My blog - visitor locations

I just checked some statics of my blog visitors and locations from which they are from...

Map coverage.

Top 10 countries.

1945 ZAGREB, Promotional sticker

I have not seen something like this before ...

Forerunner of the 1945 Zagreb provisional issue, letter sent from Nova Gradiška (30.V.45) to Zagreb, free of charge as for the military person, canceled as registered, censored by the military censor in Nova Gradiška. Very interesting promotional sticker: "Sve snage za obnovu saobraćaja" - "All forces for the reconstruction of traffic".

Back side with a rare Nova Gradiška National Liberation Committee cancellation.

1945 MOSTAR, Foreign object on the plate

Mostar issue is known for multiple printing errors, especially broken stars, pins around the stars, missing letters, large shifts, etc. So far, I have seen hundreds of these stamps but I have never seen an error as shown below...

1945 Mostar local provisional issue, No. 20, 20/20 Kn, coincidental error, line below the star and rectangle on the right of the Federativna. Probably unique error, most likely due to a foreign object on the printing plate. Ex Tiberio.

Zagreb auction

I spent my Saturday in Zagreb...

@ Barac & Pervan Auction

1945 SPLIT, Improper handling

In 1945 communist commissioners were present at each post office and the regime had strict control of all postal operations. Nevertheless, some postal items passed through the postal system with improper handling...

1945 Split local provisional issue, stationery of type 2/IIa, from well known Novak correspondence, sent from Šibenik (14.VI.45 as from message) to Nova Gradiška (4.VII.45). Censor cancellation Nova Gradiška. Improper handling as it was not canceled and censored in Šibenik but at the destination in Nova Gradiška.

1945 LJUBLJANA, Early cheque order

Immediately after the liberation of Ljubljana, a postal traffic for private shipments and cheque orders was suspended. It was reopened on 30.05.45 for cheque orders and on 08.06.45 for the shipments. Because there were no overprinted stamps until the 08.06. cheque orders paid out between 30.05. and 08.06. were franked with the old occupation stamps.

1945 Ljubljana provisional issue, cheque money order for 1.057,37 Lire, issued in Ljubljana 7.5.45, received in Rovte 4.VI.45, paid out 8.VI.45 and liquidated 11.VI.1945, charged a delivery fee with 50 cent, using German occupation "Landscapes" stamp.

Cheque order cachet, issued 7.5.45.

Bilingual cancellation GEREUTH / ROVTE from 4.VI.45 ...

... and the same cancellation four days later, now with the removed German inscription.

1941 BANJA LUKA, Non philatelic letter

So far, I have seen only one non philatelic letter...

1941 Banja Luka, provisional issue, letter correctly franked with 2 din, sent from Banja Luka (21.IV.41) to Teslić (13.V.41). This is the only letter free of philatelic influence known to me.

1945 SPLIT, Excellent & unique item

This is one of the most interesting postal items of that time...

1945 Split local provisional issue, stationery of type St.1, correctly franked with 20kn for abroad, sent from Šibenik (22.VI.45) to Josefov, Czechoslovakia, censor cancellation No. 6, Šibenik. The stationery travelled via Bari, where it was censored by the Allied Military Censorship No. 0105. Since postal traffic with Czechoslovakia was suspended (handwritten "SERVICE SUSPENDED" and marked with "AL MITTENTE") the stationery was returned by airmail to Belgrade, where it was censored for the third time (by the Yugoslav military censorship) and finally dispatched to Czechoslovakia. Certificate Vilfan.

1945 DFJ - Vuk stationery used outside of Serbia

This overprinted stationery was intended for use in the territory of Serbia, which at that time included also the Danube Banovina with Baranja and Srem. Until now, I was not aware of the use of this stationery outside that area...

1944 DFJ provisional issue, Vuk 2+3 din stationery, sent from Petrijevci (18.V.45) to Stari Bečej, censored by the censor of the III Battalion of the III Army. Rare usage in Croatia.

Mute cancellation with the handwritten date and a provisional rubber canceller of Petrijevci.

Alpe Jadran Fila 2018 - Varaždin

I attended the 23rd international exhibition Alpe Jadran Fila 2018 in Varaždin.

The main exhibition hall just before opening.

My exhibit: The First Croatian WWII Local Issue

Međimurje, 1941

Judges at work.

At palmares.

Another gold medal for my exhibit :)

1941 Banja Luka, Article

I forgot to mention: Acta 2017 was published this spring. As usual, great articles...

ACTA PHILATELICA NOVA 2017

Croatian philatelic almanac

Independent State of Croatia
Banja Luka Local Issue 1941

To order please contact me at alesmarinsek67@gmail.com

1944 DB Laibach, Rare use of revenue stamp

It is always nice to find a special item...

1944 German occupation of Laibach, letter franked with 50 cent. revenue stamp used as postal stamp, send from Ljubljana (11.5.44) to Suzzara, Italy (15.5.44). Rare use of revenue stamp.

50 cent. Italian revenue stamp, overprinted with "PROVINCIA / DI LUBIANA".

1945 SPLIT, Stationery to abroad

Split stationery sent to abroad are very very rare.

1945 Split local provisional issue, stationery type St.2 III, franked with 20kn for abroad, sent from Split (5.V.45) to Bari Italia, censored in Split (CENZURIRANO / Br. 3) and in Bari (MILITARY CENSORSHIP CIVIL MAILS 0105). Transadriatic mail.

Censorship of mail from abroad

Although censorship of private mail was officially ended on 2.7.1945, shipments from abroad or to abroad were censored still long afterwards.

Letter, sent by air from Osek u Duchcova, Czechoslovakia (3.X.1945) to Domžale (18.X.1945), censored by the military censor in Belgrade. 

World Stamp Exhibition in Prague

I spent a nice extended weekend in Prague. Nice weather, city sights and of course World Stamp Exhibition with more than 3000 frames, including my single frame exhibit "The First Croatian WWII Local Issue - Međimurje, 1941" for which I have received 88 points and a Large Vermeil. This is a great success, especially for a specialized exhibit that is not classic material.

World Stamp Exhibition.

My exhibit.

The History & Future of Stamp Collecting

Nice video...

1945 TRIESTE, Interesting picture postcard

Three things are interesting with the following picture postcard: first, it was used within a short period of free-of-charge postage, second, it was written in Trieste, but sent from Rijeka and third, it has a mark with the name of the censor...

1945 Trieste, unfranked picture postcard, written in Trieste, but sent the same day (8.VI.45) from Rijeka to Brežice ob Savi, censored in Rijeka and at arrival or somewhere in transition. 

There are two censor marks on the postcard: upper is "★ / CENZURISANO" which was applied in Rijeka, lower is "KOMANDANT - MAJOR / Leskovec Karel" which was most likely added at arrival or somewhere in transition.

Philatelic exhibition in Klagenfurt

For the last couple of months, I have a lot of work in the company, so there was not much time for philately. As you can see, this is also reflected on my blog posts. Well, today I finally managed to find some time to hang out and talk about philately. I went to the philatelic exhibition in Klagenfurt where I met Mr. Hermann Dietz, a great collector of  Montenegro, Croatia, Partisan posts and Concentration camps. As always, I was impressed with his knowledge and his readiness to share it...

Mr. Hermann Dietz in front of his exhibit.

1945 SPLIT, ST1 three lines instead of four

From time to time you can find an item with perhaps a unique error...

1945 Split local provisional issue, unused stationery of type St. 1. Overprint error: three lines instead of four. Only this item is recorded. Certificate Vilfan.

1945 LJUBLJANA, V.K.P.Lj.I

Over a year ago I wrote about a letter that was sent the day before the liberation of Ljubljana, on the 8th of May 1945 and censored with rare V.K.P.Lj.I. censoring mark (see here). Now, I found another similar item... 

Printed matter, correctly franked with 25 cent., sent loco (8.V.45 - the last day of German occupation!) by the Association of Industrialists and Craftsmen to one of its members. Censored and delivered by the new government somewhere between the 9th of May and before the suspension of postal traffic that happened on the 12th of May.

Interesting content! Obviously, it was clear that the Germans will withdraw and that a lot of resources will be needed for the renovation of the country.
(Click on image to enlarge)

Collecta 2018

Today I spent a few hours at Collecta fair in Ljubljana. Unfortunately, I did not find anything special for my collection, but on the other hand, I met many philatelic colleges. So, all in all, a nice day...

At Collecta fair in Ljubljana.

1945 ZAGREB - Fake or mistake?

At first glance it was an interesting item, but a detailed check showed that it is a fake - the date on the canceller is not possible. It is before the partisans came to Zagreb and much before this issue was released. The reason for forging is obvious: traveled stationery are much more valuable than non traveled ones.

UPDATE: OK, I could agree with those who allow the possibility that the wrong date is a mistake of a postal employee. 

Fake or mistake? DFJ Zagreb stationery on eBay.

Why 27.IV.45 cannot be genuine? Because partisans liberated Zagreb on 9.V.45 and 

DFJ Zagreb local provisional issue was released on 25.VI.45.

1943 ŠIBENIK, eBay forgeries

Forgeries of Šibenik postage stamps are being sold again on eBay these days. In the description of lots, the seller mentions that the overprint is most likely not authentic, but the problem is that this description is in French :( Anyway, the forgeries are very poor, so they probably can not confuse anyone...

1943 Šibenik local provisional issue,  forgeries. 

Interestingly, the same seller also sells fakes of the German occupation of Zara.

1943 Zara local provisional issue,  forgeries.

1945 MARIBOR, Forerunner from Celje

After the liberation of Slovenia, the military authorities terminated civil postal service for 25 days (from May 12th to Jun 6th). No civilian shipment was permitted. Both outgoing and incoming mail was retained at post offices until Jun 6th.

Forerunner of the 1945 Maribor provisional issue, a letter sent from Sevnica ob Savi (7.VI.1945) to Belgrade. Cancelled with a provisional rubber date stamp and circular censors cancellation "Cenzura Celje". This is the earliest item sent after the reopening of postal service known to me.

1945 SPLIT, Hyper censoring

I have a very nice example of a picture postcard censored by the military censor where the entire message is crossed out - only the address part was left readable. 

1945 Split local provisional issue, picture postcard sent from Šibenik to Knin (15.VI.45), free of charge as the sender was a military person. Cancelled and censored in Knin. The entire message is crossed out - only the address part was left readable.

1944 SENTA, Fake

Another fake Senta set was sold today on eBay. The buyer should already know that it is not possible to get the original Big Senta for such a low price...

Fake Big Senta on eBay.