1896

In 1896 the Romanian Post Office decided to open an office in Constantinople to handle mail to Romania.
Opposition was voiced by the Austrian Post Office, the main provider of international mail services.
This resulted in permission for opening an office in Constantinople being denied.
To get around this decision the Romanian Steamship Company decided to moor a ship in the harbour at Constantinople, and open the ship's T.P.O. to accept mail from the main land.
On 16 March 1896 overprinted stamps were put on sale, however on 25 May the office was closed.
This was due to continued pressure from the Austrian Post Office. The Turkish police and officials from the Austrian Post Office boarded the Romanian ship, seizing the stamps and mail. Allegedly the mail was thrown overboard by Austrian officials.

The stamps issued for use in the Romanian post office in Constantinople were contemporary Romanian stamps, showing King Carol I, overprinted in Turkish currency. The stamps were from the issue introduced in 1893, with the 5 bani (blue), 10 bani (emerald) and 25 bani (bright mauve) being overprinted with the values 10 para, 20 para and 1 piastre respectively.

The unoverprinted stamps come in three different perforation varieties, P13½, P11½ and a compound of P13½ and P11½. In addition to these perforation varieties there may also exist other varieties caused by the use of various types of paper, and also watermark varieties on the original stamps. The stamps were watermarked with "P R", the original issue in 1893 having a watermark 11mm tall, but in 1895 a second type measuring 13½ - 14½mm tall was introduced. Unfortunately I do not have any information on the existence or otherwise of these varieties.

Last but not least the overprints were done in two colours, black and mauve.

Philatelic cover with full set of 3 overprinted in black cancelled 22 April 1896

The table below is a basic guide to the stamps.

As well as the stamps there was also a postal stationary card issued. This, like the stamps, was an overprinted version of an already in use card. It was a 10 bani card overprinted to the value of 20 para. The postal stationary card was also overprinted in black and violet. The violet overprint is reasonably common, however I have yet to see a card with the black overprint.

The postmark used was a circular date stamp inscribed “POSTA – ROMANA * COSPOLI”, with the date horizontally across the center of the postmark, i.e. “21APR896”. Above the top of the cancel there is an ornate design. The postmark was struck in a dark violet colour.

I do not know if the Romanian Post Office provided a registration service from this office.

In addition to the above postmark some covers / cards can be found with additional cancels, or labels, of the Orient Express. Whilst these are of interest they are essentially transit marks and have no connection to the Romanian Post Office. 

After the end of the First World War the Romanian postal authority decided to open a post office in Constantinople, due to an expected upturn in trade. To this end contemporary Romanian stamps were overprinted for use at the office. The office was opened in 1919 and was in operation until 1922/3 (?). Five values were overprinted with a circular overprint reading "POSTA ROMANA - CONSTANTINOPOL" with the year "1919" and the initials of the postal authority in the centre. The values overprinted were 5 b, 10 b, 15b, 25b and 40b, as well as a 5 b postal tax stamp. The original stamps were issued in three different perforation varieties, P13½, P11½ and a perf Compound of P13½ and P11½. Inverted overprints occur on all values, but not on all perf varieties. Other overprint varieties include double, misplaced, and poor quality overprints.

Forged overprints do exist in these issues, but the main identifying trait of the forgeries is that in the genuine overprints the second "T" in "CONSTANTINOPOL" has a small gap between the upright and the horizontal parts of the letter.

The values and perforation varieties are shown in the table below.

The exact dates that the office opened and closed are unknown. Although the earliest postmark I have seen is dated ?? August 1919.

The postmark used is a double circular date stamps, outer circle 31.5mm, inner circle 20.5mm. It is inscribed “POSTES ROUMAINES * CONSTANTINOPLE”. The date is horizontally across the center of the postmark in the format, “17 * 10 * 919”. The postmark is generally found in black, although blue and blue-black are also know.

Forged postmarks exist, but are generally easily identified, most have the date in the postmark at right angles to the genuine cancels, the date format is also different, “26 JUL 919”. Forged postmarks can be found in black, blue and red.

During the 1919 to 1922/3 period the Romanian office provided a registration service, and used labels to indicate that the item was registered.

Prior to the official opening it is believed that the office of Romanian Steamship Company unofficially accepted items for posting, however there were no postal marking applied. I have one example of a postcard written in Constantinople and dated 17 January 1919, with Romanian stamps applied, where the stamps have a pencil cancel and what looks to be a manuscript instructional note, that he item be transferred by sea.