The crescent-star Ottoman Empire stamps were issued between 1865 and 1882. Since the printing plates were prepared by a French engraver, Monsieur Dulos, these stamps are also known as Duloz stamps.
Within this period, a total of six different types of postage and revenue (tax) stamps were printed and used. Although there are six distinct types, they share many common design features.
In the background design, the monetary value of the stamp is written in Arabic numerals in all four corners. At the center, there is an upward-facing crescent and star. Around the crescent-star, there is an elliptical band.
On this band, in the upper, right, and left sides, the text “Posta-i Devlet-i Osmaniye” (Post of the Ottoman State) is printed in black typographic print, and on the lower side the value of the stamp is written in Ottoman script (this black overprint is not shown in the left-hand illustration).
Differences in the upper part of this black inscription (the word “DEVLET”) are used to distinguish the various types of these stamps. Below, the upper inscriptions of all six types are shown.
In some issues, little care was taken with the printing, so many color varieties, double prints, smudges, misaligned prints, perforation errors, and similar errors are encountered. In some post offices, due to a shortage of stamps, stamps were cut in half with scissors and used as halves. In addition, many forgeries of these stamps were produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
There is another difference, not widely known and not mentioned in Turkish catalogues or sources, but noted in the Turkey section of the German Michel catalogue. Between the stamps with values below 5 kuruş and those with higher values, there are structural and textural differences.
The shapes in the inner corners of the numerals written in Ottoman script differ, and the texture inside the ellipse surrounding the crescent-star also differs.
Examples:
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Types of Duloz Stamps
Type I
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On 13 January 1865, postage and revenue stamps of various values and colors were printed with a perforation gauge of 12½.
Postage series consists of 8 stamps:
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Dark Green | 13 | 21 | ||
| 20 para | Yellow | 14 | 22 | ||
| 20 para | Yellow (without rays) | 15 | 23 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Lilac-Grey | 16 | 24 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Lilac (without rays) | 17 | 25 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Blue | 18 | 26 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Carmine | 19 | 27 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Orange-Red | 20 | 28 |
Without rays: the star has no radiating lines
The most valuable stamp of the series is the 25 kuruş orange; therefore, many forgeries exist.
Regarding the 10 para green stamp, the Pulhan-68 catalogue mentions two different types/variants. This variation concerns the way “10 para” is written, illustrated below.
This variant is not mentioned in other catalogues or sources.
Revenue (tax) stamps were printed in 6 different values, and among these, the 10 para value (Pulko:21A, İsfila:29) was not used in circulation.
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Light Brown | 21A | 29 | Nonemi (not used) | |
| 20 para | Brown | 21 | 30 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Brown | 22 | 31 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Orange-Brown | 23 | 32 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Orange-Brown | 24 | 33 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Brown | 25 | 34 |
Type II
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Printed in 1867 as postage and fiscal stamps in various denominations and colors, with a perforation gauge of 12½.
The postage series consists of 6 different denominations (from 10 para to 25 kuruş). These are:
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Olive-Green | 26 | 35 | Nonemi | |
| 20 para | Straw Yellow | 27 | 36 | Nonemi | |
| 1 kuruş | Lilac | 28 | 37 | Nonemi | |
| 2 kuruş | Blue | 29 | 39 | Nonemi | |
| 5 kuruş | Carmine | 30 | 40 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Orange-red | 1500 | 31 | 38 |
Only the 2 kuruş and 5 kuruş stamps from this series were used in postal service; the others were not used. (Note: The Pulhan 68 catalog does not state that the 25 kuruş stamp was unused.) The print run of the 25 kuruş stamp is only 1500; therefore, many forgeries exist.
Postage due stamps were printed in 5 different denominations. These are:
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 para | Light Brown | 32 | 45 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Light Brown | 33 | 41 | Nonemi | |
| 2 kuruş | Light Brown | 34 | 42 | Nonemi | |
| 5 kuruş | Light Brown | 35 | 43 | Nonemi | |
| 25 kuruş | Light Brown | 36 | 44 | Nonemi |
Only the 20 para fiscal stamp was used in postal service; the others were not used. According to Pulhan, as of 1968, only 8 copies of the 25 kuruş postage due stamp existed in Turkey.
Type III – 1868–1873 Issues
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Between 1868 and 1873, the Ottoman Empire issued several Duloz stamps in different denominations and perforation measurements. The first group, released in 1868, consists of seven stamps with 13¼ perforation (Pulko & Pulhan 68 list them as 13½).
1868 Postage Series (13¼ perforation)
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Pink–Lilac | 37 | 46 | ||
| 10 para | Dirty Brown | 37a | — | Pulko & Pulhan 68 list this as a separate number. | |
| 20 para | Green | 38 | 47 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Brown–Yellow | 39 | 48 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Brick | 40 | 49 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Blue | 41 | 50 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Gray | 42 | 62 | İsfila lists the year as 1869. | |
| 25 kuruş | Brick–Red | 43 | 51 |
1868 Fiscal (Takse) Series – 13¼ perforation
A. Brick-colored frame & inscriptions
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 para | Brown | 45 | 52 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Brown | 46 | 53 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Brown | 47 | 54 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Brown | 48 | 55 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Brown | 49 | 56 |
B. Dark brown frame & inscriptions
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 para | Brown | 45a | 57 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Brown | 46a | 58 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Brown | 47a | 59 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Brown | 48a | 60 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Brown | 49a | 61 |
1871–1872 Postage Series (Irregular perforation 5–11½)
Due to malfunctioning perforation machinery, these stamps were perforated using a sewing machine, resulting in irregular perforation sizes between 5 and 11½.
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Dark Beige | 50 | 69 | ||
| 10 para | Brown–Lilac | 50a | 74 | ||
| 10 para | Pink–Lilac | 50b | 73 | ||
| 10 para | Gray–Lilac | 50c | Pulko lists separately. | ||
| 20 para | Green | 51 | 70 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Yellow | 52 | 71 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Brick | 53 | 75 | ||
| 5 kuruş | Blue | 54 | 80 | Printed in 1872. | |
| 5 kuruş | Gray | 55 | 72 | ||
| 25 kuruş | Brick–Red | 56 | 79 | Printed in 1872. |
Type IV – 1875 Issues
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In 1875, the Ottoman Empire issued a new Duloz series consisting of five postage stamps ranging from 10 para to 1 kuruş. These stamps were printed with 13½ perforation.
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Purple-Pink | 62 | 85 | Imperforate | |
| 10 para | Purple-Pink | 62a | 86 | ||
| 10 para | Lilac-Pink | 87 | Not listed in Pulko. | ||
| 20 para | Green | 63 | 88 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Yellow | 64 | 89 | ||
| 1 kuruş | Yellow | 90 | İsfila lists separately due to “Osmaniye” inscription variation. |
Type V – 1876 Surcharged Issues
In Type V and Type VI, the four-side typographic inscriptions are identical. Type V stamps were created by applying surcharges to Type VI stamps, altering their face values.
Issued in 1876, these stamps were printed in various denominations and colors with 13½ perforation. The series consists of five values ranging from ¼ pre to 5 pres.
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ pre | Lilac | 65 | 91 | Surcharge applied on 10 para | |
| ½ pre | Green | 66 | 92 | Surcharge applied on 20 para | |
| 1¼ pre | Pink | 67 | 93 | Surcharge applied on 50 para | |
| 2 pres | Orange–Yellow | 68 | 94 | Surcharge applied on 2 kuruş. Often cut in half and used as 1 kuruş. | |
| 5 pres | Gray–Blue | 69 | 95 | Surcharge applied on 5 kuruş. Due to plate flaws, variations such as “Prc”, “Prcs”, “Pics” exist. |
Notes:
İsfila lists the perforation as 13¼.
Type VI – 1876–1882 Issues
Between 1876 and 1882, the Ottoman Empire issued the final Duloz series with 13½ perforation. The series consists of eight stamps ranging from 10 para to 25 kuruş.
Two stamps - 5 kuruş blue and 25 kuruş pink - were not used in postal service (nonemi).
| Value | Color | Print run | Pulko No | İsfila No | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 para | Lilac | 70 | 99 | ||
| 10 para | Purple | 70a | Pulko & Pulhan 68 list separately due to color variation. | ||
| 20 para | Green | 71 | 100 | İsfila lists the printing year as 1877. | |
| 20 para | Light Beige–Gray | 72 | 102 | İsfila lists the printing year as 1882. | |
| 1 kuruş | Orange–Yellow | 73 | 98 | ||
| 2 kuruş | Flesh Color | 74 | 101 | İsfila lists the printing year as 1881. | |
| 5 kuruş | Gray–Blue | 75 | 96 | Nonemi (not used in postal service) | |
| 25 kuruş | Pink–Purple | 76 | 97 | Nonemi (not used in postal service) |
Notes:
İsfila lists the perforation as 13¼.
References
1- Michel Europa Catalogue 1995/96 West
2- Pulhan 1968 Turkish Stamps Catalogue XI
3- İsfila 2006 Turkish Stamps and Postal Stationery Catalogue
4- Pulko 2006 Ottoman and Republic of Turkey Postage Stamps Catalogue
