Turkey (Local Post)
Liannos City Post Local Issue
Complete set of three stamps issued in 1865 for Liannos City Post.
Named after the Greek businessman, Liannos, who received a contract to deliver mail in Constantinople (Istanbul), the Liannos City Post was intended to address a problem with delivery of mail that was not addressed in the Arabic script that would be readable for employees of the Ottoman Empire postal service. The company signed a 6 year contract starting from December 1865 to deliver mail at rates based on the distance from the city centre. Unfortunately revenues were not what was expected and, as a result, the company declared bankruptcy on March 31, 1867 after its employees had gone on strike because of non-payment of wages. The company also failed to pay the cost of the recess printed stamps to Perkins, Bacon and Co. of London. The printers may have put remainders on sale for the philatelic market to recover costs. There were also large quantities of stamps in the hands of customers who had no warning of the suspension of service and these may also have made their way to philatelic markets.
Bibliography
Togay, Uzay. "Liannos City Post of Constantinople."