371st Auction

Mail via the British Consulate in Batum: 1920, commercial cover, franked with 1d. and tied by cds. "ARMY POST OFFICE A 20 AP 20", with consular cachet "BRITISH CONSULATE BATOUM" at lower left, sent to Constantinopel, some faults, rare and interesting usage depicted in "BATUM UNDER OCCUPATION the years 1917 – 1921", page 60 (by Hans G. Grigoleit & Edward Klempka)

Mail via the British Consulate in Batum: 1920, commercial cover, franked with 1d. and tied by cds. "RECEIVED FROM H.M. SHIP. NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED", with consular cachet "BRITISH CONSULATE BATOUM" in black at lower left, sent to London, minor transportation wear, rare and interesting usage depicted in "BATUM UNDER OCCUPATION the years 1917 – 1921", page 60 (by Hans G. Grigoleit & Edward Klempka)

Mail via the British Consulate in Batum: "BRITISH CONSULATE BATOUM" violet cachet on picture postcard showing "Bouknarya platfrom" addressed to Sussex, England. Georgian 1rbl. stamp with illegible cancel applied most likely at later date, some water stains, otherwise fine and interesting entire depicted in "The Postage stamps of Russia, 1917-23, Volume 4, Transcaucasia", page 12 (by Dr. R.J. Ceresa)

British military mail: Ardagan, "FIELD POST OFFICE 80 5 MR 19" cds. on greek postal stationery card 10l. with censor mark alongside, used from Ardagan routed through Batum FPO to England, fine depicted in "BATUM UNDER OCCUPATION the years 1917 – 1921", page 52 (by Hans G. Grigoleit & Edward Klempka)

British military mail: "FIELD POST OFFICE 80 23 JA 19" cds. on picture postcard with adjacent censor mark "53" to Liverpool, some transportation wear,s otherwise fine

British military mail: "FIELD POST OFFICE 80 13 MR 19" cds. on cover with adjacent censor mark "356" (XVI Corps Cyclist Battalion) to London, flap with tear, otherwise fine

British military mail: "ARMY POST OFFICE SX 22" cds. on pre-printed "ACTIVE SERVICE" envelope sent from a Corporal Gray, who was in charge of the British Army Post Office in Batum", to a George King in London. The enclosed letter is written on the back of the original letter sent by Mr. King to the British Army Post Office in Batum, there he asked to receive the postage stamps issued in Batum, a very interesting item depicted and desrcibed in "The Postage stamps of Russia, 1917-23, Volume 4, Transcaucasia", page 6-8 (by Dr. R.J. Ceresa)

British military mail: "ARMY POST OFFICE SX 22" cds. on small cover endorsed "O.A.S" with adjacent censor mark "125", sent to London, fine

British military mail: "ARMY SIGNALS 12 VI. 20" on reverse of official cover addressed to The High Commissioner of Great Britain at Tiflis, as it was official mail the franking consisting of  "British Occupation" First Tree-Type Issue 5r. brown strip of three, tied by manuscript, was disregarded, few wrinkles, a very attractive and uniqze cover from the occupation period with a cancellation known only on this cover depicted in "BATUM UNDER OCCUPATION the years 1917 – 1921", page 53 (by Hans G. Grigoleit & Edward Klempka)

British military mail: Indian fieldpost cancel "F.P.P No 406 28 FEB. 20" on cover endorsed "On Service" to Sussex, fine British troops were supported in Batum by Indian forces using their own Field Post Office no. 406 and eventuelly FPO no. 409

INCOMING AND TRANSIT: 1919, 10l. greek postal stationery card with cds. "ARMY POST OFFICE S.X. 8" addressed to Cpl. Horton of the Rifle Brigade, attached to the H.Q. 80th Brigade in Batum, and british 2d. registered postal stationery addressed to London, transported from Batum to Salonika and posted there, fine

BATUM: Postal History and postage stamps by P.T. Ashford and both Ceresa Volumnes, traces of use