OPUS 15
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Summary :
OPUS is AEP's flagship publication. This 2015 edition covers a variety of subjects with 20 articles, summaries of which can be seen below.
1) The British Packet Office at Lisbon (1701-1859) and the Lisbon handstamps (1797-1859)
Luís Frazão
The author presents us with a comprehensive and detailed study of mail carried by passenger ship between Lisbon and Great Britain. He explains how the British post office ran passenger ships to Lisbon and provides us with a full analysis of the different types of “LISBON” postmark, which it stamped on mail. The entire study is richly illustrated with magnificent examples, which are real gems of Portuguese pre-philately.
2) Portuguese Prisoners of War in Germany. The support of the "Comité de secours aux Militaires et Civils portugais prisonniers de guerre" in Lausanne, Switzerland
Luís & Eduardo Barreiros
The authors examine a dramatic period in modern Portuguese history, by studying the lives of Portuguese prisoners of war in Germany during the First World War, in which Portugal fought alongside the allies from 1916. They describe the help given to these prisoners by the Relief Committee in Switzerland and focus on mail sent to and from these prisoners. They illustrate their analysis with stunning examples of this rare correspondence.
3) La censure de la poste vers l'étranger en Italie pendant la première guerre mondiale
Emilio Simonazzi
The author explains how military censorship originated and was applied to mail posted abroad from Italy during the First World War. A wide range of illustrations show us the postmarks used by these censorship offices.
4) Letter Mail to/from Spain and Lombardy-Venetia
Lorenzo Carra
Before the forthcoming publication of his book Postal Relations between the Italian and Iberian Peninsulas 1814-1876, a volume consisting of over 200 pages and hundreds of illustrations, the author has provided us with this introduction to postal relations between Lombardy-Venetia and Spain. It is illustrated with outstanding letters from the period when postal conventions were signed between Austria-Spain (1853), Sardinia-Austria (1854) and France-Spain (1858). These conventions regulated postal exchanges until the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859, after which Lombardy was ceded to Italy.
5) Duchy of Modena: Cent. 25 green, error of colour
Paolo Vaccari
Following his article in OPUS XIV, the author continues his study of stamps of the Duchy of Modena and now turns his attention to the green 25 cent., which was long considered an essay. After a highly detailed philatelic and scientific of this stamp, the author arrives at the conclusion that it is not an essay but a stamp that was actually issued with an error of colour.
6) L'unité nationale ne favorise pas la philatélie européenne
Alberto Bolaffi
After a historical overview in which he describes how certain European states achieved their unity - in the case of Germany and Switzerland, in a relatively peaceful manner, and in the case of Italy, by force of arms - the author goes on to describe the wealth of philatelic material in such an area. In the case of Italy in particular, successive alliances and rebellions produced spectacular mixed frankings. He presents rare and sometimes unique examples.
7) A field postcard delivered by air on February 28, 1915, to besieged Przemyśl Fortress with a reception datestamp of the civilian post
Jerzy Bartke
The author shows us an exceptional card, which is probably unique and was posted from a field post office during the First World War. It was sent by aeroplane to the besieged Fortress of Przemyśl on 28 February 1915. The safe arrival of this card is confirmed by a postmark added by the civilian post office in Przemyśl.
8) The Post in Warsaw in the 18th century
Jacek Kosmala
The author provides us with a comprehensive history of the birth of the Polish post office in Warsaw and its development throughout the 18th century. The relevant postal charges, regulations, postmarks and routes are illustrated by means of extremely rare letters.
9) Local delivery post in Warsaw 1915-1918
Krzysztof Piwko
The author provides us with a detailed study of local mail in Warsaw during the First World War. He examines the difficult relationships between the Polish administration in Warsaw and the German occupying forces. He shows us the stamps issued by this local post office, as well as their overprints, and many examples of how they were used. In the second part, he also describes all the handstamps used during this difficult period, with rich illustrations.
10) The Austro-Hungarian Military Fleet on the Vistula river during World War I (Die Weichselflotille)
Zofia Żukowska
The author looks at a little known aspect of the First World War: the creation by Austria-Hungary of a military fleet, in order to monitor river traffic on the Vistula. After tracing the historical context, the author shows us the various postmarks used by this fleet, together with some very fine examples.
11) Annulation des timbres allemands (et d'occupation) utilisés en France en 1872
Francis Carcenac
After discovering the Saint-Edme family archives, the author traced the career of a member of this family. The latter started work as a courier in Béziers in 1789, before becoming a postmaster in various Napoleonic armies. He spent the end of his working life as a postal inspector in the Orne, Calvados and Manche regions during the restoration period.
12) Les préoblitérations de Londres dites en "Ailes de moulin"
Michel Letaillieur
This is a written version of a talk given on 14 May 2011 in Roeselare (Roulers) on the 45th anniversary of the Belgian Academy of Philately. In order to facilitate the cancellation of stamps on newspaper wrappers and printed matter, the British post office introduced a real pre-cancellation system in 1870. Editors, newspaper and publication sellers had to hand their blank wrappers in at a post office, so that they could be cancelled during the quieter moments of the day. After this task had been completed, they were collected again so that the newspapers and printed matter could be placed inside them. After being addressed, they could be posted after the last collection or even placed directly on the express train. For this purpose, the relevant post offices in London were provided with date stamps with unusual shapes, known as “windmill sails”. Many different variants exist, which have been encountered over a period of approx. 100 years. Here they are described and placed in the historical context of when they were introduced in 1870.
13) Les surcharges France Libre dans les Indes françaises
Berrnard Jutteau
After a historical and geographical overview of the French posts in India, the author provides us with a comprehensive description of the five types of overprint used in French India during the Second World War, which confirm that this colony remained loyal to the Free French.
14) Saint-Edme, un des directeurs de la poste de l'Armée d'Italie (1774 - vers 1830)
Arnaud de La Mettrie
After discovering the Saint-Edme family archives, the author traced the career of a member of this family. The latter started work as a courier in Béziers in 1789, before becoming a postmaster in various Napoleonic armies. He spent the end of his working life as a postal inspector in the Orne, Calvados and Manche regions during the restoration period.
15) The Era of the French Colonial Allegorical Groupe Type: Use of the French Franchise Militaire stamps from the French Colonies
Edward Grabowski
The author presents us with a comprehensive list of “Groupe” type postage-exempt military stamps used in all the French colonies. He takes us on a journey through the colonies in America, West Africa, the Indian Ocean, Indochina, the Pacific Ocean and analyses how these stamps were used. His presentation is illustrated with selected examples, all of which are rare and some unique.
16) 1950-2015 : Le Malabar-Princess n'a pas encore tout dévoilé
Jean Voruz
The author shows us documents of a highly emotional nature. These letters were recovered from the Air India plane, which crashed in the Mont Blanc mountain range on 3 November 1950. Some of the letters were only found after spending over 60 years in the snow on a glacier.
17) Greenland's American Blues
Allan Brink
The author starts by providing us with an overview of the philately of Greenland, before concentrating on the two series issued in the USA. Stamps from the first series, issued in 1945, were only used to a very limited extent in Greenland. The second series, with an overprint commemorating the liberation of Greenland, was created by an American dealer, purely for commercial purposes, and never used on any mail. For this reason, it cannot be found in any philatelic catalogue.
18) Ghent, pioneer in the Belgian postal history
Mark Bottu
The author analyses and places letters sent from France to the Spanish Netherlands (in 1674 and 1675) in their historical context. These letters bear the very rare “posthorn” postmark, which was added in Ghent. Only 20 letters with this arrival postmark are currently known to exist.
19) Chargé d'histoire : un entier (carte postale) de 1902 d'Alexandrette pour la Suède
Rainer von Scharpen
The author shows us a postcard from 1902, which was sent from Alexandretta to Stockholm. He analyses it in detail, by focusing on the point of departure (Sendshirli), as well as the addressee, text on the reverse and sender. He also explains the reason behind the additional Turkish stamp.
20) The last letters to the "Mir" orbital complex
Igor Rodin
The author shows us the last documents to be sent to the “Mir” orbital station. These letters and a telegram were posted to the two cosmonauts Sergey Zaletin and Aleksandr Kaleri, who were the crew aboard the 28th mission. No one was in any doubt that this would be the final mission before the planned destruction of “Mir” early in 2001.
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