The newest addition to my collection and also a nice and valuable reference item is the following card, which was sent to a world war I prisoner from his brother in Bash Norashen.
And the back side:
The card was not cheap but I instantly fell in love with the clear impression of the cancel. The item is obviously genuine: the historical background clear, Russian and German censor marks present.
Bash Norashen is a rather “old” post station located on the old road to Ordubat and handled – if not much – post items since 1860. Its not directly on the railway line so I assume its importance did not evolve too much. Its is a rather rare cancel.
The cancel is listed in Zakyian as type number 14. Ashford lists an Bashnorashen “b” cancel with date of use “? 1910 – 1916 ?”. This is a bit irritating because one would assume that an “a” serial should come before a “b” serial stamp. Tchilinghirian does not mention that one at all.
This imprint of the cancel will work as an reference item for cancellations on Armenian stamps.