• Goog evening dear members,

    I am looking for information related to entire letters from Marseille/France (both) to Odessa (Simoni).

    One is dated 8 november 1847 and the other is dated 21 septembre 1850.


    The letters are showing the effects of two disinfection procedures: three vertical slits (two at the bottom, one at the top) and several heavy punch holes from a rastel.

    There are no postal marks, no disinfection cachet either disinfection officer number.


    Any information will be appreciated.


    Best regards,


    Jean-Luc


    IMG_2112.JPGIMG_2115.JPG

  • Dear Jean-Luc,


    Thank you very much for showing the two nice letters! In 1840-1849 Russia was suffered from Cholera ("Disinfected Mail" by Meyer, page 290). All disinfected letters from Marseille to Nicola Simone in Odessa, I have seen have three or four marginal slits and irregular arranged punch holes. I think this is the typical pattern for Odessa and was already used in the 1830s. The reason that these letters don't show postal marks maybe that they were transported privately.


    Kind regards,

    André

  • Dear André,


    Thank you for that quick and interesting answer. Thank you for the pictures to. I already take a look to KF Meyer book ... But find no answer. For the readers interested I submit a scan of the related article.

    I also scanned a letter coming from Odessa to Genova. From the same period of time. The letter shows this time the needed postal marks and the effects of two disinfection procedures:


    - The three vertical slits (two at the top, one at the bottom) and several heavy punch holes from a rastel. The pattern of the punch holes seems to be more regular.

    - But they are no disinfection cachet either disinfection officer number.


    Any information will be appreciated.


    Best regards,


    Jean-Luc


    IMG_2142.JPGIMG_2143.JPG1203.jpg

  • Dear Jean-Luc,


    The letter shows the same pattern (marginal slits + punch holes) which is characteristic for the quarantine station in Odessa. The postmark from Odessa on front of the letter was used from 1845 to 1856 (Postmarks of the Russian Empire by A. Gadlin). The Russian cachets of the quarantine stations are really hard to find and high priced. There is a listing of these cachets in the newsletters of our study circle: Pratique XXXIV #1 and #2. If you don't have them I will digitalize them tomorrow.


    Yours sincerely,

    André

  • In Giorgio Migliavacca anthology "CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY OF MAIL DISINFECTION IN IMPERIAL RUSSIA" he describes the same double pattern of three slits and punch holes done at Odessa.

    I attach a letter sent from Odessa to Genoa, December 13/25, 1854. It has same pattern of three slits, two in the lower part and one in the upper one and three rows of punch holes. D.A.a.L for "Due Austria in Lire"-45. In the right side the Odessa p.o. cachet. "6" centesimi. It was sent via Vienna, cancelled on the back 25/1.

  • I knocked into one post on this site mentioning disinfection at Bojana Boiane - cannot find it now

    There is a lot more to the Simoni Gerbolini and Nicolo' Simoni archive - I am presently working on tariffs of mail from Italy to Odessa 1840s 1850s

    I will be very grateful to hear from collectors versed in postal rates