- The Region & Stamps: Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, French forces administered Cilicia. To create a functioning postal system, they overprinted captured Ottoman Turkey stamps. The reverse displays a massive multi-stamp franking block overprinted with the two-line typeset "T.E.O. / Cilicie". "T.E.O." stands for Territoires Ennemis Occupés (Occupied Enemy Territories).
- The "Dropped Dot" Error Variety: One of the stamps in this typeset configuration contains a classic, highly collected plating flaw: the dropped dot after the "O" of "T.E.O.". This means that during the manual typesetting process by the printing house, the metal period after the letter "O" slipped out of alignment and dropped below the baseline—a technical variety that drives strong interest among specialists.
- The Postmarks & Town Origin: The stamps are cleanly canceled by multiple strikes of the circular "ADANA" datestamp, which was the central capital and administrative hub of the Cilician region.
- The Rare Military Censor Mark: The center of the reverse features an exceptionally crisp, rare circular handstamp reading "* CONTRÔLE * POSTE (CILICIE)". This indicates formal, top-level political and military mail clearance by the French occupational authorities.
- The Destination & Front Markings (Image 2): The letter was sent to Monsieur Samuel Bezdikian at the Hotel Odano in Alexandria, Egypt. The front is highly advanced:
- It features a bold "Recommandée" (Registered) label designation and a boxed "R" registration mark numbered 376.
- It bears a bold boxed "A.R." handstamp (Avis de Réception / Advice of Receipt). This meant the sender paid an extra premium to receive a signed card back from Egypt proving the recipient physically accepted the envelope.
- The reverse shows a sharp, circular arrival datestamp reading "ALEXANDRIE (DELIVERY) / 21. VIII. 19. 12" (August 21, 1919), confirming a perfect mid-1919 timeline.
No quibble and free domestic returns.