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Cover | |
Index | |
Officers, honorary members, and... | |
President's message by A.... | |
Postmarks commemorating 100 years... | |
BEPHILA Award, silver medal | |
Society page | |
Mongolia by G. S. Russell, reprinted... | |
Provisional revenue stamps of Estonia,... | |
J. Maksimchuk - Ukrainian private... | |
Tannou Touva: A survey by A. Cronin... | |
Mongolia, Rossika vignette, 100... | |
Tannou Touva | |
Addenda to railway postmarks of... | |
The Charles Stibbe sale of Zemstvos... | |
15 kop. variety - one dot after... | |
One and two dots on stamps of 1908-1923... | |
Presentation album issued by the... | |
Nachtrag 1957 Zum Sonderkatalog... | |
Mute or camouflage cancellations... | |
Post cards of Imperial Russia,... | |
Charles Stibbe Zemstvos - from... | |
Russian motifs on charity stamps... | |
Post cards of the Russian Empire... | |
Notes on fiscals of the Imperial... | |
Imperial Russian post until 1857... | |
Russian Erinnophilia by E.... | |
Zemstvo stamps omitted by Churchin... | |
Notes from collectors by P. Davidson,... | |
Stamps of the Russian Empire used... | |
Nachtrag 1958 zum Sonderkatalog... | |
A story of the rare proofs of Skopin... | |
The regular postage stamp issues... | |
Zemstvo philatelic literature (French)... | |
Catalogue of postage stamps of... |
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Cover
Cover Index Page 1 Officers, honorary members, and representatives of the society Page 2 President's message by A. A. Chebotkevitch Page 3 Postmarks commemorating 100 years of first Russian postage stamp by J. Barry Page 4 BEPHILA Award, silver medal Page 5 Society page Page 6 Mongolia by G. S. Russell, reprinted from Great Wall Journal, Australia Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Provisional revenue stamps of Estonia, 1918-1919 by Dr. H. Olander Page 11 Page 12 J. Maksimchuk - Ukrainian private stamp catalogue. 1957 supplement, reviewed by R. Polchaninoff Page 13 Tannou Touva: A survey by A. Cronin and W. S. E. Stephen Page 14 Mongolia, Rossika vignette, 100 years postmark, Estonia Page 15 Tannou Touva Page 16 Page 17 Addenda to railway postmarks of Imperial Russia by K. Adler Page 18 The Charles Stibbe sale of Zemstvos by C. C. Handford Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 15 kop. variety - one dot after kop by Baron C. de Stackelberg, notes by L. S. Glass and Dr. G. B. Salisbury Page 26 One and two dots on stamps of 1908-1923 by F. Julius Fohs Page 26 Presentation album issued by the Imperial Russian post office by J. Posell Page 27 Page 28 Nachtrag 1957 Zum Sonderkatalog Ukraine, 1918/20 by Dr. R. Seichter Page 29 Mute or camouflage cancellations by H. Shenitz Page 30 Post cards of Imperial Russia, Russian motifs on stamps of Spanish Civil War and unrecorded postmarks by K. Adler Page 31 Charles Stibbe Zemstvos - from Robson, Lowe Ltd. catalogue Page 32 Russian motifs on charity stamps and vignettes used during Spanish Civil War between years 1936-1939 by Martin Guerra Page 33 Page 34 Post cards of the Russian Empire by R. Sklarevski Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Notes on fiscals of the Imperial Russian era by F. W. Speers Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Imperial Russian post until 1857 by Capt. S. de Shramehenko Page 42 Page 43 Russian Erinnophilia by E. Marcovitch Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Zemstvo stamps omitted by Churchin by N. Matishev Page 50 Page 51 Notes from collectors by P. Davidson, R. Polchaninoff, E. Marcovitch, C. C. Handford, A. Liashenko, E. D. Collins, E. Keys, W. E. Hughes Sale, J. Barry, K. Adler, F. W. Speers, and A. A. Chebotkevitch Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Stamps of the Russian Empire used abroad: Part II, reviewed by Dr. G. B. Salisbury Page 55 Nachtrag 1958 zum Sonderkatalog Ukraine 1918/20 von 1956 by Dr. R. Soichter Page 56 A story of the rare proofs of Skopin Zemstvos by K. J. Page 57 The regular postage stamp issues of the USSR: Tables 1923-1927 issues by K. Adler Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Zemstvo philatelic literature (French) by R. Sklarevski Page 64 Catalogue of postage stamps of USSR - 1955 Page 64 |
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The Journal of the Rossica Society of Russian Philately PoccHKa OPEAl PYCCKOF 3APYGEIHOrO 4HJATEARiCll'EIKO 0 UI ECTBA, Cepep*Num MrAau na 5trpancoA NauJoK ,sraAmsZefibt937* m Ma mewAynapcan BaCTucrKt Kewrcweprs *Ostropa 1935 P. SpoNoeMu MeauM a MeWW'YapUa*OA SwcTaII a Pragil 193ra iu > ma WCMO MkwsyNapoA(mo b&CTaSbt WIPAt 1339. CcerppHw mueamW ma epnnumcKo MenuHapoAuoA *bcraue*sBephila B5s7m Hi AplwTwmwx MIUAyWapOAHMux bCTaw*rX aEficon 1957 n 4 TBrex 19583 No. fq 19 5 Editor Dr. Gregory B. Salisbury 49th and Locust Streets Philadelphia 39, Pa., U. S. A. EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr. G. B. Slisbury O PUBLISHER AND ASSISTANT EDITOR PUBLISHER AND ASSISTANT EDITOR ENGLISH EDITION R. A. Sklarovski .RUSSIAN EDITION A. N. Lavrov BUSINESS EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS ART EDITOR A. A. Chobotkovitch K Adler E. liarcovitch E. L. Wisowell, Jr. Capt. S. dc Shramchcnko A. Rossolovitch I N Y E X Pages 2 Officers & Representatives of the Society, Honorary Members. 3 President's Message. A. A. Chobotkcvitch. 4 Postmarks Commemorating 100 Years of First Russian Postage stamp. J. Barry 5 Illustration BEPHILA Award. Silver Medal. 6 Illustrations Society Page. 7-10 Mongolia. G. S. Russell. Reprinted from Groat Wall Journal, Australia. 11-13 -Provisional Revenue Stamps of Estonia 1918-1919. Dr. H. Oland&r. 13 J. Maksimchuk Ukrainian Private Stamp Catalogue. 1957 Supplement. 14,17,18- Tannou Touva A Survey. A. Cronin & W. S. E. Stephen. 15 Illustrations Mongolia, Rossika Vignette, 100 Years Postmark, Estonia. 16 Illustrations Tannou Touva. 18 Addenda to Railway Postmarks of Imperial Russia. K. Adler. 19-25 The Charles Stibbo Sale of Zomstvos. C. C. Handford. 26 15 Kop. Variety One Dot After Kop. Baron C. Do Stackelbcrg & Notes by L. S. Glass & Dr. G. B. Salisbury. 26-27 One and Two Dots on Stamps of 1908-1923. F. Julius Fohs. 27-29 Presentation Album Issued by the Imperial Russian Post Office. J. Poscll. 29 Nachtrag 1957 Zum Sondcrkatalog Ukraine 1918/20. Dr. R. Soichtcr. 30 Mute or Camouflage Cancellations. H. Shenitz. 31 Illustrations Post Cards of Imperial Russia, Russian Motifs on Stamps of Spanish Civil War and Unrecorded Postmarks by K. Adlcr (No text). 32 Illustrations Charlos Stibbo Zomstvos From Robson, Lowe Ltd Catalogue. 33-34 -Russian Motifs on Charity Stamps and Vignettes Used During Spanish Civil War Between Years 1936-1939. 35-38 Post Cards of the Russian Empire. R. Sklarovski 39-41 Notes on Fiscals of the Imperial Russian Era. F. W. Spoors. 42-43 Imperial Russian Post Until 1857. Capt. S. do Shramchcnko. 44-49 Russian Erinnophilia. E. harcovitch. 45 Illustrations Erinnophilia (PP. 44, 47-49) 50-51 Zomstvo Stamps Omitted by Chuchin. N. Matishcv. 52-54 Notes from Collectors P. Davidson, R. Polchaninoff, E. Marcovitch, C. C. Handford, A. Liashcnko, E. D. Collins, E. Keys, W. E. Hughcs Sale, J. Barry, K. Adlor, F. W. Spoors and A. A. Chobotkovitch. 55-56 Stamps of the Russian Empire Used Abroad Part II. 56 Tachtrag 1958 zum Sondcrka-talog Ukraine 1918/20 von 1956. Dr. R. Soichtor. 57 A Story of the Rare Proofs of Skopin Zomstvos. K. J. 58-63 The Regular Postage Stamp Issues of USSR Tables 1923-1927 Issues. 64 Zomstvo Philatelic Literature (French). R. Sklarovski. 64 Catalogue of Postage Stamps of USSR Soviet Issue. Short Review. #64 Page 1 O FICERS OF T E S 0 C IETY PRESIDENT A. A. Chebotkovich 90 Landing Road, Glen Cove, N. Y, SECRETARY Russian Speaking Section A. N. Lavrov SECRETjAR English Speaking Section Dr. G. B. Salisbury HO NORARY MEMBERS A. A. Chebotkevich V. A. Rachmanoff H. M. Shenitz N. I. Kordakov A. M. Rosselevitch R. A. Sklarevski A. N. Lavrov Dr. G. B. Salisbury V. P. Cerny E. I. Marcovitch N. V. Savitzky J. Rubach REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SOCIETY NEFW YORK GROUP V. Cerny r WESTERF U. S. L. S. Glass P. 0. Box 36646, Wilshire La Brea Station, Los Anroles 36, California. GREAT BRITAIN J. Barry 77A St. Jamos Rd. Sutton, Surrey, England. BELGIUM I. Braunstein 6, rue Mignot Delstanche, Yxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium. GERMANY Dr. B. Woropinsky Olpenestrasse 364 Koln-Merheim, Germany, US Zone. ISRAEL A. Trumpeldor Arba Artzot 25, Tel Aviv, Israel. FR. MOROCCO V. N. Butkov 49 Rue Laperouse, Casablanca, Fr. Morocco. CANADA G. Rozday Woda 29 Lyon Ave., Toronto 10, Ontario, Canada. VZEEZJELA E. I. Marcovitch Edif. "Camuri" Apto. No. 25, Callo Roal do Sabana Grande, Caracas, Venezuela. BRAZIL P. Beloff Rua Pedrozo 238, Caixa Post 2960, San Paulo, Brazil. SAN PAULO REGION. A. Vansovich c/o Livraria Freitas Bastes, Caila Postal 899, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RIO DE JANEIRO REGION. ARGENTINA B. Riasnianski, Larrazabal 2870 Buenos Aires, Argentina. FRANCE A. Liashenko I Rue du Bocage, Paris 15, France. AUSTRALIA V. Tvelkmeyer 45 Garnerts Ave. MarrickVille, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. New Address 91 15 68th. Avenue, Forest Hills, Long Island, New York. Membership dues are $3.00 per annum for all countries. Application forms, which must be filled out, are available upon request. Journal, membership lists, code, bulletins, and supplements to membership will be sent out annual. Please make checks payable to A. N. Lavrov instead of Drb G. B. Salisbury or Rossica. We welcome Advertisements from members, non-members.and dealers. Full page $30.00. Half page $15.00. Quarter page -7.50. Twelfth of a page @2.50 (1 lines). Members of Rossica pay only 50% of the cost. With a discount the cost per line to members is only 25#. By helping yourself, you also help us. Page 2 #54 PRESIDENT'S MESS GE by 1. .. Chobotkevich We are happy to announce that our journal won the Silver Medal diploma "ft B E P H I L A International Exhibition in Berlin, competing against the specialized philatelic journals of the world. The editors and the contri- butors should be congratulated for their magnificent efforts. The winning of the modal was announced at the Joint Meeting of Rossica and PSRF in New York, on November 24, 1957, at Hotel Vandorbilt. Fifty members attended and enjoyed a wonderful program of lectures, and exhibits on every phase of cur specialty, a kodachrome slide, in natural color,pre- sentation by Dr. L. Snegiroff .f his recent tour of Russia, a bourse con- ducted by dealers and a stamp exchange by the members. This was followed by a viewing of the A. S. D. A. Show across the street, and later by a dinner at the Russian Tea Room. The previous day, Honored Members of the Society met at Dr. Salisbury's suite for their annual meeting to discuss the coming elections and other society business. Later on Dr. Salisbury introduced your President to all of the leaders of the philatelic world, at the ASD.' Show, including editors of various publications. In the evening we attended a party at Dr. Salisbury's suite, which lasted until early hours of the morning. The ballots which were formulated by the honored members, and minoc- graphed by R. A. Sklarevski, were sent out shortly after the meeting. Many of those have been returned, but there are still many which have not been mailed back. Please vote quickly, is is your right and privileeo under our constitution. Please note a slight error on the ballet. The torm of officers is for three years, not two. On December 1A, 1957, STiAPS magazine appeared under the guest editor- ship of Dr. Salisbury. It featured the vignette drawn by Mr. L. M. Rosselovitch on the outside cover honoring the 100th. year of First Russian Postage Stamp. The first twq pages of the publication featured photos of the Society at Joint eootinp, a photo of our editor and of your President. They also contained a writ, up cf our society, its officers, and representatives. This issue then reviewed '52/53 in detail, also th-e 22 of BJRP, as well as the Joint Mooting. The magazine likewise contained articles by our memberor on ''l and on Russian Postal History. We are glad to announce that because of this publicity we received many now members incluriin7g Yr. Harry Weiss, editor of Woekly Philatelic Gossip, who incidentally gave us a fine review, also Mr. V. Domanski, an international giant of philately and Miss Barbara Iueller, a noted writer on philatelic subjects. In closing we must compliment the editor for selecting two now associate editors, Kurt Adler and A. Rosselevitch, the lator,a now arrival to United States. These two woll known philatelic exports and authors will be a fine addition to cur hard working staff. AS WE GO TO PEESS we like to announce that our journal just won a SILVE MEDLL at E F I C 0 N, the only US periodical to win an award. #54 Page 3 POST03AKS COIM0EMORATING 100 YEARS OF FIRST RUSSIAN POSTAGE STAMP by John Barry Recently I received three covers and a Festival miniature sheet cancel- led with the special postmarks illustrated in this article. Only a few of these covers exist as they were prepared only at the Exhibition Hall in Moscow where the Philatelic Exhibition was held in honor of the first Russian postage stamp. The exhibition lasted a week, from January 25, 1958 to February 1, 1958. On the first day of exhibition, the red cancellation shown on Fig. 1 and the black cancellation shown on Fig. 2 were applied to covers. After the first day only the black cancellation was used. The red cancellation, used on FIRST DAY only, is in form of a large double circle, interrupted by bands at the loft and right middle, inside of which are the dates "1858" amd"1958g. Inside of the double circle at the top is inscription "Moskovsk, Philatelist. Exhibition" or Moscow Philatelic Exhibition (the first two words are abbreviated). In corresponding position at the bottom is the inscription U100 years of the first Russian stamp". In the center of the double circle is reproduction of the Moscow Main Post Office, above which are the initials "USSR" and below an inscription in two lines, which reads "First Day 25.1.58". The black cancellation, which was used together with the red one on the first day, and alone afterwards, is also in form of a large double circle, with the same dates at the sides and the same inscription in the bottom portion of the circle as in the red one. The inscription in the top portion of the double circle is the same as in the red one, except the first word is abbreviated "Mosk." instead of UMoskovsk.u In the center is a rectangle with curved vertical sides, inside of which are dates "25 1 58". Above the rectangle, in three lines are# five pointed star, then USSR, and hammer and sickle. Below the date in the rectangle, there is a drawing of the first Russian stamp, as shown on schematic drawing, Figure 3. There is no attempt to reproduce the Imperial arms, or details. One of the mentioned covers has the 20k. Second Sputnik stamp attached to a 40 kop. stamped envelope currently in use. The left side of the cover has a beautiful color photo of the Main Post Office in Moscow. The black cancellation was prepared to be used at the exhibition honor- ing the FIRST RUSSIAN STAMP during the week the exhibition was held. We assume the date in the center was interchangeable. The red cancellation was prepared to be used on the First Day only. One had to stand in line for hours to get the red First Day cancellation. The canceller was destroyed after the first day usage, 1000 special First Da,. covers were prepared, having a multicolored cachet picturing Main Moscow P. 0. and below it a 3-line overprint in blue, reading "Filatelisticheskaya Vystavka, 100 Lot Russkoi Pochtovoi Marki, 25.1-3.11.1958g." or "Philatelic Exhibition, 100 years of Russian Postage Stamp, date (letter g is abbreviation of God, which is Russian for year)'! Page 4 #54 *23.B1 27. OKTOBER , ac i cn mcI- 'IBEPHILA 1957.A DAS PREISGERICHT HAT DEM AUSSTELLUNGSOBJEKT Rosslca von 7-erna Or VregorgL c aaUy eoz SDifilm .n /?ane emuer c e zbrmedUaie IN WORDIGUNG SEINER LEISTUNGEN ZUERKANNT. Berliz, den 26. Oober 1957 Das Preisgepi'cTt: Diee d 0-y SOCIE TY PAGE Harry Weiss WEEKLY PHILATELIC GOSSIP Vint Dornansk Jr. Part of 50 at Annual Rossica-B.SP.RP Meeting eAuortodr Tn. sre-, Tre a Jof . aotec Va nderbilt, NY Nor 1957 trr Pkdadek Muse: adfe. e /nt.ormert Colyfess., ArtedAthkor A.Pzins,(left),with TrumAp. ox, Dr. Sehictez, (rk, ? eAvt. Jack Posell (e) a tifot aen. Fr e Si Sianiiag. R. Sklarerstki;sr. salisbuzy:Kurt Adler; V. Rachmanoff. 0zli: A Larov; H Shanitz; A.Chebotkevic,; N.SavitzI. (zo f to Rizkt) Dr.Tolman; Mrs. C.N.Downs, (Cdtor of Stamps) and Dr.Salisbury. A.Labov Beermad. Davis, (Dir tor, Nat1PhilatlcMusenc); "Dr. Salisbur;p A.ChebotkevichBRvs et; EF.Billig M O N G O L I A by G. S. Russell Originally published in the Great Wall, the journal of the China Stamp Collectors' Club of Australasia, Vol. 1, No. 4 (July, 1957). This article could well be prefaced by "Errors and omissions excepted" as, in the case of both the Russian and Chinese periods of postal history, it is difficult to write ,ith certainty, and Mongolia offers great scope for philatelic research. Unfortunately there is a dearth of both information and material which would enable one to write with assurance, and the follow- ing article is therefore offered "as is", being based largely on covers in the writer's collection plus information gathered from recognized specialists overseas. It is to be hoped that readers may be able to indicate errors and omissions and thus stimulate interest in the postal history of remote Mongolia which, as a matter of interest, comprises an area of some 606,000 square miles in Central Asia, bounded by Siberia, China, Manchuria and Turkestan. THE RUSSIAN ERA The first mail service is believed to have been set up in 1863 by a Russian tea merchant. There was a Russian Consulate in Urga (the capital), but the volume of mail in those early days could not have been large and no covers of this period are known. The mail service was semi-monthly for letters and parcels, the rate being 30 kopeiks per ounce. M.ails were sent north by courier and carts to Kiakhta on the Siberian border, 170 miles distant, and by caravan or courier south to Kalgan 660 miles through the Gobi desert. This latter route was a hazardous one and great losses and delays often occurred. This private mail service lasted for some sovon years. A Government service commenced on 23rd. March 1870, operating bet- -eoen Urga, Kiakhta and Kalgan. The mail rate was 8k. per oz., reduced to 7k. in 1870. As in primitive China the service was conducted through relay stations by couriers on horses or camels. A Russian author speaks of Mongolian postal stations as "urto", and so does the China Year-book. In Russia itself similar stations are called *Kibitkas" (nomadic tents). CANCELLATIONS The first Russian postmark for Mongolia has not been sighted, but it is believed to have been applied on Russian postage from 1863; it was a double- lined oval with (URGA) in the center and undated. The second type of post- mark (Figure 1) is a cover with an oval postmark dated 18th. October, 1883 in the center; this letter is addressed to Peking and the oval hand-stamp at top left corner (in Russian and Mongolian) is that of a Chinese merchant in Urga named Dun Fu-yu, who had his head office in Peking. This type of canceller remained in use until about 1886. Other types are known, viz.: (1)-A single-lined postmark measuring 27mm. in diameter, with Urga at top in Russian characters, with date in three lines at the center, and Russian characters for POST OFFICE at the bottom. This cancellation appears on covers of 1900-7 period. I have an example on a local cover bearing a 7k. stamp with Russian KITAI (China) overprint in red, dated 19th. October 1907. '54 Page 7 The use of this "China" stamp in URGA is unusual, perhaps put on the letter by a recent arrival from China with some mint stamps on hand. (2)-A double-circle postmark 29mm. in diameter, with Cyrillic characters at top and date across the center in one line. To be found on stamps up to the year 1918, after which date it appears to have been used more as a tran- sit backstamp, perhaps for political reasons. (Note URGA, Bogdo Kure or God's Cloister, changed its name to ULAN. BATOR KHOTO or Town of the Red Hero in 1924. Today it is shortened to ULANBATOR.) There were also Russian Post Offices at the following places: K 0 B D 0, an important town 700 miles west of Urga. A cover is recorded bearing 30k. in Russian postage sent from Kobdo on 26th. January, 1916. The circular postmark of 27mm. shows the town name in Russian with date across the center. K I A K H T A in Buriat-Mongolia, just across the Siberian border, about 175 miles north of Urga. Founded in 1728 as a Russian fortress on the then Chinese frontier and then known as Troitskosavsk. It is now an important transit point for Russian-Mongolian trade. A cover is known from here bear- ing Russian postage for 2 rubles 20 k., postmarked TROITSKOSAVSK in Russian, dated 22nd, September, 1924. K H A T K H I L, a small town 275 miles north-west of Urga, lying at southern end of Khobsogol (Lake Koso), which is 75 miles long and 25 miles wide, near the Russian border east of Tannu-Tuva, where Russian ships ran a regular service linking Central Mongolia with the Baikal region. KH.lcGi;i;SK was the northern terminal of this shipping service, and it is possible that a Russian P. 0. existed there too, but no covers have yet been found to prove this. The existence of a Russian P. 0. at Khatkhil is confirmed by Haslund in his book "Tonts in Mongolia'; ho visited the office (a log house) and met the Russian postmaster (Nikolai) who obligingly put the Khatkhil postmark on a piece of paper to p'ove the time taken by Haslund on his ride of 82 miles from Bulgan Tal (14 hours). The date of this event was about 1925. A Khatkhilcovor of that year is known bearing 1924 Mongolian stamps with a rectangular cancel- lation. It is understood that at this date all the Russian post offices had been replaced by Mongolian ones following the declaration of an independent Republic and probably the use of the Russian canceller of this 1925 cover occurred during the "take-over" period and no exception to its use was taken. M 0 N D 0, a small town strictly within Buriat Mongolia, north of Lake Koso, on the way up to Irkutsk. A Cyrillic postmark is known, of rectangular shape, in green, reading MONDO at top, MONGOLIA at bottom and date (1925) in center, on a letter to Urga with a 15k. Russian stamp (SG 457, Scott 327). M U R E N, 300 miles nort-west of Urga. A postmark is known, of rectangular format, rubber-stamped in violet with Russian MUREN at top, date in center (20 May 1926) and MONGOLIA at bottom, with Mongolian inscription at the two sides, on a letter addressed to JABHOLANTO (or Uliassutai) bearing a pair of 40 mung Mongolian stamps (SG 22, Scott 40). Page 8 k54 SA R A S U I E, in the extreme west, some 850 miles from Urga. A register ed cover is known bearing 95k. Russian postage addressed to Peking, with a 27mm. circular postmark, reading SHJRASUME, MONGOLIA (in Russian), with dat. (6ht. April 1918) in center and backstampod at Poking May 8th. Russia gave up Sharasume about 1922 when the town came under direct Mongolian control, though I am not awvro of any covers in existence bearing Mongolian "franks" or postmarks at any stage. Finally Sharasumo was incorporated in the Chinese province of SI'KIANG, and renamed CHENGHWA, and so remains today. (Kurt Adlcr has 2 Sharasume covers-Ed.) U L I A S S U T A I, an important city 470 miles west of Urga. A cover is known with Russian postage in 1916, bot not having the advantage of inspect- ion, the writer is unable to describe the postmark. (Kurt Adler has it on 7k. Romanov, with a double-cirlo cancellation, with date not clear- and six petal ornaments. Ed.) Z A I N S H A B I, a small trading settlement midway between Urga and Ulias- sutai. A cover is recorded with 10k. postage and a circular 28mm. Russian postmark which translates to TSZJIN-SHABI at top and MONGOLIA at bottom, with date (12th. March 1916) across the center. It is possible that there were other Russian post offices in Mongolia, but covers to prove it are lacking. For example, it is likely that there was a P. 0. at TESSINGGOL mentioned by a Hungarian author named Goleta, who, from force of circumstances spent the period 1920 to 1929 in Mongolia. He was employed by the Russian postmaster of TossinPgol to repair the Russian telegraph line to Irkutsk. Goleta places Tessinggol as lying between iurcn and Uliassutai, but the place is not indicated on maps today, and no Russian postmark of the town is on record. (the word-ending "gol" suggests the town was at or near a lake.) Further investigations arc being mado to identify Tessinggol, which may have had its name changed since Gclota visited it about 1925. There is also to be investigated a report in an American philatelic magazine of 1928 that "A Chinese postal service on the Kiakhta-Urga-Kalgan line was operated by an Englishman in 1918". Of the particular interest are the beginnings of the independent postal system when, pending the issue of Mongolian stamps in July 1924, covers worn struck with a "frank" to indicate payment of postage. This handstamp ccnsist- ed of a double rectangle measuring 40x32mm. with town name at top and MONGOLIA at bottom and the space in the center being left blank and in which the postal rate applicable was indicated, usually in pencil. The frank was struck in oily black, the earliest known example being February, 1924. Franks of tcwns oth-r than Urga are not recorded, though they may exist. Covers were als- handstampod OPL.CHENO (PLID). At this period the postal rates were 15 for ordinary letters, 3C0 for registered letters and 5. for printed matter. A registorod letter of this type is illustrated (Fig. 2). The original illu- stration is a little fuzzy, but the various markings are sufficiently legible to reproduce. /54 Page 9 The circular postmark at loft roads URGL MONGOLIA and is dated Juno 20, 1924. This cover is of unusual interest in that it is addressed to Moscow by the famous Russian explorer, P. K. Kozlof, shown as being the "Chief of the Tibotan Expedition". There is some evidence that in the extromewest of Mongolia, in what is now Sinkiang, the postal service was under two administrations concurrently - Chinese and Russian. This explains why stamps of Chinese Turkestan, with a Russian postmark, can be found on Mongolian covers. An example of this is known on a registered letter from Sharasume to Peking, dated 3rd. February, 1921, bearing 90 postage of Chinese Turkestan and two 1 ruble stamps of Russia all the stamps bearing the Russian postmark of Sharasume. As regards the Kozlof pre-stamp cover illustrated in my article, un- fortunately I do not own iho actual cover. Editori2. Comment-During the recent Rossica meeting in New York, Dr. Tolman showed some of his interesting covers of Mongolia. One was a commercial cover from Urga, 1877 with Russian stamps and Chinese pen cancellations. Another was a 1879 date, with letters "URGA" in Russian characters across the stamps. Another cover had "URGC" marking in Russian, marked by hand in ink across the stamps (a 1880 postmark). He showed various types of URGA cancellations, also a Zainshabi cover of 1917, and one for the samy year from Kobdo. oooooooo0000000000000 Your WANT-LISTS have a good chance of being filled from my SPECIALIZED stock of Russia-- ---Czarist and Soviet-----mint--used--errors, also varieties, Now Issue Service of USSR and other Foreign Countries;late Soviet Covers. I will be interested to learn what interests you. LESTER S. GL.SS (.SD.A. APS, SPA,. ) P. O. Box 36646, Wilshire-La Brea Station, Los Angelos 36, California. I have many duplicates of paper money for sale and exchange. M. M. B YC K 0FF P. O. BOX 90, BRYTE, CALIFORNIA. Page 10 54 PROVISIONAL REVETUE STA'PFS OF ESTONIA 1918-1919 by Dr. Harald Olarder When in 1918 Estonia came into being and the newly organized government did not have time to issue its own revenue stamps of original design, it decided to utilize at first, the supplies of stamps on hand by either cancelling them with Estonian cancellers or by revaluing them. Various types of stamps, founded in the post offices consisted of the following; pre-revolutionary revenue stamps, German occupation revenue stamps used in Baltic States during the war, i.e. those overprinted "Ob. Ost." and others. The following Russian stamps were overprinted:- 1. Revenue stamps of 1907-1916. 2. Theatre tax stamps of Empress Marie of 1898 issue. 3. Court Tax stamps of 1891. 4. Custom House Tax stamps. German revenue occupation stamps were also overprinted with Estonian cancellers and used as Estonian revenue stamps. In 1920 Estonian .government issued their own revenue stamps of original design, and all of the provision- als were taken out of circulation. The scope of the provisional revenue stamps of Estonia is very interest- ing, because of a great variety of stamps and overprints used, but they are difficult to collect because of the scarcity of the material. Without in- clusion of minor varieties, 170 different stamps and overprints are known to me. Although I have searched far and wide I was able to find only 9 dif- ferent stamps and overprints. Besides the known varieties others evidently exist; since, among the group of 20 stamps overprinted R A K T E R E I was able to discover only two uncatalogued varieties. Two works on Estonian provisional revenues exist, they are;- 1. Ewald Eichenthal. "Eesti Illustrierter Speciafl:atalog". Tallinn 1931. 2. T. Weiner. "'Fatalogogisierung der Stempelmarken". Article in Philatelic journal "Estonia" (1938/1939). Weiner lists a great number of provisional overprints on Russian stamps, and indicates also a great quantity of varieties (such as various colors) of handstamps as well as variations of the position of the overprint thus making it very difficult for a collector to separate the stamps with his list. I systematized all numerous overprints, and placed all of these stamps into a simpler and more practical listing. Newly discovered varieties may be inserted very simply into my catalogue, without changing the numbering of the standard basic types and overprints. In this article I only indicate the standard types of provisional over- prints. This is enough for the readers of Rossica in order to examine their hold.ins of Pussian revenues for Estonian provisionals, which are found conparat-isly often, Sometimes, the round rubber overprint, which is appi-.d to Psveral stamps at one time makes Russian fiscal stamps into Estonian varieties. These Estonian cancellations, or to be more correct-overprints, 554 Pai-e 11 are often taken by collectors to be only cancellations. If you find Estonian text on a round violet overprint, you most likely have an Estonian provisional revenue. Cancelling of these revenues ordinarily was made by a pen. On the German occupation stamps, used in Baltic provinces during World War I, one occasional finds round violet cancellations with German text. The latter are cancellations and have no relation to the Estonian provisional revenue stamps. On the Russian revenue stamps the following overprints are known:- 1. 3-line overprint "Tempel' (New value) "Mark", by lithography. (a)-On theatrical stamps of Empress Marie (Fig. 1)-2, 5, 10 and 20 kop. (b)-(Figure 2)-1, 3, 5, 10 and 25 kop. On Court tax stamps. 2. 2-line rubber hand stamp, reading "Eesti/Wabariik". (a)-On revenue stamps of 1907. 15, 20 kop., 1.25, 3 and 5 rub. 3. Same type as 2, except overprinted "E. W./Tempelmark". (a)-5, 10, 75 kop. and 1.25 rub. On revenues of 1907. 4. Same as type 2, except overprinted"E. W. R./Tempelmark". (a)-on revenue stamps of 1907-16. 20 kop., 1, 2 and 5 rub. 5. Same as type 2, except overprinted"Laanemaa Maksuwalitsus". (a)-On revenue stamps of 1907. 15, 20 kop., 1.25 and 3 rub. 6. 1-line rubber handstamp reading "TEmpelmark". (a)-On theatrical stamps of Empress Marie. 15 kop. 7. 1-line rubber handstamp reading "Woru-Rentei". (a)-On revenues of 1907. (Fig. 3) 5, 20 kop., 1.25, 3 and 5 rub. (b)-On theatrical stamps of Empress Marie-20 kop. 8. Round, rubber handstamp of various Estonian public offices, applied on several stamps at the same time. (a)-On revenue stamps of 1907-16. (Figure 4). 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 50, 75 kop., 1, 1.25, 2, 3, and 5 rub. (b)-On theatrical stamps of Empress Marie. 2, 10, 50 kop. and 1 rub. c)-On Court tax stamps, (Figure 5). 1, 3 and 5 rub. (d)-On Custom House tax stamps. 20, 60 kop. and 1 rub. On the above listed provisional revenues one occasional will find re- va4uations. Since, the round overprints were applied only partially on a single stamp, it is very difficult to decide whether the stamp in question is an Estonian provisional or an ordinary revenue stamp cancelled with a round rubber handstamp. For easier identification of these overprints I am listing the texts of all !-nown up to now round overprints. I must also state, that all of these inscriptions are not known on Russian revenues. Some of these until now have only been found on the German Occupation revenue stamps, namely Nos. 3, 5, 9, 10 and 11. 1. EESTI KESKRENTEI 2. E. VT. R. RAHAMINISTEERIJU eesti Keskrentei. 3. Jarva Maakonna Valitsus. 4. EESTI WABARIIGI RAJHAISITEE1RIUM' KURESAARE RENTEI. Pago 12 #54 6. E. W. Rahaministeerium Paide Rentei. 7. E.W. Rahaministeerium Parnu 8. EESTI WABARI& Rakwere Rentei. Rentei. 9. A jutise Walitsuse Saaremaa KOMISSAR.11. Saaremaa Maksuwalitsus Kuresaar. 10 RAHAMINISTEERIUM Saaremaa Maksuinspektor. 12. EESTI RAHAMINISTEERIUM UALGA RENTEI. Since up to now only a limited amount of research has been done on the Estonian provisionals, I would appreciate any information on overprints of each type, as well as varieties unlisted by me. Finally I reproduce a number of German Occupation provisional revenues, which are illustrated on Figures 6, 7 and 8. 00000000000000000000 J. Miaksimchuk Ukrainian Private Stamp Catalogue. Edition of 600. First Supplement 1957. Price $5,00. From J-I:. Kochan. 423 Bonton St. Joliet. Ill, Re-viewcd by R.Pclchanincff Original 152 page edition, dealing with the same subject, covered the followinr:- (1)-Ukrainian stamps of 1919-20 printed in Vienna and practically not used pcstally because of the seizure of Ukraine by bolsheviks. (2)-"Starps" issued abroad in 1923, 35, 37, 39 and after 1945. (3)-Lager post military stamps in Rimini, D.P., Regensburg, Beirut, etc. (4)-Labels issued by various organizations, starting in 1900. (5)-eovenue stamps original issue, Kiev 1918. (6)-Foreign labels on Ukrainian themes-Russian, Polish, German, Czech & American cacheted cover "Ukrainian Day 1933 in Chicagc". (7)-Bibliography. Since the original handbook was printed in 1950, many new issues appeared. For cxzmple from 1953 to 1956 "UURU (Uicrainskaya Narodnaya Rada) issued 74 st-mps. blocks, -n" entiros. "Podpolnaya Pochta Ukraini" (Under-round Post) issued between 1949 and 1956, 440 items. Various other organiz-tions issued numerous labels.. 140 pafos of supplement text, ccvcr issues from 1950 to 1957, plus a few add- itions -n- corrections to the issues to 1950. .nmong them we should note the original Theatre revenue stamps issued in Kiev in 1918. The supplement doos not include foreign labels nor bibliography, the latter is in print and will be issued separately. The issuance of,both catalogs is a bi, event for the erinnophilists. afterr the appearance of the first one in ;950, many collectors offered their help to the author, not only Ukrainians but the German C. Mayer. In preface the author mentions, the following Rossica member as collaborators; Hon. member E. Marcovitch, Capt. S. de Shramchenko and R. Polchaninoff. Every label, is no less a measure than the postage stamps, appears as - document of the era. Thus, in the catalogue we find Galician vignettes of Russian vein, an= anti Russian ones issued on occasion of 300th. Year of Porcy- cslav Rada with inscription "Russia is Enemy*. The catalo-ue is richly illustrated and gives complete data on various topics of this interesting field of collecting. 4 OCCoopCCC OOO ooO #5 4 Ppc 13 TAN N 0 U T 0 U V A SURVEY by A. Cronin & W.S.E. Stephen This study is an expansion of the original article written by Mr. Cronin for the 1954 New South Wales Philatelic Annual, and incorporates further information uncovered by the authors. In addition, grateful thanks for help rendered are due to Messrs. J. Negus, P.T. Ashford, D. Carruthers and A.P. Godwin of England; L. I. Schreiber, K. Adler, R. S. Ehrman, S.A. Liebman, E.R. Miller, R. Sklarevski, F.L. Stultz, H. Tamer and Drs. G.B. Salisbury and EM. Tolman of the U.S.; J.0. Critchlow and Dr. S. Wurm of Australia and G.S. Russell of New Zealand. So far as the Western world is concerned, the general lack of knowledge of the country has in part been due to poor communications and the remoteness of the area. Indeed, legend has it that when Russia and China negotiated the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 defining their respective spheres of influence, one of the boundaries was vaguely referred to as the range of mountains to the north-west of Outer Mongolia. Neither party realized at the time that there were in fact two ranges of mountains, the Sayan and Tannou-Ola, with the 65,000 odd sqaaro miles of the Touva basin lying between. The considerable literature on the area is mainly in Russian and there- fore unavailable. However, the short bibliography at the end of this article lists, among other titles, several works in English and German for the bene- fit of readers who would like to obtain a comprehensive picture of the country. Probably the most interesting from a philatelic point of view, is "Unknown Mongolia", by a great English explorer, Douglas Carruthers (Hutchinson, London, 1913). The first volume of this work gives an admira- ble account of Touvan conditions in 1910 and the illustrations prove that the subjects depicted on the unlisted pictorials are authentic, Of Mongoloid appearance, the natives are a Turki people and were almost completely nomadic until fairly recently. Their own name for the race has been variously transcribed as Tiba, Toba, Tuba, Tiva or Tuva, while Tannou is derived from the name of the mountain range to the south; to the Chinese, they were the Uriankhai, and the country was generally known as the Uriankhai Territory as late as 1926. Geographically the area is important, the two main rivers, the Bii or Boi Kom ("Big River") and the Ka or Khua Kom ("Little River") meeting whore the capital is situated, to form the Ulu Kem ("Upper River") or Yonisoi, one of the world's longest rivers, which flows down into Siberia and out to the Arctic Sea. Although quite a few Chinese and Russian settlers and traders had been attracted by the presence of gold, furs and good farming country, there were still no post offices in existence when Mr. Carruthers was exploring the territory in 1910. In his opinion, the settlers had to make their own arrangements for mail to and from Siberia and Outer Mongolia, the nearest office at the time being at USINSKOYE (shown on some maps as Usinsk or Verkhno-Usinskoye, and not be confused with Ust'- Usinskoye) on the Us river in Siberia, about 35 miles from its junction with the Yenisoi. The overthrow of the Manchu Bynasty in China in 1911 weakened the nominal Chinese suzerainty over the area, and as a result the Tsarist Government proclaimed a protectorate over the territory in July 1914. In the same year, the capital was founded and named Byelotsarsk ("Town of the White Tsar"); it is therefore quite possible that an imperial postal agency operated Page 1 #54 FIG. 1 ROSSICA SOCIETY r I I OF RUSSIAN PHILATELY "iV"' "Viette by A. Rosseeuitck as zused on cover of the ,'I ""iDec. 14, 1957 issue of "Stamps ^ Jbilee Issue-Russia& o.1) -' E -'- edi by Dr. Salisbury.../ ,a, ^ ^." -, r Provisional Stamps of ".- / Estonia 1918 to 1919 FIO. 2 y Dr. H. Olander Posmark Commemoratiu _ 1OOYears of Rusa No. 1 2 6y John Barry 1 214,25158) 19 03 4 2/S. Ss In red only I black ox 6 7 8 Ta ,nu Touva by A. Cronin and W. S.E. Stephen U \. SKbl3b1 5 31 3.TVBMH.0 6.?L r r a s "-p o v /va.r S * 3. W 1 "-, .i e r / Bo -Khak. S< 9-.e T 2 a y- M ,0/o o ?ownge^ - _Scale ,i.*,i.s 0 / t Uli i B e M If0l i geer - (Xa\/ Am Borders-.-.- Me R mjoft ginUZI' Alto orras-ta there during the ensuing 3 years; by 1917 there wore over 1000 Russian farms in the country. In any case, Tcuvan resentment of the Russian colo- nists resulted in many of the nomnas moving down into Western Mongolia in 1916 and the Russian Government sent a military force into the Uriankhai Territory as a precautionary measure. Consequently, Russian fieldpost material should theoretically exist from the area. There have been vapue reports that a Chinese postal service also opcr- ated in Touva around the Kyzyl-Mazhalyk district during the pre-1921 period , but nothing concrete has yet boon noted. However, it is definitely known that as a result of the Civil War disturbances, a Chinese detachment was s-nt into the country in January 1919, so that Chinese fieldpost items are also a possibility. The end of the Civil War brought the Russians back into control of Touva, the first Concross of Touvan Hoshuns (districts) taking place on August 13, 1921, and the protectorate was officially dissolved by agrooemnt betwocn Soviet Russia and Touva on the 9th. of the following month. On December 12, 1921, a temporary constitution was adopted and the Russian im- migrants allowed the privelego of self-governing colonies. During this period, the capital assumed the native name of "Khom Bolder" or "Chimbildu-r", while to the Russians it was wKrasny" (Red). The exact status of the country does not seem to have been fully settled until five years later, but so far as the Soviet postal authorities wore concerned, it was part of the Yonisci province. This brings us to the first phase for which we have definite evidence. THE SOVIET POST IF TOUVA A Russian telegraphic money transfer form is known bearing a 10k., Ir, and 5r. of the soldier-worker typos, (exact printing not noted) cancelled KRFSNY YEIIS. 3.12.25 (Fig. 1). YEKIS. is the abbreviation of Yonis'(oiskaya Oblast) or Yenisci Province. A further item is in the form of a cover ad- dressed to ?Pking, franked with a 6k. and 8k. of the peasant and workman types (Scott's /'281 & 311; S.G. #387 &437) with the same ccncollation datac- 30.11.26, the sender -ivin7 his address as "Uriankhai, Kyzyl Khoda" (Urian- khai, Rod Town). The appearance of distinctive stamps for Touva did not stop the continued usage of Soviet issues and the following items have boon notod:- (a)-a piece bearing vertical pairs of the 6k. peasant type, perf. 14x!- and 8k. workman, perf. 12 (Scott's # 281, 311; S.G. #387, 437) cancelled Kyzyl 8.0.27 (Fig. 2). (b)-a registered letter from the Tannou Touvan Trade and Industrial Bank at Kyzyl, addressed to Moscow and franked with a 4k. and 3 copies of the 8k. soldier-workman types, perf. 12 (Scottts ?307, 311; S.G. L33, 437) cancelled Kyzyl 2.5.27 (Fig. 2). Covers from this corrcspond- once always show in addition the large oval cachet of the bank ir violet, the number of the letter or sending being placed in ink across the centre; this system of notation is ccmon in Russian commercial practice and most definitely has no postal significance, (FiC. 3). S754 Page 17 (xc)-a registered letter from the same correspondence, bearing the 8k. and 20 k. worman type, perf. 12 (Scott's #311, 317; S.G. #437, 443) cancelled Kyzyl 2.1.28 (Fig. 2) and arriving in Moscow 20 days later. (d)-a registered combination cover to Harbin, Manchuria bearing the 20k. peasant type on chalky paper and the 10k. Educational Exhibition commemorative of 1930, (Scottts #395, 435; S.G. #524, 573), to- gether with Touva #19, cancelled Kyzyl 30.5.31 (Fig. 4) and back- stamped Harbin (10) 17.6.31. A remarkable item in the Edward M. Tolman collection and although addressed to M.F. Schooliack, a prominent collector and dealer now deceased, it is probably non- philatelic as the stamps are stuck haphazardly on the cover, and the rate is correct (35k.). As items (a) to (d) above, all postdate the emission of specific stamps for Touva, it seems obvious that adequate supplies of the native issues were not being forwarded regularly from Moscow, emergency supplies being apparently requisitioned from the nearest Siberian postal district depot at Minusinsk. Indeed, we shall see that shortages plagued Touva until the end of its stamp-issuing days in 1944, resulting in an interesting va- riety of surcharged and locally printed issues. The country was formally incorporated in the U.S.S.R. on October 11, 1944 (some authorities state that it was October 13th.), since when only Soviot stamps have presumably been in use. The only post-incorporation example seen so far by the writers, is a cover addressed to the U.S.; although the sender's address is given as "Touvan Autonomous Republic, town of Kyzyl", the stamps themselves (Scott's #616b pair, #1787; S.G. #560e pair, #1913) are cancelled Moscow 534- 2612455.20, being received at Brookings, Oregon 29 days later. "We have just received the details of another post-incorporation cover, franked with a single copy of Scott's #C75a (Gibbons #752-imperf.). The cover is cancelled Kyzyl 15.6.49 (Fig. 5) and also shows a new type of registration handstamp (Fig. 6). Backstamped in Moscow 10 days later, it arrived at Elizabeth, N. J. on July 14. to be continued 00000000000000 ADDENDA TO RAILWAY POSTMAJKS OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA by K. Adler This is an addenda to original articles of W. E. Kehtro & J. Barry, the last installment of which appeared in Journal #52/53, Page 32. 308 Ekaterinburg-Shadrinsk 319 32Ca Jhitomir -Korosten 309 310 Bakhmach -Odessa 321 322 Lublin -Rosvazov 311 312 Kokand -Naragan 327 Novonikolaevsk-SomipalatD 313 314 Fedorovka -Yarekonstantinovka 329 Lltaiskaya -Biisk 315 316 Kharkov -Nikitovka 333 334 Tiflis -Tolav 317 Armavir -Tuapse 335 336 Akerman -Leipuersk: to be continued Page 18 54 X5L by C. C. Handford This important sale, the most valuable and extensive Zemstvo material to be dispersed since the Fabcrge Collection was sold on November 20, 1939, took place on Wednesday, October 2, 1957 at the Auction Rooms of Robson Lov3 Ltd., 50, Pall Mall, London, S. W. 1. Among the early arrivals were dealers Dr. Paul Wolf (London), the Paris specialist M. Rockling (Romeko) accompanied by M. Morgoulis; four members of "Rossice Society", H. 0. Marris (165), E. Eades (195), E. G. Peel (201) and your reporter (161). H. E. Blease, a fellow member of the B. S. R. P. who was busy inspecting lots which were to come under the hammer during the afternoon session, joined our group to give it a more impressive appearance when Robson Lowe ascended the rostrum. The hight light of the early part of the Sale came when Lot 3, the 1857 Tiflis 6 kop. embossed item was announced. Here we had a foretaste of the shape of things to come in the keen competition between the dealers; private collectors were quickly eliminated after the 10OO mark had been reached. The bidding rose rapidly, so rapidly in fact that the onlookers failed to identify the purchaser at L180 when the hammer fell. All we knew was that the last pair to join the battle were Paul Wolf and "Romeko". (Ed. Paul Davidson bought it through one of them. See "Notes".) Another item in the sale of First Issues, estimated at L40 by the auctioneer Lot 1; the 10 kop. imperf. with clear to large margins, unused brought L56, but this was surpassed by Lot 14, the 20 kop. orange and deep blue, a superb copy showing only a slight disturbance of gum, accompanied by KOHLER cetti- ficate valued at L30 realized L108. Only one member of our group entered the fray during this part of the Sale, and in every action he had been compelled to retreat. This was not very heartening for the rest who were waiting somewhat impatiently for the appearance of the Zemstvos. The Literature was the first to be offered, your reporter beinr integrated in the purchase of Schmidt and Faberge's "Die Postwertzeichen der Russischen Landschaftsaemter". The estimated value of L20 was a reasonable figure although some of the illustrations had been removed to insert in the album pages of the former owner. Being aware of this I allowed myself to be out bid at L22. All collectors of these fascinating stamps are familiar with Chuchin's "Catalogue of the Russian Rural Postage Stamps" in all probability paid any- thing from L1 to L5 for their copy, depending upon the date of purchase and condition. To see an estimate of L12 registered in a Sale Catalogue must have come as a pleasant surprise to owners but somewhat of a shock to pros- pective purchasers. What the latter thought when this slim volume realized L16 can well be imagined. The Zemstvo Oollection had been expertly arranged for sale and even in the case of one who knew the arrangement of the album pages when in I.r. Stibbels possession it was essential to note the alterations made in the "lotting". The first two put up for auction Lots 105 and 106 were mainly 1'54 Page 19 used collections assembled from the pages of the entire property, thus form- ing a flying start for anyone anxious to begin work on these issues but pro- viding considerable duplication to theolder or more advanced collector. It was apparent from the bidding, and also from the poor realisation, that new entries in this field were either absent or ignorant of the bargains they missed. (Lot 105. Est. L135 realized L52.10.0; Lot 106. Est. L100 re- alised L50). The collection of Aleksandria including three rarities from Faberge divided into five lots, was dispersed at approximately 50% of the estimated prices and one began to wish that later "Wants" had prohibited competition. The issues of Ananiev consisting of 414 items, including seven complete sheets made a most attractive purchase at the estimate of L16, but there w:re no more bids after L8.10.0. Four of the five Lots offered of Ardatov came .. for similar treatment and at least one Rossica member began to feel sorry theat he was well supplied with these issues instead of the ones to be dealt wi;h later! Lot 117 alone reached the estimated figure of L30, which many present who had examined the large album containing 810 stamps, including 22 complete sheets, thought a very poor realisation. Bidding became a little more exciting when a plating study of hecto- graphed stamps of Arzamawawas offered. There were 69 stamps including five strips of 5 different typs together with photographs. They fetched Lll, one pound above the estimate, while a mint tete-beche pair of 1880 5 kop. red on laid paper, ex Halfan valued at L5 brought ten guineas. It was very disappointing to see a collection (item 120) of 265 with many complete sheets go to Paris for the basement-bargain price of LA.15.0. The Atkarsk rarities, 1871 2 kop. on rough (S.2) and on smooth grayish paper (S.3), both RRR, were disposed of for L7.15.0 in each case, being 15/ above estimate. The collect- ion of 171 stamps however, met with a similar fate to those meted out to Ananiev and Arzamas. Collections of Balashov, including Khvalynsk, Kuznetsk and Saratov, 530 stamps; Belebey, 80c stamps and 1700 stamps in red album which included a number of complete sheets; Berdiansk, 30 stamps; and two lots of Bielozersk of 455 a:-d 344 stamps respectively all fell well below valuation. Two rare items in the latter Zemstvo, however, the 1876 2 kop. black on blue (,.9) although damaged and cut into at the foot, valued only at L3 in consequence, realized L7; and the 1880 2 hop. black on deep blue (S.19) good margins yet marred by small holes brought L8.10.0 as against an L8 estimate. The former was ex Halfan and Faberge and the latter ex Ferrari and Faberge. The disposal of the rest of the issues of Bielozersk came with Lots 133 (601 stamps), 139 (605 stamps) and 140 (1641 stamps) which found new homes at L13.10.0; L1; and L18 respectively as against estimates of L25; L16; and L25. The same trend, with few exceptions, prevailed in the srle of a collection of 79 stamps of Bobrov which included sheets of Sl and S10, aj s singles of 38 ex Kirchner and S9 ex Frank. The valuation of this lot was L27'. realisation L15. Only one cover of the six offered franked with adhesives of Russia, Levant or Groat Britain in combination with Bogorodsk reached a figure above the auctioneer's estimate. This could be appreciated when the number cf stamps issued by this Zemstvo was compared with the majority of the other Page 20 f54 Local Governments. As a general rule the prices obtained for covers through- out this Sale relatively far exceeded those paid for other material. Three collections of the issues of Bogorodsk consisting of 641, 1250 and 537 stamps respectively followed the same fate as already noted in the case of Aleksand- ria, averaging a mere 50% of the estimated valuation. The small collection of 25 stamps of Borisogliebsk which included the 1880 3 kop. dull blue on laid paper (S.4) ex Ferrari was disposed of for L5.10.0 (Est. L5) while a collection of 1174 stamps of Borovichy which follcw- ed, valued at L35 realized only half that amount approx. (L18). Tho local covers of the same Zemstvo brought L4.5.e as against L6 estimate. Strangely enough the collection of Bronnitzy, which included the usual pen-cancelled sheet of the 1893 5 kop. blue and lilac rose (S.3), also carried a copy of the rare 1913 5 kop. (S.6), sold for L9.10.0, a little above valuation. In all probability the latter item was the bait which landed the fish. Being personally interested in Lot 158, Bugulma Sl, with three dealers al3o bidding, the price rapidly reached the auctioneer's valuation being knocked down to "Romeko" for L5, two bids beyond my last. At the Faberge's sale in March 1940 the same copy realized LI.12.6 which gives some indication of the appreciation in values during the past 17 years. Except for two combination covers which came very near tb the estimated vlue prices followed very nearly the pattern mentioned above. Collections of Bugulma, Buguruslan and Buzuluk either just reached, or c.me a little above 50% of the prices expected. Two local covers of Cherdyn, however managed to reach high water mark by exceeding the sanguine expectations of the valuer by L2.10.0 which sent a thrill of expectation round the room. This was quickly dispelled by the last item of Cherdyn which brought little over the percentage to which we were accustomed. Noticing that there was a thick red mark against Lot 174, a collection of Chistopol with a sheet of S.1 and the rare 1911 2 kop. provisional grey- brown (S.6) ex Melikov, which a certain well known album lacked, the bidding took on a peculiar personal note which continued until the hammer fell. How hesitant the auctioneer appears to be in taking the final plunge when yours is the last bid. Of course one of the Parisiens disputed the right of posses- sion until the estimated value had been forgotten, but that did not take away the sweetness of success. The lot whichh followed was the 1907 2 kop. black, yellow green and brown- ish yellow S.2, a rare item limited to seven known copies. This time success was with the dealer by a superior bid preventing it finding a home in the same album as the proceeding lot. The collection of Dnieprovsk Lot 181 with complete sheets of S.3 anc S.5 found it s vay into a private collection to spread itself alongside Chistopol. Later additions consisted of the fine collections of Krasny and ;ielitopol with a few issues of Simferopol to accentuate the bargain. Prices realized for Gadiach and Dukhovtchina were very disappointing, tIe properties being in excellent condition throughout. It wa3 most noticeab3i throughout the entire sale that most of the single rarities and covers provided the Teatest competition. It was here that the dealers really went to town, S "54 PFn.o 2: especially in the later stages when they monopolised the bidding. Such scenes were witnessed with Glasov 3ot 198; the 1891 2 kop. black and green with background inverted (S.6a) of which only 2 copies are known. This copy realized LU at the Faberge Sale and had been valued at L12 by Robson Lowe. The successful bid on October 2, 1957 was L21. Similarly with lot 314, Pskov 1871, 5 kop. deep violet, (S.1) by a queer coincidence having the same "lot" number as it occupied in the Faberge catalogue of 1940 an item which appears to have appreciated considerably since it was last sold. That it was a most desirable stamp to posses no collector of Zemstvos would attempt to deny, and several stars were noticed beside its description in the cata- logue in red ink as a MUST when bidding commenced. In 1940 this same specimen had realized L4.10.0; om this occasion it was valued at L7. Your reporter doubled this figure before leaving the coast clear for a couple of dealers who took the item at L16. This is rather a high price for a stamp of which thirteen are known to exist, even though it is a fine specimen; finds are still being made as the present writer has ample cause to know from a recent experience. The issues of Griazovets, divided into five lots (200-204) failed, with one exception to reach estimated cost. This was lot 203, 1891-1913, a fine set of 22 complete sheets showing tete-beche arrangement or different designs se-tenant which realized L19, one pound above Robson Lowe's valuation. Collections of Irbit slumped in like manner, Kadnikov relieved the monotony for a brief space when an 1884 grey-blue stamped envelope also bearing two Imperial 7 kop. adhesives caused keen bidding. This cover re- alised five guineas but the two which followed fell below estimate. A large collection of 1233 stamps of Kamyshlov, Krasnrufimsk and Kungur valued at L33 fell to a bid of L17, and strangely enough the 1869 3 kop. black of Kassimov (S.1) ex Ferrari and Faberge, described as very fine but slightly creased and stained only 3 copies known failed to reach the estimated figure. Only one dealer apparently being interested. H. Q. Marris stepped in with a couple of good purchases, but as he left immediately after the Session ended it is to be regretted that particulars of these could not be noted. The valuable assembly of Kharkov issues, housed in a large red album, consisting of 868 items with S.13 (RRR), S.25, a large block of S.7 and a sheet of S.8 valued at L45 produced numerous sighs of regret when it was knocked down for a mare L18. A cover from Warsaw with a 5 kop. lilac-blue S.25 of the same Zemstvo, used aspostage due went for a little below estimate but the 1882 5 kop. (S.14) RR ex Senf beat the catalogue price by L2. It was obvious to all present that the dealers were intent on securing all the special items, particularly those from famous collections, against all comers, They were also keen on purchasing the covers and small groups of used stamps, and it was the exception if such an item was handed to a collector on the fa:; of the gavel. The attractive stamps of Kherson with a fine sheet of "horsemarJ (S.4), Kholm with Novorzhev, Opotchka, Ostrov and Porkhov, Kologriv and Kolomna all fell below what was looked upon as the present day value. Konstantinograd, with all values including S.4 in complete sheets, a total of Page 22 #54 264 stamps topped the valuation (L18) when it was sold for L19. It was a real surprise to find so low a figure as L11.10.0 sufficient to take away a fine collection of the UCounterfoil" typos of Kotelnich, also 882 items of 1892-1919 from the same Zemstvo for L1.10.0. Kozelcts, with Oster valued at L9 realized little over one third of that amount, and e fine assembly of Krapivna, Kashira and Tula in red album brought L8.10.0 where at least L15 had been expected. The collection of Krasny (with Smolensk) al- ready noted earlier made history by exceeding the valuation by Ll., while i. contrast the four lots of Kremenchug, issues fraught with study and interest all fell below estimate. This was very surprising considering the variety and sheets included. The Second Session opened shortly after 11:30 a.m. without the appear- ance of the promised samovar we had expected to see and enjoy, but those who know Robson Lowo can see the merry twinkle in his eyes when he wrote this seductive word in his notes prior to the Sale, and can hear the hearty chuckle which escaped when he suggested vodka during the afternoon( As an absentee after the morning session ended it cannot be stated whether or not those who remained inbibod strong drink, but a judicious libation at 11:30 a.m. have made a difference in bidding which followed. The very desirable collections, Totma at L5.100.0, and a much larger one of Ustsysolsk including a good copy of S.1, for an outlay of L23, were ac- quired by Rossica Member E. G. Pool, who was naturally highly delighted at obtaining the stamps he had made the journey to purchase. Few of us achi eved our object in its entirety, two of the party being compelled to leave 50 Pall M1ll without any addition to their album. The 1869 3 kop. black, Kassimov S.1 having been disposed of for L8.1C.O, (the price being no doubt influenced by the fact that the copy was slightly stained and creased), one wondered what fate had in store for the copy of Luga No. 1, the 1869 5 kop. blue, ex Faberge with tiny thin. Speculation was quickly satisfied when three dealers took up the bidding to run it to L36 before it was purchased. Although only one other example of Malmyzh No. 1 is known the competit- ion for its follow, slightly creased and stained, was far less than expected. At the Faborgo Sale the roalisaticn was L17, on this occasion it was bought for L13.10.C. In contrast we had spirited bidding for Maloarchangelsk No. 1, the 1869 handstruck seal with "5k" in manuscript, again thinned and creased. Being ox Wcttler and Gross collections its pedigree was probably responsible for the figure of L21 which it reached. Several collectors had, apparently discussed the possibility of securing the 1876 5 kop. black Morshnnsk No. 1 for a mere trifle considering that part of the frame had been torn away, but they were sadly disillusioned when it exceeded evaluation; it cost its now owner L4.4..O0 The choissst itcr of thi: Zemstve was the 1885 black, pale groen and rod 5 kop. (No. 17) ox Fab3rge, four of wluch cre known. This cop realized L14. Two lots figured under the likolsk section, one in particular being worthy of mention, item 262 in the catalogue. This consisted of a cover of 1904 to #54 Page 23 St. Petersburg franked by 1904 2 kop. black, yellow, green and deep red (S4a) tied by two large rectangular violet date stamps and in combination with an Imperial 7 kop. adhesive. Collectors should take note of the prices realized by combination covers and carefully husband their holdings. Estim- ated at L6, this cover changed hand at L1. The fascinating issues of Novaya Ladoga, closely allied to the Imperial stamps in design, but true to Zemstvo in arrangement of sheet, caused a flutter of excitement when the bidding commenced at L50 for lot 266. This consisted of a complete sheet of the 1869 5 kop. green S.1 showing sideways arrangement of 31 stamps and including 20 examples of the rare 5 plus 25 kop. error (S.4). The sheet showed slight creasing but as it was unique it was expected to bring at least L75. Unfortunately for Mr. Stibbe it fell short of this figure by L5, but the lot which followed, the 25 kop. red (S.2) reconstructed sheet with errors (S.3 and S.5) realized L84 as against 175 valuation. From the details already given collectors will have formed a general picture of the sale, especially its ups and downs. To enumerate all the lots as they appeared would be merely repetition of what has gone before, there- fore it will be to the advantage of all to mention the highlights that remain These lots are given in tabulated form for easy reference in the hope that they will prove useful to fellow enthusiasts. Pereyaslav. 1871. 3k. black on yellow (S.1) Valuation Realisation RRRR. ex Faborge. (Lot 291) L 7.0.0 L13.0.O. 1889 & 1902. S.21 and 21 on local Qover. (Lot 295) 8.0.0 8.10.0 Riazan. 1867. 2k. black. S.2 ex Shpakovsky collection. (Lot 323) 15.0.0 30.0.0 1872. 2 k. grey blue mint tete-beche pair ox Kirchner, etc. (Lot 324) 6.0.0. 11.10.0 Rzhev. 1867. 2k. blue (S.1) stuck down on piece. Ex Kirchner (Lot 329) 4.0.0 10.0.0 1867. 2 kop. black (S.2) ex Ferrari and Faberge. (Lot 330) 12.0.0 24.0.0 1887. Provisional. 2&. black (S.25) mint block of 4 (3 sideways) (Lot 337) 7.0.0 11.10.0 S__y. 1868. 1k. blue (S.1) ox Schwartz and Faberge. R.FS. certificate. (Lot 361) 18.0,0. 25.0.0 Tambov. 1870. 3 kop. greenish blue (S.1) Ex Ferrari & Faberge. (Lot 364) 20.0.0 36.0.0 Chern. 1871. 3kop. black on orange (S.2) ex Faberge (2 known) (Lot 365) 12.0.0. 19.0.0 1871. 3kop. grey blue on white carton Ts.3) (Lot 366) 18.0.0. 20.0.0 1872. 3kop. black on coarse yellowish paper. (S.12) (Lot 370) 12.0.0. 14.0.0 Tver. 1869. 2kop. rose and blackish blue (S.1) ex Ferrari and Faberge. R.P.S. certifi- cate. (Lot 378) 8.0.0. 23.0.0 Page 24 #54 Urzhum. 4 stamps used on cover. S.5 pr. with Valuation Realisaticn 7k. pr. Imperial. (Lot 381) L8.0.0 L10.0.0 Yolizavetgrad. 1870-99. Collection in blue album, including two sheets cne with error of value cut out before issue to Post Office, the other with the erroneous cliche removed before printing. (Lot 416) 27.0.0 19.,00 This was one of the bargains of the sale; a far higher price had been expected. The latter remark can, however, be applied to all but a few lots. Looking back on the morning's proceedings it can be truthfully be said that most of the collectors present were confused by the bidding of the dealers. Obviously they had commissions to buy certain rarities which had also attracted amateurs to the sale and this accounts for the high prices paid for such items as Pskov No. 1 and the Tiflis embossed local. It was equally obvious that they wore determined to secure the bulk of the material in spite of any opposition, and those of us who came away with a few trophies counted themselves among the elect. It was by no means a joy day for the collector but it can be entered in one's diary as a red letter day in philatelic experience. 000000000000000000 --------------------------------------------------------------nn n n n 10% Discount on all purchases 15% Discount on all purchases of A2.00 and up. of $10.00 and up. : 5! ISSUES ERRORS COVERS VARIETIES ZEMSTVOS LOC;IS ST.IPLES. SL. F. S T i. MP S ERVI CE. IB #1l, GR.ND LEDGE, MICHIGNJ 1. Stanrlcs covers fr m 1812 to 1870 in stock. lso postal stationery. 2. Price list furris"' on request. S3. .-1provals a utrout 70% discount from Scott's on Russia, States & Poland. 4. I also have Zemstvcs in stock. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SL E 7 N D E R B ISK 280 Riverside Drive. Now York 25. N. Y. EURlOPTN COUNTRIES, ETC. Want lists for collectors and dealers filled by return mail. Better (iado Sap-roval books by country also available. Iiany rarities end ocii-is for specialists. [RUIT. U'R.IINE. BENELUY. LliJES. CENTRAL, LSTERN & 3.STL-N ET ,E, SCYJDII.LVL., ETC. Other Continents on han-;, although weaker. ------------54 Pag Tu 54 Pa gc . 15 KOP. VARIETY ONE DOT AFTER KOP. by Baron C. De Stackelberg With reference to the 15 kop. variety one dot after "kop." of the Arms issue of 1909-1917 (Scott No. 81) I completely agree with the Editor, that they must be rare. For years I have examined single stamps and sheets and have never seen any myself. Nevertheless I. Weiner in his excellent "List of Estonian Stamps", published in Talinn from 1934 to May 1939, which is most detailed, lists under the 15 kop. of the North West Army,perforated, (Scott No. 154), of which only 7,600 were issued, 2 varieties of the basic stamps. (a)-One dot after "kop.". (b)-Colored smudge under the upper right "15". These two varieties therefore appear only on perforated sheets of 15 kop. stamps, which were at the latest sent by the Postal Department of Petrograd to the P. 0. in Pskov in February 1918, as soon afterwards Pskov was occupied by German troops, and all communications with Russia were stopped, oooo0oooo0ooooooooo Loster S. Glass writes, "The variety of the 15 kop. stamp of the 1909-17 issue with one dot (instead of normal two) after the word KOP., referred to by Baron C. Do Stackelberg in Rossica Journal #52-53, page 7, is constant on the 19th. stamp of the upper left pane of 25 in the sheet of 100. If counting on the full sheet of 100, this would be stamp #34. I have one full sheet showing this variety and one pane of 25.u oooooooooooooCoooooo Dr. G. B, Salisbury writes "Upon examination of our albums of these issues we find that 15 kop. value shows variation in size of dots, some are joined to each other, and some to the letter P." oooooooooooooooooooo ONE AND TWO DOTS ON STAMPS OF 1908-1923 by F. Julius Fohs Answering the inquiry of Baron Constantine De Stackelborg, regarding one dot after Kop. on 15 Kop. value of 1908-1923 issue of Russian Stamps. A search through my sheets, panes and blocks of this value resulted in finding on two blocks of 4 only, the single period. One block was from a Lower Right Hand Corner of a sheet with no plate number, and on the second stamp from Right Bottom Row there was only one (lower) period. A second block (without sheet margin) also had a like occurence. Both blocks were from somewhat worn plates and were perforated. These stamps are from the 1917 issue, purplish-red in color, with somewhat thickened chalk lines. Another occurence was a single period (upper only) with the lower almost worn off. This was at the position of 3rd. stamp donm on the right side of a perforated pane, indeterminate (with Ukraine overprint) 1917 issue. Page 26 #54 15 KOP. VARIETY ONE DOT AFTER KOP. by Baron C. De Stackelberg With reference to the 15 kop. variety one dot after "kop." of the Arms issue of 1909-1917 (Scott No. 81) I completely agree with the Editor, that they must be rare. For years I have examined single stamps and sheets and have never seen any myself. Nevertheless I. Weiner in his excellent "List of Estonian Stamps", published in Talinn from 1934 to May 1939, which is most detailed, lists under the 15 kop. of the North West Army,perforated, (Scott No. 154), of which only 7,600 were issued, 2 varieties of the basic stamps. (a)-One dot after "kop.". (b)-Colored smudge under the upper right "15". These two varieties therefore appear only on perforated sheets of 15 kop. stamps, which were at the latest sent by the Postal Department of Petrograd to the P. 0. in Pskov in February 1918, as soon afterwards Pskov was occupied by German troops, and all communications with Russia were stopped, oooo0oooo0ooooooooo Loster S. Glass writes, "The variety of the 15 kop. stamp of the 1909-17 issue with one dot (instead of normal two) after the word KOP., referred to by Baron C. Do Stackelberg in Rossica Journal #52-53, page 7, is constant on the 19th. stamp of the upper left pane of 25 in the sheet of 100. If counting on the full sheet of 100, this would be stamp #34. I have one full sheet showing this variety and one pane of 25.u oooooooooooooCoooooo Dr. G. B, Salisbury writes "Upon examination of our albums of these issues we find that 15 kop. value shows variation in size of dots, some are joined to each other, and some to the letter P." oooooooooooooooooooo ONE AND TWO DOTS ON STAMPS OF 1908-1923 by F. Julius Fohs Answering the inquiry of Baron Constantine De Stackelborg, regarding one dot after Kop. on 15 Kop. value of 1908-1923 issue of Russian Stamps. A search through my sheets, panes and blocks of this value resulted in finding on two blocks of 4 only, the single period. One block was from a Lower Right Hand Corner of a sheet with no plate number, and on the second stamp from Right Bottom Row there was only one (lower) period. A second block (without sheet margin) also had a like occurence. Both blocks were from somewhat worn plates and were perforated. These stamps are from the 1917 issue, purplish-red in color, with somewhat thickened chalk lines. Another occurence was a single period (upper only) with the lower almost worn off. This was at the position of 3rd. stamp donm on the right side of a perforated pane, indeterminate (with Ukraine overprint) 1917 issue. Page 26 #54 The following values regularly have one dot at bottom after "kop." * 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 35 and 70; and one dot at the middle in 50- and two 4fts after 15 and 25. As a reverse of 15 kop. occuronce, we have the 7k. which regularly has one dot; two dots occur'as follows: In P. N. 4 sheet dated 1909, in upper left hand pane, second stamp from lower left, questionable occurrence. In one of the earliest printings, there was a second type of design Die 1, on a single stamp which has two dots after "kop":; other character- istics were; two small scrolls in upper band at left; and 3 poarls.at bottom on each side instead of the usual four pearls; this so-tonant with Die 3, equal design, is very rare, A third variety similar to Die 1, has the right hand string of three pearls resting on an accentuated half pearl; proofs of this last type occur as follows; probably block of four, perforated, (I have only lower pair), and this occurs in a bright milky blue color. Also, I have one stamp of this type in regular blue color, perforated. Another proof in my collection is in grcon but printed from the Die 3 or regular cliche. Dio 2 according to J. H. Reynolds has the scrolls and 4 pearls. I have not soon this type. (Die numbers refer to new Reynolds Special Catalogue). OCOOC0o0000000 PRESENTATION ALBUM ISSUED BY THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN POST OFFICE by Jacques Posell It has recently bpen my pleasure and privelego to examine a bound pro- sontation album of specimen stamps issued by the Imperial Post Office of Russia, recently displayed by Dr. Salisbury at the joint mooting. The book "consists of 14 pages of thick paper and the only printing therein is an index page which is printed in English listing the stamps to be found on each pago. All the stamps are overprinted "SPECIMEN" in blue, either horizontally or diagonally across the stamps. There are nc 3OBRAZETS" overprints and all stamps unfortunately are completely pasted down on the pa o. The first page is devoted to the postage stamps of Russia, ipsue of 1883, from 1 kop. to 7 rubles, with posthorns without thunderbolts. These are Scott Nos. 31 to 40. -lsc Offices in Turkey, Scott Nos. 23 to 26. There is also one Zemstvo stamp; Ostrov (Pskov Gov.), Chuchin No. 4. This is the only Zemstvo stamp in the book. The next six poaos are devoted to various revenue stamps issued during the years 1865-1892. These consist of 4 stamps issued in 1882 by the Ministry of Finances for general tax use (Forbin 76-9). The St. Petersburg municipal stbamps of 1865 (Forbin #11-20). The 25 kop. violet #18, is missing hero to form the complete set. These stamps are all perforated 131 but only the 3, 5, 15, 30 and 40 kop, stamps were regularly issued perforated. However Forbin states that the 1, 2, 10 and 20 kop. stamps exist perforated and overprinted "SFECIMEN" and it is those specimen stamps which are on this page. On the same page is a 30 kop. blue St. Petersburg suburban police stamp of 1865 (Forbin #11) which Chuchin also states exists perforated and overprinted "SFECIMEN". Also the St. Petersburg 10 kop. brown court stamp of 1883 (Forbin /1). Pago 3 consists of the stamps of the Moscow City LAministrrtion of 1881. These are Forbin #7-11 and 14, the Kronstadt Hospital Tax stamp #54 Page 27 of 1890, 1 ruble blue perforated 13 (Forbin #4) and the Warsaw City Adminis- tration stamp of 1886, 10 kop. red and yellow (Forbin #1). Pages 4 and 5 contain the rare sot of 8 judicial stamps issued by Serdobsk in 1880 (Forbin #1-8) and judicial stamps of the following cities: Saratov 1880 (Forbin #3 & 4) Vitebsk 1881 (Forbin #1 & 2) Zhitomir 1881(Forbin #1 & 2) Poltava 1880 (Forbin #1 & 2) St. Petersburg 1883 (Forbin #3, 4, 5)Uman 1881 (Forbin #1 & 2) Grodno 1885 (Forbin #1 to 4) Petrokov 1880 (Forbin #1 & 2) To complete the court stamps I must include the Lomzha stamp of 1881 issued for payment of writ servers of the Lomzha District Court, 15 kop. rod, blue and black (Forbin #1 ). All of these stamps are rare and high priced when one is lucky enough to find them. Page 6 contains the 1892 distillery tax stamps for the manufacture of fruit and grape brandy. These are Forbin Nos. 10 to 16, I kop. to 5 rub. The 10 rub. and 25 rub. stamps which exist in the complete sot are missing and probably do not exist with the "SPECIMIEN overprint. Page 7 contains the Tobacco Tax stamps of 1871 Forbin Nos. 1, 3 to 6. This is a beautifully designed set in sharp bright colors. Also the rare and beautiful Playing Card tax stamp of 1892. The proceeds of this stamp as well as the Theatre Tax stamps of 1892, 1898 and 1916 were diverted to the educational instituti- ons and homes for foundling children which were under the patronage of the Empress Maria Foodorovna. This stamp is rare and particularly hard to find as copies were torn in half each time a package of cards was opened. This ro- viewer has seen only one copy of this stamp before and it was in two pieces in a dealer's collection many years ago. The rest of the book consists of a collection of complete wrappers or banderoles some of which are exquisately printed in bright colors. These consist of the following: 2 playing card wrappers in orange and in black. Excise banderoles for tobacco 1st. class; brown. 60 kop. for 1 Ib. 30 kop. for j lb. 15 kop. for lb. 72 kcp. for 1/8 lb. Excise banderoles for tobacco 2nd. class; blue. 4- kop. for 1/8 lb. 9 kop. for l Ib. 18 kop. for lb. Excise banderoles for tobacco 3rd. class; green. li kop. for 1/8 lb. 3 kop. for i lb. Excise banderolos for pressed leaf "Makhorka" tobacco; black. 40 kop. for 10 lbs. 20 kop. for 5 lbs. 8 kop. for 2 lbs. 4 kop. for 1 lb. 2 kop. for 2 lb. Excise banderoles for pressed leaf UMakhorka" tobacco and snuff; black. 1 kop. for l Ib. kop. for 1/8 lb. Excise banderoles for cigars 1st. quality;brown. 80 kop. for 100 cigars. 20 kop. for 25 cigars. 8 kop. for 10 cigars. 4 kop. for 5 cigars. 2 kop. for 2 cigars. Page 28 #54 E:cise banderoles for 2nd. class cigars; blue. 7- kop. for 25 cigars. 3 kop. for 10 cigars. 1 kop. for 5 cigars. 3/5 kop. for 2 cig7rs. Excise banderoles for 1st. class cigarettes; brown. 15 kop. for 100 cigarettes. 3 kop. for 25 cigarettes. l7 kop. for 10 cigarettes. w kop. for 5 cigarettes. Excise banderoles for 2nd. class cigarettes; blue. li kop. for 2C cigarettes. Z kop. for 10 cigarettes. 3/8 kop. for 5 cigarettes. kop. for 3 cigarettes. Excise bandoroles for snuff 1st. quality; blue. 36 kop. for 1 lb. 18 kop. for lb. 9 kop. for lb. 4- kop. for 1/8 lb. Customs banderolo for Persian tobacco; no value, orange. Customs banderole for imported tobacco; no value, blue. Customs banderolo for imported cigars; no value, blue. Customs bandorolo for imported offorvessing (sparkling) wines; no value, blue and red. Customs banderolo for foreign liquors; no value, blue. Excise banderoles for Russian brandy; 1 rub. for 1 vedro (bucket) orange. 2 kop. for 1/40 vedro, brown. 25 kop. for i vedro black. 1 kop. for 1/100 vedro, black. 5 kop. for 1/20 vedro green. kop. for 1/200 vedro, black. 00000000000000ooo000000 N chtrag 1957 Zum Sonderkatalog Ukraine 1918/20. Von Dr, R. Seichter, Soltan 1956. Soltan. Hann., Viktoria Luise Str. 7, West Germany. This is an addition to the 1956 Catalogue of Ukraine and stamps (see ro- view in #51 Rossica) and another addition is being prepared in 1958. Dr. Seichter systematically adds much new data to many pages of his catalogue, dealing with postage stamps and with entiros. During the years 1918-23 large quantities of Ukrainian stamps were taken abroad, and it is possible to-day to find many rnri ties all over the world, which are not to be found in Ukraine itself. after r adding tc the 1956 catalogue, Dr. Seichter includes stamps:-Wrangcls on Ukrainian stamps, Mariupol 1919, ChOrkass and Tulchina 1920, Kiev 1922, Kharkov 1920 (known 3 typos cf overprint aRYB") and Grcdno 1919. Latter, only o:isting combination on Ukrainian stamps. Russian Imperial stamps with Ukr-.in overprint Kiev III, receives Polish overprint in Grodno "Pochta Polska anf A/O -rcoshi", later also receiving a rod German overprint and postmarked with a Biolerussian canceller "GRODNI'. There are many illustrations of stamps, blocks, strips, field post cards of ITrainian Sichovikch Streltzov -42 (sharpshooters). Captain S. de Shramchenko oooo0oooooooooo #54 Page 29 MUTE OR CAMOUFLAGE CANCELLATIONS by H. Shenitz For purposes of military security during World War 1 the Russian Postal Administration had introduced a group of special purpose cancellations to thwart the would-be enemy intelligence agents from learning the location of various combat units along the front lines, by studying the postmarks on soldiers letters arriving from the front line regions. These special mark- ings present a remarkable array of odd-shaped designs, geometric forms, etc,, and can be assembled into a very attractive and interesting collection, representing an entirely exclusive group of cancellations. The obliterations belonging to this group are called "mute" cancellations, which to me is some- what misleading in this case. "Mute cancellations", nemya shempelia (Russian) Stummstempel (German) and obliterations muettes (French) are those not bear- ing any inscriptions in their make-up (which distinguishes them from Utown cancellations", "receiving cancellations", "route markings", etc.) and usually servo the purpose of obliterating of the uncancelled postage stamps. American philatelists often call them; "killer cancellations" or for short "killers". There exists a -roat variety of these "mute" cancellations (some of fancy and even artistic design) used in the past by various countries. It has been estimated that more than 100,000 varieties of U. S. "mute" cancel- lations alone of 1851-1889 period are in existence. The old Russian postal administration was possibly the only one which has used in the past these special, protective purpose mute cancellations. This writer is therefore the opinion that this group of obliteratirons. representing a unique group of "mute" cancellations, deserves to be distin .. shed by a more specific descriptive philatelic term and is suggesting to call them: "Camouflage obliterations of World War 'I or is short uCamouflage cancellations" (Tarnungstempel-German, obliterations de camouflage- French". Editorial comments;-Allthough as it is stated above, the purpose of these cancellations was to camouflage the locality from which the messages originated, ironically many of them are found on commercial covers, with locations indicated on covers, thus permitting philatelists, to assign various mutes to the places of origin. Also many of these mutes were used for other purposes than camouflaging the place of origin, etc. Also the philatelists all over the world discussed the extent of military security obtained by use of these cancellations, and the answers obtained were various. We feel that the world wide term of "mute cancellations" describes well and completely the cancellations that tell us nothing, also that the term "camouflage cancellations of World War I" has its place in philately. On the other hand we do not tell an author to use one term or another. We leave it up to him. Those who are interested in the postmarks discussed in the article are advised tc road original research articles from the pen of Dr. G. B. Salisbury serialized in British Journal of Russian Philately (from #12, Oct. 1953 to date, and as yet unfinished) with Fritz Freotag of Berlin, Germany, joining as co-author in #18 of Julyo,955. Hundreds of postmarks from extensive collections of the authors are described, illustrated and listed in tables for quick identification. PaOOOOe 30 0 OOO500 Pge 30 ,54 7 Illustrations for the Charles Stibbe Sale o Zemstvos RARE ERRORS by C. C. Handford GLAZOV' NOVAYA-LADOGA 1891 2k. with 18(,9 5k with "25" ii background inerted S E. ,orner printed In red CHRISTOPOL TIKHVIN MORSHANSK a1906-07 2k unih 1891 5k. error. 1885 5k. black. thin framelines blue band omitted bright blue and red RARITIES OF TCHERN RY AZAN 1867 2k bl ack TWER 1869 2k. rowe l 2k. round rightbluc Z ,C A KASSIMOV 181870 3k ablackk 187 UNIQUE EX FERRARI ' 1871 2k. black on 1867ack Aove 1871 3k grey-blue on nkrange-red 18a489k.ig.eeM Oh luBelow " Bei69: 1871(?) 3k 2 b kd 3k. black 1872 3k. black ue TAM BOV 18701871 3k. black 1857 1869blue Ion yellow 6k. illustrations fro Ro soo L d Catlok.blue of thATKAe CRSKarles Stibbe MALOARussia llCHANGELSK. of the ckarles Sttbbe gussia Co/l''o . Post Cards of the o Russian Empir be Russian Motljs on Russian EmPireby Charik Sta~p and R.A.Sklarevsky Ohariy Stamps and PVB nettles ^sed during 1' .... "Spanisk Civil War .1936-1939 |- 1 Martin Guerra c 1C- PoStmarks ... ...... I&:'.i 5. OTrTOe 7 r.o Bomf A ..r,. cuo mma .eo ,c --- l ona o c n .nnforo 2lO ronolo mapfl'fO . pI m Ib l t YAPIM081 1797 .1798 9 .- Unrecorded 1807 18di8i' 1797 1798 9. 4. 1815 1820 ' 1807 1808 aI aS 1 3 LIBSA UATAB 1809 1810 --..'" Ol$ t COL I)Kb 1. 5 6. / .17 Jos,/ii /7 8o Jaosph Ckhadla ColledioiL RUSSIAN MOTIFS ON CHARITY STAMFS AND VIGNETTES USED DURING SP;ANISH CIVIL WAR BETWEEN YEAlS 1936-1939 by Martin Guerra I decided to write an article on this theme at the request of my friend and writer for this journal E. Marcovitch. True, this theme has never been worked by anyone, and to Russian philatelist and erinnophilists this material is almost unknown, while the subject is very interesting on the numerous emissions issued. Collection of those stamps and vignettes without doubt is an interesting historical document and interests both Spanish and Russian collectors. Charity stamps and vignettes described in this article were issued by Russian communist authorities from 1936 to 1939 in the territory of the Republican Zone, during the frightful Spanish Civil War, which served as a bloody experiment for the soon following World War 11. Some of those stamps and vignettes are found on letters going through the mails, attached on the envelopes either for propaganda purpose or just to show that the purchaser bought some of them. Senders often thought that the delivery of the letter would be hastened if the greater number of stamps was used on the envelope or will bring him a greater consideration. Many others considered these issues as postage stamps, issued by City governments Council of Doputees or official charity organizations. I have in my collect ion letters exclusively franked with these issues, mailed from small places. where the post offices lacked regular postage stamps. I received information pertaining to the year of issue, etc,, on many of the vignettes and complete series. It is quite possible that some of the information is incorrect, since some of the information was passed to me by word of mouth, during the hard times of the Civil War, when the official information was impossible to obtain, At the termination of the civil war many owners of these stamps and vignettes in fear cf reprisals (which occurod almost daily) destroyed them, and more or less because they considered them of little value. Besides thrt, approximately 20 years have passed since their appearance, and the passing cl the years has helped many of them to disappear gradually. For that reason many series and single stampsat the present time are great rarities. In this short outline I do not endeavor to give a detailed listing of those issues. This I will give later to the catalogue of Russian vignettes which is being in process of writing by my friend Mr. E. Macovitch. Issue of the uSociety of Friends of U.SS.SR." (Amigos do la US.). Inscript- ions in Catalan language. 1937 Series "In honor of USSR". Value 10 centimes each. The 2 different vignettes were issued so tenant in the same sheet, printed in a sheet of 100 containing one blank. Some of the subjects depicted are Portraits of Gorki (Fig. 1) and Kalinin (Fig. 2), Soviet Army, Soviet Fleet, view of Volga-Moscow Canal, Soviet children, buildings and the Five Year Plan. The colors aro- (a)-blhe. (b)-dark brown. (c)-violot. (d)-rod. 1#54 Page 33 1937-Association of the Friends of the Soviet Union. Portrait of Lenin. Inscription-"U.R.S.S. 1917 -1937". TypographedT (Figure 3). No value. (a)-light violet. 1937-Honoring 20th. Anniversary of USSR. Picturing sports parade. Lithographed. Spanish inscription "20 Aniversario de la URSS". (a)-25 contimos-red. 1937-Honoring USSR-Typographed. Spanish inscription "Pro-homenajo a la URSS Donativo 25 centimos. Comision Provincial". (Figure 4) (a)-25 centimos-light red. 1937-Association of the Friends of the Soviet Union. A series of 50 vignettes with various subjects, printed either in vertical or horizon- tal format, printed in one shoot, thus giving various blocks or pairs. Value 10 contimos. Figure 5 A. Pushkin. Fig. 6. J. Stalin. Each sheet consists of the following subjects in the following quantities. 6-Soviet Fleet. 10-Soviet Youths. 3-Soviet Army. 7-Farming scenes. 1-Soviet Railroad. 8-Industrial scenes. 3-Soviet buildings. 2-Soviet universities. 4-Sport scenes. 6-Portraits. (a)-dark brown (b)-lilac (c)-green (d)-blue green (o)-brick rod (f)-red-brown. 193 -Friends of USSR. Issued in Province of ALBACETE for postal use. Inscribed "Amigos de la US". In center a monogram "AUS" "50cts. Llbacete". (a)-50 centimos-red Series in honor of TKomsomol". "Komsomol" was the name of a vessel, carrying from USSR to Spain provisions and clothing and which was sunk by the Spanish Government fleet. Soviet administration in order to cover the loss issued a number of vignettes in complete series to obtain volonteor donations for building a now "Komsogol". 193'-National Federation of Pioneers. Size36x42Tmm. Picturing in foreground a Pioneer and in background "Komsomol". Figure 7. (a)-10 contimos-rod. 193 -National Committee "Pro-Komsomol". Figure 8. (1)-Sizo-27x35mm. (a)-5 contimos-dark blue. (b)-10 centimos-red. (c)-27 centimos-blue green (2)-Vignettes in form of 5 pointed star picturing a vessel and having an inscription "Pro-Komsomol". Ungummod. I have never seen those vignettes on letters. Figure 9. (a)-5 centimos-black on rod paper. (b)-10 contimos-black on red paper. (c)-25 contimos-black on rod paper. to be continued Page 34 #54 POST CARDS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE by R. Sklarevski This is the first attempt to compile a listing of the post cards of the Russian Empire in English language. We have used the following references:- 1 ". Grosser Ganzsachen Katalog" by Dr. A. Asher. 2 uHandbook of the Russian Empire" by S. V. Prigara. 3 Collection of the Author R. Sklarovski. We have translated both Ascher's and Prigara's works into English and listed every variety they give. We have checked our own extensive collect- ion of both mint and cancelled c-rds and prepared a listing of our own, giving a number to every variety we have in our own collection. We have loft a blank space for a number in our own listing for the varieties listed in Ascher and Prigera, but which we have not seen. In other words our listing is for the varieties that we have seen and know exist. Our own listing is incomplete at this time, but additional numbers will be filled in as we make sure the varieties listed by others are proved to exist. Therefore this listing can be used by those partial to Ascher or to Prigara, as well as those willing to use our listing. Aschar's (German) catalogue which is considered the bible of the postal stationery collectors does not include a number of varieties listed by Prigara (Russian). Our own "collection listing", although missing the NON- COFFIRMED BY US VJIETIES, listed by others, is by far the more complete than either one, because of some important discoveries made by us. b ?r example we have discovered a major variety unlisted until now, but mentioned in one of our previous articles, and that is No. 13, which actuallS had two distinct printings, issue at different times and for some reason undetected until we made a thorough study of our collection. Unfortunately we did not have enough material on some of the issues to make a thorough study, therefore, that is one of the reasons why our "number column" contains blanks, although we may say that some of these exist. In passing, we like to mention that cancelled post cards were very imp- ortant in this study, because they allowed us to give dates for certain printings, etc. We need much more material for more complete study, and no quantity of any post card is too small. Therefore we would appreciate help fror the readers. Ascher's catalogue was used as the basis of the catalogue published by the "Soviet Philatelic Association" and the handbook entitled "Russian Post in Empire, Turkey, China and Poland" written by S. V. Prigmar, and both usad by many. Both of these publications are in Russian. Thus we may state here th-t all Russian language publications used Ascher catalogue as one of their important sources of information. #54 Page 35 In order to surmount the difficulties of the Russian language, which is unfamiliar to many English speaking collectors, the post card was divided into 5 parts (see Fig. 1) and all of the inscriptions illustrated, described, and listed in their English equivalents, with exception of the Part E, the border. This listing is given chronologically, where the information was avail- able. Several items were omitted from this listing, although some are in- cluded under the notes. The numbers in this article are those of the author, unless otherwise noted. The items which were omitted from the listing are:- I Spacings between the Coat of Arms (top left corner) and the Embossed Stamp (top right corner). These distances vary on many of the cards because:- (a)-Some cards were printed in two colors, and therefore, most likely in two operations. (b)-It is quite possible that some of the single color cards were printed in the same manner (see a). (c)-Evidently there wore different settings, everytime a new batch of post cards was printed, and this is true of the early as well as the late post cards. II Shades. Quite often there are variations, not only because of the variation in ink used in printing various batches of post cards, but because of aging, atmospheric conditions, chemical composition of the blank, etc. III Different types of blank were used for many of the cards of the Same issue, i. e. thick, thin, rough, smooth, variations in shade, etc. We do not separate these. IV There actually were only three sizes of cards used, and we give their measurements below. Slight variations in size, possible for one reason or another, are not listed. Standard sizes are:- Nos. 1 to 4, and B3 Medium Aschor (a) 128x92mm. Nos. 5 and 6 Small Ascher (b) 123x88mm. Nos. 7 on Large Ascher (c) 140x90mm. V There were numerous settings of various inscriptions used on cards, some easily recognizable, but in most of the cases we do not list them. The most common variations are in lengths of the lines. The post cards of the Russian Empire may be divided into a number of subdivisions, which we list blow. We only describe at this time Parts A and B. Part A Russian Empire. G Far Eastern Republic, Batum, B City Post. Armenia, Dorpat, Don, etc. C Directories of Various Cities. H Blanks used for Prisoners. D Russian Offices in China. I Monoy Order blanks. E Russian Offices in Turkey. J Zemstvos. F Ukraine K Soviet. Page 36 #54 GENERAL NOTES Now, a few words about the history of the Russian post cards. First post card, similar to early post cards of other countries was a printed blank (see Fig. 1) with no indication of value, but with printed rules of how to use it. Rule 1 at the bottom, indicated that it must be franked with an adhesive stamp. One of the cancelled examples that we have in our collection, is a card from Moscow to Hamburg, and contrary to the rules it does not carry a stamp, nor is there an indication that a fee was collected, In the place provided for the adhesive stamp is a double circle cancellation. At the top, between the two circles, is "Mosc. Cent. Post. Branch", while at the bottom, in the break of the inner circle is a number "2", evidently the number of the branch. In the center is the date "January 10, 1882", in three lines. Franz See, writing in Rossica Journal No. 52/53 of November 1957, states that the first post card of Russia was used in Bulgaria, with a 10 centime stamp of Bulgaria attached to it. We are interested in obtaining more information on the usre of this blank card, namely for the local (city), Empire, and forcing use. On May 1, 1872, four months after the appearance of the blank card, throe types of post cards were introduced. (a) No. Bl 3 kop. for the CITY POST only, i.e. for the use within limits of a city. (b) No. 2 5 kop. post card for use anywhere in the Empire. (c) card, type of No. 1, similar to Nos. B1 and 2, but without embossed stamp in the top right hand corner, i.e. a complementary card. In other words it was a blank card like iTo. 1, except on the front, inscription 1. had the following wording addod to it - "uCity Post" rate was 3 kop. and I"11 Empire" rate was 5 kop. This card was of different color than the two embossed cards. It was black. Many of the later regular cards had complementary cards, issued a+ the same time; but usually in different colors than the regular cards, and havin in the top right hand corner an inscription "MIESTO DLI. 1LRKI" or "PF.CE FOR L ST-.' enclosed in a vertical dotted rectangle. (See illustritiono FiH. 1, Bl and Bla). Elsewhere in the article we give a list of ccmploment- "-ry cars known to us. Evidently they wore freely used, because one corer -cross them ouito often. So far we have not been able to find cut vwht'her the distribution of those cards was free, tho method by which they were distributed, whether they were printed by the government, privately, or b-th On April 1, 1875, the rate for the City Post use, was lowered to 4 k p, (See card No. 3). This is the rarest card issued by the Russian Empire, -nd of which we never saw an example. #54 Pare 37 In June 1876, Card No. 3 was re-issued, with an added inscription at the end of line 1., reading and abroad ", meaning that the rate for any place in the world was now 4 kop. instead of 5 kop. The local rate or "City Post" rate remained the same, at 3 kop. (See card No. 4). On May 1, 1879 the rate to any place in the Empire was lowered to 3 kop.. making it the same rate as the "City Rate". This decrease made this type of service obsolete and the card of that type unnecessary and it soon disap- peared from use. This now card (No. 5) has a two line inscription with no indication of the type of use. Complementary card for No. 5, which is also in black, has an additional line, reading "This post card must be prepaid by a 3 kop. stamp". With the next card, which appeared in April, 1884, the bi-colored card came into use (same color as the embossed stamp), while the text remained black. This continued until 1890, when the first one colorpost card became standard (See cards Nos. 6 to 13). In June 1886, first U.P.U. post cards made their appearance, the double inscription being in Russian and French languages. (See card No. 7). Double cards (message and reply parts) appeared at the same time (See card No. 8). In July 1889 post cards wore simplified. Single and double cards were issued, those of 3 kop. and 3 kop, plus 3 kop., for within the Empire, and in Russian language only, for evidently the U.P.U. rules permitted that. Those of 4 kop. and 4 kop. plus 4 kop., for uses abroad, were in two languagc Russian (the language of the country) and French (the official language of U.P.U.). (See cards No. 9 through No. 12). In March 1890 all cards became single color and continued that way through 1917 (See cards No. 13, etc.). The 4 kop., Romanov series, had the U.P.U. inscription removed, although the rest of inscriptions remained bi- lingual. Final change occurod in 1917, when the rate was increased from 3 kop. and 3 kop. plus 3 kop. to 5 kop. and 5 kop. plus 5 kop. To many of the collectors, who are interested in studying the various parts of the Russian Post Card, rather than filling spaces, we give a table listing, which may be found at the end of this article. The following several pages with various tables and illustrations cover the 5 parts of the Russian Post Card. Figure 1 illustrates the 5 parts of the postal card, namely:- A Top inscription. D Coat of Arms. Top loft corner. B Space, top right corner. E Border. C Front and Back, instructions and inscriptions. to be continued Page 38 #54 NOTES ON FISC.LS OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSI.NA EiLi by F. W. Spoors Recent excellent articles on Imperial Russian fiscal stamps by E. Marccvitch (Rossica Journal No. 45, pp 46-54), J. Posoll (Journal No. 46/47, pp. 46-47) and Capt. S. do Shramchenko (Journal No. 49/50, pp 51-52) prompted me to look more closely at seme examples I have in my possession. Because of the obvious gaps in knowledge we have in this field, as mentioned by those competent writers, I am passing on some notations of observations of the design and colors of some of theses: I-Ministry of Finances, Inland revenue series of 1888, 5 kop. value:- Out of oifht specimens, including a pair, I note two distinct types of paper, one with a distinct yellowish cast and the other white. Unique among those eight is one that appears to be a changeling. Its fluted panel border is a solid red and no blue whatsoever appears in the stamp. The 5's in the small panels at left and right are barely distinguishable in a lighter shade cf rod. Curiously, the eagle ( blue in the regular issue) is a rod darker than its background in this scecimon. II-?inistry of Financcs, Inland revenue series of 1918:- In the 75 kop. and 1 rub. 25 kop. values (both recognized by Michol, but not by Le Cercli Philateliouo), the labels on which the values appear have no ornaments at the ends. However, in the 1 and 5 ruble values (both listed by Kichol and Lo Corcle Philatolique), there are small ornaments at both ends of the labels. Mr. Marcoxitch makes reference in Journal No. 45 to the "Gorbcvoyo*, foaturin5 the imperial eagle, issued by the Ministry of Finance. I have throe specimens, all probably amcnE the 26 varieties he mentions. Two 30 & 50 kcpoks, brown and rod, respectively are somewhat similar to the items Nc. 13 in the illustration accompanying his article although the inscription on mine indicates usage for stamp duty. The third 3 rubles, dark i7roon shcws a design change, making it noro like an inverted hcrseshoo than circular in form. .ll 3 measure 22x40msm., are perforated 10i and ar in the solic colors indicated' on unwatermcrkeo' white paper. I submit that it is probable these wore issued after th: a-pe-rance of Forbin's Catalogue in 1915, in which they ari not mentioned. III-inistr7 of Justice. Court receipt stamps, tribunal issue of l8g7:- (This is the issue in which the first word of the uppcr inscription borins wit- "Y"). I note that in all specimens of the values I have (1, 3, 5, 10, 25 kopeks and 1 ruble), four short vertical lines may be soon on the slabs ;n which the five pillars supporting the crown stand. They give the appearance cf a base of separate slabs, six of them. In the Justice of Peace issue, alsc 18P7, (the one in which the first word of the inscription begins with "C"), I note the same vertical lines only in the 3, 10, 25 kopcks and 1 ruble values. In the 1 copok, there are two vertical lines in the lower (or larger) slab only; in the 5 kcpol value, there are 3 vertical lines, two in t1 lower and one in the upper slab. IV-St. Petorsburr Urban Police Stamts, issue of 1865:- Two design vari- ations appear worthy of note; (1)-In the 5 kopeks value (bcth dark and li-ht blue and perforate and imperforate), the small white star at the bottom of the S#54 Page 39 oval frame has a dot in the center. There is no dot in the stars of the 1, 2, 3, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kopok values. (2)-The 10 kopok value is distinguish- able by the fact that its figures, "10", appear in white with no ornamental design inside them. Figures of the lower values have such designs; those of values above 10 kopeks are distinguishable by the background lines showing through the figures. V-St. Petersburg Suburban Police Stamps, Issue of 1883:-Distinct dif- ferences may be noted in the Maltese cross-like designs marking the 4 corners of each stamp. Some are clearcut; others are crudely done. If sheets avail- able, these corner designs should be of value for plating. VI-Riga Municipal Bathing Tax Stamps (1883-1893):-issued annual in dif- ferent colors had bi-lingual inscriptions in Russian and High Lottic. VII-St. Petersburg Hospital Stamp (1889):-This 1 ruble gray & red stamp appeared in at least two varieties:-(l)-Whitish paper, perforation 13, size 25-x46-nmm., with wavy background lines on face only, and (2)-grayish paper, perforation ll1-, size 25ix46|mm., with wavy background lines on face also visible on reverse. (Forbin notes the size of both of these as 26x46mm.). VIII-Management of the Company of Moscow River Steamboat for Travellers:- I should like to close this rather disjointed article with a few comments on a stamp in this field which has interested me. It is a square (24x24mm.), bistro brown on thin, unwatermarked white paper, perforated 12. The design is a centered circular one framing a steam and sail auxiliary vessel, suitable for ocean travel, yet the inscription reads, according to my translation, "Management of the Company of Moscow River Steamboat for Travellers'. There is no statement of value. It is my understanding that during the approximate period of 1870-1914 a favorite diversion of Moscow residents was the taking of a short excursion on the Moscow river from Kamenny Bridge near the Kremlin to the Moineaux Hills (Vorobiev Gored) southwest of the city. The ticket price from about 1900 through 1910 was 20 kopeks for a ride on the Company's steam launch, Bolshaya Iakiamanka, according to the meagre information I have been able to obtain. The writer would appreciate any info- rmation pertaining to this stamp which apparently was a tax stamp authorized for private issuance in connection with the sale of excursion tickets. Editorial Comments-Rather than issue an addenda in a future issue of the journal we make a number of comments here. II-The ministry of Finances stamps of 1918 of which he writes are listed as 1907 in Forbin. The 1 and 2 ruble values were probably issued in 1918 and Michel mistakenly lists the whole set as of that date. Also the small ornaments he speaks of at the ends of the labels of value exist on the 1, 2, 3 and 5 ruble values. They do not exist on the other stamps in this set. We also like to comment at this time, that many collectors forget that S. Gibbons, Michel and other Standard Postage Stamp Catalogues list revenues of Russia and many other foreign countries, when they were used for postage, if that point is remembered, then the date of 1918 is correct, because it was not until then, that due to shortages of postage stamps, non postage material Page 40 #54 was used postally. On the other hand if mint stamps are listed the dates may be incorrect and the mint stamps should not be listed. III-All ccpies of both issues described have the vertical lines. Mr. Spocrs happened to got copies where the lines were ccmpictoly worn off. Our copies show variations in thickness of the lines, which at times are hardly visible. IV-We may state here that evidently all of the 5 kopok stamps of the Pimilaar design >-vc a dot in the contor of a small white star. We base our observation on 5 kop. values of the .Municipal Ordinanco issue of 1865. We cx.nined a dozer. ,cp.os in cur pccsoesion and found a copy of the Urban Police Stamp of 5 kop., withcut r dot in the center. V-Scme values of this issue exist with and without a dot, at the left of anchor, in the center panel. VI-Our copy cf paper (2) has the red coloring visible on the reverse side also. C0000000000000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Full selection of pro phil-talic letters of Russian Emjiro, 1795-1858, other letters to 1917. Zemstvos---122 for '75.00. New Poland from 1944 to: now. Low Prices. Complete Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonic to 1940. SVarious errors, varieties, an: -pre philatelic letters from those parts. Will send selections------------------two guarantees required. RICHRD ESTK. 6510 ROCK1ELL STREET CFICGO 29, ILL __----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sxtnsivc stock........................ RUSSI.. & ST-TES & OFFICES Stmyples covers, postal stationery, stamp rarities and rorular issues, Sroofs, essays, varieties, cancellations, covers. Inquiries irvitcd. "S U E L R LY .iso, professional mounting and writing-up of collections. S--e 4-------------------------- P!54 Page 41 IMPERIAL RUSSIAN POST UNTIL 185 by Capt. S. de Shramchenko Earliest postal communications in ancient Russia of X1-X111 cen- turies were maintained by various princes, for their own private communi- cation, and for notification of the nobles or boyars about the decrees of government. This correspondence was sent by the means of runners or gontzi, or messengers on horseback. All of this was quite similar to the methods employed elsewhere in the world at that time. During the Mongolian invasion and conquest, tartars established along their occupation routes, stations called "yami" with runners who were ordered to deliver the orders of the Khans. These stations were not postal establishments in the modern sense of the word, but were merely places for halting, for exchange of worn out horses for fresh ones, overnight rest and board, as well as a place where to secure needed men for continuance of the journey. Expense of maintenance of yami, as well as costs of latter postal stations, was levied on the surround- ing population. Horses, food, and lodgings were delivered to travelers only upon receipt of certain government documents called "podorozhni", literally meaning "for the road". The oldest preserved document of this type was issued in 1470, to a runner of a Grand Duke. Rossica Journal, No. 37, Page 234 shows a podorozhnaya, dated 1856, belonging to our member, S. V. Gladkove. These documents were abolished in 1874. At the end of XVlth. century regular post existed between certain main cities, and this was used entirely by the government. Officials were sent with orders and decrees, this being done in important cases only. The needs of the population, as far as the postal matters were concerned, were ignored. Letters from private correspondents were not accepted until the middle of XVllth. century. The question of regular postal communication was raised by the consider- able number of foreigners living in Russia in the XVllth. century, for they wished to correspond with their homeland. During the reign of Czar Alexei Michailovich (1645-1676), Boyarin A. L. Ordin-Nashokin, father of Russian postal service, organized the first postal communication between Moscow and Kurland and Poland (1666). Regular post was developed still further by Peter the Great (1689-1725), who created post offices in St. Petersburg, in 1716, and in Moscow & .lso afterwards in Riga, Viborg, Revel, Narva, Ar1- hangelsk and Vologda. Each postoffice had a postmaster and the necessary number of postmen. The government in 1714, for the first time allowed private individuals to use the yam horses. Incidentally, all of the post office employees were German, and the postal terminology they established lasted to the present day. The post was divided into "kupetskouu" or private (actually word Ukupets" means "a trader" so it was primarily a commercial correspondence) and "yamsky" corresperdence, for the use of the government and the nobles. In 1721, both of these posts were combined into one. In 1727 we find the creation of the internal postal communications, and establishment of a Postal Department, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of the Foreign Affairs. Later on it became an independent bureau. During the reign of Empress Catherine II (The Great) (1762-1796) postal connections were established between all major points of the land. The country was divided into postal regions, and on November 14, 1873, the rates for letters and fees for travelers were established, based on the distance. Page 42 #54 For mailing a letter weighing 1 lot ( 3 zolotni:i or otince) for a distance of 100 versts a fee of 2 Popeiks was chrger. For a distance less than 10C versts the fee was 1 kopeiks. Similarly fees for the travelers were esta- blished. Highest establishments of the local posts were the post offices of St. Petersboirg and Moscow. Later on, from 1782, two more posts were set up, one in Malorossiiski (Little Russia), for the reFion now known as Ukrains, and one at Border Olviopolski. All of the provincial post offices and those of the closest gubernias and provinces were subservient to the post offices in these four centers. Local post offices were in the lowest rank of the postal set-up, and the postal stations created in 1871 replaced the old "Yami". The Post itself was divided into "heavy" (yamsky) for the government packages and packets weighing more than 5 pounds, "light" for ordinary government and private mail, and "estafeti". To this was added a service for sending of money by mail, and in Paul I reign (1796-1801), actually in 1799 "extra-post" wasintroduced, by which all foreign and Moscow eminating mail was sent to St. Fetersburg non-stop, by a special courier. In the beginning of XIXth. century, during the reign of Alexander I (18C1.-1825) there !ere 458 postal establishments in Russia, with 5,000 postal employees. During the formation of various ministries, in 1802, Postal Department became a part of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs, and in 1S11 it became known as the Postal Deparment of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs. In 1824 daily exchange of mail was effected between St. Pc,-?dburg and Moscow. In 1830, Post Offices of Mal6rossiisk, Tambov, Kazan, Sir.zo sk and Litovsky were abolished, leaving only the post offices or pocn.h-jrts at St. Petersburg and Moscow. The rest of the postal system was divided into eleven postal okrugs or regions. During the reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855), while the reform of colloc,- ing fAes in silver was in progress, in 1S39, the rates for lette-s vei:rin- 1 lt -ee based on distances on 1800 versts, for which a fee of 5 kop. in silver was charged. The scale was further divided into divisions of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 lopeiks per weight of 1 lot. Town -ost was established in St. Petersburg on January 17, 1933, and lat+- n other cities. In 1638 Tzarskoselskaia RR. (first railroad)was operr for tr.velling between St. Petersburg, Tzarskoe Selo and Pavlovs-, and mail was accepted by town post for these localities. In 184D,XII Okrui: was .eo ur for Transcaspia, and in 1651, the XIIIth. for the Kingdom of Fol '.. 3-- 125 all but Siberian, Polish and Caucaus-Transcaspian postal okrugs were abolished, and later on even these were entirely eliminated. With the development of steamship and railroad communications, it became possible to establish uniform postal rates regardless of distances. First example was set by England in 1640, and other governments, including Russic soon followed, Cne hundred years a.c, on December 1C, 1857, first adhesive pnost;ge stamp of Russia appeared, with a unifor:-u postal rate of 1C kop. for a -_t-...r v.ei thing 1 lot, for internal correspon.n-n,,,, i-rir. a great impetuis for n n enormous increase in the amount of correspondence. 15^4 Fpa.. r RUSSIAN ERINNO PHILIA by E. Harcovitch Continued from 53 P. 42) NOTE Text for Fig. .48 will be found on P. 12 of Journal 1'52/53. Si9ze-40x55mm. Value-none. Inscription-"Printers Visit Internationil Exposition of Printing business in Leipzig, 1914". Bottom left- ";'Technical School for typographers". Bottom right-"Year book of typo- graphers". Picturing-Globe, eagle and German Imperial coat of arms. (Fig. 49). Perforated. (c)-black, light gray and cream. (3)-Advertising travel to Caucasus. (Figure 54). Size-36x51mm. Value-none. Inscription-"Norddentscher Lloyd Bremen Kaukasus Fahrten' German) ( ) Perforated. Picturing-Caucasian boy with snow peaked mountains in the background. (a)-multicolored, (4a)-Advertising (Figure 50) Size-36x51mm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription-top-" Larnt Frenic.e Sprachen" (Learn foreign language). Bottom-"Russisch nach der Methode Toussaint-Langen scheidt" ( ) Bottom center, below frame-"Seriel (12 Bilder) (Bild 7) ( ).Portraving-A Russian woman in an ancient costume, holding bread and salt. In background a snow scene with church of St. Vasily the Blessed. (a)-multicolored. (4b)-Sare as "Aa", except the word "Russisch" (Russian) is replaced by "Polnich" (Polish), and "Bild7" by "Bild 5" (picture). Evidently both 4a and 4b were a series of labels for various countries. Picturing-A pair of Polish dancers in their native costumes. (Figure 51). (b)-multicolored "S T' EDEN 1912-Olympic Games in Stockholm (Figure 52). Size-43x58mm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription-"Olympic Games, Stockholm Year 1912, from 16/29 July to 9/22 July." Picturing-Sportsmon in the background of flags. (a)-multicolored on orange background. Page /4 1#54 5 Russian Erinnophita 6y E. Marcovitch ----------------------- PREMDE 3AQI M I CH "nachder METHODE m lchder METHODE ToUSSAINTIANGEONS MJE ElU 48 5- --4 ------- 50 .5.0 51.. 553 61 St 563 57 58 64 6566 6 2 63 FRBA CE 1896-Series issued in Honor of the visit to France of his Majesty Nicholas II. (Figures 55 to 50). Size-24x29.5mn.. Value-none. Perforated and Imperforate. Various portraits enclosed in medallions. Type 1-ITscri ticnn-"'usssi e -Cronstadt-1891-France -Toul on-1893" (French) Portrait of Alexander III (Figure 55). Ty_ I-in rLtion--"Pussie-Pari s-1896--France-Cherbourg-1896" (French) Forbrait of Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna (Figure 55). Tye 3-I::scripticn-Same as in 2. Portrait of Czar I-ichclas II (Fig. 57). Tj-e 4-Inscription-Same as in 2. Portrait of President Carnot. (Fig. 5S). Tyre5-Inscrithion as in 2. Portrait of President Felil: For. (N'ot ill.). (A)-Type 1 to 5. Perforated. (a)-ray-violet. (d)-dark 7reen. (g)-bright red. (c)-slate gray. (e)-light green. (h)-red brown. (c)-dark blue green. (f)-yellow. (i)-brown. (B)-Types 1 and 4. Imperforate. (a)-blue green (c)-dull red (gray paper). (e)-gray green. (b)-gray violet. (d)-red brotm. (C)-Type 4 (a)-rose. (')-blue. (c)-black (yellow grayish paper). (D)-Types 1 to 5. (a)-Imperforate Trial proofs on thin paper in black. Catalogue- "Arc-en Ciel" (2)-Type 2 Inperforate Trial proofs on thin paper in yellow green. Catalogue- "1Arc-en Ciel." Not-Frigures 57 and 58 are se-tenant, therefore we assume that perhaps the whole issue was printed in one sheet. (Editor). 1896-Issue in Honor of the visit to France of Nicholas II (Figure 59). Size-19::22nmm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription-"Sejour en France. T s 5, 6, 7 et 8 Octobre 1896 7mpermur de touts les Fussies". Portrait of Nicholas II. (a)-blue, P 54 Pc- 1:7 O190-International Exposition in France (Figure 60). (1)-Issued by Baguet. Size-19xl2mm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription-'Paris 1900 Ex- position Universelle". At bottom-"Asie Russe" (French). Picturing- A view of Asiatic Russia (Siberian) Pavillion. (a)-violet. (b)-dark blue. (c)-green. (d)-red-carmine. (e)-brown. (2)-Issued by Fidide. (Fig. 61) Size-38x24mm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription- "Paris 1900 Ex- position Universelle -Russie". Below frame, at left-"F. et C. Paris". Right-"Vepose" (French). General view of the Russian pavillion, and the portrait of Czar Nicholas II in oval at the top left corner. (a)-violet. (b)-blue. (c)-graen. (d)-red. (e) brown. (f)-Imperforate (Cat. "Arc-en-Ciel"). (3)-Prizes for various firms. Grand Prix. (Not illustrated), Size-27x37mm. Value-none. Perforated. Inscription-"Grand Prix". Center-name of the company. "R. et A. Diedrichs Freres, St. Petersburg" (French). Picturing-Allegorical figure of a female holding a palm branch and a crown. (Cat. "Arc-en-Ciel"). (a)-violet. (b)-dark blue. (c)-green. (d)-red. (e)-rose. (f)-red on blue paper. (g)-red on yellow paper. (h)-red on rose paper. (i)-red brown on violet paper. (j)-brown on blue paper. 1901-Series honoring the visit of Czar Nicholas II to France. Various sizes, Figures 62 and 63. French Inscriptions. Perf. and Imperf. in 4 colors. (1)-Portrait of Nicholas II in oval medallion. InscriiJtion-"Russie- Nicholas II" (Figure 62). (2)-Portrait of President Emil Lubet. Inscription-"Russie-Emil Lubet". (3)-View of the City of Dunkirk. Inscription-"Sept. 17, 1901". (4)-Meeting of the President Lubet with Czar. Inscription-"Debarquement Dunkerque 18 Septembre 1901". (5)-View of Castle at Campaigne. Inscription-"18-20 Septembre 1901. Chateau de Compaigne". (6)-Rheims Cathedral. Inscription-"Reims 21 Septembre 1901". (7)-Allegorical head representing Republic of France in the background of flags, Gallic cock, two clasping hands and the Russian coat of Arms. Inscription-"Nicholas II-Emil Loubet 1901". (Figure 63). (a)-blue-violet, on white paper. (c)-blue-violet on yellow paper (b)-blue-violet, on light green paper. (d)-blue violet on rose paper. 1904-Series honoring world manifest of Emperor Nicholas II. (Figure 64) (1)-Size-36x23.5mm. Value-1 ruble. Perforated. Inscription-top and bottom- "Russian Empire". Both sides-"Postage Stamp". "I rub.". Picturing- The bust of Nicholas II in round medallion on the background of Russian coat of Arms. Below the bust-"1904". Page 48 '54 (a)-violet. (b)-slate grey. (c)-blue. (d)-blue green. (e)-yellow green. (f)-orange. (g)-carmine. exist with a bogus cancellation, reading-"Conference de la Hage, 18 Mai 1899" (2)-Same as (1) except without the date "1904". (a)-violet. (b)-blue. (c)-dark blue green. (d)-yellow green. (e)-blue green. (f)-orange. (g)-carmine. (h)-rial proofs in black (Cat. "Arc-en-Ciel"). 1911,-International Exposition in London. (Not illustrated). (1)-Shae-Square with rounded corners. Value-none. Imperforate. Inscription-"1914. I.V-I.XI. Internation Exposition in London". Picturing-General Russian pavillion. Catalogue- arc-en-Ciel". (a)- multicolored. (2)-Vignette in Honor of Russian Cathedral in Nice. (Figure 53). Size-21.5x29mm. Value-none. Perforated. Insciption-in red- "Cathedrale Russe de Nice". (a)-blackh. ITALY 1908-For the benefit of Sufferers of Earthcuake in Sicily & Calabria. (Figure 65). Shame-triangle. Value -5 to 10 kop. Perforated. Inscription-"kop" (top-bottom left- (icilia), bottom right-(Calabria). (Italian). (e)-5k. yellow green (City). (d)-5k. darY blue (church). (b)-51. blue green (etna). (e)-5k. violet brown (ruins). (c)-5t-. ultramarine (ancient city). (f)-10k. red (king & queen of Italy' FINLAND Chsrity-For the benefit of the Societies Fighting Tuberculosis. 1906-Figure 66 (1) -ize:18x24mm. Value-5penni. Perforated 11-. Inscription-"Keuhkotan- tisten hyvaksi" (Finnish). Showing-hands stretching towards an orange. (Very rare). Catalogued by Hellman. (a)-5 p. red and green. (2)-1908. Figure 66 (b)-5 p. red. co 54 to be cntinage 49 P' rl Page & ZEMSTVO STAFFS OMITTED BY CHJCHIN by N. Matishev (Continued from #52/53) In the previous sections of this article, in numbering of varieties, the Russian letters were translated into their English equivalents; while starting in this part with sequence numbering a, b, c, d, e, f, etc. 28. IRBIT 2b-2k. black on rose violet paper. 3b-4k. black on green paper, design as on 2b. 4b-8k. black on yellow paper, design as on 2b. Stamps Nos. 2, 2b, 3, 3b, 4 and 4b are found in 5 types, differing in the location of the inscription in the design, ornaments in the corners and the type of letters in the inscription. 4c-8k. black on yellow paper, with pin punctures in shape of "5". 13c-2k. black on gray paper. 29. KLDNIKOV 3a-3k. violet on yellow paper. 3b-3k. blue on ordinary paper. 3c-3k. blue on thin white paper. 3d-3k. blue on yellow paper. 3e-3k. blue on yellow paper with thick lines. 4b-3k. blue green on thin yellow paper. lla-lk. dark green, dark red, and blue. 30. KZAN 2a-3k. blue on thin paper. 31, KASIMOV 5b-3k. violet on yellowish white paper. 5c-3k. violet on bluish white paper. 32. KIRILOV 5a-2k. with color permeating through. 33. KOLOMNA 6a-5k. blue. 20a-3k. blue. 25a-3k. blue. 33a-5k. dark blue. 18a-lk. blue. 23a-lk. blue. 26a-lk. yellow. 38b-lk. yellow. 19a-2k. blue. 24a-2k. blue. 30a-lk. yellow. 45 & 46-smooth & rough porfs. 34. KORCHEVA 3a-2k. dark blue, with color permeating through. 35. KOTELNICH 25a-51 blue, imporf. 29b-5k. dark blue. 29c-5k. dark blue, imporft 26a-5k. dark blue, imperf. 29d-5k. blue, imporf., tete-beche. 36. KRASNOUF I:SK 8-Ovcrprinted "20" on #'7. 8a-Samo overprint, except inverted. Page 50 # 5 37. KEfLSNY 10b-3k on rose paper with punctures. 16c-3k. On rose quad. thin paper. 10d-3k. on yellowish-rose paper, porf. lOe-Same as 10d, except imperf. 12a-3k. imporf. 13a-3k. imperf. 14,-3k. imperf. 17b-3k. on rose-yellowish paper with corners in various colors. 30a-3k. on light yellow paper, with defective numerals, imperf. 31 -1k. on green paper, with defective numerals, perforated. 38. KRETNCHUG 19a-3k. brown, imp. 23b-3k. light blue, perf. 23c-3k. dark blue, perf. 23d-3k. light blue, imp. 23o-3k. dark blue, imp. 31a-3k. imp. 32b-3k. with rough perforations. 39-LU.HISFEV 5a-ovorprintc "u8" in the upper corner, instead of "3" (left corner). 40. LIVNY 3a-with a period before letter "L". 8a-same type as 3a. 41. LCKHVITSL 8a-Ik. yellow brown, imp. g9-2k. blue, imp. lga-3k. on Ik., imperf. 19a-3k. cn 2k. imp. 3b-5k. cn thick paper. 36b-6k. on thick paper. 43b-3k. with double perf. between stamps. 72b-on thick paper. 75a-5k. imperforate. 76-overprinted "value 1 kop." on 7'75. 42-LUGA S4a-3k. imporforate. 17a-3k. gray blue on white paper. 43. M1i, YZH 6a-2k.black on violet paper. 7-2k. black on rose paper. 9b-2k. violet on ordinary paper. 44. MOR.SHLNSK 6a-5k. perf. 12. 18b-5k. red, light green & dark blue. 19b-6k. on yellowish paper. 19c-5k. red, light green & bl:.ck, imp-rf. 20b-5k. imporf. 22a-5k. blue, yellow gray & gray. 23c-color permonting. 24b-51. black, light blue & blue. 2c.-5k. brown, light green & blue. 2Ad-5k. imporf. 25-5k. red & blue, imp. 26-5k. color pormnetinT. 27b-couches. 28b-couchcs. 45. NOVGOROD 10b-5k. black on blue gray paper. 10c-5k. black on gray paper. 10d-5k. black on violet paper. 13a-5k. tote-bacho. 13b-5k. blue on violet paper, with color permeating through. 46. NOVORZHEV 2a-5k. violet. -to be continued- #54 Page 51 S N 0 T ES F R 0 COLLECT 0 7S Paul M. Davidson, Chicago, IUl. I have been fortunate to obtain some stamps from the Stibbe Sale and it may interest our members to know that I acquired the 1857 Tiflis 6 kopek embossed stamp, as well as many other rarities. Rostislav Polchaninoff. Brooklyn, N, Y. I was recently offered stamps of "SARNY", local post of Urkaine during the German occupation. These are non-Scott items but are to be found in Michel and Zumstein. Issue of 1941. Michel PriceS Price Asked Without 50 kop. perforated. 18M. $1.90 German 1.50 karb. perforated. 10M. 1.25 overprint. 3 karb. perforated. 75M. 7.50 With red ovpt. 50 kop. perforated. 6M. 0.75 "Geb.-Kommesar 1.50 karb. perforated. 40M. 4.20 Sarny". 1.50 karb. imperforate. 14M. 1.75 3 karb. perforated. 50M. 5.15 Emilc Markovitch, Caracas, Venezuela. Two photographs in color are submitted to the editor of my prized item, a splendid Russia #1 with wide margins and a framed two line postmark of KURSK and date, 16 July 1858 sent to Voronezh. C. C. Handford, New Whittington, England. ZEMSTVO PHILATELIC LITERATURE Additional to list in Rossica No. 51 pp51/52, by R, Sklarevski, In English. (1)-The Stamp Specialist (Coral Book 1945) Russian Zomstvos by Col. Hans Lagerloef. PP. 78-97. (2)-Monthly Stamp Review, June 1950. PP. 89-90. Article. Zemstvos by C. Stibbe. (3)-The Stamp Lover. Vol. XL1. Nos. 10, 11, 12. Mar.-May, 1949. Early issues of Yolizavotgrad (Kherson) by Th. Lavroff. Vol. XL11. Nos. 1 & 2. June-July, 1949. Early issues of Yelizavetgrad (Kherson) by Th. Lavroff. Vol. XL1V. Nos. 3-6. Aug.-Nov., 1951. Early issues of Tvor by Th. Lavroff. Rectangular Stamps of Pereslavl. (Schmidt Nos. 5-8) Dec. 1943, by Th. Lavroff. (4)-Stamp Collectors' Fortnightly. Dec. 5, 1925-Zemstvo Stamps of Russia by the Editor. Ferrari's Collection fetches L2,400 in Paris. (5)-Record of Philately. PP. 105/6. E. F. Hurt. "Russia-A note on the Counterfoil Stamps of Kotolnich". (6)-The Stamp Collector's Handbook by E. L. Pomberton, 1874 (Plymouth. Stanley Gibbons & Co.) PP. 155 to 191. Page 52 54 I FRENCH: (-)-Lnatole Markov. _rticle. "Rural Post in Russia." Published in Newspaper "Russian Thought". Paris 1951. S. Liaahonko-Paris, France. I am enclosing a photostat of an Imperial postcard with two headed eagle (llth. issue of 1906) with Soviet stamps (Scott 186 & 194). Card sent from Orenburg to Paris. Date is 15.3 and year smeared but looks like an error having a number that resembles a mutilated "1" and a "2". It is probably a 1922 canceller. Edward D. Collins, Detroit, Lichigan. I have an intriguing cancellation which may be of interest to our members. It is a double circle postmark with date in center betAeen two lines. Within double circle is 0 OBRATNiYAlYL POL. POCHT. KONT. CEB then letters missing due to poor inking of the killer and final word ". There are censor markings, number 1401, also a letter T in a circle. This is on a postcard. Date is 14.10.16. The postmark does not seem to be a T. P. 0. The meaning of the Russian words seems to be Return FIELD POST OFFICE (last three words abbreviated and the final words may be Northern (abbreviated) Lrmy. Everol Keys, Harvey, Illinois. MDy interest is prompted by a cover, in my possession, which was dispatch- ed from Moscow to Beyrouth franked with Scott Nos. 907 and 908. These stamps, as you will recall, were issued in 1943 in commemoration of the Teheran Con- feronce. The cover shows a cachet in four lines in red, PREM'ERE LLISON FIEPNNE CCCP FRUTTCE COMBTTNJTE MOSCOU DJ!.S ". The postmark date is January 18, 1944. The cover shows two other cachots one a large double ring cachet of the chief of the Frro French Military Mission in Russia, and the other showing a rectangular Military Post Office mark of S.P:99035, dated 12 January, 1944. While the cover purports to hrvo been mailed to Beyrouth it does show a transit mark on reverse of B. P. H. 2 ", which would be the mark of the E1litary Post Office at Damascus. If any information is available to you in regard to the objectives and accomplishments of this military mission, or other information pertaining to it which would assuredly be appreciated. Auction Report Dublin, Ireland. The varied material of the late W. E. Hughes (B. S. R. P. member) was recently auctioned off in Dublin. Below are the details of the estimates and realizations. (H)S moans highly specialized. Description N-. jf Stamps Estimates Realization 1. Russia to 1900, Far East, 10870 $1,400 ":1,400 P stern .rmy. 2. South Russia with covers. 4240 280 190 3. Gcn. PTangels' Post. (S) 990 200 150 S54 Page 53 Description No. of Stamps Estimates Realization 4. Ukraine & covers. 2830 $ 170 $ 120 5. Latvia with sheets. (S) 4690 220 290 6. Poland (S) 6900 700 700 7. Batum, covers & sheets. (HS) 10285 1400 1250 8. Azerbaijan 3215 280 140 9. Armenia (HS) 7180 700 550 10. Georgia (HS) 1AO90 980 980 11. Transcaucasiam Fed. (S) 860 210 120 12. Covers of Caucasian States 288 700 550 (Armenia-120, Latvia, Ukraine. T 0 T AL S-27,660 $7,240 $6,440 It was quite a surprise to see Georgia eaual the estimate, and Latvia, the only one to exceed it. The most surprising thing is the very low rea- lization for the 288 covers (12),loss than $2.00 each. The 12 Armenian covers were all genuine and cost Mr. Hughes about $90.00. John Barry, Sutton, England. Recent auction of Harmor, Rooke & Co., N. Y. points out a very interesti.- group of Lokhvitza 1910 Provisional stamps, as well as some fine ex-Faberge rarities. I have some of these Lokhvitza Zemstvo stamps and they are very difficult to obtain. Stamps listed for sale were:- (a)-3k. on 1k. & 6k. on 1k. brown. Surcharge on top. Only 300 of each overprinted. (b)-6k. on 1 k. brown. Surchargp on bottom. Corner copy. 300 copies. (c)-lk. on 5k. green. Only 200 surcharged. (d)-lk. on 6k. brown-red. Only 200 surcharged. (e)-3k. on 10k. dull violet. Only 250 surcharged. (f)-6k. on 1k. gray. Only 200 surcharged. Kurt Ldler, New York City. I have an interesting stampless cover (official mail) with a beautiful blue seal: UFRAVLENIE KOMNLDORSKIII OSTROVAMI (Government of Komandorski Islands). First postmark Petropavlovski Pcr b 1 Sept. (year by manuscript) (18)89. This is an incoming postmark, Another one is outgoing postmark:- 13 Docenber ('-) and an arrival postmark St. Petersburg June 1897. It certainly must have gone all around the world, the Trans-Siberian RR. was not yet built. Unfortunately there are no boat or other markings on the cover. Fred W. Speers "Thought you might be interested to know that Itm now the proud owner of a Tiflist I got the one in the Goss sale". Editor-Two out of the 3 copies are now in U.S.A,, two of the copies recently crossing the ocean. One copy is in Mr. Davidson's collection and one in Mr. Speers'. A. A. Chebotkevitch The stamp exhibition mentioned in Mr. Barry's article was a local Moscow affair. A nation wide celebration is to come in May, at which time stamps honoring the first Russian stamp will be issued. 000000000000000000000000 Page 54 4 f5s c STAFPS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE USED ABROAD Reviewed by Dr. G. B. Salisbury Part II The Black Sea & Aegean Ports, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Crete, Ship Mail in Levant. By S. D. Tchilinghirian and W. S. E. Stephen. Price $4.50 or 30 shillings. Please send money and orders to W. S. E. Stephen, 94 High Street, Aberlour, Banffshiro, Scotland. The second volume of the "Used Abroads" series covers a better known section than the one encompassed by the first book. It deals with material which is less costly and easier to obtain, thus it should appeal to a wider sphere of collectors. The chapter of the Black Sea Ports does an excellent analysis of the post- al history, the unidentified triangles of dots, the post of the occupied terri- torios, and the postal agencies of the ROPiT. It is hoped that the corre- spondence aroused by this book ray shed still more light on the unidentified triangles of dots, still a challon-e to the researcher. The recording of the recent discovery of the existence of a Russian Consular Post Office at Maku, in North Western Persia stated on P. 101, makes this reviewer rather impatient to see the Part III and to road more about it. Authors should be commended on the excellent description of the little known lithoFraphic printing of RIZEH ornmemorative issue of 1909, called type 3, as well as the same type cf Jaffa described later on in the chapter on Palestine. The illustration of tne rare postmark of TEJRBOLI, FOPiT is a gem. The KERASSUNDE and ORDU R.O.P.T 0. ZHE.D. oval cancellations are baffling for the ports had no railway, and these are definitely railway postmarks, however the theory introduced by the authors seams plausible. The chapter on the Aegean Ports proves that this reviewer's list in an article in the B. J. of R. P. several years ago, although an improvement on Pripara's list, is already obsolete and must be revised in the light of the findings in this book. The authors should be commended for their research in the puzzling problem of Athens, and of MWkaronia. It was a rroeat pleasure to see the illustration of the sensational cover of V. Frauenlob, described earlier in our Rossica Journal. We note the existence of an ROPiT office at the port of Cavalla. This a new one to us. The chapter on Syria reveals another Russian Post at Aleppo. This is indeed a rarity. The chapter on Palestino should be most useful for the ccl- lectcrs of Holy Land material. Teo question the placement of Fig. 227, an illustration of a Chios cover on P. 171, dealing with Jerusalem, instead of P. 134, where it should be. Chapter X dealing with Ship Mail in the Levant has an excellent coverage of Odossa cancellations, scmo of which were new to the reviewor. The map at the on! of the took, of the Russian P.O's. and ship lines in the Levant is most useful, and I was finally able to place Makaronial This book is a worthy successor to the highly praised PWrt I. One cannot inmaine any collector of the issues of the sphere indicated by this treatise. beini: i-thuut this book. The scope of the series of five "Used Lbroads" includios i tremendous Froup of countries all of which had offices of the Russian Empire. Needless to state, no medium or advanced collector should pass this S 54 Page 55 154r opportunity of acquiring all of the books in the series. Theedition is limited, and it shall be a rarity within a few years. The amount of research done by the authors is staggering, and the result is doubly impressive when one realizes that one author resides in Switzerland and another in Scotland . This book is highly recommended. oooooooooooooo SPEC IAL 0 OFFER T 0 R 0 S SICA MEMBERS Part III of "Stamps of the Russian Empire Used Abroad" is expected to be Published early in July 1958, with 96 pages and 130 illustrations of cancellations. It will cover the following sections:- PERSIA, KHANATES of BUKHARA and KHIVA and SIN-KIANG. Published price 4-.50 applicable to all orders received from July 1st. 1958. Special price to Rossica members $3.00, postage included for Small prepaid orders received not later than June 30, 1958. Orders, with remittances should be sent toMr, W. S. E. Stephen, 94 High Street, Aberlour, Banffshire, Scotland. --------- --- ---------------------------------------------------- Nachtrar 1958 zum Sonderkatalog Ukraine 1918/20 von 1956. Dr. R. Soichter, Soltau. Hann. Viktoria Luise Strasse 7. West Germany. Reviewed by Capt. S. de Shramchenko. It was only recently that the addenda to the Catalogue of the Ukraine by the well known specialist of stamps of Ukraine and the president of the "Ukraine Philatelisten Verband", Dr. R. Soichter appeared (See the review on Page 29 of this journal for 1957 addenda). We must reiterate that the knowledge on Ukrainian stamps is moving ahead. All the time now uncataloguod varieties of Ukrainian stamps are discovered in collections all over the world. In addition we like to give interesting news that rare Ukrainian Courier Field ost stamps of 1920 were found in England in sheets of 25- lOgr. on lOsh. and 20gr. on 20sh, as well as a sheet of latter with inverted overprint. Dr. Seichter states, that now it will be easier to establish the variations in overprints, which came into being because of shortage of Ukrainian letters in Polish typography. We congratulate Dr. Seichtor on his systematic and detailed work found in this 1958 addenda, for which his previous works are noted. ooooooooo000oooo Copies of the previous issues of the Rossica journal, printed in Unito: States may be purchased from the Editor, Dr. G. B. Salisbury, 49th. and Locust Sts., Philadelphia, 39, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Price $1.50 each. Page 56 #54 A STORY OF THE PiFLE FLOOFS CF S3OPIN ZEIISTVOS by K. J. In 1895 I entered first grade of Secondary School in Skopin, Riazan Gov. and my parents upon recommendation of the class advisor placed me in the home of Mrs. Tripevsky, whoso son Edward was in the second grade. Their home was located on the corner of Moscow and 1st. Meschansky Sts., next door to "Blagci Typography" on Moscow St., whose son Thoodor was in the second grado, and with whom we played. The entrance was through a gate, and one had to pass 5 windows through first 3 windows one could see printing presses and benches of type setters, at the 4th. window wore two lithographic hand presses, while at the fifth one was a heavy table upon which at all times rested one or more lithographic stone, to which lithographer Fadtich either transferred or retouched faulty transfers. When the weather was good, the windows were open and I often stopped and watched, how the assembly was made, and how various blanks, advertisements programs, and etc. were lithographed. Sometime during the spring of 1896 I stopped in front of the window and watched Fadtich retouching something on the stone and talking to himself. "What are you watching", he asked me, ani then saying "hero I must retouch corners, where the transfer is pocr".I entered the printing shop and saw on the stone, laid out in straight lines, some rectangular pieces in green color, S"What are they Fadtich ". "Those are the stamps which our Zemstvc ordered and I must make corrections of parts of the design which were not transferred properly". When retouches were made, the stone was placed in a press, then covered with ink and the trial printings were made. For trial printinip, ordinarily, waste sheets of printings of orders, advertisements and also programs were usee. Trials woro made on white papor which had some printing on the reverse side, while th- colored rpaer used for the same purpose was blank cn the reverse sid When he saw that the impression was clear, he made two cr three printings of complete sheets on white paper and passed them to his assistant. "What are you waiting for" he asked me. "I knew you want some paper to cut out figures. Take some paper on which I made trial impressions". He r -v no 10 or 15 shoots of papor of various colors, on which he just made trial printings. I remember that sheets were white, yellow, rose and blue, having im-rossions on one side, except the white, on which the trial printings wore made on both sides. Edward and I used these sheets to cut cut various figures, without having an inkling that these were the rare trial printings of the stamps of the Skopin Zemstvo. 5 4 Page 57 THE REGULAR POSTAGE STA.P ISSUES OF USSR by Kurt Adler SUN ATERMARK ED _ Continued from Rossica ;923-4 19.-5 1924 .92.a-5 .. 19.24 192RK -E Journal #53/53 Page 30 ImporforaTo Porf. ll4.XJi- _Porf. 1x12-4 ITH. TYP ITH _TYP. LITHO. TYPO. f1k. orange X X X orange-yellow X re-ongraved 2 k. dull groon X I X gren X X X ' yellow greon x X X * light green X dark groon X 3 k. rod brown X X X X brown rod X X X dull rod brown X vivid red brown 4 k. rose red rod rose XX X X rose X X rod roso on pink X back ground bright rose X X 5 k. lilac X X X dull purple X violet X purple X palo viclot X lavender X slate grey x lilac re-engr. purple ro-ongr. 6 k. blue i X X "doop bluo X light blue X X palo blue X 7 k. brown x X X chocolate X V chocblato on thin p.1 8 k. brown oliveo X X olive grey X bl&ck olive X d-.rk olivo X black groon X olive ro-ongravod dark brown olivo t olivo light brown olive o Page 58 154 WATER M RK ED 1925 1925-7 1926 1926 SPerf. I/xl Porf. 11)x122 Imperforrato TYFOGRATHED., TYPO. LITHO. TYPO. LITHO. X X '1k. orange X orange-yollow X i ro-ongravod --I 2 k. dull grocn X X green X yellow green light green S dark groen X X 3 k. rod brown brown rod dull rod brown X vivid rod brown 4 k. rose rod X X rod rose rose rod rose on pink background X bright rose X X ;5 k. lilac dull purple violet X purple palo viclet lavender slate groy Slilac ro-ongravcd X purple ro-ongravcd X 6 k. blue deep blue Slight blue palo blue X 77 k. brown X i chocolate chocolate on thin papcr X 8 k. brown olive olive grey X black olive dark olive black green X olive ro-ongravec X dark brown olive X X X X olive X light brown olive # 54 Page 59 U N WA T ER ARK ED ;1923-4r924-5 1924: 1924-5 1924 1924 SIrperforato Perf. 11Fc/i Porf. ll- a-o rtjITHO. TfPO. LTH' O. TYPO. LITHO. TYPO. light brown olive - 9 k. light rod orange X I X dark orange red X i on thin paper. orange rod brown crango X rod orange X X I ; -- ..... . 10 k. dark blue X X X X X blue X : X X indigo X X grey blue X light blue (1927) I 14 k. grey blue X X -- ~- -.- -- 15 kop. lmoma yellow X i X yellow : ! -1l-- ---- -----r- ------i- --+--- 18 k. dark violet grey violet violet .---------------- ------ .7 ----;--.-.. -..... S^ 20 k. dark green X X groen X X X X yellow groon X groy green X X light green X X pale green X black green X olive green X grey groon, re-ongraved 30 k. viclot X X X X X bright violet X groy violet vivid violet X lilac palo lilac blue violet dark violot 40 k. slate grey X X X X doep slate gry X dark slate groy Page 60 #f54 __WATERMA RK ED I 1925 1925-7' 1926 1926 rPorf. 14-xlU4 Porf. J1-xl21 Imporforate TYPOGLRAPED TYPO. LITHO. TYPO. LITHO. X X 8k. Smail head-olivo SX light brown olive 9 k. light red orange dark orange red on thin paper. Orange rod brown orange X X rod orange X X 10 k. dark blue X blue indigo grey blue X light blue (1927) X I X 14 k. grey blue X X 15 k. lamon yellow X l yellow X 18 k. dark violet X grey violet X violet X 2j O k. dark groon X X groon yellow green X I grey groon light croon pale green black green olive groon X grey grocn, I__ re-engraved. 30 k. violet X bright violet grey violet vivid violet lilac X pale lilac X i blue violet X dark violet X } X 40k. slate grey deep slate grey SX dark slate groy S54 Page 61 i 1923-4. 1924-5 1924.l924-5 1924 1924-5.. Imporforato Peorf. .4xl Perf. 1 i 0 LITHPO. TYPO.,LITHO TYPO. ITHO. TYPO. 50 k. brown X X X light brown X X dark brown X 1 r. rod & light brown X X i X X X light rod & brown light rod & 1. brown X X X dark rod & d. brown rod & dark brown X rod & brown 2 r. carrino & groon X X T P. o L J D.. .. ... T.yp I ._T ___.... J "Imp. Imp. Perf. 10 P. 1310 IP 1"- r7 dra-ar-brown &-groen 7 X O __X X Imp. 'P. 13 P. 5 r. drk blue & brown X X X dark blue & 1. brown X oo00000 ooo000000oo I am interested in buying complete sets of SOVIET PHILATELIST and SOVIET COLLECTOR, plus other Russian PHILATELIC PUBLICATIONS that I do not have in my library. These publications are very important in my studies of Russian stamps. Dr. Gregory B. Salisbury 49th. & Locust Sts. Philadelphia 39, Pa. Page 62 '54 SiT AT T E R M RKE D 1925. 1925-7 1926 1926 Pcrf 1f1 Porf lx12 Impurforato TYPO2GRAHED TYPO. fHO. TYPO. LITHO. "X -" -X 50 k. brown X light brown dark br ow -- .-- -,-.--- --- -- --1f 1 r. rod & light brown light rod & brown X light rod & 1. brown X dark rod & dark broin rod & dark brown X rod & brown X X 2 r. carmine & groon T Y P G R PHED ^ ~Y"I Tvpc II P. 12 IMp.* P. 13 P. 12 X X X X 3 r. dark broern & green Irp. -P. 1 X X 5 r. dark bluo & brown dark blue & light brown. "0000000000000000000060 NEW PHILATELIC LITERATIBE PRICE LIST 52 pages, just out 25c deductible from first order Fritz Billig 168-39 Highland Avo. Jamaica 32, N. Y. MOriTHLY PUBLIC AUCTIONS Over 2500 lots and 28 photo pages Covering most fields of lPilatoly. Catalogue free on request. Billig & Rich 55 West 42nd. Street. Now York 36, N. Y. 000000000000 oooooooooooo We are wondering where some of Imperial Russian gems have come from. Also the iinperfs. We have seen complete sheets of 3-- and 7 rubles on vertically laid paper, without thunderbolts. Moro of those have appeared on the market, and blocks of 4 wore offered from Paris, as well as comply to horizontal strips of each value. The price in Gibbons catalogue has dropped from L 15 to L 12. 000000000000 7 54 Page 63 Z EMSTV 0 P HH I L I T E LI TERATURE (Continued from #51, P. 52) by R. Sklarovski Addenda to literature on ZEISTVOS in English and French, by C. C. Handford. will be found on Pages 52 and 53 of this journal. F R E N C H 1. J. B. Moens Brusellos 1875 General Catalogue. 2. LmJni des Timbres. Roussin. 3. Los Timbres Posto Ruraux do Russia, nomenclature general do tous les timbres connu avec leur prix de vente. S. Koprowski. 103pp., 130 ill. published by J. B. Moens. Brusolles, 1875. 4. Maurice Jamot Catalogue of sale of Zemstvo Covers (1951). 5. Catalogue of 14th. Sale of Stamps of M. Ferrari do la Ronotiere. 6. Ist. Issue of Starobyolsk No. 163. June, 1876. "Le Timbre Poste". 7. June 1876 Issue. No. 164. Lug., 1876. "" " 8. August 1878 Issue. No. 189. Sep., 1878. "" 9. Issue of 1881. No. 223. Dec., 1881. "" " 10. February 1883 Issue. No. 241. Mar., 1883. "" " 0000000000000000000o00 CATALOGUE OF POSTAGE STAMPS OF USSR 1955 The 1955 edition of the Soviet catalogue was published in Moscow in edition of 20,000 copies. The catalogue is well printed, with numerous illustrations. It begins with August, 1921 issue of RSFSR and stops with December 1954 issue in honor of A. Rubinstein, the well known Russian comp- oser and pianist. The month date of each issue is given, as well as perforation and shade varieties. We find from this catalogue, that numerous Russian stamps have appeared in recent years in more than one size, and that some of the regular issues have been printed by more than one process. (Some of those varieties have been written up in earlier issues of our journal). Designer and the artist of each issue is also given. At the end of the catalogue one will find various types of printing used in USSR, the types of papor, watermark and perforations. As Soviet collectors are encouraged to collect topics a list of 34 dif- ferent topics are given. Each topic enumerates the stamps on which this topic is found, as well as the subject of the stamp. PP. 448 to 458 give a table which includes the sizos of each sheet of Soviet stamps from No. 1 to No. 1827. From this table we find that a number of stamps were issued in sheets of various sizes and that some of the sheets contained more than one different stamp. Next table gives the varieties of each standard type, such as, what aro known as "Small Heads", etc. Page 64 #/54 Z EMSTV 0 P HH I L I T E LI TERATURE (Continued from #51, P. 52) by R. Sklarovski Addenda to literature on ZEISTVOS in English and French, by C. C. Handford. will be found on Pages 52 and 53 of this journal. F R E N C H 1. J. B. Moens Brusellos 1875 General Catalogue. 2. LmJni des Timbres. Roussin. 3. Los Timbres Posto Ruraux do Russia, nomenclature general do tous les timbres connu avec leur prix de vente. S. Koprowski. 103pp., 130 ill. published by J. B. Moens. Brusolles, 1875. 4. Maurice Jamot Catalogue of sale of Zemstvo Covers (1951). 5. Catalogue of 14th. Sale of Stamps of M. Ferrari do la Ronotiere. 6. Ist. Issue of Starobyolsk No. 163. June, 1876. "Le Timbre Poste". 7. June 1876 Issue. No. 164. Lug., 1876. "" " 8. August 1878 Issue. No. 189. Sep., 1878. "" 9. Issue of 1881. No. 223. Dec., 1881. "" " 10. February 1883 Issue. No. 241. Mar., 1883. "" " 0000000000000000000o00 CATALOGUE OF POSTAGE STAMPS OF USSR 1955 The 1955 edition of the Soviet catalogue was published in Moscow in edition of 20,000 copies. The catalogue is well printed, with numerous illustrations. It begins with August, 1921 issue of RSFSR and stops with December 1954 issue in honor of A. Rubinstein, the well known Russian comp- oser and pianist. The month date of each issue is given, as well as perforation and shade varieties. We find from this catalogue, that numerous Russian stamps have appeared in recent years in more than one size, and that some of the regular issues have been printed by more than one process. (Some of those varieties have been written up in earlier issues of our journal). Designer and the artist of each issue is also given. At the end of the catalogue one will find various types of printing used in USSR, the types of papor, watermark and perforations. As Soviet collectors are encouraged to collect topics a list of 34 dif- ferent topics are given. Each topic enumerates the stamps on which this topic is found, as well as the subject of the stamp. PP. 448 to 458 give a table which includes the sizos of each sheet of Soviet stamps from No. 1 to No. 1827. From this table we find that a number of stamps were issued in sheets of various sizes and that some of the sheets contained more than one different stamp. Next table gives the varieties of each standard type, such as, what aro known as "Small Heads", etc. Page 64 #/54 |