Israel. War-affected Egyptian occupation mail: 30 JL 1948 registered airmail commercial cover from BETH LAHEM (return addressed British(?) sender at "Poste Restante Bethlehem Palestine via Egypt") to "Director of Hiring GHQ" CYPRUS (no city written), franked 75m per period double-rate using "Palestine" overprinted 1m, 2x2m + Airs 30m & 40m (SG 1-2/27-28) & tied by 5 strikes of Egyptian date-bridge postmark on front + 2x on back & scarce Registry boxed cachet; backstamped 9 AU 48 CAIRO R.D.4 transit + "MM" censor on front (K-Type-4) & next day AEROPORT FAROUK dispatch (long 11 day interim transit due to war: operations "10 Days" 8-18/07 & "Gys 2" 31/07-1/08 which affected Egyptian west-east lines & siege of Negev); oddly no Cyprus arrival postmarks on registered letter. May have been sent by British/Commonwealth national trying to join British military during the war; as no "GHQ" in Cyprus (until 1955), possibly "Cyprus Regiment", which served in Palestine 1945-48. Locale occupied by Jordan c. 18 May, but Egyptian "Muslim Brotherhood" (Ikhwan) volunteers there since Jan. 1948 + Egyptian Army entered c. 23 May; this Post Office established by Egypt 1 June & transferred to Jordan 1 Sept. 1949. Slit open at right; rare period overseas mail; estimated value $800+

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. Egyptian occupation mail: 30 AU 1948 registered airmail stationary cover from HEBRON to "Respected sir, doctor Alfred Isher" ALEXANDRIA, franked 90m per postage period rate using "Palestine" overprinted Airs 5m, 7m, 8m, 20m & 50m (SG 22-24/26/29) & tied by 6 full strikes of rare Hebron Egyptian date-bridge postmark on front + 2x on back & Mandate registry-label; backstamped 4 SE 48 CAIRO R.D.[unclear] transit in blue + purple Cairo censor "106" on front (K-Type-1, this number unrecorded) & same day [unclear] arrival; manuscript notation on back of attempted delivery "4/9" & "5/9": quick transit time as sent during Egyptian siege of Negev, between Israeli operations "Gys 2" (31/07-1/08) which temporarily cut through Egyptian Negev siege & "Operation Yoav" (15-22 Oct.) which cut Egyptian lines between coastline & inland. This Post Office established by Egypt 1 June & transferred to Jordan 1 Sept. 1949. Slit open at right, top right corner repaired; rare Hebron registered-mail, Estimated value $2000+

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. War-affected Egyptian occupation mail: 18 OC 1948 registered airmail commercial cover from BETH LAHEM (return addressed sender from "Ramallah / Amman Transjordan") to "Dean of Admissions" [University of Pennsylvania] PHILADELPHIA, franked 165m per period double-rate using "Palestine" overprinted Airs 7m, 8m (damaged), 10m, 40m & 100m (SG 23/25/28/30) & tied by 5 strikes of Egyptian date-bridge postmark on front + 3x on back & Mandate registry-label; backstamped [unclear] 48 CAIRO R.D.[unclear] transit in blue + "MM" censor on front (K-Type-4) & 4 DE 48 AEROPORT FAROUK dispatch in blue (very long 7 week interim transit due to war: especially "Operation Yoav" aka "10 Plagues", 15-22 Oct. which cut Egyptian lines between coastline & inland, gradually liberating Negev & isolating Egyptian forces into "Faluja pocket"); backstamped DEC 6 1948 NY AMF (Air Mail Field) transit & next day arrival - very fast transatlantic transit. Locale occupied by Jordan c. 18 May & Egyptian Army entered c. 23 May; this Post Office established by Egypt 1 June & transferred to Jordan 1 Sept. 1949. Slit open at top; rare period overseas mail; estimated value $800+

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 JERUSALEM siege / Jewish Quarter of Old City: full strike of Second "Wall" Postmark (????? ?????) tied to top-guttered Interim 10m JERUSALEM Locals II frank on unaddressed cover (franked per period letter rate) on mint "Doar" stationary envelope. This 2nd type was ordered as the original one was not portable. It was received on 10 May (same date that the Locals II frank entered use) by the last convoy to reach the besieged Old City, and any mail marked by it was carried by the last outgoing convoy on the 13th (day before Independence day). Unlike the 3rd type (created after establishment of Israel) known only for souvenir and philatelic strikes, this 2nd version was legitimately used by the defending forces in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Extremely rare and very fine - at a minimum as a genuine momento from the "siege within the siege".

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 War of Independence/POSTAL HISTORY GEM: cover from "Convoy Driver" (Nahag Shayara) return-addressed Bezalel Gaber at the Tel Aviv Hotel JERUSALEM to Aharonson Stamp Shop TEL AVIV, pre-franked 10m per period letter rate using 2nd issue local Ba105; sender apparently aware of inability to dispatch mail through postal service and had the cover couriered [by "Burma Road", newly opened to traffic 1 June; 1st convoy known to carry mail arrived 10 June] shortly before that 1st convoy returned to TEL AVIV (18 June) with accumulated mail from Jerusalem; here deposited into postal system 14 June where accepted untaxed by TEL AVIV Head Post Office & frank tied by full strike of postmark; re-routed locally to Post Office Box; folded vertically & horizontally as typical of couriered mail. Cover is of interest as sender identifies himself as "Convoy Driver": in light of pre-June 18th postmark he himself may have couried this cover on an earlier passage on Burma Road. Gaber (b. 1921) was a convoy driver to the Negev and to Jerusalem, was a driver in the big "Hulda" convoy of 31 March 1948 which was ambused and trapped in Jerusalem, where he remained until June (between Dec. 1947-Mar 1948, 224 convoys were sent to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, of which only 8 failed to arrive; convoys continued coming until 20 April). Gaber was a member of the "Shelev" transport cooperative prior to becoming a convoy driver. Convoy drivers (and convoy guards) are more or less anonymous heros of the Israeli War of Independence with little documented specifically about them, and this cover sheds a little light on their identity and whereabouts.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 JERUSALEM 1st convoy mail: commercial express registered cover to HAIFA, franked 65m per period rate using mix 1st locals 25m (Ba103) & complete set 2nd locals (Ba104-6) tied by 2 strikes of black interim postmark + 2 strikes 11 MAY 1948 dater (3rd day 1st locals use; 2nd day 2nd locals use); transported on 1st convoy of 18 June (carrying mail dated 9-12 May) but not backstamped as not registered letter. Scarce as such; rare rate & franking. Cut open at left. Estimated value $400+

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 1st convoy mail from besieged JERUSALEM: registered commercial cover from JERUSALEM 4 (Anglo Palestine Bank) to APB in TEL AVIV franked at period rate (10m letter + 15m registration) using 25m 2nd local Ba106 stamps tied by local Minhelet Ha'am postmark (2 strikes on back) & vertical dater 12 MAY 1948 (unclear but consistent with 2nd local issue usage dates, starting 10 May), with registry-label 0103 on front (consistent with known number range for interim period); accumulated at Rechavia sorting center & dispatched to Tel Aviv with 1st convoy which took the accumulated mail from 9-12 May that arrived there 18 June 1948 - cover backstamped as such by local trilingual postmark + National Loan cachet applied by Tel Aviv sorting office. Estimated value $200+

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 JERUSALEM 1st convoy mail: registered cover to Anglo-Palestine Bank in TEL AVIV, posted at Anglo-Palestine Bank (JERUSALEM 4), franked 25m at period registered letter rate using 2nd local issue Ba106 tied by single strike of local interim postmark (+ 2 on back) & 12 MAY 1948 dater; transported on 1st convoy of 18 June & backstamped same day TEL AVIV arrival; slit open at bottom. Estimated value $235+

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 JERUSALEM 2nd convoy remarkable assembly: 16-5-1948 'first day' registered cover (4199) from JERUSALEM-6 (Mahane Yehuda branch office) to Kibbutz DAFNA (misspelled) franked 40+ mils (10m letter + 15m registered + 2+ x 6m additional weight) using complete 2nd issue Jerusalem locals (Ba104-106) + 1 non-denominated/un-overprinted with 'canal' flaw (light brown ink: Jewish State 10m Ba30 or 1st issue 5m Ba101), tied by 3 strikes of JERUSALEM "Independence" postmark (Ba B-5) on front + 2 on back; as posted during the full siege on JERUSALEM, held at Rehavia sorting office until carried by 2nd convoy to TEL AVIV (carrying accumulated mail from 13 May - 21 June), here backstamped 21-6-1948 TEL AVIV transit (inverted Hebrew date), then 23 JU 48 TIBERIAS & ROSH PINNA transit - using reintroduced Mandate postmarks (Dorf-7/Dorf-5); slit open at bottom, vertical & horizontal folds. Addressee Ariela Elazari (b. 1929 Jerusalem) was a female soldier in the 3rd battalion of the Yiftach Brigade of the Palmach, who served as a wireless operator, and who in this function also served as part of the Israeli delegation to the ceasefire talks in Rhodes in 1949; retired from teaching in 1994; listed veteran on Palmach's website. Cover's registry-label serial belongs to the sequence Aloni associates with the Interim period (0010-8952) - possibly prepared beforehand, before postal dispatch. Rare combination of special franks & postmarks + small locale routing on 3 postal period cover.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 besieged JERUSALEM Military mail: 22(?) MAY 1948 "Misrad Kesher | Yerusalayim" (Signals Corp) stampless inter-unit corresondence registered Hagana cover #159 from "Mizrachi Department" (cachet on back) to "HaLevy", marked "Dan Urgent"; received by "Maimon" who crossed out the addresee's name; tied by scarce bluish-black signals corps cachet; originally sealed by tape and carefully opened, folded vertically & horizontally; Muenz certified. Rare intercity military communications in beseiged Jerusalem.

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

(Image)

Israel. Early Israeli postal links / 1st incoming sea mail (SS Marine Carp): 21-3-1948 registered printed-matter airmail cover from LODZ to 'supreme leadership' (of HaShomer HaTzair) KIBBUTZ MERHAVIA "via AFFULA post", marked in poor Polish "Printed Leaflets" on front & franked special 75Zl rate tied by 4 strikes of REJ. URZ. TE. TG. LODZ postmark; the day before, all airlines (except TWA & BOAC) suspended services to Lydda & relocated to Cairo - as such airmail service here not available & cover transported by surface mail: eventually brought to HAIFA by US ship "SS Marine Carp" on 17 May 1948 - this 1st incoming surface mail shipment to State of Israel & only documented non-Israeli ship to carry outbound surface mail (20/05) until Nov. 1952; backstamped 20-5-1948 HAIFA Head Post Office transit (note odd Hebrew date character-assembly for Yud-Alef) & same day AFFULA arrival (using reintroduced Mandate postmark, Dorf-10); unsealed per printed-matter regulations; bottom left corner fault, fine & scarce.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 early incoming/official airmail: I VII 1948 Israeli government airmail cover from representative in GENEVA to [director general of Foreign Ministry of "Provisional Government of Israel"] Walter Eitan in TEL AVIV, franked 120c and tied by slogan machine cancellation; arrived 13-7-1948, backstamped by HAKIRYA (government-military complex in TEL AVIV) postmark. Most probably transported by Air France and received at Sde Dov airfield (reopened as of mid-June) or Haifa (Lydda closed until November); slit open at top, small peripheral tear on top right.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 PEDI first flight mail - HIGHEST NUMBER with BOTH CANCELLATION TYPES: Zionist Organization of America airmail stationary cover from BROOKLYN to BNEI BRAK ("Palestine") franked 25c regular airmail rate, postmarked MAY 21 1948 (1st day of PEDI service) using both Type I and II cancels - as numbered 236 this is the highest recorded cover marked by both types (ref. IFPL p.93 says "211"); with US "First Flight" & locally applied CSA cachets on front; this 1st flight arrived in Haifa 2 June - per manuscript notation, cover delivered 9-6-48; cut open at left, very fine and rare. "Palestine Emergency Deliveries Inc." was a private company founded by the Jewish Agency in New York, to collect mail and send it to Israel at a time when the British ceased their postal activities in the Mandate and air links to it were suspended. PEDI mail was carried as baggage, first on a KLM flight to Rome (ref. instructional marking on front), and then forwarded to Israel by Czechoslovakian airlines.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 PEDI first flight mail - numbered 28: airmail stationary cover from BROOKLYN to TEL AVIV franked 25c regular airmail rate, postmarked MAY 21 1948 (1st day of PEDI service) using both Type I and II cancels, and bearing very low serial number, 28 (out of 1288 carried on 1st flight); with US "First Flight" & locally applied CSA cachets on front; this 1st flight arrived in Haifa 2 June; opened roughly at back (some tears have been repaired and frank re-attached); 3 vertical folds; complete. "Palestine Emergency Deliveries Inc." was a private company founded by the Jewish Agency in New York, to collect mail and send it to Israel at a time when the British ceased their postal activities in the Mandate and air links to it were suspended. PEDI mail was carried as baggage, first on a KLM flight to Rome (ref. instructional marking on front), and then forwarded to Israel by Czechoslovakian airlines.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 emergency sea-mail: front of surface mail registered commercial cover on business stationary from PARIS to bank in TEL AVIV, pre-franked 45F locally per postage period rate but not posted via French Post Office as surface mail to Palestine was suspended (until 15 June 1948): here, dispatched as a pre-paid "courier cover" brought on board Israeli ship "S/S Kedma" on its final transport of 1948 "emergency mail" before commencing transport of sea mail for the Israel Post (exclusively until Nov. 1952): this & other covers in this shipment were prepaid to the shipping company, who uniquely stamped these covers with bilingual English/Hebrew circular handstamp "KEDEM" Palestine Line LTD - T/S/S KEDMAH (here 2x full strikes, one tied to French franks) & affixed 10m Doar Ivri frank before depositing the mail in Israel for posting, here tied by 15.6.1948 HAIFA Head Post Office postmark (eg. same date as resumption sea mail with France). This was ship's 1st delivery of mail since 24 May, and the only incoming sea mail to Israel since. Illustrated in IFPL p. 139.

(Image 1) (Image)

Israel. 1948 emergency mail: stampless courier cover on Jewish National Fund stationary from ARNHEM to TEL AVIV, brought on board Israeli ship "S/S Kedma" here on its final transport of 1948 "emergency mail" before commencing transport of sea mail for the Israel Post (exclusively until Nov. 1952): this & other covers in shipment was prepaid to the shipping company, who uniquely stamped these covers with bilingual English/Hebrew circular handstamp "KEDEM" Palestine Line LTD - T/S/S KEDMAH (here full strike) & affixed 10m frank before depositing the mail in Israel for posting, here tied by 15.6.1948 HAIFA Head Post Office postmark. This was ship's 1st delivery of mail since 24 May, and the only incoming sea mail to Israel since. Opened gently at back. Estimated value $500-900.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 early postal links / taxed incoming couriered mail: unfranked airmail(?) commercial cover from HEIDELBERG ("US Zone" in Germany) to restitution organization in TEL AVIV ("Palestine"), couriered from abroad probably by air and posted locally unfranked, where charged concessionary tax (half the usual postage dues, i.e. the value of the missing postage only) as not addressed to a business (here not-for-profit organization), and paid using 10m 1st PD BaPD3 frank tied by 14(?)-6-1948 TEL AVIV Head Post Office postmark; re-routed locally to POB; unsealed. Unsealed.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 early postal links / taxed incoming couriered airmail: unfranked commercial cover on airmail stationary in German to TEL AVIV, couriered from abroad by air and posted locally unfranked, where charged concessionary tax (half the usual postage dues) as addressed to a private individual, and paid using 2x 5m 1st PD BaPD2 franks tied by 25-6-1948 TEL AVIV Head Post Office postmark. Message inside (12-11-1948) indicates cover originated in STOCKHOLM Sweden and was given to JEWISH AGENCY official who couriered it to Israel where he posted it. Unsealed; small piece missing for corner of back-flap, very fine. Scarce multiple franking.

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

(Image)

Israel. "Box 18 Johannesburg" mail: undated commercial cover from "Judges' Chambers Supreme Court" CAPE TOWN to Gershon Agron [founder/editor of] "Palestine Post" newpaper JERUSALEM; posted unstamped within an envelope to "Box 18" JOHANNESBURH with postage fee enclosed within, whereupon removed from outer envelope & sent via the South African Zionist Federation airmail service to Palestine (parcels of letters sent as "Air Freight" on Pan African Air Charter airlines [PAAC] via Rhodesia-Kenya-Khartoum-Wadi Halfa (Sudan)-Aden(!) to HAIFA); cover marked by their cachet "Per Postal Communication | Box 18 Johannesburg"; at HAIFA transferred to Peltours mail operation which stamped it with their oval business "Pel" Palestine & Egypt Lloyd Ltd. | PELTOURS | Tel-Aviv cachet & posted it in TEL AVIVwith 10m Doar Ivri frank affixed (this pre-paid by sender), tied by 6-7-1948 Head Post Office postmark (Hebrew date incorrect & references Saturday 3 July). Slit open at top.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. Cyprus detention Camp 69: 26 AP 1948 cover on "Doar" airmail stationary (airmail crossed off) from NICOSIA (return addressed Famagusta German Refugee Camp) to HAIFA, franked 2Pia per period letter rate & tied by strike of local postmark + "Mail Camp 69" Hebrew boxed cachet; surface mail to Palestine suspended by UK on 6 April & Cyprus suspended airmail 20 April + all airmail to Palestine suspended on 26 April: hence cover marked "SERVICE SUSPENDED" in red using local instructional marking handstamp K-Type-I & transferred to NICOSIA RLO 8 MY 48 (all such "suspended service" covers were date-stamped 8 May at the Returned Letter Office per Kibble); eventually retrieved by the "Committee for Cyprus Detainees" (established by the Jewish Agency & Joint Distribution Committee for detainees' welfare) 23 AUG 1948 which stamped it with circular cachet & couriered it (by air?) to Israel where posted locally (TEL AVIV) 24-8-1948 with 10m Doar Ivri frank per domestic letter rate. Odd handling: Cyprus renewed postal relations with Israel already on 1 AUG, but this cover not transmitted on by the post office. Slit open at top; vert. fold, scattered spots; fine & scarce, certified by Muentz. Estimated value $1200-1500+

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

(Image)

Israel. GILGIL (Kenya) detention camp mail: stampless cover from Revisionist detainee to family HAIFA, sent via South African Zionist Federation airmail service to Palestine (parcels of letters were sent as "Air Freight" on Pan African Air Charter airlines [PAAC] via Rhodesia-Kenya-Khartoum-Wadi Halfa (Sudan)-Aden(!) to HAIFA; from 7 May mail from Gilgil detainees forwarded free of charge) & cover marked by their cachet "Per Postal Communication | Box 18 Johannesburg"; cover carried by air to HAIFA where transferred to Peltours mail operation which stamped it with their oval business "Palestine & Egypt Lloyd Ltd. | Passage Dept" cachet (this rarer than "Peltours TEL AVIV" cachet) & 17 JUN 1948 dated "TEL AVIV Emergency Post LA'ASSIREINU" circular cachet - special for Gilgil mail (Revisionist organization which paid for the postage) & posted it in TEL AVIV next day with 10m Doar Ivri frank affixed (fault at right): rare combination of 2nd mail shipment from South African service, handled by 3 organizations; sealing tape remains at right, applied in S. Africa; cut open at sides (each shortened). Sender was Menachem Pritel (Peremolnik), an Irgun/Etzel member from Haifa who graduated from its commanders course. Illustrated in IFPL p.81. Estimated value $1200-1500+

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 provisional postage dues: undated window cover from secretariat KIBBUTZ MASADA ("Kinneret PO" return addressed) franked 10m at period letter rate using vertical pair 5m Kofer HaYishuv stamps (accepted for postage during Minhelet Ha'am/interim period between 2-14 May, and tolerated up to 22 May 1948 - but not consistently at any time by the Post Offices as these not marked "Doar" [post] on them) - here posted through the KINNERET post office which rejected the labels and didn't cancel them; marked for tax (manuscript in box) at twice the deficiency, and paid in TEL AVIV using vertical pair TEL AVIV overprinted 10m Weizmann interim Ba12 franks obliterated by Mandate "T" tax handstamp. Cover generally dates from 2-21 May (22 was Saturday): from 16 May until 1st postage dues entered use on 28 May, both Doar Ivri and interim stamps could be used as postage dues (interim franks until 21 May); as Minhelet Haam canceller not used on this cover (last usage date was 14 May; 15th was Saturday), it may date to narrow period of 16-21 May (see similar cover in Aloni p.100). Very fine and scarce; Tsachor/Aloni certified. Estimated value $1600++

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 1st postage dues: 21 MY 1948 business stationary commercial cover from PARDESS HANNA to TEL AVIV franked 10m using Minhelet Ha'am 'Diaspora-2' stamp (Ba56) - the last day these were valid for use, tied by single full strike of reintroduced Mandatory local postmark (D2/Dorf-2), then struck again in field with manuscript notation alongside for 12m tax for being overweight (double the 6m fee for additional 30g) - but as frank demonetized by the time the cover arrived in TEL AVIV, it was simply taxed double the regular 30g letter rate (10m) without regard to being overweight - highly unusual reason for taxation - and marked by Mandate "To Pay" box cachet; tax paid using vertical pair 1st Postage Dues issue franks on 2nd official day of use in TEL AVIV, 31-5-1948 (the relatively late arrival may be due to military operations near Pardess Hanna in mid-late May). Opened at back, vertical fold; remarkable 3 postal authority cover, Tsachor certified. The local trilingual postmark entered use 1 July.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. 1948 waived taxed late interim mail: 23 MY 1948 commercial cover from KARKUR to HAIFA franked 10m using now demonetized and invalid interim frank (Herzl Ba7) as of 23 May; this not initially accepted by local clerk who circled the frank and stamped the cover with reintroduced Mandate postmark (D3/Dorf-4) on blank field and marked the cover with "To Pay" boxed cachet - but this overruled and box cachet struck out (a possible favor by the manager), and mail accepted for delivery in spite of the postage dues markings; opened gently at back. Very late and highly unusual interim franked cover. Karkur received the Israeli trilingual postmark on 1 July. Very fine. Here a 3-postal period cover.

(Image 1) (Image 2)

(Image)

Israel. Haifa 'provisional' Doar Ivri postage dues: 24-5-1948 local HAIFA printed-matter commercial cover on Shell Co. stationary, franked 3m per period printed-matter rate using Mandate Pictoral (Ba 91) - but this demonetized as of 16 May; frank tied by Head Post Office trilingual postmark (index Alef) contrary to regulations, but cover still marked for 6m tax (double deficiency) using "T" cachet & boxed "To Pay" cachet: this paid using vertical pair 3m rouletted Doar Ivri stamps (Ba 1c) cancelled by Haifa "T" cachet & tied by same-day Head Post Office postmark (index Bet) - local postage dues practice from 20-31 May prior to use of 1st Postage Dues franks in Haifa on 1 June; very fine & rare genuine 'provisional' Postage Dues franking; unsealed per printed-matter registered; certified Tsachor - Aloni, from Yaakov Shabtai Coll. Estimated value $1500-2500.

(Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

(Image)