Date of use : Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Cover to Photo Resne Studio

This cover was sent from the city of Smyrne (Izmir), located within the borders of the Ottoman Empire, to Constantinople (Istanbul). It bears wartime issue stamps and censorship marks, making it a rare and valuable example. The recipient is Photo Resne Behaeddin Rahmizade (Bahaettin Rahmi Bediz) Effendi, a renowned photography studio of the time.

Photo Resne was established in 1910 in Istanbul by Behaeddin Rahmizade (1875–1951), who is recognized as one of the first Muslim professional photographers within the Ottoman Empire. Born in Istanbul in 1875, he continued his education in both Istanbul and Crete due to his father's civil service duties. His introduction to photography happened by chance in 1895, while he was running a stationery shop in the city of Candia (modern-day Heraklion) on the island of Crete. This encounter changed the course of his life and marked the beginning of his photographic career. The thousands of photographs he took are now considered valuable archival material, particularly those documenting life in Crete and the broader Ottoman society.

When examining the envelope, one notices handwritten Ottoman Turkish in purple ink, which is read from right to left. The inscription translates to:

"To the honorable master of the photographic art, Behaeddin Efendi, residing in the Babıâli district of Istanbul."

The abbreviation "Eff." stands for "Efendi," an honorific title indicating that the recipient was a highly knowledgeable, cultured, and skilled individual. The use of both Ottoman Turkish and French on the envelope reflects the multicultural and multilingual nature of the period. Another envelope sent to this same studio is also featured in the collection and was published on this blog on February 4, 2023.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
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