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Auction: 26015 - "The Treasure of the Eagles" Collection of Albania - Part I
Lot: 3144

(x) Northern Epirus
Second Greek Occupation (1914-1916)
Moschopolis - Voskopojë
1914 (Oct. 23). Registered cover to Leipzig, Germany, franked by two examples of 1914 25l. in contrasting shades, tied by two violet circular cachets in Greek with double-headed eagle inside and reading "post of the epirus campaign" & "autonomous epirus - taking of moschopolis 24-6/914", and "moschopolis" c.d.s in black, manuscript registration number at top "R N° 383". Korytsa (Korçë) transit and arrival c.d.s.'s on reverse. In addition, the mint set of 15 values from 1l. to 25dr. plus the two overprinted 5l. & 25l. A very rare cover.

provenance: Markus Gmähle
note: On the eve of the World War I, Albanian forces were no longer in control of Koritsa and Moschopolis, as these areas had been taken over by Epirote bands, which formally recognized the authority of the Autonomous Government of Epirus, but their true objective was to incorporate the region into Greece. According to a 2001 article in "The Skanderbeg" by its editor, a group of covers (dispatches 23-24.10) have a transit mark from Korytsa (16 km from Moschopolis) dated September rather than October. The postal agent there appears to have been uncertain about continuing to accept such mail, yet seemingly altered the cancellation to give the false impression that it had been processed during the Epirote administration, changing October to September. The correspondence was then sent on to Thessaloniki for international dispatch. In 1924, during an investigation into the clandestine handling of this mail, a postal clerk from that office admitted to having gone against regulations, claiming he had acted out of patriotic motives to inform the world that Moschopolis was under Greek control.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£250 to £500

Starting price
£220