Lot 20284 – 1941 Greek military postcard used by an Italian in the Ionian Islands with four-line tax handstamp

1941 (May 13) Greek military postcard from an Italian “Black Shirt” in the P.M. 2 located in the Ionian Islands and sent to Reggio Emilia in the first two weeks of occupation, showing the pre-printed text and effigy of the King George of Greece crossed out, with adjacent manuscript text by the sender “A morte Re Giorgio – fu di Grecia – W il Duce” (“death to King George – who was of Greece – Long live the Duce”), showing the four-line tax handstamp reading “Da Consegnarsi con l’Applicazione della Tassa/Semplice Stabilita per le Corrispondenze per/l’interno (Autorizz, Ministle Postgen N° 52180/del 5 Settembre 940 XVIII)” (Astolfi p. 9), which is extremely rare used on mail from the Ionian Islands; illustrated on page 115 in the Sirotti handbook as “molto raro”.