British Offices in the Levant
by Gary F. Paiste
Continued...

       Overprinted King George V stamps were issued in 1911. They were used until the start of World War I when all the British offices in in the Empire were closed.
       After the war the offices in Smyrne and Constantinople were reopened. They were closed for the final time in 1922 (Smyrne) and 1923 (Constantinople). Two sets of stamps were issued after the war, one surcharged LEVANT and one surcharged in Turkish currency. They were only issued at the Constantinople office.

Overprinted King George V stamps
 

       These ½d stamps were for the postcard rate of 6 words or less. They were first issued on 12 September 1911. A further printing was on the re-engraved variety and it was issued on 12 March 1912

       These 1d stamps were for the postcard rate of more than 6 words. They were first issued on 1 January 1912. A further printing was on the re-engraved variety and it was issued on 24 February 1912

       These two stamps overprinted LEVANT were issued in July 1913. They were watermarked with the simple cypher.
       

       The ½d stamp was printed at Somerset House
       It has been reported with double watermark.

       The 1d stamp was printed by Harrison and Sons Ltd.
       

       These six stamps were issued piece-meal during 1913 and 1914 as the authorities expected the Edwardian values to run out. They were surcharged at Somerset House.
       The basic stamps were printed by both Somerset House and Harrison & Sons Ltd. They may be seperated by use of Control Number blocks, and sometimes by shade for singles.

       The 30 paras stamp was issued in April(?) 1914. Printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd.
       It is known with double overprint, one albino.

       The 1 piastre stamp was issued in June 1913. It was printed by both Somerset House and Harrison & Sons Ltd.

       The 1¼ piastre stamp was issued in September 1913. Printed by both Somerset House and Harrison & Sons Ltd.
       It is known with double overprint, one albino.

       The 1¾ on 4d stamp was issued in July 1913.
       Printed by both Somerset House and Harrison & Sons Ltd.

       The 4 piastres on 10d stamp was possibly issued in December 1913.
       Printed by Somerset House.

       The 5 piastres on 1sh stamp was issued in May(?) 1914.
       Printed by Somerset House.

       This set of 10 stamps overprinted in Turkish currency was issued in Constantinople in August 1921.
       The seven lower values were printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd. in sheets of 240 divided vertically into two panes of 120 (12 horizontal stamps by 20 vertical stamps).
       The overprint setting was 2 rows of six (repeated) on the 30 pa, 1½ pi, 3¾ pi, 4½ pi, and 18½ pi values. The overprints setting was one row of 12 on the 7½ pi and 15 pi values
       The three high values, known as the "Seahorses", were printed and overprinted by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., Ltd. in plates of 40 (10 rows of 4 stamps). The overprint setting is believed to be one row of 4 (repeated).

       The 30 paras on ½d stamp is known with inverted overprint.

       The 180 piastres on 10sh stamp is known with double overprint, one albino.

       This set of 7 stamps overprinted LEVANT was issued in Constantinople in September 1921.
       They were surcharged at Somerset House.

SMYRNE (Post War)
       When the Smyrna post office was reopened on 1 March 1919 existing stocks of surcharged or overprinted issues were utilized until they were exhausted in mid-1920. These stamps were supplemented and finally replaced in mid-1920 with ordinary stamps of Great Britain. Smyrne was recaptured from the Greeks by the revolutionary Turkish government in September 1922. The British post office was burned down on 9 September 1922 during the Great Fire in Smyrne.

References