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 of the Russian post in the Ottoman Empire were issued; according to the Scott catalog, 231 stamps. The postage stamps of the Russian post in the Ottoman Empire bore the inscriptions “Wrapper item to the East,” “ROPiT,” and “Eastern Correspondence.”
In the mid-19th century, Russia conducted brisk trade with Turkey, which needed light-industry goods. Various fabrics, sugar, matches, etc. were supplied to Turkey. In return, it sent to Russia the so-called “colonial goods”—coffee, tobacco, spices, etc. Due to the absence of a direct railway route, cargo was transported across the Black Sea. But Turkey had almost no merchant fleet. Then the Russian Steam Navigation and Trading Company (abbreviated ROPiT) was organized. In 1856, this company was also entrusted with the functions of the Russian post in Turkey.
ROPiT delivered mail between various branches and also forwarded correspondence destined for Russia via Odessa. In 1863, ROPiT branches received a status similar to ordinary Russian post offices.
In 20 cities of that country, postal agencies were opened through which the mail was carried. All postal items (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 denomination of 6 kopecks per 1 lot (1/32 of a pound or 12.797 g), was intended for sending printed publications to Turkey as a wrapper item: 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 “wrapper item 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 miniature stamps of original designs were issued depicting a steamship and the tsarist eagle. Instead of the words “postage stamp,” which appeared on all all-Russian stamps, “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 full control of all mail in Turkey and issued the first state stamps with the inscription “Eastern Correspondence,” but without the tsarist emblem. These postage-payment signs were sold in ROPiT Russian postal agencies and came in various colors. They had a surcharge with a new price. They remained in use until 1900. In that year, all-Russian postage stamps were issued with a surcharge showing a new price in paras and piastres. In 1909, such surcharges were made on ROPiT jubilee stamps issued in Russian currency, but they did not enter postal circulation.
In 1909–1910, on these postage-payment signs, in addition to the surcharge of the new price, additional overprints were made with the names of 13 Turkish cities where these stamps were sold.
Later, Turkish-currency surcharges were applied to the general-issue state stamps of Russia that were in circulation at that time.
Russian postal offices were closed in connection with the outbreak of the World War in 1914, in which Turkey sided against Russia.