Historama Autumn Mail Auction #5

1948 Egyptian seizure of mail to Israel: 22-3-1948 surface mailed reg. cv ex CHELYABINSK (USSR) to BEIT ALFA (scarce destination), franked 1.90R & tied by 3 strikes of local pmk; b/s 31-3-48 MOSCOW transit; as surf. mail cv probably routed via UK on to EGYPT (as mail origin located E. of Pal.), where as of early April mail to Jews in Palestine is seized, censored & returned to sender, as done here - opened/resealed using K-type-A label (though w/o censor h/s). Such mail generally held by Egypt 3-4 months before being returned: no further USSR postal markings but cv b/s 24-4-1949 HAIFA & next day AFFULA transits - 399 day transit time (longest recorded of this type of mail).