FRANCE - ODESSA

I am looking for information related to entire letters from Marseille/France (both) to Odessa (Simoni).
One is dated 8 november 1847 and the other is dated 21 septembre 1850. The letters are showing the
effects of two disinfection procedures: three vertical slits (two at the bottom, one at the top) and
several heavy punch holes from a rastel.

There are no postal marks, no disinfection cachet either disinfection officer number.
In 1840-1849 Russia was suffered from Cholera ("Disinfected Mail" by Meyer, page 290). All
disinfected letters from Marseille to Nicola Simone in Odessa.

I have seen have three or four marginal slits and irregular arranged punch holes. I think this is the
typical pattern for Odessa and was already used in the 1830s. The reason that these letters don't show
postal marks maybe that they were transported privately.

I also scanned a letter coming from Odessa to Genova. From the same period of time. The letter shows
this time the needed postal marks and the effects of two disinfection procedures:

The three vertical slits (two at the top, one at the bottom) and several heavy punch holes from
a rastel. The pattern of the punch holes seems to be more regular.
But they are no disinfection cachet either disinfection officer number.

The letter shows the same pattern (marginal slits + punch holes) which is characteristic for the
quarantine station in Odessa. The postmark from Odessa on front of the letter was used from 1845 to
1856 (Postmarks of the Russian Empire by A. Gadlin). The Russian cachets of the quarantine stations
are really hard to find and high priced. There is a listing of these cachets in the newsletters of our study
circle: Pratique XXXIV #1 and #2. If you don't have them I will digitalize them tomorrow.
In Giorgio Migliavacca anthology "CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY OF MAIL DISINFECTION
IN IMPERIAL RUSSIA" he describes the same double pattern of three slits and punch holes done at
Odessa.

I attach a letter sent from Odessa to Genoa, December 13/25, 1854. It has same pattern of three slits,
two in the lower part and one in the upper one and three rows of punch holes. D.A.a.L for "Due
Austria in Lire"-45. In the right side the Odessa p.o. cachet. "6" centesimi. It was sent via Vienna,
cancelled on the back 25/1.

Russia

Russia: Disinfection Postmarks, 1835-1916: A Classification, by Vladimir Tyukov and V. Denis

Vandervelde, pioneers a method of classification for the various disinfection cachets and wax seals
found on mail mainly from Southern Russia. (Pratique, Vol. 34, No. 1, Spring 2010. Disinfected Mail
Study Group, V. Denis Vandervelde, 25 Sinclair Grove, London NW11 9JH, England, United
Kingdom.)