1917, From KIEFF to Lyon, France, picture postcard titled Types
russes – Un Cosaque showing Cossack with horse, postcard with
preprinted
1917, From KIEFF to Lyon, France, picture postcard titled Types
russes – Un Cosaque showing Cossack with horse, postcard with
preprinted indicium in Cyrillic and French, message dated 16
decembre 1917, violet handstamp FRANCAISE EN RUSSIE indicating
French presence in Russia during final phase of World War I,
postcard sent during the chaotic months following the Russian
Revolution of February 1917 and before Bolshevik takeover, scarce
and historically significant postal usage from collapsing imperial
system with connection to Allied diplomatic or relief missions,
EXTREMELY FINE! expanded: from KIEFF, historic capital of the
former Principality of Kiev and administrative center of
southwestern Imperial Russia, to Lyon, France, major wartime
industrial hub and location of French military command structures,
picture postcard titled Types russes – Un Cosaque depicting mounted
Don Cossack in traditional uniform, emblematic of Tsarist military
forces, postcard bearing imprinted indicium with bilingual franking
in Cyrillic and French, consistent with Russo-French postal
agreements under the Universal Postal Union, message dated 16
décembre 1917, written during transitional Kerensky period after
abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917 and prior to the
seizure of power by Lenin and the Bolsheviks in Petrograd, violet
handstamp FRANCAISE EN RUSSIE applied by French military or
diplomatic post office, likely operated under auspices of the
Mission Militaire Française en Russie led by General Niessel,
presence indicative of continued French engagement in Eastern Front
operations and support of the Provisional Government, item
represents rare example of civilian correspondence intersecting
with international military operations and diplomatic presence
during one of the most volatile episodes of European modern
history, including the dissolution of the Eastern Front, withdrawal
of Russia from the Entente under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and
disintegration of the old imperial postal routes, ex Kugel, XF!
Estimate 400€.
