Date of use : 1912 Ottoman Empire

Rare Ottoman Postcard to Ernemann AG, Sent from Tschemie

This postcard was sent during the Ottoman Empire period from the district of Tschemie in the city of Smyrne (now the district of Çeşme in the province of İzmir, Turkey). The stamp on the card is considered rare, classified as an "R" type stamp. The recipient was Heinrich Ernemann A.G. (Aktiengesellschaft), a camera and equipment manufacturer located in Dresden, Germany. The company produced cameras, film projectors, and optical devices in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Heinrich Ernemann was born in 1850 in Görlitz, Germany, and was an entrepreneur and businessman. He began his career in the 1870s as a seller of photographic materials and later, in 1889, founded his own company in Dresden. The company's original name was "Heinrich Ernemann, Fabrik photographischer Apparate" (Heinrich Ernemann, Factory of Photographic Equipment). It quickly specialized in optical equipment and camera production, becoming one of the most prominent camera and optical equipment manufacturers in Germany. Ernemann is known for its wide range of products, including cameras, lenses, and projectors. The company produced various formats of cameras, catering to both amateur and professional photographers.

One of Ernemann's most famous products was the Ermanox camera. Introduced in 1924, this camera was equipped with high-speed shooting capabilities and lenses with a wide aperture (f/2). The Ermanox became particularly renowned for its ability to take photographs in low-light conditions, revolutionizing photojournalism of the time. In 1926, Heinrich Ernemann A.G. merged with three other German camera and optical equipment manufacturers (Carl Zeiss, Goerz, and Contessa-Nettel) to form Zeiss Ikon AG. This merger resulted in the creation of one of the world's largest camera and optical equipment manufacturers.

If we examine the information on the front of the card, it says "Nicolas A. Charalambidis, Çeşme, Asia Minor" as the sender's information. This phrase provides details about the sender's name and address. The term "Klein Asien" in German translates to "Asia Minor," referring to Anatolia, and Çeşme is a town on the Aegean coast of the Ottoman Empire. Charalambidis is likely an Ottoman citizen of Greek origin.

At the top of the card, there is the word "Enivon" printed in blue. This might be a localized adaptation of the French word "Envoyé" (meaning "sent") for the Ottoman postal system. This mark may indicate that the card's dispatch process was completed or that it passed through a specific postal station. The red mark at the bottom right corner is typically used by postal clerks. It could have been made to draw attention to the recipient's address, request special handling, or indicate that the card is of importance. Such marks are commonly seen, especially in international mail.

When we look at the back of the card, we can see German expressions. We can explain them as follows:

Tschemie (Çeşme) 10/5/12 Heinrich Ernemann, Dresden. "Ich bitte mir Ihre allerletzte Kataloge zukommen zu lassen und empfehle mich. Hochachtungsvoll, Nikolaus K. Charasow." (I kindly request you to send me your latest catalog and offer my regards. Respectfully, Nikolaus K. Charasow.)

The red handwriting on the card generally contains a checkmark or additional information related to the mail. The expression "Abschrift 18/5" is a term in German meaning "copy," indicating that a copy or duplicate of this card might have been made. Additionally, there is the writing "whallen" (possibly an abbreviation of "wählen" or another word) alongside the date "19/5" (or "18/5"). These kinds of red marks usually show a note made by the post office or an official institution regarding the delivery or processing of the card. These kinds of red marks typically indicate that the card has passed through the hands of a supervisor or postal worker and has been processed earlier. The word "Abschrift" likely shows that a copy or duplicate of the card was taken and recorded.

Record Information

Title: Rare Ottoman Postcard to Ernemann AG, Sent from Tschemie

Category: Photographic Industry History / Ottoman Postal History

Subcategory: International Trade / Commercial Correspondence

Country: Ottoman Empire → Germany

City: Tschemie (Çeşme) → Dresden

Date of use: 10 May 1912 (postmark and message date)

Sender: Nicolas A. Charalambidis (Nikolaus K. Charasow), Çeşme, Asia Minor. Likely an Ottoman citizen of Greek origin.

Company (Recipient): Heinrich Ernemann A.G., Dresden, Germany. Founded 1889 by Heinrich Ernemann (1850-?); produced cameras, lenses, projectors. Famous for Ermanox camera (1924). Merged into Zeiss Ikon in 1926.

Object Type: International postal card (commercial inquiry)

Postal Features: Rare "R" type Ottoman stamp, blue "Enivon" marking (likely "Envoyé"), red postal clerk marks, German postal annotations including "Abschrift 18/5" (copy made), "whallen" notation.

Key Text (Reverse): Request for the latest catalog, signed Nikolaus K. Charasow, dated 10 May 1912.

Language: German, French, Ottoman Turkish

Material: Paper postal card

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: Heinrich Ernemann history, Ottoman-German trade, Ermanox camera, Zeiss Ikon merger, Çeşme regional history, Ottoman postal markings, commercial correspondence in the Balkans/Anatolia.

Archival Significance: This 1912 postcard from Çeşme to Heinrich Ernemann A.G. in Dresden documents the global reach of German optical manufacturers before WWI. The sender's request for a catalog illustrates how photographic technology reached the Ottoman Empire. The rare "R" stamp and markings like "Enivon" and "Abschrift" provide rich postal history context. This item is a primary source for understanding pre-war commercial networks and the spread of photographic equipment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.