1945 Split, Very late use

Another special and unique item, a real postal curiosity - stationery used two years after the official withdraw...

1945 Split provisional issue, stationery of type St2 IIa, sent from Split (9.7.47) to Zagreb. The postman applied a T mark and wrote in blue pencil: "nedopusteno" ("unallowed") and "natrag Split" ("return Split"). Stationery has returned to Split 13.VII.45 when the postmen wrote: "Pošiljatelj nepoznat" ("Sender unknown"). Very late use.

Poorly visible inscription "Pošiljatelj nepoznat" ("Sender unknown").

PhilAdria 22th Stamp auction

It is always enjoyable to attend a philatelic auction in Ljubljana. To buy some nice items and to face philatelic friends...

PhilAdria auction hall.

Partisan mail in Split

The Independent State of Croatia had power in Split until October 26, 1944. Before that, the partisan mail was carried by couriers - mostly women members of the national liberation movement. To protect the recipients, all letters were reviewed and anonymized. They used a numbered list of recipients so that in the case of seizure nobody could know to whom it was sent. Very few items are preserved...

 

Partisan mail, letter sent from island Vis (written 21.VIII.44) to Split (25.IX.44), censored at departure in Vis with two-line censorship cancel POŠTA VIS/CENZURISANO and at arrival in Split by the City Liberation Committee. The name and address of the recipient were repainted and replaced with the number 275. 

With the help of computer image processing, we can extract hidden content...

Disclosed addressee and address.

Concentration camp Aprica

In the town of Aprica (province Sondrio) was a small concentration camp where the Yugoslav Jews were deported. The camp is known for the great escape when more than 200 internees fled to Switzerland in the fall of 1943. Mail from this camp is very rare.

Picture postcard of Aprica, sent from Sondrio (12.5.43) to Nova vas (Lubiana), free of charge as internee mail, censored in Sondrio with Police headquarters censor mark.

1945 Transadriatic mail from Belgrade

Most of the transadriatic mail I have seen so far is mail between places in Dalmatia (mostly Split and Vis) and Bari or Lecce in Italy. Mail from other places is very rare ...

Letter sent from Belgrade to Bari, most likely in the spring of 1945, censored on departure in Belgrade by the military censor A and at arrival by the Allied Military Censorship 0106.

1941 MEĐIMURJE, Hrvatska država forgeries

The "Hrvatska država" variety exists only on values 0.25 Din, 0.50 Din, 1 Din, 1.50 Din and 3 Din. So, you have to be careful when you see something like this...

Forgeries "Hrvatska država" on 5 Din and 12 Din. 

Both forgeries were sold on eBay. 

The forgeries are of good quality, but still easily distinguishable from the originals. For anyone in doubt, I recommend checking the list of other items from the seller - in this case, it is clear that this is a mass sale of overprinted fakes. Finally, the seller himself explains in the item description that overprint is "probably" not the original :)

• TIMBRE ISSU D'UNE COLLECTION DÉDIÉE A LA SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE : LES OCCUPATIONS ALLEMANDES EN EUROPE JE NE SUIS PAS EXPERT ET JE PENSE QUE LA SURCHARGE EST NON ORIGINALE, TIMBRE VENDU AINSI. 1 DOLLARD DE PRIX DE DÉPART SYMBOLIQUE. MERCI DE BIEN REGARDER LES PHOTOS

1945 Split, Bad first date stationery

Split provisional issue was released in three stages:

1. on 1.3.1945 - No. 1 to No. 9
2. on 7.3.1945 - No. 11 and No.13 to No. 17
3. on 21.3.1945 - No. 10 and No.12

So, you have to be careful when you see something like this...

Split stationery. Price 800 Eur.

1945 Split provisional issue, philatelic stationery, cancelled to order with Komiža 1.III.45. Both marked stamps were issued on 7.3.1945 hence they can not be used a week before :). This stationery was prepared much later.

Primošten forgery

You can buy a so-called Primošten cover on eBay...

Primošten letter sent locally (3.III.44). Price 1600$.

But, what is wrong with this letter:

1. Primošten issue is a fraudulent, or at best, a private issue.
2. Primošten post office was closed in March 1944.
3. The rubber stamp for registration is misspelled. 

Misspelled - instead of PREPORUČENO stands PREMORUČENO. Poor knowledge of Croatian language could confirm the theory that Primošten issue was produced in southern Italy in the 1960s.

1945 Partisan mail from Austria

After the end of World War II, a large number of German soldiers, along with the soldiers of the Independent State of Croatia and some paramilitary groups, retreated north. The Yugoslav army wanted to intercept and capture them in every way, so they were also hunted deep in the territory of Austria...

 

Picture postcard, send by a soldier of 36. division from Groß Florian (8.6.1945) to Stari Bečej.

1945 MARIBOR, eBay forgeries

Look at that! This is worse than a forgery, this is a fantasy creation. Who would want something like this in his collection? 

1945 Maribor provisional issue, 4 pf Hindenburg, a forgery sold on eBay.

1945 ZAGREB, Imperforate below

One of the varieties of the 1945 Zagreb provisional issue is also postage due No. 3 80/2 kn imperforate below. Its catalogue value is 120 Eur. Today, you can buy such stamps for less than 10 Eur. But what do you get?

1945 Zagreb provisional issue, postage due No. 3 80/2 kn, looks like imperforate below. Sold on eBay for 8 Eur.

You should be careful. It is not uncommon for the bottom perforation to be slightly lower than it should be, making the last row of stamps a bit higher. This means that someone can take scissors and make an imperforate stamp from a perforated one, thus changing the value from 10 cents to 10 Eur.

Comparison of height between perforated and "imperforate" stamps.

Making "imperforate" from perforated stamp (computer generated).

1943 SPLIT, Market situation

1943 local issue for Dalmatia prices have been very low over the last few years. The reason is that a large stock came on the market at once. Supply exceeded demand, so prices dropped from around 1.200 euros per set to 500 euros or even less. This was incredibly low for a set that exists in a maximum of 231 pieces. Recently, I have noticed that the trend has started to turn...

Lot realization - sold for 800 EUR + 15% provision = 920 EUR.

1943/44 ŠIBENIK, Rare stationery

A rare, hand overprinted, Šibenik stationery is on sale at the current Status International auction...

Lot 4365, start price U$ 1.836, estimate U$ 2.720 hammer price.

As you can see from the lot description, their estimate is that only two such items exist. I have seen four of them so far. Even so, I agree that this is a very rare item. However, the question is how many collectors are able to pay such a price?

1944 SENTA, eBay forgeries

Amateur forgeries have once again appeared on eBay (seller coal-to-coal). Obviously, customer naivety is boundless. How else can we interpret that such fakes have actually been sold so far?

1944 Senta forgeries on eBay.

One of the items enlarged. Apparently, you can get a  variety of variations, all together in one block of four. Very dilettante fake that anyone collecting 1944 Senta should easily recognize.

Concentration camp telegram

A telegram sent to a concentration camp is something rather unusual...

Telegram sent (13.V.42) from Kotor, Montenegro (Cattaro) to concentration camp Tollo.

Telegram form.

1945 MEĐIMURJE, Overprint forgeries

Two types of forgeries are known...

Type I forgery is quite primitive and should not present a challenge to collectors. The overprint is narrower, lacks precision and uses different lettering. The coat-of-arms element shows the version associated with the Independent State of Croatia with blank square to upper left instead of the Banovina of Croatia shield with darkened square. In my opinion this forgery can only confuse collectors who did not have the opportunity to see the genuine overprint.

Type II forgery is more accomplished. Basic dimensions are close to the original and the difference lies in lettering where individual letters are somewhat thinner and less cleanly struck. Letter 'M' in Međimurje is slightly inclined to lower left and the entire lower inscription is raised by some 0.6 mm. Overall even this forgery can be recognized without difficulty.

For a complete article order:

ACTA PHILATELICA NOVA 2018

Croatian philatelic almanac

Independent State of Croatia

Međimurje local issue 1941

Chapters:

Introduction

Catalogue Listing

Overprint

Coat - of - arms

First Overprinting Phase

Second Overprinting Phase

Third Overprinting Phase

Additional Overprinting

Overprinted Stationery Postcard

Determining Overprint Types, Subtypes and Variants

Overprint Forgeries

Overprint Errors

Postal Use of Overprinted Stamps

Forgeries of Postal Use

Valuation of the Issue

Conclusion

To order please contact me at alesmarinsek67@gmail.com

1945 MOSTAR, No 18 inverted

Theoretically, a maximum of 32 could exist, but I never ever saw another one...

1945 Mostar provisional issue, No. 18, 20/5 Kn war tax with inverted overprint. Only 32 stamps were inverted on one reconstructed sheet. However, this is the only instance known to me. Ex Tiberio.

Concentration camp Mamula

In April 1942, concentration camp Mamula was established in the far south of Dalmatia. It was a small camp in a fort on the island Mamula with a capacity of fewer than 500 internees and prisoners, mostly anti-fascists from Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. 

Mamula fort today.

During the summer of 1943, internees were transferred to other camps - most of them to the Visco near Udine.

30 cent stationery sent from Risano (26.VIII.43) to concentration camp Mamula, censored by Italians and Germans. Since the recipient was already transferred, the stationery was returned to Risano (AL MITTENTE & Retour marks). 

Concentration camp Ragusa

In the autumn of 1942, Italians established few small transitional camps in the surroundings of Dubrovnik (Ragusa). They were mainly intended for Jews from Croatia and Bosnia. These are camps on island Lopud (Mezzo), in Gruž (Gravosa) and Kupari. Probably all were under the same administration in Ragusa. In 1943, most of the internees were moved to the camp on island Rab (Arbe).

Letter with instructions for the establishment of Italian camps in the area of Ragusa.
General Giuseppe Amico, Division Marche

(click for larger image)

Mail from or to these camps is extremely rare.

NDH stationery, sent from Ragusa (26.V.43) to Sarajevo, franked with 2 kn, canceled with "INTERNATO DI GUERRA / (FRANCHIGIA POSTALE)", rectangular and two round censorship stamps and 35/IV censor mark. Signed Ercegović.

1941 MEĐIMURJE, Article

A new issue of Acta Philatelica was recently published. If you are interested in local issues of the Independent State of Croatia, you are welcome to read my article "Međimurje local issue 1941". 

ACTA PHILATELICA NOVA 2018

Croatian philatelic almanac

Independent State of Croatia

Međimurje local issue 1941

To order please contact me at alesmarinsek67@gmail.com

Concentration camp Istonio Marina

Istonio Marina (province Chieti) was a small camp with a capacity of up to 185 internees. It was primarily intended for Italian political prisoners, but it is known that some other internees were there too. Postal items are very rare, especially those sent abroad...

30 cent stationery sent from concentration camp Istonio Marina (11.8.43) to Split. The sender was transferred from the concentration camp Tortoreto (see here).

Concentration camp Tortoreto

Concentration camp Tortoreto (province Teramo) was a very small camp with the capacity of max 100 internees, mainly Jews from abroad. The camp operated from Jun 1940 to late summer 1943. However, most of the internees were transferred to other camps until the end of July 1943. Postal items are very rare...

Letter from Tortoreto (29.5.43) to Split (7.VI.43), franked with 50 cent. Post of civil war internees, censored CENSURA 71-R (7.6.43).

1945 SPLIT, Letter from Blato

I have an interesting letter sent from the small village Blato on the island of Korčula...

1945 Split provisional issue, registered letter, correctly franked with 50kn (20kn for letter and 30kn for registration), sent from the small village Blato on island of Korčula (22.V.45) to Belgrade (3.VI.45). The letter traveled via Vela Luka (22.V.45) and city of Korčula (23.V.45) where it was censored - censorship No. 16.

My blog visitors - demographics

I am not sure how Google determines age and gender of site users, but I found the results for my blog quite predicted and aligned with philately in general. For me, the positive fact is that interest in the age group of 45 to 54 has been increasing.

Demographics overview of my blog visitors - age and gender.

1941 MEĐIMURJE, Hrvatska država

In a small print run, during the cleaning of clichés at positions 1 and 2, the inscription "Država Hrvatska" was rearranged to "Hrvatska država". Only the 0.25 din, 0.50 din, 1 din, 1.50 din and 3 din exist with this variety (2 din probably exists, but has not yet been found).

1941 Međimurje, local provisional issue, 1 din horizontal strip of five, the upper row from a block of ten with "Hrvatska država" variety at positions 1 and 2. An exceptionally rare item! Including all the values only three such rows have been found to date. Certificate Vilfan.

1943 IMOTSKI, Official letter

Yesterday, I spent a lovely day at the philatelic convention in Zagreb, where I found some great items, including one nice Imotski letter...

1943 Imotski, official letter sent from Imotski (handwritten 10.5.43) to Zagreb (14.5.43) correctly franked with 7kn for the second weight letter, cancelled with temporary provisional rubber postmark "POŠTA - IMOTSKI". Certificate Ercegović.

1943 ŠIBENIK, eBay forgeries

A new attempt to sell Šibenik forgeries on eBay. As usual, the seller claims that everything comes from an authentic collection, but he is not an expert, so the overprint may not be :) original. And yes, the seller does not :) accept returns.

1943 Šibenik forgeries

5 cent. postage due stamps (Michel No. 24) - one of the fakes in this sale.
If this stamp was original, it would have been worth around 3000 Eur. Only 11 original exist.

The best European club of 2018

You probably know that I am a member of the Philatelic Society of Ljubljana (Slovenia), so I want to share the following great achievement with you...

Diploma for the best European philatelic club of the year 2018.

BTW: I am also a member of some other philatelic societies and initiatives, namely:

• The Royal Philatelic Society London
• Croatian Philatelic Society Zrinski, Čakovec
• Slovenian Philatelic Expertising Service
• Arge Jugoslawien
• Yugoslavia Study Group - Jugopošta
• WWII Croatia (NDH) Study Group

1945 SPLIT, Penal battalion

Penal battalions are military formations consisting of convicts mobilized for military service. Service in such units was considered a form of punishment or discipline in lieu of imprisonment or capital punishment. I have not seen a penal military unit cancellation before...

1945 Split provisional issue, stationery of type St.2IIa, additionally franked with 1 din, sent from Skradin (21.VII.45) to Položaj (military position), censored by the military censor. Handwritten Natrag (Return) and Kažnjenik (Prisioner). Rare penal battalion cancellation (ŠTAB DISCIPLINSKOG BATALJONA / IV. JUG. ARMIJE). Late usage. This is an extraordinary item.