Lombardy-Venetia 10 Soldi Blue, Used in Austrian Levant Post Office (Preveza)

Austrian Empire · 1865 · 10 soldi

This 10 soldi blue stamp, originally issued for the Austrian crown land of Lombardy-Venetia, was used by the Austrian Post Offices operating within the Ottoman Empire. The specific example bears a cancellation from the Preveza post office, a significant port city in present-day Greece.

The Austrian Empire maintained a network of post offices in the Ottoman Empire (known as the Levant) to facilitate trade and communication. Stamps from Lombardy-Venetia were often used in these offices, reflecting the complex political geography and postal administration of the era.