Description
Israeli "no service" marks on mail from Arab states: 30 MAY 1950 airmail cover from EAST JERUSALEM (Jordan) to MODENA, franked 75m per postage period rate to Europe using mixed franking of the 1st + 2nd definitives & tied by 2 strikes of local postmark; backstamped 31 V 50 BEYROUTH transit; arrived in Italy but as addressee left, cover marked on back in Italian manuscript + "AL MITTENTE" ('return to sender') instructional marking handstamp tied twice on front: as return addressed only as "JERUSALEM" without county written, mis-routed via ISRAEL, where marked by (WEST) JERUSALEM Post Office "PAS DE SERVICE VIA ISRAEL" instructional marking handstamp K-Type-II.2 on back, censored & resealed by Gladstone Type-7b with unlisted "Yud 1026" & returned to sender - here to the Italian address: at this stage, in light of the original reason for non-delivery, the local Italian post office noted "Transjordan" in Italian, in ink below the addressee's details and overwrote those with the AR initials for "advice of receipt", with an arrow pointing to the return addess on back. A circuituitous journey. Rare: less than 30 covers known stamped by T-II.2. Opened gently at back.