The cancels used during Dashnak and Soviet-Armenia times are generally well known and described. Some are very rare, others quite common. Especially the ones used for cancelled to order purposes are plenty. Next come the ones of the large cities and centers, Erivan and Alexandropol.
This stamp however shows a cancel I was not able to match with the lists in the literature (from Zakiyan to Tchilinghirian + Ashford).
Rotated and cropped.
Characteristics:
- First character is an “A”
- The Name starts exactly at 9 o’clock, between the horizontal lines.
- The horizontal lines are thicker than usual, still not as thick as the Alexandropol “sh” cancel.
- Two asterisks/stars at 6 o’clock and at the position of the lower horizontal line.
Starting with “A” are: Alexandropol, Allaverdi and Ashtarak. When looking the medium thick horizontal lines and the starting position at 9 o’clock, it seems Alexandropol “sz” is the only possible match.
When aligning the horizontal lines and the asterisks, the following “errors” appear:
- “A” in wrong position / distances between asterisks and “A” incorrect
- horizontal lines not thick enough.
One explanation would be that this is a receiver stamp and as such could anything. Still seems unlikely. Suggestions welcome, or perhaps I missed something?
Dear friends,
this is Alexandropol “z” Александрополь “з” postmark. I have it on loose stamps, a block of four 60 kop./ 1 kop. imperf. c.t.o. February 28, 1920, and on the two commercial covers mailed on October 7, 1919 and November 10, 1919 franked with 60 kop./ 1 kop. imperf.