India. WWII period westbound overland mail from India: 12 MAY 1943 commercial cover on business stationary from BOMBAY to JERUSALEM, franked (on back) 3½ Anna & tied by local machine cancellation; opened & resealed by Bombay censor - label tied by octogonal cachet on back & local DHC/314 censor handstamp on front; as of 29 June 1940 all mail from India to Palestine sent via Baghdad overland mail service (no transit marks as this not registered mail) - here unusually long transit time as front-stamped 27 JU 1943 JERUSALEM arrival where censored by KK/4 (octogonal cachet on front): here re-routed to BEIRUT & sent via CAIRO, whose 1 JLY transit is backstamped & passed local censor (marks on front, reverse imprints on back); per Type-10A censor day-date stamp ("8") on front, cover received for censoring in BEIRUT on 5 July + tied by unidentified 2-digit roman typeface "23" censor date key (Type-8C2); per Type-10B censor day-date stamp ("9") on back, cover released from censor 6 July whereupon front-stamped by 'Cross of Lorraine' circular censor cachet Type-1B6 & entered into civilian postal system same day & backstamped by machine slogan cancel; about 7 week transit time. As not opened for inspection by the BEIRUT censor, cover not number-signed in manuscript. Well documented postal handling with 9 censor marks of 4 postal authorities + scarce routing; overland mail to Palestine is scarce.

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Iran. WWII period westbound Baghdad overland mail: 4 DEC 1942 uprated postcard in Hebrew from ABADAN Iran to TEL AVIV franked 1.50R; transported by land via Baghdad (7 DEC machine cancel transit mark on back; "not examined" censor cachet on front) & passed T6 Palestine censor in TEL AVIV. Written by child on 1st day of Chanukka holiday and references children's camp; return addressed Anglo-Iranian Oil Company: during WWII the refinery attracted Jews from all over Iran, including Iraqi Jews & Palestinian Jews working for 'Solel Boneh'. As writer's name Ashkenazi and addressee is 'care of' Anglo Palestine Bank, sender probably from among the Palestinian Jews in Abidan. Scarce origin; overland mail to Palestine is scarce.

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Palestine Mandate. Eastbound mail: 12 DEC 1929 Templar Bank stationary cover from JAFFA to BUSHEHR Iran, franked 13m using 3m & 10m (Ba91/97) per period "overland" service rate though cover not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 15m) & tied by local machine cancel (GD-45) + sealed at back by business seal; backstamped 20 DEC 29 BAGHDAD transit, 22 DEC [unclear BASRA] transit & 1-1-29(sic; datestamp not correctly updated) BUSHEHR arrival; slit open at bottom. Rare route, nicely documented. Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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Palestine Mandate. Eastbound mail: 28 JY 1937 OHMS stationary "certified official" cover from Department of Customs HAIFA to Bank in TEHRAN, franked 15m using Ba108 single per period "overland" service rate though cover not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 20m) & tied by local postmark (GD-43); front tied by boxed cachet Sach-6a & endorsed; backstamped next day(?) JERUSALEM transit, 4 AUG 37 BAGHDAD transit & 8 VIII 37 TEHERAN arrival; slit open at top. Nicely documented route via JERUSALEM eastwards (this being June 1930 supplementary route on Mon/Wed/Fri via Amman to rail via Damascus on alternate days); unusual combination of "certified official"with franking (similar displayed Collins p.87). Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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Palestine Mandate. Eastbound mail: 11 OC 1937 commerical cover from Bank of Rome JERUSALEM to TEHERAN, franked 15m using 3x 5m horizontal ribbed (Ba93) per period "overland" service rate though cover not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 20m) & tied by 2 strikes of local postmark; backstamped 16 OCT 37 BAGHDAD transit & 20 X 37 TEHERAN arrival; slit open at top. Scarce east-bound mail originating in JERUSALEM. Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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Palestine Mandate. Eastbound mail: 16 MY 1938 cover from Iranian Consulate in Palestine JERUSALEM to TEHERAN, franked 15m using 5m & 10m (Ba93/97) per period "overland" service rate though cover not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 20m) & tied by 2 strikes of local postmark; backstamped 21 MAY 38 BAGHDAD transit & 25 V 38 TEHERAN arrival; slit open at top. Scarce east-bound mail originating in JERUSALEM. Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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Palestine Mandate. WWII oddly routed eastbound mail: 8 NO 1941 cover on Windsor Hotel stationary from HAIFA to "Nairn Transport Co. Ltd" (operators of "Baghdad overland" service) DAMASCUS, franked 15m using 5m & 10m (Ba93/97) per period "overland" service rate though cover not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 20m) & tied by strike of local postmark; cover opened/resealed by a Haifa censor using red label but then UNUSUAL ROUTING (undocumented): backstamped 23 NOV 1941 BAGHDAD transit + frontstamped Iraqi "Propaganda Directorate General | Censor 2" purple handstamp (AJ-Type-Civ4); backstamped 1 XII 1941 DAMAS & cover opened/resealed by Free French censor (using gray label) & tied by local 'Cross of Lorraine' circular cachet Type-1E1 on front & back - no censor signatures as cover predate the period (Jan 1942-). Normal route would have been Damascus via Beirut but here westwards via Baghdad for undocumented reasons (destination was no longer combat zone as of Aug. 1941). Slit open at bottom. Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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Palestine Mandate. WWII period eastbound Baghdad overland mail: 14 JUN 1943 "Hebrew" correspondence cover from HAIFA to addressee care-of Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. ABADAN Iran, franked 15m (using Ba108) per period "overland" service though cv not marked such (period non-UK surface rate was 20m) & tied by strike of local postmark; cover opened/resealed by Haifa censor KK/36117 (Sacher attributes it to label Q16 [for incoming mail, Apr. 1943] but here used on Q17 label); backstamped 20 JUN 43 BAGHDAD Sorting office transit & 23 VI 43 ABADAN arrival + front marked by Iraqi censor "7". Transported by bi-weekly route Haifa - Damascus by rail, then to Baghdad by "overland" service & on to Persia. Slit open at left. Per Collins et. al. "all mail going eastwards is scarce to very rare".

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