ITALIAN POST OFFICES IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE & CONSTANTINOPLE

ITALIAN POs IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE & CONSTANTINOPLE — In 1908, stamps were issued for use in all the Italian Post Offices in the Ottoman Empire [namely: CONSTANTINOPLE, JERUSALEM, THESSALONIKI (Salonicco) and SMYRNA]. These stamps were replaced in 1909 by specific Italian definitive stamps overprinted with the name of the various Italian Post Offices: COSTANTINOPOLI, GERUSALEMME, SALONICCO, and SMIRNE. On 1 June 1908 three Italian Post Offices were opened in Constantinople: namely at Galata, Pera and Istanbul. They ceased operation on 1 October 1914 as a result of the abolition of the capitulations regime. In March 1919 an Italian Field Post Office began operating in Constantinople; and on 1 July 1921 an Italian Post Office was opened in Galata. (The Scott catalogue – and to some degree Italian catalogues – separate the stamp issues valid in the Ottoman Empire from those specifically issued for Constantinople and other Italian Post Offices in the Ottoman Empire. The Sassone and Unificato catalogues list the 1908 Italian definitive stamps overprinted with denominations in Turkish currency issued specifically in 1908 for Constantinople but without indication of COSTANTINOPOLI” in their overprints. This situation changed in 1909 when the overprints of Italian stamps began to include the word “COSTANTINOPOLI”;however