russian stamps valid for postage brought into Finland by travellers
or businessmen, or sent in a letter to pay return postage, are regard-
ed as "mitlaufer," co-runners. These are not bought at Finnish post
offices, the Finnish postal exchequer gains nothing and has to carry
the cover as mail. Nevertheless, clearly used in Finland.
Our cover originates in Russia, the stamp was bought in Russia, and was
affixed in Russia. Can we say that its use on the St. Petersburg-Helsingfors
railway qualifies it in any way for the classification: Used in Finland?
Let us consider the following points:
Russian railway postmarks, both of postal vans on trains as well as railway
stations in the period 1903-17 were oval. There are notable cases of round
ones (Kharkov station, Vilna station) but these are exceptions to a rule
that covers the vastness of Russia and principal stations abroad. On the
contrary, Finnish railway postmarks were double circles, generally bilingual.
Some had the Latin letters "K.P.XP." (Finnish postal van) at the top, and in
Cyrillic "H..BAOH'b" underneath, and the line number in the inner circle under
or above the date. Others were double circles, with P. VAGON in Finnish/
Swedish/Cyrillic and the line number again in the centre. The St. Petersburg-
Helsingfors postmarks conform to the Finnish type.
Finland belonged to the Protestant Church, and thus used the western reform-
ed calendar of Pope Gregory, or New Style. Russia was still geared to the
Julian or Old Style calendar, same 13 days behind from 1900. All Finnish
railway and other postmarks are dated New Style, as are the postmarks of the
St. Petersburg-Helsingfors railway.
In the Russian system of numbered oval postmarks of railway postal vans,
St. Petersburg, as the capital of the Empire, figured as No. 1. In the
Finnish system of numbered railway postal vans, the Helsingfors-St. Petersburg
route was No. 1, since Helsingfors was Finland's capital. The reverse route,
St. Petersburg-Helsingfors being No. 2, as on our cover. Thus, we see that
the Finland Station in St. Petersburg and the railway running from it in
postal matters was allied to Finland and to Finnish practices, rather than
Russian methods. Granted, therefore, that the stamp on our cover was bought
in Russia, affixed to an ex-Russia cover, ITS USE WAS IN ACCORD WITH FINNISH
PRACTICE IN DATE, IN STYLE OF POSTMARK, AND ON A FINNISH RAILWAY. The present
writer believes, therefore, that it classifies for Used in Finland status,
under category 2, mentioned above, of a co-runner. Had the cover as it stands
been travelling the other way, from Helsingfors to St. Petersburg, it would
have came under category 1, bougt-and paid for in Finland, and clearly used
there.
Finnish railway postmarks on Russian stamps are very infrequently met, though
the St. Petersburg-Helsingfors route would be the most ccrnon in an uncommon
group. This cancellation on a Rcmanov stamp enhances the cover. Though it
is a "co-runner," as was said, use of Ramanov stamps in Finland was limited
by the emotional bias of the population. Such consideration does not apply
in this instance, as a Russian purchased the stamp, though sane of the
Romanov stamps used in Finland (as category 1 items) could also have been
used by Russians there, such as Russian staff in the Governor-General's office.
The St. Petersburg-Helsingfors railway was, by postal practices, a "thin spur"
of Finland in Russia. Material from St. Petersburg to Finland used in this
way deserve status as "Used in Finland as Co-Runners."
TOPrOl liti lO M'b
I'. jlAIYCI7 li R1.
TexIcllVecItal loRiTopIa
C.-IIETEPLYPI'
Ma.lan KniiioiteiBnnaila y.. 1.
IIANDELSHAUS
H. LILIUS & CS.
TECHNISCHES COMPTOIR
St. PETERSBURG
KLEINE STALLHOFSSTRASSE 1.
Aki+t ietol n'get Bundstroi;.s MPskinaffTr.
N o r r k 6 p ing.
__ ~ ~
A POSTMARK OF THE RUSSIAN POST IN TARNOPOL 1809-15
by James Mazepa
Historical Background
The city of Tarnopol has a long and interesting history. According to
one source, Tarnopol was founded by Hetman Jan Tarnowski in 1540. The
city's name is a derivitive of the Hetman's name and the word "pole" or
field, a word which is almost the same in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russiano
Soviet sources claim the nane is derived from a combination of the word
"teru," which is a kind of weed in the area, and "pole." Historically, we
know the Polish King granted a charter to Tarnowski to found a city, and
it seems probable that he would use his name in its title, also perhaps
knowing it was descriptive of the area. There are no recorded postmarks
from Tarnopol during the Kingdom of Poland period.
Tarnopol was annexed by Austria in the first partition of Poland in 1772.
According to Mueller, no postmarks were introduced at that time. The
Napoleonic Wars brought yet another change. Napoleon's armies had crossed
Europe and he sought an alliance with Russia against Austria. He created
the Duchy of Warsaw, a manoeuvre which was primarily political and had little
consequence of the Polish State, except that it kept alive the spirit of
Polish Nationalism. In 1809, Napoleon added the Districts of Krak6w, Radom,
Lublin, and Siedlce to the Duchy. To appease and entice the Russians, he
gave them the District of Tarnopol.
The district was administered by a man named JoAo Theyis, who was responsible
for the restoration of the palace castle He also built a ballroom and gambl-
ing casino in the city, which added much to its popularity and economy. In
1815, the district was returned to Austria as part of the agreements of the
Council of Vienna, The first Austrian postmark was introduced in 1824. Dur-
ing the First World War, a large part of the city was burned and destroyed.
Tarnopol was part of the short-lived Western Ukrainian State, after which it
became part of the Polish State. In 1939, it was incorporated into the
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The Russian Post: A Discovery
A number of years ago, I purchased the folded envelope described below. I
was at a loss to explain why the postmark was in Russian, since I knew the
district was under Austrian administration since 1772. I had sent the en-
velope to Mr. Rosselevich, who could not explain the mark, except to tell
me the obvious; it was from Tarnopol. A reading of the history books ex-
plained the use to me, and this was confirmed by the date enclosed in the
envelope.
The letter described here originated in the village of Wolochysk, about 25
miles east of Tarnopol on the river Zbruch. The two red wax seals on the
reverse read in Russian: "WOLOCHYSK POST OFFICE SEAL." They have the
Russian coat-of-arms and a posthorn below.
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15
The address is in the usual Polish style of the period, and there is an
additional notation in another hand in Russian which is possibly a for-
warding address. The Polish address reads:
"Do Jasnie Wielmoznego Rzymsko Katolickiego
Unitskiego Duchownego Luckiego
Konsystorza
w ZYDYCZYNIE"
translated, "To the Most Honorable Uniate Roman Catholic (priest) of the
Holy Luck Consistorium at Zydyczyno" The additional notation in Russian
reads, "Uniate Church (spiritual) Consistorium to the priest Lelawski re-
siding in Luck." A curious word for "priest" is used here, "kcenz" in
the transliteration frcm Russian. This word does not exist in Russian and
one would expect the word, "Svyashchenik" or "priest." It seems to be a
Russian transliteration of the Polish word for priest, "KsiLdzo"
On the back of the cover, is the boxed Cyrillic "No. 1 Tarnopol." The mark
measures 42 mn x 8 mm, with the letters 4 mn high The "1" is in manuscript.
Next to the postmark is the notation "of the 12th of Augusto" A note in the
envelope gives the date of August 12, 1809o On the flap is the notation
"2 Dyc." I cannot explain this.
This mark does not appear in the listing of prestamp marks of Russia by
Fohs and Adler, nor in the work of Mikstein on the prestamp marks of Poland.
The fact that the postmark includes the "No. suggests the possibility
that it is some kind of registry mark. If so, there might be also a mark
for ordinary post Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the
Tarnopol mark is indeed a transit mark, not a mark of origin. Since Tarnopol
is the district capital it seems appropriate that it have its own postmark,
but this raises the possibility that other towns also had their own during
this Russian period, and they are yet to be discovered.
I would like to thank Ryszard Poddubiuk for his valuable information and
assistance in preparing this article.
References
Fohs, Julius and Adler, Kurt, "Prestamp Markings of Imperial Russia,"
BSRP, No 33, October, 1963.
Gieysztor, Aleksander, et al., Histoire de Pologne, Warsaw, 1971o
Mikstein, Stanislaw, Pieczecie Pocztowe na Ziemiach Polski w XVIII Wieku,
Bialystok, 1939.
AEROFLOTSAM
by P.J.Campbell
Back in 1973, long before Yamschik, I came across an article by Russel Rulau
in the August 6th copy of Linn's. He was writing about Soviet postal cards,
and he included a picture of a 4-kopek card celebrating the fiftieth anni-
versary of Aeroflot, the Soviet airline. The printed picture was not very
clear, but I cut it out and filed it, because the artist had chosen to make
a rather surprising choice for his main illustration, but as the other air-
craft were a little blurred, it was filed away for future attention. In
Yamschik No. 5, I placed a small advertisement, and a recent mail turned up
a copy on loan frcm Barry Hong, and my research could proceed.
The card, illustrated herewith, had an imprinted stamp in three colours,
the usual spaces for address of sender, the address of the intended reci-
pient, and a vertical line of print saying, "Issued by Ministry of Ccmnuni-
cation of USSR, Card No. L.50285, 25.X.1972 (date of printing or date de-
signed, I'm not sure what that date signifies) MPFG. Order No. 12051.
Price 5 KOP. (4 kopeks for the stamp plus one for the card)."
AB I A
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s03AymHOA nHMHMM
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Remembering another source of information, I went to Volume 52, page 27,
of the British Journal of Russian Philately, where H. Norwood gave further
data. This card was one of a series, printed by offset-lithography on
chalky paper, and Mr. Norwood gave the date of issue as January 31, 1973,
the designer as A. Aksamit, stamp size as 43 x 19.5 rn (I forgot to measure
the card before mailing it back), and says that 100,000 were issued; really
quite a small printing. He said that his copy had a black commemorative
cancel designed by L. Partsi of Moscow Head Post Office, 9.II.72 and another,
also in black, designed by A. Saltanov used in connection with the Philatelic
Exhibition in Moscow to commemorate the anniversary, and dated December 15-25,
1973, Moscow A.167. The back of the card was left entirely blank for the
message.
Now my interest centered on the three aircraft illustrated. The first, on
the left, was flying above a little scroll with a route marked "420 kmi,"
and the words "Opening of first airline from Moscow to Nijni-Novgorod
(Gorki)." My maps showed the distance to be about correct, and I was
pleased to see the old and new names of the historic city spelled out.
The card, therefore, implied that Aeroflot was started in 1923, and that
it inaugurated its first route that year from Nijni-Novgorod to'Moscow,
probably in the aircraft shown on the card; right? Well, there are a few
things that must be added. To begin with, Aeroflot was not formed until
1933. We must also recognize that Aeroflot was not the earliest Soviet
airline, and finally I'd like to say a few words about the peculiar choice
of aircraft illustrated on the card, and then consider why they were chosen.
I'll start with the early airlines of the Soviet Union, and a thumbnail
sketch of their operations:
(a) .The first real airline in the area was "Deruluft," a Germano-Russian
civil aviation company, founded on November 11, 1921. The name was
really the Deutsch-Russische Luftverkehrs-Gesellschaft, and it was
formed following an agreement between the Council of People's Commis-
sars and a group of German airlines (which later amalgamated to form
Lufthansa). German-Russian collaboration went back to the post-war
period where the Germans wanted to rebuild their airforce, forbidden
by the Treaty of Versailles, and the Red Air Force was being formed
with a very real need for technical help. The strange story of the
secret air base at Lipetsk, and the deals made by Anthony Fokker and
the Junkers company and others, could form a most interesting addition
to this series, but I have never found any philatelic angle to justify
such an article, for the obvious reason that no one is likely to print
stamps showing such an unlikely history.
To return to our theme, The Deruluft canpany purchased six Junkers
F.13 aircraft, and eight Fokker F.III aircraft, which will be described
in a later article, as there is a good philatelic reason to tell that
story. Actual operations started in 1922 with the Konigsberg-Kovno-
Smolensk-Moscow route. The later article will detail subsequent
happenings, but it is clear that Aeroflot wouldn't want to trace its
history back to a 1922 flight of a Dutch aircraft with British engines.
(b) Another airline operated in the south in 1922, the Junkers Luftverkehr
A.G., and it also flew Junkers F.13 aircraft, and later Junkers W.33
aircraft, on routes from Baku to Teheran, and to Bagdad and other
points in the Middle East. The main point about JLAG is that it inter-
connected with Ukrovosduchputy, described below.
(c) On February 9, 1923, the Soviet government created an Aviation Council
to supervise the establishment of new airline companies, and "Dobrolet"
was founded in March of 1923, with routes planned for Moscow-Gorki (the
one on our card) and Moscow-Odessa. This was the first truly Russian
airline, and clearly the one chosen by Aeroflot as its parent. Dobrolet
started with eight Junkers F.13 aircraft, and later added sixteen more
of the type, plus a British-built De Havilland 34 and a Vickers Vimy
aircraft; the last two mentioned were on loan from the Directorate of
the Red Air Fleet. One of the aircraft later procured for Dobrol8t was
a light transport designed in late 1922, and designated AK-1. This is
the aircraft depicted on the left side of the card, but it had a strange
history which will be recounted later in this article.
One peculiar feature of Dobrolet was that it had its own aircraft
factory, known as Factory No. 18, located in Voronezh, and developed
the Kalinin K-5, a civil transport which will be discussed at another
time. The Junkers company in Germany had a similar arrangement, as
mentioned above, and so did Boeing in the USA, who simultaneously
built aircraft and operated an airline, but legislation in the USA
later prohibited the practice, and the complexities of the two fields
gradually stopped the practice elsewhere.
(d) A second all-Russian, or perhaps I should say, all-Ukrainian, airline
was formed in 1925. Ukrovosduchputy (or Ukrwosduchputj) operated from
Moscow via the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, where it connected with
the Junkers line mentioned above, and the Junkers line connected with
the British Imperial Airways route to London or to India. The base of
Ukrovosduchputy was in Kharkov, and they camnenced operations with
three, and later two more, Dornier Kcmet III aircraft with Rolls-Royce
Eagle engines (the one usually illustrated bore the registration RR-UAA
and the name Donets).
(e) The foundation of today's Aeroflot really resulted from the creation of
a new, government-owned company, established under the Five-Year Plan
of 1928. The privately-owned companies (Dobrol8t and Ukrovosduchputy)
were gradually taken over in 1929 by the new company, to be called
Dobroflot. At this time, same 6,000 route miles were being flown, but
this doubled by 1932, and Dobroflot was reorganized as Aeroflot, with
responsibility for air transport, forest survey, forest fire fighting,
food transport, and rescue work. Today, Aeroflot is generally recog-
nized as the world's largest airline.
So much for the airlines, now let us get back to the aircraft on the card.
The first is the AK-1, a light transport, with a crew of two, and seats for
two passengers, not uncommon in that period, but not exactly econcmical!
The AK-1 design was begun in late 1922 by the Russian designers V.L. Alexandrov,
V.V. Kalinin, and A.M. Tcheremuchin. The engine was a reconditioned French
Salmson RB-9 of 160 horsepower. There was only one of the type built, regis-
tered as RR-DAX. The first flight occurred on February 8, 1924, with the
well-known A.I. Tamashevski at the controls. The sole AK-1 is seen in photo-
graphs to carry the name PEBPOJIET (Dobrolft) painted on the fuselage. It is
quite possible that the AK-1 could have flown the first Moscow-Nijni Novgorod
passenger flight, probably in July of 1924. In 1925, RR-DAX appears again
on the scene when it was part of a six-aircraft expedition from Moscow to
Peking. In this mixed bag there were two R-l aircraft, one R-2, two Junkers
F.13's and RR-DAX. The R-l was a licence-built De Havilland DH-9A and the
R-2 a licence-built Junkers A.20. These important "workhorse" aircraft were
built in State Factory No. 1 (ex-Dux) in Moscow. The R-l was incidentally
the type bought by ODVF to form the "Lenin" squadron (see article "Airmail
Labels of Osoaviakhim" in Rossica No. 89, p. 49). The flight took off on
June 10th, and RR-DAX made a forced landing in the Gobi Desert on July 8th,
but the crew were able to effect repairs, and reached Peking on July 17th,
four days after the others, and 37 days after commencement of the flight.
The AK-1 was never developed further, inspite of its relative success, and
Dobrolrt bought 10 of the Junkers W.33 aircraft from Germany in 1926, with
a crew of two and six passengers; one of this type was on the Chelyuskin
rescue (see Scott No. C.63 and article in Rossica 90/91, p. 52). So the
AK-1 had to be deemed a failure, its main reason for being illustrated on
the card was probably because it was designed and built in Russia.
Now the next aircraft on the card is the one on the upper half of the im-
printed stamp, over the numerals 1923. The aircraft is not, as stated in
BJRP 52, the Ilya Muramets (a most successful biplane bomber produced in
1914 by the Russo-Baltic Waggon Factory) but a singularly unsuccessful tri-
plane, developed from a 1919 proposal of the great Professor Zhukovskii(Scott
No. 838). A small number of these triplanes were produced at Factory No. 1,
as the TsAGI "Kcmta" (Kaminssiya poTyazheloi Aviatsii) or more often as the
Kometa (Ccmet). First flight was in May of 1922. The twin 240 HP Fiat
engines were insufficient, however, to pull the Kcmeta along at more than
87 mph, due to the great drag of the triple wings and double tail, so the
whole project was abandoned. Hardly the right machine to select for a
fiftieth anniversary, but it was Russian-built, even if the engines were
Italian. Aeroflot would have been wiser to choose the biplane "Ilya
Murametz" as their illustration, because some of the converted bombers
were used in January of 1920, to fly passengers from Moscow to Kharkov,
and from Sarapul to Yekaterinburg, but Igor Sikorski, head of the design
bureau of RBVZ later went to the USA, so I suppose that is why Aeroflot
chose the Kcmeta for the stamp. We'll talk about the great Sikorski in
another article.
Now the lower position of the imprinted stamp shows the Tupolev Tu-144,
which was the first supersonic transport in the world to take the air,
on the last day of 1968, and the first civil airliner to exceed both
Mach 1 and Mach 2. Since then, however, it has been a great disappoint-
ment, with many redesigns, the tragic crash at the Paris airshow, and
problem after problem that have prevented it from ever flying a paying
passenger. Some 13 have been built to date, but their only real use has
been an experimental cargo flight service to Alma Alta as a means of
building up flight hours and operating experience. The prototype Tu-144
(tail number 77106) has recently been taken from Voronezh (its birthplace)
to the Soviet Air Force Museum at Monino, near Moscow.
Our card has, therefore, illustrated three extremely unsuccessful aircraft,
a strange choice indeed for an anniversary, rather as if Ford celebrated
their birthdays with pictures of the Edsel' How much better if the actual
workhorse aircraft had been chosen, perhaps the Fokker F.III, the ANT-9,
the Li-2 or the Tu-ll0, 11-18, 11-62 or Tu-134 to name but a few candidates
which are better than those chosen.
A 1977 Soviet stamp illustrating the
one-and-only AK-1 aircraft to be manu-
factured (registered RR-DAX) and the
Dobrolet Airline route from Moscow to
Kazan.
A set of stamps (Scott 3673 to 3680) included a small sheetlet bear-
ing a quotation from N. E. Jukovsky and with the signs of the Zodiac
as a "cancel" of the 50-kopek stamp showing the Tupolev TU-144. The
set of stamps were issued between the 25 and 31 December, 1969, the
cover illustrated here indicates that the sheetlet was issued 25
December. The first flight of the TU-144 aircraft took place on 31
December 1968 (one year earlier) with pilot Eduard Elyan at the con-
trols. One million of the sheetlets were printed.
I,[ I LI'
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THE GREAT DOT AND NUMERAL HUNT
We are pleased to continue the article initiated in No. 4 of this journal
by presenting sane new findings on the topic.
James Mazepa, Chicago, Illinois
"1054" New Information
When the "Great Search" for identifying the numerals in the triangles of
dots began, I was pleased to offer the identification of "1054" with
Ozorkow from a letter in my collection. Since, I have acquired yet another
letter with, much to my surprise, an identical "1054" but fran Zawiercie.
This letter originated in Poremba, a srrall town about five miles west of
Zawiercie. It was carried to the railroad station at Zawiercie and sent
along the old Warsaw-Vienna line (Route 25-26) to Warsaw. The Zawiercie
datestamp appears to be August 1, but is unclear. The Warsaw receiving
mark is a clear Auaust 1, 1874. The docket date inside the letter is
August 13, which makes sense since it is probably the Polish calendar.
The original letter I have with the "1054" originated in Ozork6w on
May 11, 1872 and is confirmed by an additional two-lined postmark as
previously noted in the "Post-Rider". Ozork6~ is located about 10 miles
north and west of Lodz.
The (Ozorkow) card pictured in the No. 4 "Post-Rider" has the receiving
mark of L6di of Anril 4, 1875.
The listing in the "Post-Rider" has "1051" allocated to Zawiercie. It
would be most helpful to see the cover with this mark.
Still we are left with a dilemma. The "1054" from Zawiercie is 1874,
clearly between the recorded usages front Ozork&7. The possibility of
the letter being posted at Zawiercie and then sa ehow receiving the
canceller of Ozorkow is remote since they are not on the same post route,
and cuite distant from each other.
The evidence now points to either: (1) identical numerals were used in
different tcwns, which seems unlikely, or (2) there was a reallocation
(and even further reallocation) of the numerals.
Dr. A.H. Wortran, Enfield, Middlesex, England
When Alex Artuchov wrote to me I did not understand that he also wanted
unidentified dots numerals on loose stamps. Here are a few for the re-
cord:
673 ("unknown" in Prigara)
884 in blue
908
915 in violet
1006 in blue
1193
1219
1267
1402 in blue
In the list he gives, 858 must be FCMINKA, and 1109, as far as one can
tell from the illustration, is S O L E T S followed by "b" and
R A S T A N T S I Y A, i.e., SOLETS RA (DCM) station. 1030 is KIrCHEVO.
He should not condemn absolutely the "alphabetical sequence" theory. It is
true there were random insertions of inconsistent locations but the theory
can still be helpful in identifying poor strikes on covers. It has helped
to provide an identification here and there out of the 48 which have appear-
ed in B.J.R.P. He is to be congratulated on providing us with the other
eleven; as time goes on it becomes more difficult to find them.
Alex Artuchov, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Fran a number of newly acquired dot and numeral cancellations, I am able
to confirm the known usage of another six truncated triangle types with
numbers above 848. These are:
1064
1195
1231
1277
1396
1481
I am also pleased to illustrate a cover from my collection (Fig. 1). This
will serve to re-affirm the previous allocation of 1097 to Shidlovets,
Radmn Province. The second cover illustrated (Fig. 2) contains the straight
line marking of Grubeshov, Lublin Province, in combination with a Polish
"target" cancellation containing a faint 85 in the centre. While the
allocation of Polish "target" cancellations is well known, the cover
illustrates and once again emphasizes the usefulness of the straight line
type cancellation in correlating numbered cancellations with their place
of origin.
Fig. 1 -
," ~ IP t u :
.'. *' *' -2
23
Readers are once again requested to cone forth and to add to the body of
known information on this topic. If you can identify the place of origin
of a truncated, triangle type, dot and numeral cancellation numbered 858
or higher, that was unrecorded in No. 4 of this journal, or if you can
confirm that such a numbered cancellation was actively used, please notify
the publisher. We will be delighted to publish the information!
-' -' -- -"' -"
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LONDON 80 AT SEREBRAKIAN'S
L to R: Alex Artuchov, Boris Pritt,
Rev. L.L. Tann, S.D. Serebrakian
(seated)
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A LITTLE MYSTERY SOLVED
by Rev. L.L. Tann
It is difficult to imagine a stage of the development of Russian philately
when the outstanding and monumental work of the late Tchilinghirian and
Stephen, STAMPS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE USED ABROAD becomes outdate or obsolete.
Indeed, I cannot believe it ever will.
Perhaps there is an argument for creating a Part VII, a complete addendum to
the original six parts. With the completion of publication around 1960, a
regular feature of subsequent Journals of the BSRP, was the chapter, "Used
Abroad Chronicle," in which much information came to light, examples of
postmarks and cancellations either not mentioned in the original work, or
queried by the two experts. This regular chapter continued for some years,
and it might be an idea to collate all that additional information into a
Part VII.
Part V dealt with the Chinese Eastern Railway, and was published in 1959.
I cannot imagine how Russian philatelists of the pre-T & S period managed
such a vast area of philately as the CER without the handbook
I refer now to p. 439, station numbered 53 in their listing of stations from
Harbin to Pogranichnaya and on to Vladivostock. The station is listed as
"NOVY" and it is important to quote verbatim the notes of this station:
"The name of this halt means "NEW" in Russian, and can be assured
to have been a temporary appellation until a more suitable one could
be found. The halt in question is situated between Khunkhuzski and
Utzimi, at "Loop No. 136" of the CER (Line 263/264), and is listed
under this temporary name in the Postal Guide of 1914, which states
it had a post office in that year handling ordinary mail only.
(a) Cancellations; in Standard Type "P" (see page 17), with
ST. NOVY at top, presumably replaced later by another
canceller bearing the final name.
(b) Check-list; No material recorded yet. Rating: RRR."
The standard type P cancellation referred to, is the double circle type, date
bridge across the centre, with at the top "ST. (name around bottom "KIT. WOST.
ZH. D." Station (name)/Chinese Eastern Railway. A variant type was the same
double circle, with only the name at top, and the bottom portion reading:
"Station of the Chinese Eastern Railway." Both types existed for most if
not all the stations, only the principal main stations (Manchuria, Harbin,
and the TPO sections) having the standard oval cancellations.
I have had in my collection for some years a 15k Romanov with a cancellation
I could not trace in the handbook. Yamshchik here illustrates it, and it
reads: CT.HOBOHIbso O/KHT.BOCT.E.,1./16-3-3. St. Novonyezhino/Chinese Eastern
Railway. 16-3-3 (presumably 13). The strike is almost complete so there is
no doubt about the name. The sub-letter is "be," so presumably there was an
"a" canceller.
In the BSRP Journal, No. 29 of May 1961, there is a very interesting Used
Abroad Chronicle, which includes a crop of interesting additions to the
series of handbooks by that time concluded. It includes a reference (p. 16)
to a 1909 35k Arms stamp in the collection of Mr. Combridge, with a part
cancellation as reproduced here. It reads only "ST. N ...." dated 1-3-18.
The part second letter certainly seems to be an "O," but Mr. Tchilinghirian
writes as follows:
"... a 35k 1909 with an incomplete strike of the unrecorded Manchurian
Office presumably NAGORNII or NOVII, unless the name is of a new station
opened after 1914, and missing in the Russian Postal Guide of that year."
Two things suggest that it is not NAGORNII. The portion of the second letter
appears to have a curve, suggesting an "O" rather than an "A". In Part V,
on p. 445, T & S suggest that the nane NAGORNII meaningg "on the mountain")
was also a temporary name.
The part cancellation of the Combridge 1909 35k is identical in every way
with my cancellation, and the portion of the second letter matches the
second letter "O" on my NOVONYEZHINO. The Combridge part-cancellation is
wrongly placed for a short name like NOVII. It would have been centered
nore towards the top of the canceller in which case the Cambridge 35k
would have had very little on it.
I would tentatively suggest that the name N3VII was changed to NOVONYEZHIND
in 1913, but after the Postal Guide had been prepared, still listing it as
N3VII. If this suggestion is correct, and the 1909 35k is a part strike
of the same cancellation struck in 1918, NOVII should be renamed NOVONYEZHINO,
and the check-list note a part strike on a 1909 35k and a 15k Rcmanov with
full strike.
It would be interesting if any readers could add further to this note.
-. .
.,o 1, CI "o ,
NUMEROUS INTERESTING ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE BANKNOTES OF YOUR COUNTRY, POSTPAID WORLD-',
IT IS I ,ANY ONE OF THE
ALREADY MANY PROUD POSSESSORS.
.- IA g<~ ',
.I.. l..d ,In Cnad
SINCE OUR INITIAL PREPUBLICATION NOTICE THIS
BOOK HAS GROWN FROM A PROJECTED 100-ODD PAGES
TO A TOTAL OF 257 INCLUDING FIVE MAPS AND
NUMEROUS INTERESTING ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE INCREASED SIZE AND CORRESPONDING PRODUCTION
COSTS HAVE OBLIGED US TO RAISE THE PRICE OF THIS
PIONEER WORK TO US$20.00 OR THE EQUIVALENT IN
THE BANKNOTES OF YOUR COUNTRY, POSTPAID WORLD-
WIDE.
IT IS STILL A BARGAIN. JUST ASK ANY ONE OF THE
ALREADY MANY PROUD POSSESSORS.
- I I I Ir I
I I I I
-------------~-
SOME NOTES ON BIROBIDZAN
by Andrew Cronin
Although your editor and publisher are both Eastern Orthodox Christians, they
realise that the Society has many Jewish subscribers who are potentially
interested in the postal history of the Jewish Autonomous Province (E. A. 0.).
And that is the correct name for the area, generally known in the West as
Birobidshan. In reality, the latter is just the place name for the provincial
capital.
The postal history may be conveniently divided into three phases, namely the
Forerunner Stage, the Concurrent Stage and the Successor Stage.
1. THE FORERUNNER STAGE.
The province lies along the border with Northern China (Manchuria) and just to
the west of the Siberian city of Khabarovsk. Since the Trans-Siberian Railway
Line traverses the upper part of the territory (see Fig. 1), there must have
been station post offices operating at Tikhon'kaya, Bira and Obluch'e in
Imperial times and into the early Soviet period up to the year 1928. Such
markings are undoubtedly rare and we would like to hear from readers who have
examples in their collections.
2. THE CONCURRENT STA
named the Jewish Autonomous Province (E. A. 0.) on 7 May 14 (see map in
Fig. 2). KHTA
Examps of mai from this early period may now be qote
Fig. 2).
of Mr. Leonid Lazarev and the author, all from a Yiddish correspondence sent
by a Mr. V. Bekenshtein to an address in Windsor, Ontario. The details are as
follows
The first card, in the Leonid Lazarev collection, has an incomplete strike
that appears to reads "POCHT. OT. NA ST. TIKHON'KOI 1.3.32" (Postal Agency at
Tikhon'kaya Station) and Mr. Bekenshtein gives his address as being at
Tikhon'kaya on the Ussurisk Railway Line (see Fig. 3). The second example held
by Mr. Lazarev is another card with another c.d.s. now reading "TIKHON'KAYA
22.6.33" and with the handwritten address already given as Birobidzhan (Fig. 4).
A clearer example of this latter postmark is given on the cover shown in Fig. 5.
The final card in this correspondence was apparently posted on board the Trans-
Siberian train while at the Birobidzhan (Tikhon'kaya) Station, as the postmark
reads "VLADIVOSTOK MOSKVA 18.10.35 EKSPRESS" (Fig. 6).
EBPEfCKAI ABTOHOMHAR OBJIACTb MAP
MACWTAG 1:20000CocTne0 oop HPHN ryrn
.MCU4A. 0 20 .0 M0 80 cpo CCCP
20 0 20 40 60s o_ u
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Fig. 3
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Fig. 4
_ C ~CU~
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Fig. 5
'-CARTE POSTAL .. ".i'
nTOA TOA KAPTO0KA POgTA KAR 6
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Fig. 6
^ .^ .................. ............. ,.
., .S ^ L-...' -.:.................. .- ,-^. ..' ".3
Fig, 6
Bilingual postmarks, with Yiddish at top and Russian at bottom must have started
appearing after the official proclamation of the Jewish Autonomous Province in
1934. The late Mr. F. W. Pollack, editor of "The Holy Land Philatelist",
illustrated in Issue No. 11 for Nov. 1955, p. 285, a bilingual type for the town
of Birobidzhan, dated 9.5.35 and with serial letter "b" (see Fig. 7). Mr. Moshe
Shmuely of Tel-Aviv, Israel, has this same marking on piece, cancelling the 4 k.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 8.
stamp in the Ethnographic Set of 1933, featuring a Jewish workman and an
excavator at Birobid7han. The postmark date is 12.8.35, with the same serial
letter and it was originally presented by the Soviet Philatelic Association
to the Palestinian dealer Mr. Ephraim Issaharoff of Tel-Aviv. The Yiddish
inscription at top appears to read "BIROBIDZHAN YID. A. B." (Yiddisher
Autonomer Betsirk or Jewish Autonomous Province), with the Russian equivalent
at bottom.
Fig. 9. Fig. 10. Fig. 11.
Mr. Pollack showed a further bilingual type for the Birobidzhan office, dated
11.3.47 and with the serial letter "k" (?) please see Fig. 9. Two later
examples from 1955 are in Russian only for this town and are inscribed
"BIROBIDZHAN JEWISH PROV. 7.5.77-7", with serial letter "v" (Fig. 10) and
"BIROBIDZHAN PROVINCIAL (CAPITAL) 12.5.55", with serial letter "a" (Fig. 1i).
A very late usage, with the inscription reading "OBLUCH'E EVREISK. OBL. e.
8.4.75" has been found by the author on a cover to Cuba and sent from the
second largest town in the province (see Fig. 12). The postmark type belongs
to the last period of the Concurrent Stage, which is why it is referred to
in this particular section. This is the only example so far seen from an office
other than Birobidzhan.
Consulting the 1951 edition of the "Dictionnaire des Bureaux de Poste du Monde"
issued by the U.P.U. in Berne, Switzerland, the writer has found the following
33 post offices listed at that time for the provinces-
Alekseevka Dezhnevo Londoko Radde Volochaevka
Amurzet Ekaterino-Nikol'sk Zavod Samara
Babstovo IzveStkovyi Raz'ezd Nadezhdinsk Smidovichi
Bidzhan Kimkan Opytnoe Pole Soyuznoe
Birakan Kul'dur Pashkovo Stalinsk
Birobidzhan Lazarevo Pokrovka Sutara
" Obozzavod Novoe Pompeevka Valdgeim
Blagoslovennoe Obluch'e Puzino Ventselevo
All of these places can be found on the Soviet map shown in Fig. 2 and taken
from Vol. 15 of the Great Soviet Encyclopaedia, 2nd. edition and sent to press
on 12 Sept. 1952. Note that the map and the offices belong to the last years of
the reign of "Yoaka r' (the late J. Vissarionovich Stalin, Esq.), hence the
presence of the place-name Stalinsk. Another location of the same origin,
Stalindorf (Stalin Village), will be found on the map in the far north west of
the province, just below Obluch'e. The place-name Mikoyanovsk will also be
found on the map but it also does not appear in the 1951 Listing of Post Offices
and its present name has not yet been determined,
3. THE SUCCESSOR STAGE.
By the time the 1968 edition of the U.P.U. work appeared under the title of
"Nomenclature Internationale des Bureaux de Poste", the Soviet postal authorities
must have decided that the Jewish Autonomous Province was just another district
in the Khabarovsk Region. The author has found the following 46 offices listed
under the Khabarovsk Region, but within the territory of the "E. A. 0.", as follow:
Amurzet Dezhnevo Nizhnii Leninsk Stepnoe
Babstovo Dobroe Nizhnii Spassk Stolbovoe
Bashmak Ekaterino-Nikol'sk Novoe Sutara
Bashurovo Izvestkovyi Novotroitskoe im. Tel'mana
Bezymyannyi Kazanka Obluch'e Teplye Klyuchi
Bidzhan Kukelevo Pashkovo Valdgeim
Bira Kul'dur Preobrazhenovka Ventselovo
Birakan Lazarevo Puzino Volochaevka 1
Birobidzhan Leninskoe Radde Volochaevka 2
Birofeld Londoko Samara Zh8ltyi Yar
Blagoslovennoe Lugovoe Smidovichi
Churki Nadezhdinsk Soyuznoe
It can be seen that,in the 17 years' interval between 1951 and 1968, some offices
were closed, some must have been renamed and some new ones opened. The place-name
Radde, which appears in both listings, is interesting. He was not of Jewish
origin, but was born Gustav Ivanovich (Johann) Radde in 1831 in Danzig (now Gdansk
in Poland).He was a naturalist, traveller and ethnographer. He moved to Russia in
1852 and made many expeditions in 1855-1860, especially to Eastern Siberia, where
the Jewish Autonomous Province is located. He was the founder and director of the
Caucasian Museum, now known as the Museum of Georgia. He wrote about 140 works
on zoological, botanical and ethnographic subjects and died in 1903.
It seems obvious that the Jewish Autonomous Province is now basically a thing of
the past. Jewish emigration to the district was never great and probably never got
beyond 25,000. Its remoteness and the climatic extremes must have been determining
factors. In winter, the temperature can get down to -400C (-400F) and in summer up
to 320C (900F). Moreover, during the 1930s, its border with the Japanese puppet
state of Manchukuo was sometimes violated by bands of White Russian "soratniki",
trained and sent in by the Japanese. There were bloody clashes between them and
the Soviet "pogranichniki" (border guards), which the latter kept winning with
ever-increasing efficiency. Russians and Ukrainians have always been in the
majority in the district.
Comments and further information would be appreciated from our readers,
NEWSFLASH
Just as we were going to press, we received word from the United Kingdom that
the book "THE ARMS ISSUES 1902-1920" had been entered by the author, the Rev.
Leonard Tann, in the Literature Section of "STAMPEX 1981", the national stamp
exhibition staged in London, England.
Although the author is English, the book was published abroad, i.e. here in
Canada and, under the exhibition rules, it was therefore judged "hors
concourse It gained a SILVER MEDAL, a very high award by the stiff English
standards. In the past six years, only two entries have done better at
"STAMPEX". We in the Canadian Society of Russian Philately are therefore very
proud to have been associated with the publication of such a fine work.
Public Auctions for the Specialist
Three catalogs available:
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II.
III.
I I rl I- II
I
II
A COVER FROM TURPEL
by Peter Michalove
Recently, while examining sate Imperial Russian covers that I had acquired,
I came across one, a rather ordinary looking cover at first glance, which
seemed to pose some interesting questions. But the more I learned about
this item the more its origins seemed to elude me.
The cover, shown below, is addressed to a Baron Alex Krill at 15 Cockspur
Street, S.W. in London. The 10-kopek rate for foreign mail was made up by
a 3-kopek and a 7-kopek stamp of the 1902 issue.
What first attracted my attention about this cover was the cancel. It is
postmarked April 9, 1908, at some barely legible source. The unusual as-
pect of the postmark is the use of the three-line format to indicate the
date. This design, introduced in 1860, was the predominantly used cancel
type, until 1891, when it was replaced by a new design showing the date in
a cross-like format with the date on top, the month on the bottom in Roman
numerals, and the year in the middle to the sides. After 1891, hand-stamps
of the older type continued to be used until they broke or became obsolete,
at which time they were replaced by cancels of the new type. It is common,
therefore, to find examples of the older cancel used for some years after
1891. The cross-shaped cancel was itself superseded by a new design in
1903, so it is noteworthy to find a case of the old three-line cancel in
use as late as 1908 (although even later examples of its use are known).
I was curious to see what town would be using such an obsolete date-stamp,
but it was nearly impossible to read the blurred printing on the postmark.
The first word in the upper portion seemed to begin with "TUR...," but then
became an illegible smear The second word began in that blur, but by the
end of the word, I could make out a "...YAND.G." I decided that the name
of the town must consist of two words (of which the second appeared printed
in an abbreviated form) and that the G..must stand for Gorod (city). My
inference turned out to be entirely wrong.
My search began by looking through numerous gazeteers and atlas indexes for
towns, beginning with Tur..., but I found nothing that fit. This was dis-
appointing, but not really surprising since a town using such an obsolete
CDS would naturally be an out-of-the-way place
My first break came when I looked in the 1911 Pochtovy Dorozhnik Rossiskoi
Imperii. I looked in the index of place names of postal institutions, and
under "Tur..." I found Turpel'. This clearly fit the first word on the
postmark.
Turpel' was indexed to postal route noo 1, which ran between St. Petersburg
and Port Baltic. There were numerous branches stemming from the basic route,
and one of them, branch Zh2, left the route at the town of Risti in the
Hapsal district (uyezd) of the province (gubernia) of Estonia. While the
route from St. Petersburg to Port Baltic was serviced by rail, mail was
carried from Risti to the other stops on the branch by horseback. Branch Zh2
Livonia, where it passed through Kuivast, Orrisaar, Nei-Level', and ter-
I:
inated at Arensburg a total distance of 151.25 versts (100.25 miles).
Turpel' was 19.5 versts (13 miles) from Risti and Leal' was 24.75 versts
(16.25 miles) farther. Since the branch ran from Estonia into Livonia,
its general direction was southward.
The postmark, therefore, read "Turpel' Estlyand. G. (Turpel' Estonian
Province) ..
Having identified the general area of Turpel, I wanted to find the province of
ion a ap. This requ it passed a tre detailed map than any I had previously used.
inated at Arensburg a total distance of 151.25 versts (100.25 miles).
Tu first stop was 19.5 versts (13 miles) from Risti and Leaversity of Illinois Library.
(16.25 miles) farther. Since the branch ran from Estohe United States, I asked
for the biggest available map of Estonia. "Where's that?" asked the
librarian.
Refusing to be discouraged, I proceeded to the University's Map and Geography
LibrThe postmark, therefore, read "Turpel' Estlyand. G. (Turpel' Estonianpproved by the
US Board of Geographic Names. In this source, I found Risti and learned that
Province)."
ving identified the general area of Kuressaare. But Turpelfind the town
listedon a map This required a ore detaile than any I had previource,sly used.
My fiRussisches-eoraphische Referenc RI loo the University of Illnuerous maps Library.
Here, in the third largest university library in the United States, I asked
found Rst n the northbiggest available map of Estonia. "Where's that?" asked the south-
librarian.
Refusing to be island encouraged, I proceeded to the University's Map and Geography
Library, w of there I maps, slightly southwest of Risti, but none of the other stops
on theUS Board of Geographic Names. Iny of this source, I checked. Ist and learned that
the nande of Arensburgthers) had been changed sinceto Kuressaare. Butionary Turpel' was not
listed at allow Nor did it appear in the similar West German source,
Russisches-d conteorahischry gazeteers and maps as well (including numerous militaps and
found Risti in the northwestern part of Estonia and Kuressaare on the south-
ern edge of the island of Saaremaa. Leal' (now spelled Lihula) appeared on
a few of the maps, slightly southwest of Risti, but none of the other stops
on the branch were shown on any of the maps I checked. It was probable that
Turpel' (and others) had been renamed since pre-Revolutionary times, so I
checked contemporary gazeteers and maps as well (including some military
maps of the type which ended up on the reverse of early Latvian stamps)
But even on contemporary maps, I have never found Turpel'.
In summary, the most useful source by far was the Pochtovyi Dorozhnik
Rossiskoi Imperii, which showed the place of Turpel' in the contemporary
postal system From the maps I examined, I can trace the entire branch
from Risti through Leal' and into Livonia to Arensburg, and from the loca-
tions of Risti and Leal', I know almost exactly where Turpel' should be.
The fact that it did not show up on any of the maps I examined is an in-
dication of the town's obscurity. Its absence from comprehensive modern
sources may mean that it has been renamed since the Revolution, although
another possibility is that it no longer even exists. Turpel' may be one
of the many small towns destroyed during the Second World War, which never
were rebuilt.
Since I wrote the above notes, a friend has pointed out to me that the name
of the addressee on this cover should read "Baron Uexkull and that
Uexkill was the name of an important family of Baltic nobility. From this
information, it took little digging to learn that the Uexkiill's were among
the German "Baltic Barons," the ruling nobility of Latvia and Estonia.
The family had been in Estonia since the Thirteenth Century, and had produced
numerous scholars and statesmen through the years.
The best-known member of the family was Baron Jakob von Uexkull (1864-1944),
a biologist and early environmentalist. This Uexkiill may be the addressee
of the cover. Information on his life is available in the biography by his
widow, Gundrun von Uexkull.1 Interesting, though the biography is in its
own right, it gives no information to clarify this cover. Turpel' is not
mentioned, although reference is made to many of the well-known places in
the area. Also, there is no mention in the biography that Jakob von Uexkill
travelled to England at the time of this cover (April 1908). The family was
living in Heidelberg at the time.
Editorial Comment:
Dr. Michalove's article on Turpel' is a model of philatelic investigation
and deduction, which we should all emulate.
To take his work to its final conclusion, we need to consult the "General-
Karte der Russischen Ost-See-Provinzen LIV.-, EHST. und KURLAND" issued by
C.G. RUCKER (7th improved edition), and published by Franz Kluge, Reval
(Tallinn) 1914. "Post Turpel"' is shown at 17 km (10.5 miles) down the
road, running south from Risti, ioe., in the general area where Dr. Michalove
thought it must be,
He is also right in thinking that it now might have another name, since the
original one is German in form. Checking the "Nomenclature Internationale
des Bureaux de Poste (1966 Edition)" and issued by the U.P.U., we find that
there is a post office calledTURPLAin the Estonian SSR. This is almost
certainly the Estonian name for TURPEL' and we would appreciate our Estonian
readers confirming or correcting our supposition to close the case.
tuexkull, Gundrun von, Jakob von Uexkill, seine Welt und seine Umwelt
(Hamburg: Christian Wegner, 1964).
1
RUSSIA-POLAND
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39
SOVIET BATTLESHIPS
by Barry Hong
The construction of the first Russian dreadnoughts was initially put out
to both foreign and local tenders. From the fifty-one tenders received,
the final contract was to be awarded to Blohm and Voss, Hamburg, when the
government intervened and stipulated that the ships had to be built in
Russian yards. The Naval Staff produced a fresh design, largely based on
that of Cuniberti, and incorporated same of the interesting features from
the other plans submitted.
The final result was the POLTAVA class battleships, which were well-armed
and faster than most contemporaries However, the ships had weak protec-
tion, lacked constructional strength, and were poorly ventilated. With a
construction time of five to seven years, they were outclassed by the time
they were completed. The 305 mm guns had a rate of fire of 1 to 2 rounds
per minute, but the hull could not withstand a full broadside. The seven
ships of the class are listed in Table I.
Table I:
Construction of POLTAVA Class Battleships1
Name
POLTAVA
GANGUT
SEVASTOPOL'
PETROPAVLOVSK
IMPERATOR
ALEKSANDER III
IMPERATRITSA
MARIA
YEKATERINA II
Builder
Admiralty Yard
(St. Petersburg)
Admiralty Yard
(St. Petersburg)
Baltisky Zavod
(St. Petersburg)
Baltisky Zavod
(St. Petersburg)
Russud-Yard,
Nikolaev
Russud-Yard
Nikolaev State
Yard
Laid Down
13/07/09
13/07/09
13/07/09
13/07/09
30/10/11
30/10/11
01/09/12
Launched
10/07/11
07/10/11
29/06/11
09/09/11
13/04/14
01/11/13
06/06/14
Completed
17/12/14
05/01/15
17/11/14
03/11/15
06/07/15
18/10/15
1Jurg Meister, "The Soviet Navy," pp. 24-26.
The POLTAVA was damaged during the Civil War and was later cannibalised
for spares. She never went to sea again after the spring of 1918. The
hulk was towed to Kronstadt in 1941 and expended as a blockship. The
ship was scrapped in 1956.
The GANGUT survived the Civil War and was accepted into the Red Navy in
1922. The ship was renamed OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA on 07/07/25, and re-
commissioned in August, 1928. She was decommissioned for repairs and
modernization from 12/10/31 to 04/08/34o During the Russo-Finnish War
of 1939-40, the OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA participated in the bombardment
of Finnish coastal positions. Following the outbreak of war with Germany
in 1941, she retreated to Leningrad and remained there until the end of
the war. The ship was damaged by gunfire from German shore batteries off
Kronstadt on 23/09/41, and again when barbed by German aircraft at Leningrad
on 04/04/42. The ship was paid-off and scrapped in 1956.
The SEVASTOPOL' joined the Red Navy and was renamed PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA
before May, 1925, and recormissioned on 17/09/25. While being transferred
to the Black Sea during 1929-30, the ship incurred heavy weather damage
which necessitated a return to Brest for temporary repairs. During 1941-42,
the PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA was engaged in shelling German positions near
Sevastopol' and on the Kerch peninsula. Following bomb damage by German
aircraft, she withdrew to Poti and remained unrepaired and idle for the
rest of the war. The ship's name reverted to the original SEVASTOPOL' in
1943. She was repaired in the post-war period and finally scrapped about
1957.
The PETROPAVLOVSK was the only battleship in commission at the end of the
Civil War and was renamed MARAT, after the Swiss-born revolutionary,
Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793), in 1923o The ship underwent repair and
modernization from 1928 to 1931. She was present at the British Coronation
Review in 1937. While engaged in shelling Finnish shore positions in 1939,
she received light damage. The MARAT was again damaged by gunfire from
German shore batteries off Kronstadt in 1941 and was finally bombed and
sunk by German aircraft (Stuka Geschwader 2) on 23/09/41 at Kronstadt, when
the whole of the bow, including "A" turret, was destroyed. However, that
was not to be the end of the MARAT. As the ship settled on an even keel
in very shallow water, the hull and superstructure remained above water.
With machinery and both after turrets operative, she was used as a beached
floating battery. "B" turret was later placed in working order. The name
reverted to the original PETROPAVLOVSK in 1943. She was scrapped without
ever being refloated about 1950o
The IMPERATOR ALEKSANDER III was renamed VOLYA on 29/04/17 and was cormission-
ed without trials on 28/06/17 The ship came under German control in 1918
and British control in 1919 before being turned over to the White Russian
forces, Again, renamed GENERAL ALEKSEYEV in 1919, the ship was interned at
Bizerte, 1920, taken over by France in 1924, and scrapped in 1936.
The IMPERATRITSA MARIA was lost by accidental explosion at Sevastopol' on
20/10/16. The ship was refloated upside down in 1917 but sunkagain in 1920,
The ship was refloated once more and scrapped in 1927.
The PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA in 1939 IS. Breyer
The ARAT in 1939
[S. Breyer
The YEKATERINA II was renamed SVOBODNAYA ROSSIYA in 1917. The ship was
scuttled by Red Russian forces at Novorossiisk on 18/06/17 to prevent her
falling into White Russian or German hands.
Of the seven battleships commissioned before October 1917, only three:
GANGUT, SEVASTOPOL' and PETROPAVLOVSK; were taken over by the Soviet Navy
in 1922. All three ships were in need of repair due to damage sustained
during a forced passage through ice from Helsinki to Kronstadt in 1918
and during the Kronstadt mutiny of 1921, plus general neglect.
When the ships were taken out of service for repair and modernization
between 1928 and 1934, the fore funnel was heightened and angled back to
keep the bridge free from smoke, gunnery control arrangements were improved,
and tripod masts and heavy cranes were fitted; the latter for handling sea-
planes or light motor torpedo boats.
During the 1930's, all three ships were re-boilered. All originally had
twenty-five boilers fitted for mixed (coal and oil) firing, which were
replaced by oil-fired units. At the same time, the OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA
was probably re-engined with turbine machinery that had been intended for
the battlecruiser IZMAIL; the latter was never completed.
When refitted at Sevastopol in 1936-39, the PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA probably
received anti-torpedo bulges, which increased her beam to approximately
32.00 m. Shell carried was 1,200 rounds for the 305 mm guns, 4,000 rounds
for the 120 mn guns, 2,100 rounds for the 76 mm AoA. guns, and a large
supply for the 13.2 mn A.A. machine guns. The 305 mn guns could range
up to 25,000 m, except those of the OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA, which had
less elevation and were 1,000 m short compared with those on the MARAT and
PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA. Line drawings of the three ships are shown in
Figure lo
ig. 2
1- -- -- I I1
T 71E P -b C KF P E
F.i. 2r
'*Mm.:r! T r "~ P,- E! .^^S^jl'itiJ j-,3( ^---*?-'i:: '''"*-'?**
"Poltava" Class:
MARAT, OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA, PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA2
Displacement:
Dimensions:
Machinery:
Bunkers and Radius:
Protection:
Armament:
Complement:
25,464 tons (26,692 tons full load), except MARAT
25,000 tons (26,170 tons full load).
590 (pp) 6061(oa) X 881 (105 over bulges in
PARIZHSKAYA KO MUNA) X 301/31/31j (respectively)
feet (180o00/184.85 X 26.88/32.00 X 9.30/9.47/
9.60 m).
Twenty-two Yarrow-Admiralty (MARAT) or twelve
Yarrow-Normand (OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA) or
twenty-five Yarrow (PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA) boilers;
four shafts; Parsons SR geared turbines Shaft
Horse Power 61,000 (MARAT)/57,500 (OKTYABRSKAYA
REVOLUTSIA)/50,000 (PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA) = 23 knots.
Oil fuel 1,900 except MARAT 2,050 tons; 1,290 except
MARAT 1,120/2,700 miles @ 23/14 knots.
Main belt 8.875-inch (225 mn-amid), 4.875-inch
(125 inn-ends); main deck l/11-inch (25-37 rm);
longitudinal bulkheads 1.875-inch (50 mm).
Turrets 4.125/8-inch (105/203 rm); casemates 5-inch
(127 nmn); CoTo 10-inch (254 mn).
Twelve 12-inch (305 rn-4 x 3); sixteen 4.7-inch
(120 mm-16 x 1); six 3-inch A.A. (76 rm-6 x 1);
thirty-six except PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA sixteen
13.2 mm AoAo (6 x 4 & 12 x 1/ .. x & .. x o)
guns; four 1707-inch (450 rm-fixed and submerged -
sixteen torpedoes) T.T.
1,286 (MARAT)/1,277 (OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA)/
1,400 (PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA).
Shortly before or during the Second World War, same of the 4.7-inch (120 mm)
guns were removed along with the cranes and torpedo tubes to permit an in-
crease in the anti-aircraft armament. At least eight 3.9-inch (100 mm) and
twelve 37 mm A.A. guns were added in the OKTYABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA, seven 76 mm
A.A. guns in the MARAT, and six 37 mm A.A. guns in the PARIZHSKAYA KOMMUNA.
After 1942, the crews of the battleships fought ashore with their vessels
being used as floating batteries. Their heavy guns played an important
role in the defence of Sevastopol in 1942, and the offensive around Leningrad
in 1944.
2Ibid, p. 28.
The "Oktyabrskaya Revolutsia" is shown on Scott 4120, which was issued on
September 12, 1973. The stamp was designed by the Zavialov brothers and
printed by photogravure and engraving, A postcard of the same design was
issued on July 10, 1973 in a quantity of 50,000. The maximum card is
shown in Figure 2.
The absence of cranes and aircraft on "C" turret on the stamp indicate a
post-1939 view. Using this as a reference, I will analyse the design.
The most glaring error is the depiction of six 120 mm guns in casemates
per side when in fact there were eight. Although same of the 120 m guns
were removed before or during the war, the casemates remained. The case-
mates were located in pairs approximately parallel with the barbettes of
the four main turrets. Using this criterion, we have one each of the two
forward pairs of casemates missing. Furthermore, the guns in the casemates
below "C" turret face forward, when in fact they must face aft. At most,
the guns could be brought around to a broadside position.
The fore-quarter view of the broadside is impressive but, as stated before,
the hull could not withstand a full broadside. The view itself shows the
four main turrets and guns larger than normal. The front of "B" and "C"
turrets appear to be at the edge of the hull with the full length of the
guns extended beyond the hull. In fact, the rear of the turret, and not
the front, extended beyond the barbette. In a broadside, the 305 m guns
would extend just beyond the edge of the hull.
The perspective is very poor. "D" turret is located aft of the aft super-
structure, but is shown beside it. "B" and "C" turrets were stored facing
the aft funnel However, the design gives the appearance that the guns
would strike the funnel when rotated.
Another design flaw shows the opening for the anchor facing aft when in fact
it faced forward. On the whole the Zavialov brothers have done a poor job
in accurately depicting the "Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiao" It lacks the attention
to detail which lessens the quality of the product.
References
1. Meister, Jurg, "The Soviet Navy," Garden City, New York: Doubleday
and Company, Inc., 1972.
SPECIAL NOTES
The views expressed in the articles contained herein are those of
the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the
Society of its Coordinators. Anything contained in this issue may
be reprinted without permission, provided that the source is
acknowledged and a copy sent to the Society.
POSTAGE STAMPS ISSUED BY THE ZEMSTVOS
by Alex Artuchov
BAIKHWT (Yekaterinoslav Province)
1901 (March 20)
Printed by the State Printing Office in St. Petersburg. 20 x 27 rmn.
Typographed on white paper (0.09-0.11 m), white gun, perforate 131,
sheet 5 x 5. Both values were issued in quantities of 33,000
ANFmrna
EIL:
1 kop. lilac-brown
3 kcp. yellow-green
Cancellations:
round (26 mn) in violet ink with district named on top,
province named on bottom and date in the middle in a
straight line.
BALASHOV (Saratov Province)
1876
Similar to Atkarsk No. 5. 17 x 24 mnr, lithographed in black on white
paper (0.1 rm), white gum, imperforate, sheet of 5 x 2.
SECK,
7I '
1. 4 kop. black
Cancellations: pen and ink, with a number written in.
10.00
Forgeries:
Poorer impression, larger letters, after the word TOqlb] (post)
the period is missing.
1880
Similar to Atkarsk No. 9, 18 x 25 mn, lithographed in two colours on
smooth thick paper (0.17-0.19 m), yellow-brown brittle gum, perforated
121 x 13j, stamps located along sheet edges have inperforate sides but
exceptions are known, sheet of 10 x 12 (?) with blue and red stripes
2.5 mn from the sheet edges with a double pair on the sides and a single
pair of stripes at the top. Largest known block of 10 x 8 shows 4 types:
1234123434
1234123412
1234123434
1234123434
1234123434
1234123434
1234123412
1234123434
Main Characteristics
T.1 A break in the
left frame line over
the letter M
of the 4 Types
T. 2 Dash across top
frame line over letter
I r
T. 3 Breaks in the
left frame line over
first letter A and
at top right corner
I
M
T. 4 A break in the
left frame line over
second letter A
I
2. 4 kop. violet-black and brick red
4 kop. indigo blue and brick red
Cancellations: unknown cancelled.
2.00
BOBROV (Voronezh Province)
1872-78
Four printings, typeset on coloured paper, imperforate.
First Printing Nov. 30, 1872
36.5x28.5-29.25 mm, on coloured paper 0.07 mm thick, white gum,
sheet of 20 (5x4), 4 types placed vertically with the 4th and 5th
rows placed vertically, the word nOHATA measures 10-11mm .
1. 3 kop. black on rose paper
Characteristics of the Four Types
Type 1- H for n in HOn
10.00
Type 2- Comma after HOn
Type 3- comma after nOHTA is high
Type 3- Figure 3 is thick at
bottom
0K0K0~
Second Printing 187?
Similar to No.1 but with small differences:in the wavy line frames
very tiny or no period after HOn the word nOHTA is wider, 2
known types.
2. 3 kop. black on violet-rose paper RRR(6)
Characteristics of the Two Known Types
Type 1- no period after HOn Type 2- very small period after HOn
36x28.75 mm placed low
36x27.5 mm
Third Printing 1874
Similar to previous issues, word nOHTA is even wider spread,
3 and HOn printed wider apart, 36x29mm
3. 3kop. black on violet-rose paper RRRR(1)
Cancellations
The only known copy is on cover dated 24.3.1874
Fourth Printing 1878
Similar to previous issues, inscriptions moved to right and left,
the word nOHTA is 13 mm wide, sheet of 33(11x3) with 3 types
placed vertically.
4. 3kop. black on violet-rose paper 75.00
Characteristics of the Three Known Types
Type .1- 35.75x29mm, period after HOn is lower than word
Type 2- 38x 27.75mm, letters in 3EMCHA9 are tipped slightly
to the left
Type 3- 39x26.25 mm, n in nOLTA tips to the right, the word
3EMCHAH tips even more to the left, variety with letters out
of line known.
Cancellations penstrokes
187?
Similar to previous issues, the word 50BPOBCHAR as well as the
letters in 3 HOD and nOHTA are placed closer together, typeset,
38.25x28.5mm coloured paper 0.08 mm thick, white gum, sheet of
12 (4x3), without types, the top stamp in the first vertical row
of the sheet and the bottom stamp in the last vertical row are
printed sideways, stamps 2 3 4 7 and 8 are printed inverted.
This stamp was erroneously considered to be a forgery for some
time. Forgeries however, are known as a result of colouring the
paper used for No. 1.
5. 3 kop. black on lilac paper R(18)
January 1879
21-22.25x23.5 25 mm, on green paper 0.08 mm thick, with green gum,
imperforate, sheet of 24(4x6) with 6 types placed vertically.
3 Ron.
6. 3 kop. black on green paper 5.00
Types
The six types can be easily identified by the differences in
defects of the framelines, the relative position of the inscriptions
and the lengths of the words.
T6 T5 T4 T3 T2 Tl
Major Varieties
Many varieties exist because of the shifting of the printing forme.
Two examples are both known on type 1 :
a) NO letter B in the word 5BOPOBCHAR on some of the initial
sheets printed. The error was quickly discovered and corrected.
b) the bottom left corner is dropped down.
March 1879
Typeset, on coloured paper 0.07 mm thick, with white gum, sheet
of 6(2x3) in two groups of 1x3 printed side by side and often
misplaced, group on left is inverted, in three different designs
forming 3 types, imperforate.
Group 1
An oval adorned with leaf ornaments enclosing the four line inscription
50BPOBCHAR/3EMCHAR/3 HOn/nOHTA
33.25x25mm
BOBPO CKAR
J* 3Hon.
n\ 0TA
7. 3 kop. black on green paper R(24)
Group 2
The same oval with smaller inscriptions, 34.5x25 mm
8. 3 kop. black on green paper R(21)
Group 3
A lying rectangle with richly ornamented frame and the same
inscription in a changed typeface, 34.5x27 mm
e BOBPOBCICAHs
S3ENCKAJI
3 KoJi,
t QWV A. T
9. 3 kop. black on green paper R(20)
1879
Typeset, 28.75 mm square, on lilac-gray paper 0.07 mm thick, white
gum, sheet of 8(4x2) in two groups of 4 types, left half of sheet
inverted, imperforate.
IOBPOBCKA I
,3 ROH.
IO' ITA*..
10. 3 kop. black on gray-lilac paper 5.00
Characteristics of the Four Types
Type 1- period after the word HOf is level with the word, part of
the ornament at top is torn away.
Type 2- period after HKO is lower than the word only a small
part of the ornament at the top right is cut away.
Type 3- in the word BOBPOBCHAR the letter B has no serif, the
period after the word HOD is lower than the word itself
but slightly higher than in type 2.
Type 4- period is slightly higher than in type 3, letter B as in
type 3,the thick outer frameline at right is in line with
the wordnOHTAwhich has a small break.
I E 1 2
2 T 3 4
1879
Typeset, 25 mm square, coloured paper 0.07 mm thick, dirty light
brownish gum, sheet of ?x3 with 3 types placed in a vertical row,
imperforate.
Vok AA AA A A
3 R
11. 3 kop. black on light blue paper 100.00
Characteristics of the Three Types
Type 1- numeral 3 and the letter M are lined up vertically, ornament
damaged in right bottom corner frame.
Type 2- 3 is placed slightly to left of letter M, the 5th frame
ormanent to the right and the 6th frame ornament on the left have
spots.
Type 3- 3 placed even further to the left, the 3 tips slightly
forward and has a slight nick in its upper half, spot in frame
at centre bottom.
EXPERTISING SERVICES
by G.G. Werbizky
The Editorial in "The Post-Rider No. 6" is timely and begins to
describe the problems facing us less knowledgeable collectors,
when seeking to establish the genuineness of a stamp. A collector
of Russian Civil War and Occupation Issues faces this problem
every time he acquires a new stamp. After a while, based on the
study of catalogues, articles, correspondence with more
knowledgeable colleagues, his own "discovery" of the peculiarities
of a given issue and comparison with a known genuine stamp, one
decides on the status of the stamp. In this area, the question is
mostly that of overprint and/or cancellation.
I fully agree that the function of an expert or of an expertising
committee is to state an opinion. One frequently construes such an
opinion as a 100% guarantee which, of course, it is not.
So far as guarantee marks are concerned, they are necessary. A
certificate with a tied photograph is helpful, at best. Consider a
Ix photograph of BATUM Scott No. 29. The lettering is illegible,to
begin with, and the letters run into each other. Such is the
certificate that I have from the Philatelic Foundation in New York
City. The Rossica Expertising Service also uses photographs in
black and white, as does the Philatelic Foundation, but the size is
now 2x, which helps. The point that I am making is that
unscrupulous people can easily tie such a photograph to a fake
stamp. A guarantee mark identifies the expert and ties him to the
item examined. After all, many art objects carry the signatures of
the maker or that of the place where made.
52
As to the marks themselves, it is unavoidable that many came into
existence over a long period of time. It would be helpful to
* compile a list with "trust" rating. Marks can also be forged, but
has it happened in our field ?
My conclusions / recommendations are as follow:-
(1) An Expertising Service is necessary; it protects the collector,
both seller and buyer.
(2) The service should be straightforward, very much like that of
the Germany Philatelic Society in the U.S.A. The form to be filled
out is simple and, most importantly, one can submit many items with
the same form. This clearly saves time and money. The genuine stamps
carry two marks: that of the Society and of the expert.
(3) The forged stamps should be marked with the word "fake", "not
genuine" or some clear indication of what one has on one's hands.
In case of doubt, do not condemn the stamp out of hand, as The Post-
Rider Editorial rightly comments.
(4) The service should cover the cost of the work done, plus a fee;
hopefully minimal.The Rossica Service has an excellent rule whereby
one item/year/member is done free.
(5) The guarantee marks should be applied on the basis of the system
described in the Michel Catalogue, in conjunction with a 3x at least
enlargement, preferably in colour.
(6) It is obvious that the time taken to expertise an item is
important, but one must appreciate that rarely is expertisation a
* full-time occupation and therefore a period of 30-90 days is
reasonable.
(7) Finally, I have learned to trust the following expertisation
marks:-
(a) Ross. (that of Mr. A. M. Rosselevitch, of course).
(b) Dr. R. J. Ceresa.
(c) Rossica Society.
(d) Romeko, Paris.
(e) W. Pohl (Mr. Pohl died about ten years ago in West Germany).
If readers would care to comment, I would like to know more about
the following marks:-
(a) Economist (found on the stamps of Batum).
(b) Kosack found on one North-West Army stamp. The name "Kosak"
is mentioned as an art and stamp dealer of New York City, in the
recently published book "Russian Art and American Money", by
R. C. Williams.
(c) Stolow. Is it the same name as that of the stamp company in
New York City?
(d) Bloch illegible pencil signature.
Those interested in the guarantee marks applied by the Soviet
philatelic organizations should read the article "Stamps-proofs",
by V. Aloits in the February 1980 issue of FILATELIYA SSSR
("philately of the USSR"). The article is illustrated with the
guarantee marks used from 1920 to 1950.
L
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Re the final questions posed by Mr. Werbizky,
we believe that we can supply some of the answers. The mark
"Economist" was possibly applied by the Economist Stamp Co., an
American firm. The word "Kosack" appears to have been done by
Phillip Kosack, a famous German dealer in Berlin who even
imported Zemstvo stamps before the Revolution and published his
own little catalogue of them. It would appear that the Stolow
mark is that of the well-known firm operating in New York. The
pencilled signature of Bloch appears to be that of Herbert Bloch,
who is still with us and associated with the Mercury Stamp Co. of
New York City. He has a huge reference collection of forgeries of
many countries and his opinions are highly valued.
Mr. Werbizky has made some thought-provoking comments, which may or
may not meet with general approval and we would like to hear from
other readers on the subject. Our members should also study
carefully the points raised by Dr. R. J. Ceresa and published also
in this issue of our Journal.
A QUESTION OF EXPERTISING
by Dr. R.J. Ceresa
When I began to collect Russian stamps more than 20 years ago I
purchased whatever I could find. After all, Russian stamps have
never been exactly plentiful. Without the ability to discriminate,
I acquired many forgeries without knowing that they were forgeries.
Ukraine was such a field and at a later date I sought the services of
the late Dr. Seichter. On one such occasion I sent him 200 trident
which I had purchased from the Club Packet, as is, for R2.00. With
the returned stamps I received stamps I received a bill for the
equivalent of nearly B3.00 in DM based upon a minimum charge of DM .03
for each of the 180 forgeries, ( so stamped on the back, so no chance
of reselling as is...) and 2% of the catalogue value of the 20 genuine
stamps neatly signed Dr. R. Seichter on the reverse. The S.G.
catalogue value of the genuine stamps was A2.50, so I ended up paying
twice catalogue value. Because there were so many forgeries and no
"good ones" Dr. Seichter had kindly taken pity on me as a beginner in
the field and charged me less than the normal rate for the forgeries.
I recount this adventure to explain why I decided there and then to
study the whole Civil War field and to become my own expertise.
At long last I can now claim that my opinion is as good as the next
man's if not better but it is, as your Editor eruditely points out
still only an opinion. We are all liable to make mistakes and I am
sure that all "experts" have been fooled by atleast one clever forgery
to which they have given an "OK".
Let us consider the question of the charge for expertising. Suppose
I am asked to expertise Kiev IIf on the 1 Ruble perf. and the 10
Ruble perf. Each stamp has to be carefully examined, both from the
* point of view of the basic stamp ( neither of which is known forged
fortunately) since only a few printings of each were used for
overprinting, and from the point of view of the trident overprint, ink
used etc. The same amount of effort is required in both cases but
the catalogue value of one is DM .20 and the other DM400.00. So, of
one takes a charge of say 1% with a minimum of 5 the charge for the
first stamp is 5 regardless of whether the opinion is genuine or
forged and for the second $20.00 if genuine and say $1.00 if forged.
This represents a ratio of 400:1 which I could never justify, requiring
the same work on the part of the expertise and depending upon the
luck, good or bad, of the purchaser of the stamp who has sought an
expert opinion. The only justifiable way to charge, is in my opinion,
a fixed charge based upon the amount of work needed on average to come
to an expert opinion. Whether the answer is genuine or forged the
charge should be the same. This is the way I operate, only my charge
is nil for genuine or forged. I reserve only the right to photograph
items sent in for use as illustrations in my handbooks, with due
reference to the source, and in this way I continue to learn all the
time. Perhaps, should the day ever come, when expertising became my
only possible source of income, I might have to resort to a charge
but the basis would be as outlined.
Whilst I agree with your editor's remarks regarding guarantee marks
on the reverse ( I well remember turning down the Prof. Winterstein
collection of Armenia since his "house-mark" covered the whole of the
S back of the stamp each and every one in complete sheets and panes,
often being visible from the front ), expertising certificates with
photographs are expensive to produce and very time consuming, the
certificate often costing much more than the stamp would be worth.
There is a place for certificates for valuable stamps, say $100.00
and up but, even then the cost would not be less than about $5.00
per certificate. Most collectors want to know if the whole set is
genuine, not just the items with the high catalogue values. How
then can we cater to the collector with items at the low end of the
value spectrum? There is only one way that I have been able to
think of and that and that is the one I adopted for myself, namely
help him to become his own expert. For this to happen it is nec essary
that all of us who have been gaining knowledge over the years must be
prepared to pass on our knowledge before life ebbs away or financial
restraints require us to put our collections on the market where
they invariably become broken up and dispursed among dealers.
Publish the results of your research while you may, help Yamschik,
the Rossica journal, the BJRP, etc., and help fellow collectors who
may be just starting off on the painful path of buying Russia as is.
RUSSIA AT ARMS 1902- 20
(A review and further data about the first major publication put
out by our own Canadian Society of Russian Philately, namely the
book "THE ARMS ISSUES 1902-1920", by the Rev. L. L. Tann)*
THE ARMS ISSUES 1902-1920, by the Rev. L. L. Tann. A solid 257-
page study published by the Canadian Society of Russian Philately,
Box 5722 Station-A, Toronto- Ont., Canada M5W 1P2. Priced at US
$20.00 postpaid anywhere in the world.
This is the first handbook published by the Society and, judging
from the comments and repeat orders already received, it should
remain the standard reference on the subject for years to come.
Overshadowed up to now by the more "glamourous" Romanov set, these
humble definitive stamps have now come into their own with the
appearance of this work.
Originally planned as a study of just over 100 pages, it finally
went to a total of 257 jam-packed leaves. Hence, those subscribers
who acted on the original notice that was sent out have now got a
bargain at the old price of $15.00. Because of the length of the
book, the price has now had to be increased to US $20.00. It is
still a great buy at the new price and supplies will not last for
long.
There are many illustrations of items that are rare and even unique.
Some idea of the scope can be gained from the fact that the book
runs to 23 chapters, plus 3 addenda and 5 maps.
A very important feature of the work is the inclusion of
comprehensive auction notes. These are a great help in gauging the
relative rarity and demand for stamps, varieties, covers and
postmarks.
The book has been issued to help to carry out one of the aims of
the Society: to enable its members to get more benefit and enjoyment
out of their collecting activities.
The Rev. L. L. Tann has just sent us the following data, which all
buyers of the book should insert in their copies to bring them up
to date. Please note the following modifications to the text:-
Pace 42: 13th. line from bottom to read:
"....at time of writing) and the 50 k. at...
Page 48: Nos. 43 and 44, the 5 r. and 10 r. to be renumbered as
A-43 and A-44 (see note at bottom of p. 252).
Page 87: End of the first paragraph to read:
"and Kurland. Postmark reads:S.PETERBURG/
BALT. VOKZ.".
Page 100: Second line at top to read:
"Cork ship-type postmarks..."
Page 133: Second line to read:
"Finnish: AS Rautatie Asema..."
and at the end of that paragraph:
"HELSINKI AS ...."
Page 208: The name of the port at the extreme south-east of the
Caspian Sea on the map is "Bandar-Shah".
Page 131: Last two lines. It was unfortunately not possible to
include the illustration of the Viborg-St.Petersburg
cover.
With regard to his section in the book on the Travelling Railway
Post Offices, the Rev. Tann has sent us the photograph of a very
fine 3-kop. postal card with an aberrant TPO (RPO) oval postmark,
as shown below.
In following the instructions from the Postal Department to issue
ambulant postmarks in oval form, the local postal authorities,
under whose jurisdiction the Mail Coach Route No. 158 came,
(the branch line ALEKSANDROV GAI to KRASNYI KUT) did not put into
use such a type which would normally show both legs of the
journey. Instead, they had one made to read at top: POCHTOVYI
VAGON (Mail Coach) and at bottom: No. 158. The marking is dated
7 June 1912 and the card is addressed in Russian and German to
Pastor Konig in Frankfurt-on-Main (Germany).
Other deviations from the normal oval types for the ambulant mails
must certainly exist and we would to hear about them from our
readers.
ITOBA5 KAPTOtKA
tq
1
OBITUARIES
WILLIAM H. SLATE
9 Aug. 1925 18 Sep. 1980
The readers who enjoyed Bill Slate's article
on Trade Cards in "The Post-Rider No. 6" will -
be shocked to hear of his sudden death last
September.
Your Editor had known Bill in Toronto since
1956 and they had been firm friends ever
since. He was born in London, England of a ".
Russian Jewish father and a Roumanian Jewish
mother and such a rich and varied background
had a great influence on him. A self-educated
man, he was far more literate and knowledgeable than many college
graduates. He had also served with distinction in the British Army
and that included a tour of duty during the last years of the
British Mandate in palestine, about which he had a fund of wry
stories.
Bill emigrated to Canada in 1952 and joined the Woolworth Company.
He soon became interested in covers and eventually developed into
Canada's first serious cover dealer, with a world-wide stock and
an extensive philatelic library to match. He had a genius for
anticipating collecting trends and, among other sidelines, had put
together important collections of antique postage stamp cases, post
office scales, illustrated postcards, early Christmas cards etc.
All of these collecting and dealing activities were carried out in
his spare time.
Unfortunately, the last ten years of his life were plagued with
steadily declining health but his endearing wife Frances was a
tower of strength for him. Never once did he complain or despair
and all those who had the pleasure to know him will remember him
as a gentle man and a gentleman in the fullest sense of those
words.
The sympathy of all of us goes out to his father, Leon and his
wife, Frances in this their and our irreparable loss.
***********A******
MORE SAD NEWS.
Just as we were going to press, we received word that Herr HERBERT
GIESE, the President of the Russia and USSR Study Circle in West
Germany, had passed away towards the end of 1980 after an illness
of several months. No further details are available as yet, but
this is a great loss, as your Editor had built up an excellent
realtionship with him over the past few years and there was no
doubt that his enthusiasm for Russian and Soviet philately,
literature and music had done much to raise the Russia and Soviet
Study Circle to its present high level of achievement. Sincere
sympathy is hereby extended to Frau Giese and her two sons, as well
as to the Study Circle, for their great loss. He was only 67 years old.
EMIL' ISIDOROVITCH MARCOVITCH
It is with great regret that we announce the death in January 1981
of one of the grand old men of Russian philately, at the age of 88.
Emil' Isidorovitch was a Muscovite and the son of a Zemstvo doctor.
He lived through many things in his eventful lifetime:the anti-German
riots in Moscow during WWI; the years of revolution and civil war;the
early stages of the NEP, with the OGPU breathing down his neck; his
escape to Wilno in Poland and the rescue of his collection by his
faithful wife, who then had to go through the motions of divorce so
that she could emigrate and rejoin him in France; his pre-war years
there as a leading photographer of many famous personalities,
including Fedor Shalyapin, using techniques perfected by himself;
military service and evasion of the Nazis during WWII; residence in
Venezuela from 1950 to 1960 and final settlement in the United States
at Rego Park, N. Y. during the 1960s.
He was a philatelist of the old school, who thought it unthinkable to
part with any portion of his collection. His great love was for
Zemstvo stamps, but he also formed important collections of Russia &
States and Erinnophilia. This latter interest lead to his pioneer
work in the revenues and vignettes of Russia. Your Editor once gave
him great joy when presenting him with the etiquette on goldbeater's
skin of the Orientalists' Congress applied to the back of a cover
from Riga in the 1870s. His book in English on Russian vignettes is
the standard reference in the field and"he was a highly cultured man,
fluent in Russian, German, French and Spanish, as was also his wife.
It is especially pleasing to note that his deep love for philately
has been passed on to Jacques, his son. M. Jacques Marcovitch has
done wonders in expanding the Zemstvo collection into one of the
finest and most comprehensive in existence. It gained a gold medal at
an international exhibition held in Leningrad early in 1980, which
was a source of great pride also for his father.
Emil' Isidorovitch was a gentleman in the absolute sense of the word,
whom your Editor had known since 1954, originally by correspondence.
We in the Canadian Society of Russian Philately extend our deepest
sympathy to his son Jacques in the passing of his beloved father.
Eternal glory to his memory !
REVIfW OF LITERATURE
RUSSISCH-SOWJETISCHE PHILATELIE Nr. 24 (Russian & Soviet Philately,
No. 24). This is the official organ of the BAG Russland-UdSSR
(Russia and USSR Study Circle in West Germany). All enquiries to
Herr Pitt Piacenza, Postfach 7, D-5583 ZELL/Mosel, West Germany.
Issued in May 1980.
This journal of 54 large pages includes a report of the Annual
General Meeting of the Circle; further research by Herbert Giese on
the screens used for Soviet photogravure stamps; a round-up by him
of varieties and differences to look for, as sent in by various
members; postal forms printed in French and German for Berdyansk in
the last century by Prof. Dr. Henri Gachot of Strasbourg; used
Imperial money orders by W. Herrmann; Why not collect Russia ? a
forum with notes by H. Giese, N. Prieditis & K. Keller; The
Development of Russian Painting up to Socialist Realism by E.
Dressler; Literature Review by G. Mehrtens; More Soviet Varieties
by L. A. Kolot and M. Shmuely; Special Railway Postmarks of Russia -
the first instalment of a brilliant study by H. Imhof; Notes on
Exploratory Ships of the USSR by F. L6hrich; Forgeries of Soviet
Airmail Stamps, translated by H. Amrhein; Outer Space Novelties from
Baikonur by C. Fuchs and, finally, a continuation of the valuable
Review of Airmail Philately. Society notes, announcements and
advertisements round off this highly interesting issue.
The 25th. issue of this journal has been delayed by the continued
illness of Herr Giese, the Editor and leader of this fine West
German Study Circle. We wish him a speedy recovery and all the very
best for the continued progress of this excellent publication.
ITX-KARJALAN POSTIMERKIT / LES TIMBRES-POSTE POUR LA CARELIE
ORIENTALE (The Postage Stamps of Eastern Carelia), by N. H. Mali.
Undated, but apparently published in the 1950s. Price not stated.
This is a bilingual Finno-French booklet of 32 pages about the
stamps issued during the Finnish Occupation of Eastern Carelia
from 1941 to 1944. It does not appear to have been copyrighted and,
as it shows what can be achieved by a specialised study of these
emissions, we will probably prepare an Anglo-French version for our
readers some time in the future. The stamps themselves are still
relatively easy to find and are not expensive. Covers are another
story, especially commercial examples and those from the more
remote settlements. Some of them will be illustrated in the
projected article.
EESTI FILATELIST (The Estonian Philatelist) No. 26 for 1980. A
sturdy booklet of 192 pages, published jointly by the Estonian
Philatelic Society in New York and the Society of Estonian
Philatelists in Sweden. Distributed by Hans Kr6ndstr8m,
Sofielundsplan 40 I, S-122 31 ENSKENDE, Sweden, to whom all
enquiries should be addressed.
Maintaining the high standard of previous issues, this one has
"In Memoriam" notices; a short biography of stamp and banknote
designer Peet Aren; a reprint of "The Viking Ship Stamps of
Estonia" by D. McDonald and J.R.W. Purves; The Estonian "Eesti
Post" Overprints and Their Forgeries,and, Some Forged Cancels of
Tallinn, both by Heldur Alver; The "Postgebiet Ob. Ost" in Estonia
in 1918, and, Distorted Place Names in Estonian Postal Markings,
both by Elmar Ojaste; Teetsov and the Juri Ots Covers by Dr. P G.
Gleason; The Ending of the 1920 Tallinn-Helsinki Mail Flights by
R. Ahonius; The Reval Bisects of 1909 by Isak Weiner; The Time
Factor in Estonian Machine Cancellations by Vello Kitt; The Mail
censored in Finland and also from Estonia in 1919, by our own
Finnish subscriber August LeppR; Estonian Stamped Bill of Exchange
Forms by H. Osi; Estonian Forerunners Part VI by Vambola Hurt; The
Fieldpost of the Estonian War of LIberation 1918=1920 by E. Ojaste,
H. Osi and A. Ostrat; Various Addenda to previously published
articles; a listing of Estonian themes on newly issued Soviet
stamps and postal markings and, finally, some Society notes to round
off this very fine number.
TUVA KALNi ZEMA (Tuva, the land of mountains), by Vytautas
Mikalauskas. An 88-page booklet issued in Lithuanian by the Mintis
Publishers, Vilnius 1979, in an edition of 3000 copies. Price
30 kopeks.
This is an account of present-day Tuva, written about a remote land
in an equally inaccessible language. It contains 22 interesting
illustrations in photogravure and is the ideal frustration piece for
the Tannu Tuva specialist.
SPETSIALNYE POCHTOVYE SHTEMPELYA SSSR 1922-1972 (Special Postmarks
of the USSR 1922-1972). A catalogue-handbook of 384 pages, hardbound
and compiled by V. A. Yakobs. Issued by the Svyaz' Publishers,
Moscow 1976 in an edition of 20,000 copies. Price 1 .r. 78 k.
The title is self-explanatory and the author gives an exhaustive
treatment of 2665 examples, with appropriate illustrations, a
gazeteer and thematic tables at the end of the book.
In retrospect, one wonders when somebody would do an equivalent
study of the special markings applied in Imperial times. They
are far fewer in number and also of much greater rarity than those
applied in the Soviet period.
SPETSIALNYE POCHTOVYE SHTEMPELYA SSSR 1973-1976. An up-date by the
same author for the years 1973 to 1976. Issued this time as a paper-
back by the Svyaz' Publishers, Moscow 1979, in an edition of 20,000
copies. Price 90 kop.
The number of special markings has now been brought up to 3281.
FILATELISTICHESKAYA LETOPIS' SOVETSKOGO SPORTA (The Philatelic
Chronicle of Soviet Sport), by M. E. Levin. A 176-page paperback
issued by the Svyaz' Publishers, Moscow 1979, in an edition of
100,000 copies. Price 80 kop.
This is a well-produced work devoted to the topic of sport on
Soviet stamps, postal stationery and cancellations. There are many
illustrations, including in colour. One of the latter shows an
appealing registered cover of Moscow 22.5.36, with the special Chess
Tournament postmark cancelling an array of scarce Soviet pre-war
commemoratives.
In short, an ideal guide for the purpose intended.
POCHTOVYE MARKI SSSR 1979 KATALOG (Postage Stamps of the USSR
for 1979 : Catalogue). A paperback of 32 pages, compiled by M. I.
Spivak and issued by the Svyaz' Publishers in an edition of
200,000 copies. Price 15 kop.
The title speaks for itself and all issues for the year 1979 are
covered, together with background information and a topical index.
SOVETSKII SOYUZ NA INOSTRANNYKH MARKAKH (The Soviet Union on
Foreign Stamps), by M. P. Sokolov, V. V. Snegir&v, V. A. Orlov and
Yu. M. Sokolov. A hardbound book of 288 pages, issued by the Svyaz'
Publishers, Moscow 1979, in an edition of 43,000 copies. Price 3 r.
The high cost of the book (by Soviet standards) is explained by the
fact that it is beautifully produced on coated paper, with many of
the stamps illustrated in natural colours. The book is about the
topics of "Rossica" and "Sovietica" (Russian and Soviet themes) on
foreign stamps. The idea and these Latin designations were
originally suggested by your Editor about ten years ago, when
running another journal. While he does not care about personal
recognition, there is no mention in this present book that this
philatelic trend, like so many others adopted by our Soviet
colleagues, was started in the Western World. Common courtesy is
apparently not international.
The scope of the book is not comprehensive, but it serves to
indicate the general direction that may be taken in developing
this particular theme.
ISTORIYA OTECHESTVENNOI POCHTY (The History of the National Postal
Service) Part II, by A. N. Vigilev. A paperback of 160 pages,
issued by the Svyaz' Publishers, Moscow 1979, in an edition of
49, 000 copies. Price 1 r. 10 k.
As the title indicates, this is a continue tion of Comrade
Vigilev's study of the early Russian Posts in this case from the
end of the 17th. to the second half of the 18th. centuries. There
are many fine illustrations in colour of rare documents, maps,
postal seals, engravings etc. The bibliographic sources are both
extensive and impressive. The third section in this fine
historical series is now in preparation and will cover the
activities of the General Directorate of Postal Affairs.
KONVERTY PERVOGO DNYA I KARTMAKSIMUMY : CATALOG 1975-1978 (Cata-
logue of FDCs and Maximum Cards for the Period 1975-1978). A
paperback of 104 pages, compiled by M. I. Spivak and issued by the
Svyaz' Publishers, Moscow 1980 in an edition of 30,000 copies.
Price 60 kop.
The title speaks for itself and the book is rounded off with
indices of topical subjects and proper names.
ODNOSTORONNYE POCHTOVYE KARTOCHKI S ORIGINAL'NYMI MARKAMI :
KATALOG 1971-1978 (Catalogue ot Une-biaed aost-al Cards with
Original Stamp Designs 1971-1978). A paperback of 40 pages,
compiled by M. E. Ginzburg and issued by the Svyaz' Publishers
in an edition of 30,000 copies. Price 36 kop.
This catalogue is a listing of the colourful 4-kop. Internal
Airmail postal cards for the eight-year period mentioned. A total
of 72 designs was issued and they are all illustrated, together
with the necessary background information. Ideal also for the
thematic collector.
SOVETSKII KOLLEKTSIONER 18 (The Soviet Collector, No. 18). A
manual of 14 articles by various authors, issued as a paperback of
144 pages by the Svyaz' Publishers, Moscow 1980, in an edition of
40,000 copies. Price 85 kop.
The studies include "The Khar'kov RUB Provisionals" by E. D
Dobryanskii and E. Stefanovskii (the latter a veteran Soviet
philatelist and now a very old man); "About the History of the
Postmarker in Russia" by M. Dobin (about pre-stamp markings); "From
the History of the Post in Estonia 13-17th. Centuries" by E. Selli
(well researched); "Art must coexist with Sport" a topical
article by V. Furman; "Supplements to the Articles on the State
Issues of Russian Postage Stamps 1857-1917" by V. Lobachevskii;
"Postcards of the Party Publishing House Forward 1906-1907" by M.
Zabochen; "The Portrayal of Lenin in International Medal Art" by
A. Gdalin & D. Robinson; "For the Victory near Kunersdorf"by V.
Durov (about medals issued in 1760); "Soviet Commemorative Medals"
by A. Shaten; "About some Vouchers in my collection" by Ya.
Shraiber; "History of the Issueof RSFSR Currency Vouchers in 1919"
by M. Gleizer; book reviews by M. Stepanov, V. Remnev and A.
Shishkin and, finally, a table of contents.
A curiously unsatisfying issue this time '
****************** ****** *****
& SPECIAL OFFER &
& We have just received a small supply of the definitive study "DIE &
% POSTSTEMPELFORMEN IN ST. PETERSBURG VON 1766-1914" (The Postmark %
& Types in St. Petersburg 1766-1914), by Heinrich Imhof of West &
% Germany. %
& &
% This is the last word on the subject and very easy to follow, even %
& for those who do not know German, as the author has laid out an &
% enormous mass of information in systematic tabular form. Saint %
& Petersburg was the largest city in the Russian Empire, but there are &
% hidden rarities in its multitudinous postal markings. Here is your %
& chance to find a real "sleeper" in your collection and also to get &
% much more benefit out of your postal history accumulations. %
& &
% The price of this valuable work is U.S. $6.00 or the equivalent in %
& banknotes of your country, post paid anywhere in the world. &
% %
&dPI^R^eP^^^^^^^^de^^t^^&l^^^&T^^^
PHILATELIC SHORTS
DEAR READER:
Is there a question or point that you'd like to
put across to the readership..... is there an
interesting stamp, cancellation or cover that
you'd like to describe....is there an item in oo0
your collection that could use some clarifying o
information or might there be some gems of to% o o
wisdom that you could impart on some newly
acquired item???
Share your questions, thoughts and wisdom,
in the confines of a couple paragraphs, with
the rest of our readers!!
EDITORIAL CORRECTION:
Re the card sent through the Turkish post office at Batum and
featured on p. 69 of "The Post-Rider No. 6", your Editor met the
owner, Mr. Salih Kuya, at "LONDON 1980" and the latter assured him
that the arrival marking is that of GEDUS, or more properly GEDIZ,
a Turkish town in the province of Kutahya in Anatolia. There is
another Arabic "K" used in the spelling of KUDUS or AL-KUDS ("The
Holy"), which is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. The erroneous
transliteration is regretted.
P. T. Ashford, Ashton, Chester, England.
I enjoyed reading "The Post-Rider No. 6" and particularly the
article on Persian Azerbaijan. I remember Simon Tchilinghirian
writing an article for "Gibbons Stamp Monthly" in 1965 on the 1945-
1946 overprints. I have located this and am forwarding a copy, in
case it proves interesting.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Mr. Tchilinghirian's article is on pp. 81-82 of
the Jan. 1965 issue of G.S.M. and refers to the overprints of the
Azerbaijani Autonomous Government (listed on p. 46 of "The Post-
Rider No. 6"). He states that the Iranian date "21 Azar 1324" refers
to the date the Azerbaijani National Government was formed and
should correspond to 11 May 1945. That Gregorian date is also the
one given in the Stanley Gibbons Catalogue. However, according to an
Irano-Russian dictionary consulted by your Editor, Azar is the 9th.
month in the Iranian solar calendar, running from 23 Nov. to 22 Dec.
Therefore, 21 Azar would correspond to 14 Dec. in our system !
In short, the date 14 Dec. 1945 was of a significance to the
Azerbaijani National Government that we have not yet been able to
determine.
Morris Gutenstein, Los Angeles, California, USA.
I am writing to correct a report of mine re Soviet varieties listed
on p. 66 of "The Post-Rider No. 6". It should read as follows:-
Scott No. 4471, the 6 kop. stamp honouring the 25th. anniversary of
the International Resistance Movement, with the blue .colour missing.
I checked this under the ultra-violet light, which showed no
indication of tampering. The paper proved to be fluorescent on both
the front and gummed side. I have seen another copy of this same
error in the hands of a local stamp dealer.
Herman Hirsch, Dunedin, Florida, USA.
I thought that the illustration herewith i-
would be of interest to your readers, '
although it is none too clear. I ,. '-..
recently obtained this copy of RUSSIA, :: /.
Scott No. 4704, the miniature sheet
honouring the Italian artist Paolo > 4 .:
Baronese, without the inscription of its '
value "50 KOP." and "POCHTA SSSR".
James Mazepa, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
In recent issues of "The British "
Journal of Russian Philately", Mr. J. G. !. '
Moyes has performed a valuable service ;.
to collectors in our sphere by viewing
carefully the activities of the Wrangel
Army Postal Service in Turkey and .. ,
adjoining countries after the ;(!'.'
evacuation from Russian soil. The
reasoning that he has presented has .
pretty well shown that there was no (: _
justification for "post offices" to
have functioned at some of the places .
given on the postmarks. As a result, .' : ''
covers of the Wrangel Army Posts are ...
very much under a cloud and they will ... t t ...
probably never be highly regarded
again in the future.
However, that does not necessarily mean that there was no mail
service at that time that catered to the needs of the White Russian
refugees in the Middle East, after their evacuation from Russia.
Please note the remarkable cover herewith, with Turkish postage of
7 piastres,posted from Istanbul (Constantinople) on 10 August 1922
and addressed abroad. Just to the right of the stamp there is a "
beautiful marking inscribed totally in French and reading: COMITE
PRINCIPAL / UNION DES ZEMSTVOS RUSSES / SECTION DES POSTES /
9. VIII. 1922 / CONS.PLE (Principal Committee, Union of Russian
Zemstvos, Postal Section, 9 Aug. 1922, Cons.ple). In other words,
there was a Russian organisation handling the mail of the Russian
refugees in Turkey and they made sure they did not compete against
the postal service of the country that had given them refuge.
Readers are~.asked to be on the lookout for further examples of
Turkish covers of the period which bear this interesting marking.
J. Wannerton, Kenilworth, Cape Province, South Africa.
Mr. Kurt Freyman of Cape Town recently passed on to me "The Post-
Rider", Nos. 4 & 6, the reason being my interest in the Canadian
Siberian Expedition 1918-1919. I enjoyed both articles, as I have
been putting together a collection, although it contains only 13
covers or entire. I noted in the Canadian Postal Museum article
in No. 6 that Figs. 16 & 17 refer to "Church Army Hut" patriotic
covers. Both of these should surely read "Catholic Army Hut". The
reference to Protestant and Catholic type covers has no validity,
in my opinion. I have an entire with the Fig. 16 "Protestant" type
cover and the letterhead is clearly "Catholic Army Hut".
Small points, but they may be of interest.
John Lloyd, Colchester, Essex, England.
(a)
About the unissued Voroshilovgrad
Factory stamp. A friend here received
the new issue of that factory set,
plus two copies of the unissued stamp
from a correspondent in Moscow and he
passed the duplicate on to me. A few
weeks later, his Moscow partner wrote
to tell him that the party he had
bought these two copies from had been
subjected to a court case and a heavy
fine for buying a sheet of these
unissued stamps from a young lady in
either the Printing Works or the
issuing post office. The girl was.. ..A
sentenced to 12 months in a labour
camp and the investigators took back the sheet, less the nine copies
already disposed of. Hence, it is a rare stamp.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: At least one of the Soviet Jewish emigrants to
Canada managed to bring out a copy with himand we would like to hear
from readers who may have any further information about this
unissued stamp.
(b) Thought you would like to see this illustration of a Japanese
picture postcard, written and addressed in Russian to Odessa and
posted aboard Mail Coach Route No. 262, dated 29.12.1903,
including on the missing stamp at top right. The next day, it
received the postmark of Mail Coach Route No. 260. The "piece de
resistance" is the No. 262 POCHTOVYI VAGON DOPLATIT' (Postage
Due) oval marking, with manuscript "2 k." inserted. Note that this
type of postage due cachet is an earlier one than that described
and illustrated by Tchilinghirian and Stephen in "Used Abroads"
p. 466. This particular one has the number "262" each side of the
mark. Dr. Casey says he has the same violet "Kontrol" on a cover
with Route No. 261. In my example, it is applied in the centre of
the card and reads: "laya EKSPEDITSIYA / CONTROL DOPLATNYKH DVOIN"
(First Despatch Office, Control of Payable Double Deficiencies).
This was a fascinating way of controlling postage due charges,
apparently at Odessa and comments from readers would be welcome.
Henry Blum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
(a) Herewith an interesting 10-kop. Imperial postal stationery
envelope addressed in Russian and German to Kurland province, the
town of Bracken, via Mitau and Alt-Autz. Posted at Vladimir 16 Dec.
1874, it is backstamped with another type of the Vladimir cds dated
17 Dec. 1874, then handed over to Station No. 14 of Mail Coach Route
No. 11-12 (Nizhnii-Novgorod to Moscow). Backstamped the same day at
the Nikolai Railway Station in Moscow and then forwarded to Mitava
(Mitau, Jelgava) and Frauenburg (20 Dec. 1874).
This item is of interest to German, Latvian, Russian and TPO (RPO)
specialists.
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(b) One of the results of the German-Soviet Pact of August 1939 was
the utilisation of the Siberian route for the transmission of mail
from Nazi Germany to the Americas. Here we have a cover with 5 pfg.
postage on the front and a further 80 pfg. on the back, sent on 4
Dec. 1940 from Eger(Cheb),in the Sudetenland and which had been
taken from Czechoslovakia. It is endorsed in German: "Via Siberia -
Japan" and also in French :"Par avion au deld de Moscou" (By air
beyond Moscow). Directly below that, there is an unframed Russian
handstamp reading: "VOZDUSHNAYA" = Air (Mail).
This marking is probably quite scarce and it would be interesting
to hear about other applications of it.
Dr. Soren Knudsen, Roskilde, Denmark.
Re the interesting article on Trade Cards by the late William H.
Slate in "The Post-Rider No. 6", please see the illustration at the
top of the next page for a variant of the card he showed in his
Fig. 6. In my version, the stamps in the four corners of the card
are all different to those on the example he had. Also, my card has
an advertisement on the back for the well-known Nugget Boot Polish.
Patrick J. Campbell, Pierrefonds, P. Q., Canada.
Re the Trade Cards covered by Bill Slate, I have his Fig. 6 with a
"Post Card" designation on the back, this being one of a series of
48 cards, which were given out with each Pulliam Cigar.
- rr~-L~uC~i
This i oe o; a series of 48 calds. One given with each PULLIAM CIGAR
s ont Cart POSTAGE
_... STAMP
For Correspondence For Address Only HERE
Note also the two bottom illustrations, where I show an unrecorded
series, produced in Paris and inscribed on the view side: "LA POSTE
EN RUSSIE" (The Post in Russia), while the back has an advertisement
in Spanish (!) about Dr. Franck's Purgative Health Grains.
a
THE COLLECTORS' CORNER
DEAR COLLECTORS: i
Are you still missing that illusive item from your 1
collection or philatelic library.... do you have some
duplicate material that you would like to trade of sell ? -
We can publicize your want list and/or your duplicates for -
the most reasonable rate of 25/line (minimum of $1.- ,
maximum of 16 lines) excluding name and address. Ads from n-
collectors only will be accepted. Dealers are invited to
respond.
The Society disclaims all responsibility from any misunderstandings
that may result between exchanging parties.
* unless otherwise specified, all numbers listed are Scott.
WANTED: All Bermondt-Avalov issues, mint, used or on cover.
Stampless or early Russian covers with LATVIAN town cancels.
FOR TRADE: Other Russian stamps or covers used in POLAND.
I. ROZENTALS, P. O. Box 5403, San Mateo, California, USA 94402.
ALWAYS looking for Zemstvo stamps. Fair exchange assured.
G. G. WERBIZKY, 409 Jones Road, Vestal, Hew York, USA 13850.
I HAVE: duplicates of rare Soviet definitive of the 20's and
30's, including Scott No. 287 (used) and many others. Material
issued in the last 20 years is available in superb condition. I
will trade for Soviet commemoratives of the 30's or sell at very
reasonable prices.
ANATOLE KAUSHANSKY, P. O. Box 232, Willowdale, Ont., Canada M2N 5S8
WANTED: Imperial dotted numeral cancellations on cover: buy or
trade. Please write, describing covers) and asking price or
desired trade.
MIKE RENFRO, Box 2268, Santa Clara, California, USA 95051.
WANTED: Russian and Russian-related vignettes, revenues, fiscal,
Cinderellas, etc. Pre-revolutionary (Imperial Russian) picture
postcard mint and used: views of cities, art & artists, military,
naval etc. Foreign picture postcards related to Russian subjects
and events..
LITERATURE: I am looking for "The Russian Philatelist", edited by
A. Rosselevitch: No. 2-1962 and No. 6-1965, both in English ONLY!
Also Rossica No. 60 in English. I would be happy to purchase any
of the above items. Correspondence in English,French,Russian,German.
CLAUDE LYSLOFF, 568 Marlborough Road, Brooklyn, N.Y. USA 11226.
WANTED: Bogus. phantom & private issues, locals, vignettes,
forgeries, armies, Ukraine, Transcaucasia, Russia 1917-1925 etc.
Will trade or exchange Estonian cards/covers against the same of
Latvia, Lithuania, Imperial Russia, Fieldpost WWI and WWII.
AUGUST LEPPA, P. O. Box 95, SF 04401, JARVENPRX, Suomi/Finland.
A FEW original copies of "The Russian Philatelist" are still
available:-
In Russian: Nos. 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
In English: Nos. 5, 10, 11.
Nos. 5 & 7 US $2.00 each; Nos 8-11 US $2.50 each.
MRS C. ROSSELEVITCH, 34 Henry Drive, Glen Cove, N.Y., USA 11542.
Wanted: Wrangel issues 232-376 M/U; Latvia postcards/covers;
dot cancels.
For Trade: Siberia 1-10; Russia 87G no centre pair V, block
with shifted centre; Wrangel cover 21 Feb. 1921 Constantinople
to Belgrade; Lithuania collection; Russia used 18, 25a, 27b,
28a,30a.
Igor Jascolt, 674 Glenhurst Cres., Ottawa, Ontario, KlJ 7B7
Canada
For Exchange or Sale: An unused, richly illustrated-and
expensively produced Soviet stamp album covering the issues
of 1928-50. Original cost 135 Rubles. Offers invited.
P.J. Campbell, 17091 Maher Blvd., Pierrefonds, Quebec, H9J 1H7
Canada
I have many dot and numeral cancellations on both covers and
stamps available in exchange for same. Exchange for zemstvo
or South Russia material will also be considered.
Alex Artuchov, P.O. Box 5722, Station A, Toronto, Ontario, M5W 1P2
Canada
The Imperial Romanovs
We have recently been informed that a number of copies of this
book by the Rev. L.L. Tann are still available for sale.
Anyone wishing a copy may obtain one through George Alevizos.
See ad on P. 35 for address.
BACK ISSUES
A limited stock of back issues is still available. A very limited
quantity of No. 2 is priced at $3.50 while, all succeeding issues
are priced at $4.00. All prices noted above are in US dollars.
The Journal Fund
This continues to be a very popular feature and all sales benefit
the Society. Please make payments out to A. Cronin, Box 5722,
Station-A, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5W 1P2.
NOTES OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONARY STAMPS 1920-1922 & MONGOLIA -
ITS STAMPS 1924-1927, by Kalenik Lissiuk. A fascinating booklet in
perfect condition, published in 1928 and many years out of print,
with much valuable data and illustrations of the Postmaster
Provisionals. We have just received another small supply of this
title and those who previously missed out are now urged to reorder.
Sent post paid anywhere in the world for US $5.00
IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STAMPS USED IN TRANSCAUCASIA PART IV, by P. T.
Ashford. This part consists of 88 pages of text and many clear
illustrations, devoted to the postal history of Kutais Guberniya,
Batum Oblast' and Sukhum Okrug. Those readers who ordered and
received from us the first three parts of this definitive work are
now asked to send in US $5.00 for the Part IV, which is available.
We have already sold out of the first three parts of this
magnificent and on-going series.
NERVOUS PEOPLE AND OTHER STORIES, by Mikhail Zoshchenko. A superb
452-page paperback in the Vintage Russian Library series, featuring
translations into English of selected stories by one of the world's
greatest humourists. Ideal for understanding the Soviet era. Sent
post paid anywhere in the world for US $2.50.
IDENTIFY YOUR STAMPS, by Ervin J. Felix. a 256--page hardback,
containing a lot of highly useful philatelic information in many
fields. Of especial interest to people in our sphere, as the author
includes fine illustrations of Imperial Russian stamps used abroad
in the Far East and guaranteed pre-Shtempelgate (!). Sent postpaid
anywhere in the world for US $5.00.
LEARN TO SPEAK RUSSIAN WITHOUT A TEACHER, by G. Bronsky of Moscow
State University. A 192-page paperback containing basic Russian
grammar, many phrases and sentences for home study. An ideal manual
for "us monolingual slobs", as one of our readers bluntly put it.
Sent postpaid anywhere in the world for US $2.00
THE ARMS ISSUES 1902-1920, by the Rev. L. L. Tann. This will
probably be the standard reference for years to come and, by the
time it went to press, it had grown to 257 large pages. This has,
of course, affected the price of the book but it is still great
value at the new price of US $20.00, sent post paid anywhere in the
world. Many illustrations of rare and unique items. ONLY A FEW
COPIES LEFT, SO PLEASE HURRY
LA CAISSE DU JOURNAL "IAMCHTCHIK" (Le Postillon)
AVIS IMPORTANT POUR NOS LECTEURS FRANCOPHONES
Nous avons les titres suivants de disponibles en franaais, tous en
format de luxe, soigneusement r4lies en cuir d'imitation et
repouss6s en or. La plupart des titres appartient a une collection
distribute par le Cercle du Bibliophile de Paris (France), en
renfermant les chefs d'oeuvre de la litt6rature russe.
Prix par tome au Canada, port compris: 5 piastres.
autres pays, port compris: 5 dollars americains, ou
l'6quivalent en billets de banque de votre pays.
Joseph CONRAD: L'Agent Secret (une etude penetrante de la Suret4
de la Russie Imperiale).
Constantin DE GRUNWALD: La Campagne de Russie de 1812 (un
magnifique aperqu historique de 410 pages).
Fedor DOSTOIEVSKII:
11 11 I'
1' "1 11
Mikhail GOGOL
11 II
Maxim GORKII
11 I1
Ivan GONTCHAROV
I, 11
Mikhail LERMONTOV
Nikolai LESKOV
Anton TCHEKHOV
II It
Leo TOLSTOY
11 II
Ivan TOURGENIEV
11 11
Le Joueur
Souvenirs de la Maison des Morts.
St6pantchikovo et ses Habitants.
Le Revizor (L'Inspecteur General).
Taras Boulba et Nouvelles.
Veillees d'Ukraine.
Enfance
La Mere
Mes Universites
Thomas Gordeiev.
Oblomov, Tome I
Oblomov, Tome II.
Un H4ros de Notre Temps.
Nouvelles.
iouvelles, Tome I
Nouvelles, Tome II.
Theatre, Tome I
Theatre, Tome II.
Enfance, Adolescence, Jeunesse.
Les Cosaques et Autres Nouvelles.
Resurrection.
Pares et Enfants.
R6cits d'un Chasseur et Premier Amour.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Our readers are hereby informed that, while we have ourselves
sold out of the first three parts of the series: "IMPERIAL
RUSSIAN STAMPS USED IN TRANSCAUCASIA", copies may still be
obtained from the author, Mr. P. T. Ashford, 9 Pentre Close,
Ashton, Chester, ENGLAND CH3 8BR. Due to increased printing
costs, the price per copy for any of these parts is now US $5.00
or the equivalent in banknotes of your country.Early ordering
is strongly recommended. Cash with order, please.
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