I have not seen anything in the literature on these stamps. As a guess they will be either philatelic fantasies. Or they might be Imperial Russian overprints for use in one of the numerous inroads made by the Russians to lop off chunks of Persian territory.

Either way they are a very nice item to have. Wish they were mine.

Keijo,

It is a surprise that the Iranian part of these stamps is over top of the Russian Eagle. What power magnification did you use? If what you say is correct then they must be a phanisy.

Have you checked to see if the background and overprint of the Provisoire stamps are genuine? I can mail you photocopies the three pages from the Persiphila Iran classic Philatelic Reference Vol 1 re identifying genuine Provisoire stamps. Would this be of any use to you? If the basic stamp is not genuine then they must be phantisies.

You may want to compare your eagles to those of early russian levant used in Greece. There were turn of the century forgeries made of these stamps. Could it be thre same forger?

Richard

I will get the photocopies into the mail for you this week. I am also sending photocopies of 1899 Russian handstamped stamps used in Crete. There is a strong similarity to your stsmps.

As you probably gather this is the type of philitelic mystery I enjoy.

@Richard… I just got the Pershiphila photocopies. And now I’m even more confused… Below are some digitally enhanced images of overprints for everyone to see:

Stamp: 1ch violet & violet
Overprint type: Unknown (like a combination of types 3 & 6)

Stamp: 1ch violet & violet
Overprint type: Unknown (but similarities to type 3a)

Stamp: 6ch red & red
Overprint type: Unknown (like a combination of type 3 & most common forgery)

Feeling very confused now…Maybe I will contact folks at PersiPhila for some advice/opinions…

I asked a bit of further opinion of the Russian overprint appearing to be below the Provisoire overprint (and below postmark). Here’s the reply I got from PersiPhila’s Mehrdad Sadri:

Regarding these stamps with the Russian handstamp, although some of them have the appearance and might look that the PROVISOIRE and postmarks applied over them, but I have no doubt that all of them were made up by the use of one handstamp and by one person, and possibly in a lazy summer afternoon

The basic stamps were printed by Pharos Press in Teheran and then the unoverprinted stamps were delivered to the office of the General Postmaster, which then the PROVISOIRE handstamps were applied on them, therefore there was no possibility for the Russian handstamp being applied on them before having the PROVISOIRE being applied on them. Furthermore, since all the handstamps are quite identical, based on the breaks and flaws, therefore only one handstamp was used, although the stamps are originated from different towns and locations. In conclusion, this handstamp was not applied on these stamps in Iran and not even applied by any officials in their destination, as if they were applied in their destination in Russia or Finland, then we should have had examples applied on other stamps. So I believe these are just created privately by someone to sell them to collectors in Europe.

…also contact the Iranian Philatelic Discussion group via Mr. Behruz Nassre and positing them for further discussion by other members

I think this pretty much sums up.

If anything newsworthy comes up from the Iranian Philatelic Discussion group, I’ll try to share it here too.

To me looks like Turkey – Albania area ovpts aplied on Persian stamps.. I am not in studio now but I have some turkey & Albania stamps with similar ovpts… I am wondering if they are not a oddity done on purpose.