DISINFECTION / AUSTRIA / RUSSIA 1879

Registered cover from St Petersburg to Venice franked 2k and 8k pair, disinfected at the Austrian frontier town of Szczakowa with disinfection slits, the reverse bearing a perforated yellow label “Verwahrungs – Siegel / wegen Desinfection. / K.K. Postamt Szczakowa.”. Also a front from the French Post Office at Alexandrette bearing France 25c, with disinfection slits and a similar yellow disinfection label from Podwoloczyska. These rare yellow labels were only used on disinfected mail for a very short period in the Spring of 1879.