Cefalonia and Itaca. 1941 Back of envelope bearing machine oveprinted "Mithology" single 2d and 50L+50L, "Previdenza" single 50L, used outside the Ionian in Islands and tied by Lehena cds (Patras) and "2" within small circle. Greece disagreed for the usage of its stamps overprinted by the Italians in occupied territories, and in a show of protest, some post offices in Continental Greece exceptionally and very occasionally accepted the Cephalonia and Ithaca overprinted values; these usages are very rare. Signed Chiavarello. (Image)

1941 (May 20) Cover to Genoa (Bessin correspondence) bearing machine overprinted "Mythology" 5d+5d and airmail 2d+2d and 5d+5d, all being marginal and each tied by Argostoli cds on the first day of issue, with arrival on reverse. (Image)

1941 (May 31) Greek 2d non-overprinted stationery card apparently travelled to the Italian Navy Command in Patras, correctly paying the domestic rate and the tax of 10 lepta with hand overprinted "Previdenza" 10L single postage due with previous overprint, tied by Keramiai (Cephalonia) dotted cds (Astolfi fig. 1, p. 10). A remarkable item for the following reasons: a very infrequent early mail in May, a very scarce usage of the overprinted Greek postage due (two items known being regularly travelled), the very unusual mixed franking and the cancellation on these issues. (Image)

1941 (July 4) 2d stationery postcard with machine overprint to Vicenza, cancelled in transit with P.M. n° 167 cds, which was located in Brindisi, where part of the correspondence from Ionian Islands was forwarded to Italy; the cds does not cancel the franking as it was not acknowledge as valid, but the postcard was not taxed nevertheless. Illustrated in the Sirotti handbook on page 136. Very scarce. (Image)

1941 (July 11) Cover to Genoa (Bessin correspondence) bearing machine overprint "Previdenza" 50L+50L in combination with hand overprint 5d, both being marginal examples and tied by Argostoli cds's, showing receiving cds on back. Signed A. Diena. A rare combination of machine and hand overprints. (Image)

1941 (End July) Cover from Sami to Argostoli paying the single rate up to 20 grams with Argostoli hand overprinted "Mythology" 2d(+2d) single and 50L+50L, plus "Previdenza" 50L(+50L) single tax, tied by Sami cds (Astolfi fig. 2 p. 10), slight vertical crease through one stamp in centre; illustrated in the Sirotti handbook on page 63. A very rare usage of the Argostoli local hand overprints in this small locality. (Image)

1941 (Aug 3) Single weight cover from Argostoli to Athens paying the internal rate plus the 50 lepta tax with machine overprinted "Mithology 20L+20L pair and single 20L, 2d single and "Previdenza" 50L single, tied by dispatch cds's, backstamped on arrival. A very scarce regularly travelled mail. Signed A. Diena. (Image)

1941 (Aug 15) Cover to Athens bearing on reverse machine overprinted "Mythology" vertical pair of 80L+80L (slightly overfranked by 20 lepta for the 3 dracma domestic rate), and "Previdenza" 50L single paying the required tax, tied by Argostoli cds's, showing arrival of Athens above three weeks later. A very scarce regularly travelled mail. (Image)

1941 "Previdenza" 10L+10L red, double machine overprint, tied to fragment by Aghia Ephimia cds (Astolfi p. 13) on 17 August, repeated at top; a scarce variety enhanced by the very rare cancellation. Sassone €5'000. (Image)

1941 (Aug 23) Cover from a member of the "43° Batg. CC.NN. da Sbarco" to Italy, franked by "Mythology" 2d+2d tied by P.M. n° 3450 cds, corresponding to the "Concentramento di Bari" (base F.P.O. of Bari), occasionally used as a distributing location for mail originating from the Ionian Islands. Rare. (Image)

1941 (Aug 25) Cover to Athens bearing "Mythology" machine overprint 50L single in pair, 2d single and "Previdenza" 50L (postal tax of Greece) single, tied by Argostoli cds's, backstamped on arrival. (Image)

1941 Group of 23 stamps used on fragments with machine overprints, comprising come combined on fragment, others as singles on fragment (incl. four with "Corfu" overprint), also off fragment including one rare "George II" 30d+30d mint (Sassone 71 catalogued at €4'000, signed A. Diena, Fiecchi and Oliva), as well as unused 3d+50L Greek overprinted stationery envelope unused (Filagrano BU1) and 5d greek stationery postcard with "Previdenza" hand overprinted. A very unusual lot. (Image)

Cefalonia and Itaca. 1941, Previdenza Sociale, 10 l. rosa lilla, emissione di Itaca, soprastampa a mano, coppia verticale bordo di foglio in cui l'esemplare inferiore presenta una doppia soprastampa, annullato su piccolo frammento con doppio cerchio di Itaca. Molto bello e raro. Cert. A. Diena (1969), Enzo Diena (2004) ed Avi (2020). (Image)