LEVANT

Quality: ✉

1854 Turkey, stampless folded letter (complete) sent from Ayvalik to Lyon, France and posted on December 18th, having travelled by land to Smyrna where it got on a boat on December 30th (according to the postmark on the front) and then travelled to Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, in Greece (this despite the fact that the distance between Ayvalik and Mytilene is only a few kilometers over the strait separating them), faint but clearly visible "Mitelin" handstamp, together with framed "PAQUEBOTS DE LA MEDITERRANÉE" postmark in red alongside, French transit and arrival c.d.s.' on the back, a fascinating and scarce cover, signed Gregory Todd, vf