Today we launch a monthly feature, ‘Your Favourites’ starting with
a cover from the Kherson zemstvo post from Gilbert M. Rios

This beautiful cover was carried by the Kherson (Херсон) zemstvo post on 2 October 1910. It is franked with a dark blue 5 kopek stamp (1909 issue: Schmidt No. 13; Chuchin No. 11). Posted at the post office of the capital of the district, it was sent to the village court of Zaselle (Заселье – Zasillya on current Ukrainian maps) by the road to Vavylov (Вавиловo – Vavylove on current Ukrainian maps). Zaselle is about 55 km north-west of Kherson. On the stamp, there is a superb oval violet cancellation of the main office “Khersonskii – Zemstvo Post Office” (Херсонскій – Земскій почтовій пункть). It is one of the most beautiful letters known from Kherson (there are few in fact). This cover belonged to the collection of Simon Wiesenthal (the well-known Nazi hunter after the 2nd World War) who was born in 1908 at Buczacz, a small town in Galicia belonging to the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time and today in Ukraine. I acquired this cover from Maxime J.Citerne, a member from BSRP and a recognized expert in the field of zemstvo post.

Coming next…Mail route to and from Europe. Interruption of Siberia route by Russian Civil War from Hong Xaiao

(If you would like a favourite of yours to be featured on our website and our recently launched Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/British-Society-of-Russian-Philately-343066336772511 please forward your text and jpeg image(s) to secretary@bsrp.org.)