Catalogues usually refer to them under the name Revolutionary Assembly.
  2 Members like this post. Login to Like.
Harvey I think, therefore I am - I think! 29 Apr 2021 11:47:29am
re: unknown country
I have the green one and for years had no idea what it was and put it with my Russia BOB with my Russia Offices in Crete. I eventually identified it but left it where it was so I knew where it was. There's all kinds of weird stuff out there, that's part of the fun!!
When the western powers occupied Crete and enabled the creation of the autonomous Cretan state, Italy, Britain, Russia and France each initially took responsibility for the administration of a province of Crete.
The province administered by Russia was based in Rethymno (also called Rethymnon etc.) on the north coast and this is why we have RETYMNO at the top of these stamps.
And, yes, the genuine stamps are always as badly printed as this!
The main symbol is the double-headed eagle of Imperial Russia.
Below the eagle it says in French, "TIMBRE POSTE PROVISOIRE" (provisional postage stamp).
The face value is 1 metalik (10 paras).
The round purple mark is a control stamp that was applied to the stamps as here with a quarter of this on each stamp.
The straight line (Greek) RETHYMNON handstamp is the Rethymno postmark, here applied CTO on each stamp.
These stamps were printed individually with a handstamp so the placement is uneven.
The vertical and horizontal lines are pencil guidelines made before the stamps were printed.
The Russian administration was a serious matter but the postage stamps appear to have been an afterthought following the successful introduction of similar stamps in the British area.
This Russian postal service only lasted from May to July 1899.