Peter Ashford collection 3: Rokhlin family correspondence

In Part Three of Imperial Stamps Used in Transcaucasia, published in 1978, Peter Ashford lists the cancellations of  BYELYI KLYUCH - a place which he describes as a "hill resort .... where many well-to-do Tiflissians sought to escape the oppressive heat of July and August" (page 159). He goes on to list a Type 5 cancellation and records its use only in the Independence period, on a 7 kop Letter card to which a 60 kop Georgian stamp has been added. Here is that card (click on images to magnify):

This is an item of Rokhlin family correspondence, and Serge Rokhlin's Romeko partner, Arnold Meckel [ or maybe his son; but the name MECKEL provides the - ME of Ro - Me - Ko[mpanie]] has provided an English translation for Peter Ashford. 

Philatelically, the card shows early use of the St George 60 kopeck - on white paper (from the first printing) and imperforate (the imperforate stamps were issued first). Glue has been used to stick the stamp to the card which is a little surprising since these first printing stamps are normally gummed (with clear white gum). Maybe the gum was so clear that it was invisible!

Stamps of Georgia 1919 - 1923

I just sent a collector of St George some of the first stamps of Independent Georgia.

I have never understood why they are not more popular. They are nicely designed and printed. There are shade, paper, perforation and gum varieties. There are colour trials and unissued values available at quite modest prices (under 50 euro). Postally used, they are not that hard to find, though a good cover is going to cost over 100 euro - but a good cover from Armenia at this time is going to cost over 1000.

Importantly, there are no recorded reprints or forgeries of the basic stamp. So they can be safely collected even by a novice.

I think one thing which deters collectors is the later stamps of the 1919 - 1923 period which include an array of unattractive rubber handstamp overprints in numerous types and colours. Though these have never been much forged, they are tedious to classify - unless you like that sort of thing. The work of classification has been done by specialists (Ashford, Ceresa) so the collector has a ready - made guide.

Those who dislike messy overprints could stick with the first St George (and Queen Tamara) issues. They provide enough variety to comfortably fill an album or make an exhibit