Mahmut Sevket Pasa

[Arturo]

Mahmud Şevket Paşa (Passenger Ship)

Turkey (2008) 80 Ykrş.

She was built in 1886, in J.L.Thompson & Son Shipyard in Sunderland England as a passenger and cargo ship. Gt: 1690 Length: 103,7 m. Width: 12,2 m. Draft: 9,8 m.

Ordered by Shipper’s Mutuel Steam Navigation Co.Ltd. a Chinese Company, by the aim of she would be the fastest cargo ship carrying tea from China to Europe. Her first name was Moyuna.

Later she was sold to a Japan Company which name was Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha one of the biggest companies of Japan. She was renamed as Shjibata Maru. She was bought by Otoman Company Gümüşcüyan and renamed as Mahmud Şevket Paşa in 1910.

After a while she was given to Otoman Maritime Administration (Seyr-i Sefain İdaresi). During WW-I she was torpedoed by British submarine E-11 off Şarköy/Tekirdağ, Turkey (In Marmara Sea) while sailing. She was rescued and towed to İstanbul. She was repaired and serviced again in 1917 as a cargo ship. In 1919 renamed as Ararat and in 1922 renamed again as Mahmud Şevket Paşa. She was sold to Turkish Maritime Organisation in 1924. She served until 1935 and scrapped in that time.

The two stamps are paintings in Turkish Maritime Organization History and Art Center (founded in 1995 and located in Karaköy/İstanbul, Turkey).

The painter is “Diyarbakırlı Tahsin Bey” (in that time there was no last name people are called by names and by place where they born, Tahsin is name and “Diyarbakırlı” means he was born or cames from Diyarbakır (A city southeastern part of Turkey).

He was born in Diyarbakır in 1875. He entered The War Academy in İstanbul graduated as Cavalry Lieutenant in 1895. When he was a student of Hodja Ali Rıza, he learned that the real master of the art was the nature. Diyarbakırlı Tahsin Bey is mostly known for his paintings of sea and boats.

He has never been tired of studying the ships sailing as he sat at one of the cafes particularly on the Galata wharf for hours. Therefore, you can see all the beauties of the sea, and almost hear the roar of the storms in his works.

The atelier of Seyr-i Sefain İdaresi or Otoman Navigation Administration, almost became his home. When he passed away in 1937, he left many unforgettable Works behind. You can see some of his paintings in the Turkish Maritime Organization History and Art Center.

The stamp was issued for 165th Anniversary of Turkish Maritime Organization in 2008.

Source: http://www.tdi.gov.tr
Source: http://www.tdi.com.tr
Source: http://www.ptt.gov.tr
Source: Seyr-i Sefain Öncesi ve Sonrası by Eser Tutel, İletişim Yayınları, 2006.