I collect stamps from Bulgaria and am aware that there was a French Consular Post Office in Varna operating from 1857 to 1876. The office initially used the dots in a diamond pattern with the small font number (4018) and around 1862 switched to a diamond pattern with a larger font number (5013). I've recently encountered a larger font 4018 that is reportedly from Bouche du Rhone. My questions are:
1. Is there a good English language source for general information about French cancellations of the period?
2. Was the movement from small to large numerals a general revision across all French post offices?
3. Did most post offices retain the same number before and after the conversion?
4. What post office, if any, had 5103 with small numerals?
5. Lastly, is there a good general reference on the functioning of consular post offices in the Ottoman empire at this time. Who could use the services? Rates? Coordination with Ottoman postal services? Routings to the home countries? etc.
Thanks so much. This is very helpful and certainly a great response to my first ever thread initiation.
Is there an accessible list of numbers and the post offices that match?
And lastly since you aren't aware of anything in English, can you suggest a source in French? Perhaps the Y&T France catalog? Or would I need something more specialized?
