ŠAKIAI

In tsaristic postmarks we see the Lithuanian place Šakiai indicated as ШАКИ (SHAKI). This last name ia more like the German indication Schaken. The Polish name is Szaki. The place is situated in the government Suwalki, СУВАЛКСКАЯ (SUWALKSKAYA). The postmark, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 13,928 x 8,695 cm (is something more as the postal item).

Šakiai, here Schaki, is located in the north of Government Suwalki. Part of the map, not resized, 'Westrussland' (Western Russia) from the encyclopedia 'Meyers Konversations-Lexicon', 6e Aufl., 1905-1909.

I suppose that the arrival postmark ТРШКИ (TRISHKI) is the indication for the Lithuanian Tryskiai, in the government Kovno. In the postmark, here resized 50 %, we see КОВ? (KOV?) КПВ is not an abbrevation of a government and I cannot find another place in Russia with this name.

SIAULIAI

In the postmark of this card we see ШАВЛИ (SHAVLI), the Russian indication for the Lithuanian place Siauliai. The German name is Schaulen and in Polish it is Szawle. The postmark, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 14,004 x 9,051 cm (is something more as the postal item).

On this card we see again a postmark of ШАВЛИ (SHAVLI), but with another serial letter. The postmark, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 14,029 x 9,051 cm (is something more as the postal item).

SKUODAS

Card, sent from ШКУДЫ (ŠKUDY}, also in the government -see abbreviation in the postmark- КОВНО (Kovno). The Russian name is almost the same as the Polish name: Szkudy. The Lithuanian name is Skuodas. The German name is Schoden or Johannesberg. Original print size of this image: 14,258 x 9,127 cm (is something more as the postal item).

A very short time it was Johannesberg, renamed after and by Joannes Chodkiewics, who gives Skuodas city rights on 17 Mai 1572 and ruled the city at that time. St. John Baptist, his patron saint -and of the city- we find in the coat of arms of Skuodas: his head on a platter (see Mi. 526, scanned 150dpi, not resized).

A landscape on the other side of the card:

From 1795 the historic town Skuodas belongs to the Wilna (Vilnius) government, and from 1843 to the Kovno government. In 1915 it was connected by a new railroad: the 'army-line', constructed by the Germans, between Riga and Klaipeda through the city. The 'city' (now about 9100-9200 inhabitants) is located near the Latvian border (2 km) in the northwest of Lithuania (40 kn from the Baltic Sea). In World War II Skuodas is largely destroyed.

On the card we see the (only type) double-ring-cancel of Skuodas. Skuodas has also had a numeral cancel: no. 846, triangular cancellation with truncated corner for the sub-post offices, as alongside. There is also a one-ring cross-date cancel known of Skuodas.

TAURAGĖ

In the Order of the Main Postal Administration of 31 May 1858 (no. 1847) numerical dot cancellations were also introduced for the border Post offices: oval dotted cancels with number 1 - 9. In the baltic there was one border Post office: ТАУРОГЕНЪ (TAUROGEN), with the Lithuanian name Tauragė.

Here the oval numeral cancel -number 9- of Tauragė.

For comparison and to see the difference: the oval numeral cancel number 6: Odessa

The image of the stamps above is not resized 25 %, but 50 %.

ТАУРОГЕНЪ (TAUROGEN), Tauragė in Lithuanian, was a border place, so it is located on the map near the border:


Part of the map, not resized, 'Westrussland' (Western Russia) from the encyclopedia 'Meyers Konversations-Lexicon', 6e Aufl., 1905-1909. In this time Wirballen (in russian Werzbolowo, in Lithuanian Virbalis) was more important as border station: the railway from Kaunas.Kowno was running via Wirballen to Eydkuhnen anf further in Germany.

Card, 1899, with the one-ring postmark of ТАУРОГЕНЪ (TAUROGEN) Original print size of this image: 14,486 x 9,153 cm (is something more as the postal item). The postmark, resized 50 %:

Right: the backside of the card, written 14-4-1899.

TELSIAI

This card is sent from ТЕЛЬШИ (TELSHI), the Lithuanian Telsiai to ВИЬНА (WILNA), Vilnius. The postmarks, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 14,207 x 9,308 cm (is something more as the postal item).

Here you see another card from ТЕЛЬШИ (TELSHI). Original print size of this image: 13,953 x 9,025 cm (is something more as the postal item). The postmark, resized 50 %:

TRYSKIAI
See: the arrival postmark on a card from Šakiai:


UKMERGĖ

Here a cover from ВИЛКОМИРЪ (WILKOMIR) -the Lithuanian name is Ukmergė- sent, frank-free, 2 IV 1903. The cover is sent to the 1th department of the Library of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, librarian Volter. The sender is the parish school of Vilkomir (with A-number). Also is indicated an address in St. Petersburg on the Vasiljev island (with also A-number). The one-ring cross-date postmark, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 19,922 x 12,709 cm (is something more as the postal item).

The wax seal on the backside seems really official: it is the seat of the parish-school of Vilkomir. Also an arrival-postmark 4 IV 1903 of St. Petersburg, resized 50 %.

Here a another cover from ВИЛКОМИРЪ (WILKOMIR) sent registered 13-7-1911, but departed/arrived (local) on 16-7-1911 The printed text on the cover means: sworn/official solicitor/agent. The cover is sent to some district-meetiing (?) The postmark is a double circle cancellation, resized 50 %:

Original print size of this image: 19,973 x 13,750 cm (is something more as the postal item).

Here, resized 50 %, the official wax seal on the backside looks official The other postmark is postmark of ВИЛКОМИРЪ (WILKOMIR, 13-7-1911. Wilkomir, north of Kaunas/Kowno on the map (resized 50%): Part of the map 'Westrussland' (Western Russia) from the encyclopedia 'Meyers Konversations-Lexicon', 6e Aufl., 1905-1909

VILKAVIŠKIS

Vilkaviškis is the Lithuanian name for the Russian ВОЛКОВЫЩКИ (VOLKOVIŠKI) The german name is Wilkowischken, de Poolse naam Wilkowyszki. Original print size of this image: 14,029 x 9,127 cm (is something more as the postal item). The other side of the card: picture concerning New Year. I suppose the card is sent 25-10-1912, arrival postmark Riga 26-10-1912. .

Postage due cachet

1 kopeke

The card is send to Riga -see adress and arrival-postmark-, and has also a postage due cachet: ДОПЛАТИТЬ (DOPLATIT) = 'To pay'. The stamp of 1 kopeke was not enough: the rate for postcards inland and abroad was -since 20 may 1979- 3 kopeke.

A money transfer from Vilkaviškis, in Russian ВОЛКОВЫЩКИ (VOLKOVIŠKI),sent 6-9-1909 to Warsaw, arrival 9-9-1909. Original print size of this image: 12,751 x 14,741 cm (is something more as the postal item). On the formular we see at the top ПЕРЕВОДЪ ПО ПОЧЬ (PEREVOD PO POCHTE) = 'Transfer by post'. An article in Rossica gives a translation of the regulations of money transfer in 1909 (see literature here below). Under this text we see that the amount - here 8 - in ruble must filled in. The amount must also be written a second time in full (article 229). Right -above the stamps- is the text МЕСТО ДЛЯ ПАРСИЬ = 'Space for stamps'. According to the regulations the sender has to affix the stamp on the front-side on this marked place (article 227). Left at the top we see -partly- the imperial coat of arms, so this formular is issued by the post. It was allowed to print formulars privately, but under strict conditions and regulations (paper etc., article 224), the coat of arms was not allowed to print on privately issued formulars.

Postmark (resized 50 %):

Rate here is 15 kopeke for a transfer of 8 Ruble and that is right. In the postal regulations of 1909 chapter 7 refers to the transfer of money. In article 225 we find the rates: From 1 to 25 ruble :cost 15 kop. (this money transfer) Further: from 25 to 100: 25 kop. - from 100 to 125: 40 kop. from 125 to 200: 50 kop. -- from 200 to 225: 65 kop. from 225 to 300: 75 kop. -- from 300 to 325: 90 kop. from 325 to 400: 1 ruble -- from 425 to 500: 1 rub. 25 kop. from 500 to 525: 1 rub. 40 kop. -- from 525 to 600: 1 rub. 50 kop. from 600 to 625: 1 rub 65 kop. -- from 625 to 700: 1 rub. 75 kop. from 700 to 725: 1 rub. 90 kop. -- from 725 to 800: 2 ruble from 800 to 825: 2 rub. 15 kop. -- from 825 to 900: 2 rub. 25 kop. from 900 to 925: 2 rub. 40 kop. -- from 925 to 1000: 2 rub. 50 kop. from 1000 to 1025: 2 rub. 65 kop. -- from 1025 to 1100: 2 rub. 75 kop. etc. from 4925 to 5000 (maximum): 12 rub. 50 k. Further: in steps to the maximum amount of 5000 ruble.

Further we see:

Registering (resized 50 %):

Postmark (resized):

Here left the postmark with the indication LOMZHINSKOI GUB.(ernii), district Lomzha. This type postmark we see also on other cards, bur the meaning is not clear. Maybe an indication of 'paid'. In a money transfer from Vilnius to Mercinė we see on this place a postmark like this, meaning 'Paid'.

Backside:

On the -German- map (1905-1909) we see the German name: Wilkowischki, something below the railway beteeen Kowno/Kaunas and the German border. Part of the map, not resized, 'Westrussland' (Western Russia) from the encyclopedia 'Meyers Konversations-Lexicon', 6e Aufl., 1905-1909

More about this subject:

Geldoverschrijvingen de regels van 1909 / Jan Kaptein, Gary Combs en Edward Bubis. - In: Het Baltische Gebied 2004 ; 45. - p. 48-50

From the 1909 postal regulations / tranl. by Gary Combs and Edward Bubis. - In: Rossica 2002 ; 139. - 13-15

The transfer of money by mail in the Russian empire / by A.S. Ilyushin. - In: The Post-Rider 1998 ; no. 42. - p. 48-55. In this article also the rates and also up to 5000 ruble.

ŽAGARĖ

ЖАГОРЫ (ŽAGORY) is the Russian name for the Lithuanian place Žagarė. In the postmark you see again the indication of the government КОВНО (Kovno). The Polish name is Zagory and the German name is Schagarren. Original print size of this image: 13,978 x 8,847 cm (is something more as the postal item). The city Žagarė is mentioned already in 1198 and so one of the oldest cities of Lithuania. Before Worls War II is was a more important place, with a great Jewish community (14.000). Now it is very little: the whole population is 2.500 people.

Enlargement of the postmark:

The other side with the picture, with a poem of the Latvian poet Janis Akuraters. The Sovjetlatvian encyclopedia mention him as 'reakcionars romantikis'. The Latvian text is in the old spelling (before 1920):

Žagarė, here Shagory, very near on the border of government Kowno. Something westward the railway-junction Mosheiki (Mažeikiai in Lithuanian) is located.

Detail of the map, not resized, 'Russische Ostsee-Provinzen' from from the encyclopedia 'Meyers Konversations-Lexicon', 6e Aufl., 1905-1909