2nd auxiliary issue. Odessa issue.
The so-called "Odessa issues" of ROPiT appeared on the philatelic market in 1918–19, during the Russian Civil War. By all indications, these stamps had no connection to the post and possibly none to ROPiT either. The production of large numbers of varied, often nonsensical overprints and very primitive stamps of original design in different color schemes indicates the purely speculative nature of these issues. A well-known Odessa dealer, Trasztenberg, took a direct part in the production of the stamps.
Russian Post in the Ottoman Empire was a postal service of the Russian Empire that operated in various cities of the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century until September 1914. According to L. L. Lepeshinsky (1967), a total of 73 postage stamps were issued for the Russian Post in the Ottoman Empire; according to the Scott catalogue, 231 stamps. The stamps of the Russian Post in the Ottoman Empire bore the inscriptions "Band wrapper mailing to the East," "ROPiT," and "Eastern correspondence."
In the mid-19th century, Russia carried on brisk trade with Turkey, which needed light-industry goods. Turkey was supplied with various textiles, sugar, matches, etc. In return, it sent to Russia so-called "colonial goods"—coffee, tobacco, spices, and so on. Because there was no direct railway route, cargoes were transported across the Black Sea. But Turkey had almost no merchant fleet. Therefore, the Russian Steam Navigation and Trading Company was organized (abbreviated ROPiT). In 1856, this company was also entrusted with the functions of the Russian post in Turkey.
ROPiT carried mail between its various branches and also forwarded correspondence destined for Russia via Odessa. In 1863, ROPiT branches received a status similar to that of ordinary Russian post offices.
Postal agencies were opened in 20 cities of that country, through which the mail was handled. All postal items (band wrappers, letters, parcels, money orders, etc.) were paid for with special stamps, the revenue from which went to Russia. Special stamps were also issued for sending mail to Turkey. They are called Levant stamps (for Eastern correspondence).
The first stamp, with a face value of 6 kopecks per 1 lot (1/32 of a funt, or 12.797 g), was intended for sending printed matter to Turkey by band wrapper: newspapers, magazines, books. It was issued in 1863. The rectangular stamp depicted a double-headed eagle in the center, and around it in a circle the inscription "band wrapper mailing to the East." The same stamp, printed in a different color, was issued a second time in 1866.
Several stamps were issued for sending letters from Turkey. Thus, in 1865 two miniatures of original design were issued depicting a steamship and the imperial eagle. Instead of the words "postage stamp," which appeared on all all-Russian stamps, the inscription ROPiT was printed. Stamps with this inscription were issued two more times in 1866 and 1867. They were sold for Turkish currency, but their value was not indicated.
From 1868, the tsarist government took control of all the mail in Turkey and issued the first state stamps with the inscription "Eastern correspondence," but without the imperial emblem. These postage stamps were sold in the Russian postal agencies of ROPiT and came in various colors. They received an overprint of the new price. They remained in use until 1900. In that year, all-Russian postage stamps were issued with an overprint showing the new price in paras and piastres. In 1909, such overprints were made on the ROPiT jubilee stamps issued in Russian currency, but they did not enter postal circulation.
In 1909–1910, in addition to the overprint of the new price, further overprints were applied to these postage stamps with the names of 13 Turkish cities where these stamps were sold.
Later, overprints in Turkish currency were applied to the regular nationwide stamps of Russia that were in circulation at that time.
The Russian postal offices were closed with the outbreak of the World War in 1914, in which Turkey fought against Russia.