1941 BANJA LUKA, Letter

Another nice and rare item...

 1941 Banja Luka, provisional issue, letter correctly franked for the second weight tier, sent from Banja Luka (21.IV.41) to Zagreb. 1945 HFS certificate & 2015 Ceremuga certificate. 

1944 ŠIBENIK, Properly franked letter

Correctly franked letters are very rare. Mainly due to insufficient amount of war tax stamps used in summer and early autumn of 1944...

1944 Šibenik, local provisional issue, registered letter, properly franked with 12,50 kn (3,50 * 3 = 10,50 kn of Šibenik II and 2 kn of NDH definitive), charged with 10 kn war tax, sent from Šibenik (4.IX.44) to Split. Certificate Zrinjšćak.

1945 SARAJEVO, 70th Anniversary

Today (07.07.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Sarajevo provisional issue.

See posts taged with DFJ 1945 Sarajevo.

The Sarajevo provisional issue is the latest among all DFJ provisional issues, therefore I conclude the series of posts about the anniversaries...

1944 DB BRAČ, Another cover

I managed to get another DB Brač cover, this one affixed with an entire set. This is  probably one of the ten most rare items I have.

1944 German occupation of Brač, local provisional issue, cover from Nerežišče to Piotta, Switzerland (16.V.44). Certificate Krische.

1945 MURSKA SOBOTA, 70th Anniversary

Today (22.06.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Murska Sobota provisional issue.

I should post something about this interesting issue...

1945 ZAGREB, 70th Anniversary

Today (20.06.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Zagreb provisional issue.

See posts taged with DFJ 1945 Zagreb.

1944 ŠIBENIK, Classic NDH stationery

In the first half of June 1944 a few classic NDH stationery cards were sent from Šibenik. It is not clear if this was due to the lack of the usual Šibenik stationery cards (see here) or simply because the sender had a stock of a few classic NDH stationery cards and he wanted to use them.

1944 Šibenik, local provisional issue, classic NDH stationery card, properly franked for express delivery and War Tax surcharge, sent from Šibenik (12.VI.44) to Slavonska Požega. One of the rarest uses of classic NDH stationery cards. From the well known Novak correspondence.

HOWTO, Using a scanner as a magnifier

It is well known that four different types of paper have been used for the Croatian Landscapes issue, named as follows:

• Offset paper,
• Intaglio paper,
• Porous paper and
• Pelure paper

I always wanted to check how each type of paper looks under very high magnification. Below are 4800 dpi scans (click on the detailed image for a larger view)...

Offset  paper - also called ordinary or German paper

0.09 mm thick, non-transparent, white paper with white gum

Intaglio paper - also called photogravure paper

0.08 mm thick, partially transparent, white paper with white gum

Porous paper - also called wartime paper

0.09 mm thick, slightly transparent, yellowish paper with yellowish gum

Pelure paper - also called cigarette paper

0.05 mm thick, transparent, smooth paper with clear gum

One important hint: mechanisms of the conventional scanners are very sensitive, so do not shake the table during your 4800 dpi scanning! 

1945 MARIBOR, 70th Anniversary

Today (15.06.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Maribor provisional issue.

1945 LJUBLJANA, 70th Anniversary

Today (07.06.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Ljubljana provisional issue.

I should post something about this interesting issue...

1945 SARAJEVO, Stationery Type III

I had a lot of luck! I found type III stationery for a price of the usual one :)

1945 Sarajevo local provisional issue, postal stationery, type III, sent from Radovljica (22.1.46) to Sarajevo. Correctly franked with an additional 0.50 din "Partisan" stamp. Rare type, rare usage and unique route - from Radovljica Slovenia to Sarajevo Bosnia. Certificate Vilfan.

1945 ZAGREB, Partial overprint on the back

Overprint on the back is quite common for his issue. However, partial ones are not often seen.

1945 Zagreb provisional issue, 60 kn / 3.50 kn, atractive partial overprint on the back.

1945 SPLIT, Overprint proofs

Split overprint proofs are very rare. Three full sheets and three half sheets [1] have been found long after the 1945. Over the last years, most of the sheets were cut and sold to the collectors. Only two half sheets remained whole and both are now with me.

Note that overprint plate with only half setting was used because base sheets were in tête-bêche orientation.

 1945 Split local provisional issue, overprint proof with value of 30 kn in darker green color, complete half sheet. Certificate Vilfan.

1945 Split local provisional issue, overprint proof with value of 30 kn in final green color, complete half sheet. Certificate Vilfan.

Dark green and final green overprint proofs enlarged.

[1]

• full sheet, 10 kn in red color
• full sheet, 10 kn in black color
• full sheet, 30 kn in green color, tête-bêche
• half sheet, 30 kn in black color
• half sheet, 30 kn in dark green color
• half sheet, 30 kn in green color

1945 ZAGREB, Overprint error

Stationery were overprinted with one phase in red color using setting composed with a bunch of different lines, five-pointed star, the inscription of a new state and a new nominal. Everything was fixed together quite well, so only minor displacements are recorded.

1945 Zagreb local provisional issue, stationery type Ib, with unusually large displacement of just one part of the overprint setting.

Such displacements have occurred because of loose cliches. Normal distance for a measure shown on the picture is 5.0 mm (type I) or 4.7 mm (type II and III).

1945 ZAGREB, Forerunner from Vinkovci

After the partisans takeover the continental part of Croatia and before the outcome of new stamps, payment in cash was used. In the first period the tariffs from the Split provisional issue were applied (10kn for stationery, 20kn for letter and 30kn for registration).

Note that such postal items sent from the continental Croatia (and especially from Srijem and Slavonija) are classified as forerunners of the 1945 Zagreb provisional issue.

Forerunner of the 1945 Zagreb provisional issue, registered letter sent from Vinkovci (29.V.45) to Stari Bečej - Bačka (31.V.45) via Beograd, properly charged of 50kn in cash (Split tariff: 20kn for letter and 30kn for registration), censored by the military censor in Vinkovci.

Payment in cash

Military censor mark.

1943 ŠIBENIK, Hand overprints

It is not clear if 27 or 32 different Italian stamps were overprinted, however, it is known that most of them were done in a very small print run. For example: 1 Lire definitive stamp which exists in just 2 pieces. The rarest from my collection is 25 Cent air mail stamp that exists in just 116 pieces.

1943 Šibenik local provisional issue with N.D. / H. hand overprints. 17 values out of 32. Certificate Zrinjšćak.

1945 MOSTAR, 70th Anniversary

Today (28.04.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Mostar provisional issue.

You can read my article: Mostar Provisional Issue DFJ 1945 - Contribution to the Study of Overprints here, as well as my other posts about this issue here.

HOWTO, Unhide content (again)

I have been asked about how I know what is the cancellation date on this letter. Frankly, I read it from the certificate :), but I could use some simple image processing tricks to find it by myself.

Original image - cancellation is poorly visible.

After some color hue & saturation changes I can clearly see 14.X.44.

1944 ŠIBENIK, Official letter

Official letters franked with 1944 Šibenik local provisional issue stamps were not known until now. Recently, two such letters were found, both with the indictments from the same court trial.

1944 Šibenik local provisional issue, official court letter with advice of receipt, properly franked, sent from Šibenik (14.X.44). Undelivered because of the absence of the recipient. Certificate Vilfan. 

Back side of the letter with the cancellation and handwritten message from the postman.

Advice of receipt sheet is still adhered to the cover.

1944 ŠIBENIK, Stationery

Italian stationery were overprinted with the Kn. 2 and additional Kn.1 war tax surcharge. Italian inscriptions and coat-of-arms were overprinted with Croatian replacements.

1944 Šibenik local provisional issue, stationery, properly franked with 2 kn and 1 kn war tax surcharge, sent from Šibenik (17.VII.44) to Slavonska Požega. From the well known Novak correspondence.

1943 SPLIT, Overprint on the back

Only a few overprint specialities exist for this issue: 

• inverted overprint (Sas. 20 and Sas. 22)
• double overprint (Sas. 11 and Sas. 14)
• overprint penetrated on the back (Sas. 17)

1943 Split local unreleased issue for Dalmatia, 3.50 kn / 50 c, Sas. 17, overprint on the back. Certificate Zrinjščak.

1944 SENTA, Stationery

Two types of Hungarian stationery (P112 and P108) were overprinted with cliche shown below.

Overprint used for stationery.

1944 Senta, local provisional issue, stationery P112, 20f local rate.

1944 Senta, local provisional issue, fieldpost stationery P108, 20f local rate.

1944 Senta, local provisional issue, stationery P112, 30f (20+10) domestic rate. Note that overprint was done across the stamps.

According to Veličković and Verner, each of three stationery has an additional variant with the first-day cancellation in red (CTO 20.X.44).

1941 BANJA LUKA, Fakes

A few days ago, 1941 Banja Luka fake was sold on one of the eBay auctions...

eBay auction: 36 bids and a final price of 183.50$ shows that customers did not know it was a fake.

Genuine stamp from position 17 (left) and fake from the auction (right). Fake overprint is narrower and lower.

Checking just the first line - genuine (above) and fake (below) - the difference is apparent. See also details of "S", "b" and "d"...

1945 DB Laibach, Proof on carton paper

Proofs on carton paper are the rarest items in this issue. Especially color strips with plate numbers.

1945 German occupation of Laibach, unreleased issue, proofs on carton paper, color strip without and with plate number.

1945 MOSTAR, Damaged stars

Damaged stars are common, especially those in the red color and on the values that were overprinted at the end. Probably the most damaged star is a star that you can find at Mi.5 Velebit at position 59.

          

Star from position 59, at the beginning and at the end of the overprinting process.

Plate distribution of damages. Darker rectangles represent positions with larger damages.

At the end of overprinting 44% of all stars have been damaged.

          

Another example of heavily damaged star - Mi.2 Jajce, position 1.

1945 DB Laibach, Famous Slovenians

Each of six famous man exists in seven different colors. All together we have 42 different stamps (6 * 7 = 42).

1945 German occupation of Laibach, unreleased issue, complete set in color strips.

1945 GUŠTANJ, Cover

Immediately after the end of WWII the special canceller was used in Guštanj (german Gutenstein, now Ravne na Koroškem).

1945 Guštanj porto provisorium, official letter sent from Ljubljana (28.8.45) to Guštanj with arrival postage due stamps (30 pf Maribor local provisional issue and 0,50 din regular DFJ issue) cancelled with "Guštanj," / "PORTO".

Note that "Guštanj," ends with a comma. This is because it was used as a prefix for other cancellers, usually for "PORTO".

WWII Kun's Partisan

I finally found a photo of the original Kun's Partisan essay. And, it looks just like mine!

1944 Kun's Partisan, original signed by Mirko Verner.

1944 DB Brač, Cover

Only seven covers exist - all were philatelically motivated and all were sent from the Nerežišče.

1944 German occupation of Brač, local provisional issue, cover from Nerežišče to Ljubuški (16.V.44). Certificate Brunel.

1945 SPLIT, 70th Anniversary

Today (01.03.2015) we mark the 70 year anniversary of the Split provisional issue. First set of 9 values (Mi 1-9) was dispatched for use on 1.III.1945. For more information, see this post.

And yes, today is also the 70th anniversary of the Cetinje local provisional issue.