A “Posta Şubesi”, or “mail point”, was located in Efkere from at least the early 1870s.
Postal cancellations from Efkere are considered very rare (“RR”). Because of this, it is difficult to determine the exact years that this Posta Şubesi was active in Efkere.
Efkere is listed in several of the Turkish Post and Telegraph Offices Guides of the period. These guides were not published annually. We know that Efkere was not listed in the guide books for 1865 or 1869, but it was included in later guide books, namely 1884, 1892, 1896, 1899, 1903, 1909, 1913, 1914, and 1915. So a mail point definitely existed in Efkere during these years.
This is rather amazing, as most of the surrounding villages did not have a postal mail point during this time period (although Muncusun did have a postal drop for many of these years).
There are essentially two known types of cancellations for Efkere: A “negative seal” in black ink was the earliest form of cancellation, and the bilingual (Turkish and French) circular date stamp came later. I don’t have exact dates for when the switch was made to the bilingual seals.
Presented here is perhaps the largest collection of Efkere postal cancellations in existence.
This ½ piastre postage due stamp on a fragment may date to as early as 1871, which would make it the earliest Efkere cancellation in existence.
A negative seal in black ink.
While there is writing in Ottoman Turkish and Armenian, this is a fragment, and thus it is difficult to decipher. But, the Ottoman Turkish could read: Deraliyyede küçük yenihânda (At the small new inn in Istanbul)
Dating from the Islamic year 1298 (1880/1881), this is a bisected 2 piastre Duloz stamp with an Efkere cancellation.
A negative seal in black ink.
This is a fragment, and while there is writing in Ottoman Turkish and in Armenian, it is difficult to decipher. The Ottoman Turkish could read: Deraliyyede Şerif [ Şerif (Serif is a Turkish name) in Istanbul].
Front and back of an envelope with an Efkere negative cancellation dated Islamic year 1298 (1880/1881).
Includes writing in both Ottoman Turkish and Armenian
Front and back of an envelope with an Efkere negative cancellation dated Islamic year 1298 (1880/1881).
Includes writing in both Ottoman Turkish and Armenian. Unusually, two 5 piastre stamps were used instead of a single 10 piastre stamp.
A 1 piaster negative seal from Efkere, 1892
A block of 4 x 1 piaster stamps (Isfila 252), with the bilingual date stamp. 1908
The date is unclear on this Efkere cancellation, but it contains a bilingual date stamp, and extensive writing on the envelope, both in Ottoman Turkish and Armenian.
The envelope has a lot of wear, and some of the writing is fragmented.
An envelope from 1914, from Vartan Kalfaian at Surp Garabed Monastery, to Haus Fidellias, Export Horlogerie (watch makers and/or dealers).
An Efkere cancellation, as well as a Stamboul (Istanbul) cancellation, and one Swiss cancellation—all from 1914. There is also one cancellation from the Hotel de Ville, which is dated 1915 (likely in error).
Efkere cancellation, addressed to the United States. 1912, although the cancel seems to have been dated 1922 in error.
In Ottoman Turkish, at the top of the envelope in the box, is a note saying that the letter went through a censor.
