365 / September 2017

20 Skilling banco (2x 6 + 8) on letter postmarked Stockholm March 27th 1857 sent to Russia. Manuscript notation "Franco" and "Via Grislehamn". A rare letter with a most unusual grey-brown shade of the 6 Skilling stamps. Certificate Nils Svensson (1984) and Sjöman (1972) One of the 6 Skilling stamps with an archival fold.

10 Skilling banco ( 6 + 4) on letter postmarked Upsala Februrary 12th 1858 sent to Karis, Finnland, Russia. Manuscript notation "Franco Gränsen" and "Via Grislehamn" and boxed marking "FRANCO GRÄNSEN"; cover slightly cleaned, otherwise very fine. Certificate Witschi (1990) 

Partly prepaid letter postmarked (rectangular) Gefle July 13th 1854 to Spain with fine handstruck framed "Aus Schweden" in black, red framed "Prusse" on front with framed "FRANCO" in black. On reverse Ystad and Stralsund transit and red Cadiz arrival at July 29th were charged "4R" due in blue. Unusual destination.

36 öre (vertical strip of three) Circle type perf. 14 on letter postmarked Stockholm Norr January 22nd 1874 via Denmark, Germany and New York to Montreal. With scarce routing marking "Via D & T" and boxed "FRANCO.". Arriving Montreal February 12th 1874. Letters sent in 1870's to Canada are very rare.

Double rate letter dated Stockholm February 10th 1852 and sent privately to a forwarding agent in London who sent it via Liverpool, New York, Havana, Panama to San Francisco arriving April 15th 1852. This is the earliest known letter from Sweden to San Fransisco.

Letter postmarked Stockholm October 4th 1853, sent via Prussia to the east coast of USA and then to San Francisco. The Prussian Closed Mail (PCM) Convention of 1852 made it possible to send closed mail between Prussia and USA. A circular ofFfebruary 14th 1853 opened up the possibility for a letter exchange between Sweden and USA. From Sweden the postage was 54 Skilling Banco. This letter is the earliest recorded PCM letter sent from Sweden to San Fransisco.

54 öre letter postmarked Ystad November 27th 1872 and sent to Hartford, USA. The letter was endorsed for conveyance via Denmark and England. Not only was that a very unusual route in 1872 but also expensive, as the cost was 54 öre compared to sending a letter in closed mail via the North German Union with a postage of 45 öre. Certificate HOW (2001) Damaged corner on one 5 öre Coat of Arms. Letters sent in the 1870's to USA via England are very rare.

Lot with two Unpaid letters from the same correspondens to New York, both sent from Cimbritshamn 1874 with "PORTO:" and due notations.

1836, Registered letter sheet with front side clear "Triest RECOMANDIRT" endorsed "per Hamburg" with transit marks of Berlin and Greifswald to Stockholm, part paid with "28" kreuzer; since the recipient was a governmental body, postage due in Sweden was included in quarterly statement to the G.P.O.

1856, Official cover (Ex offo) from Auscha via Theresienstadt, Stralsund and Ystad to Stockholm, showing on front boxed "Franco Stralsund", vertical filing fold

1844, Part paid lettersheet from Ronne to Stockholm, endorsed "franco Helsingborg", showing on front superb strike "OBETALT FR. DANNEMARK H:BORG 21 JULI 44", since the recipient was a governmental body, the postage due was included in the quarterly statement to the G.P.O.

1850, Entire unpaid letter from Helsingör to Stockholm, showing on front boxed "OBETALT FR. DANNEMARK H:BORG 21 AUG 50", charged on arrival with "7" skilling

1869, Lettersheet from Kopenhagen to Landskrona, franked with pair 1864/70, 3 skilling violet, cancelled on arrival by clear "LANDSKRONA 5 11 1869"; the cover was charged as a double rate letter with a total of 38 öre, the franked 6 skilling were accepted as part payment; a fine and scarce entire

1846, Entire unpaid letter from Le Havre to Carlskrona, endorsed "pr. Bateau a vapeur sur Hambourg", but showing on front boxed "DEP. LIMIT." of Basle; on reverse Hamburg transit marks of April 14; on arrival charged with "1 Rdr 1 sk." in red

1810, Entire letter written in Braunschweig and with frontside clear straight line "SCHOENINGEN" to Stockholm, part paid with "FRANCO" cancelled and manuscript "fr Hamburg"

1853, Unpaid letter marked "ST.P.A. BREMEN 9" to Gefle and sent via Hamburg and Ystad, charged "2" sgr. for the internal postage and "21" skilling charged in Sweden. 21 skilling was the rate for letter from Bremen via Denmark (the usual way) to any place in Sweden, whereas letters via Stralsund and Ystad cost 24 sk. From June till October 1853 there was a cholera outbreak in Denmark, so that apparently letters were transported via Stralsund and Ystad at the cheaper rate. An interesting and very scarce letter

1856, Entire parcel accompanying letter with blue "BREMEN 24 6" to Stockholm, charged on arrival with 1 rdr. 31 sk.; parcel label partly removed, otherwise fine

1807, Partly prepaid entire letter from Göttingen to Upsala, endorsed "Franco Hamburg", charged on arrival with 16 sk. bco.

1829, Entire part paid letter endorsed "fco. Hamburg" and showing straight line "Über Dannemark"; this was crossed in the Swedish PO at Hamburg and the letter was instead sent via Stralsund, charged in Stockholm with a total of 40 sk. instead of 48 sk. which the letter would have cost via Denmark; interesting item

1770, Entire prepaid letter from Rostock to Carlshamn, endorsed "Franco Hamb.", charged in Sweden with "18" öre silvermynt

1829, Part paid lettersheet from Wolgast to Gothenburg, endorsed "über Hamburg", showing on front clear "frco. Ystad", charged on arrival with 24 skilling

1830 (ca.), Double rate lettersheet from "PILLAU 6. OCT." to Carlskrona, partly prepaid, showing on front clear strike of handstamp "frco. Ystad."; prepaid 7½ sgr. and taxed in Sweden with 24 skilling bco. for the distance from Greifswald to Carlskrona

1824, Unpaid entire letter from Risa to a military musician with the royal guards at Stockholm, sent via Hamburg and Stralsund, charged on arrival with 1 rd. 25 sk.

1830, Entire unpaid letter from Dresden to Stockholm, sent via Hamburg with transit marks of the T.&T. and Swedish post offices, taxed on arrival with 1 rdr. 24 sk.

1838, Entire unpaid letter from "DRESDEN 2 MAI 38" via "GREIFSWALD" (clear straight line on reverse) to Nyköping, charged on arrival with 1 rdr. 8 sk.

1853, Lettersheet from Dresden to Stockholm, showing on front clear red boxed "Aus Sachsen", prepaid 3 ngr. and taxed with 24 skilling on arrival

1850, Unpaid lettersheet with clear cds. "HADERSLEBEN 22 2 50" to a military address at Helsingborg, adjacent boxed "OBETALD FR. DANNEMARK H:BORG 25...50", in Sweden charged with "Lösen-18 sk."

1825, Unpaid lettersheet from "STUTTGART 8 JUN 1825" via Hamburg and Stralsund to Stockholm, charged on arrival with 1 rd. 23 s.

1847, Unpaid entire double rate letter with partly faint "DE GIBR. / S. ROQUE / AND. A BAXA", endorsed "via France" with transit marks of Hamburg and Stralsund to Stockholm, charged in Hamburg with "35" schilling courant and in Stockholm with a total of 2 rdr. 43 sk. including 32 skilling for the distance Stralsund Ystad and 8 skilling for the distance Ystad-Stockholm. The folds of the letter partly weak and broken in places, little staining;  a very scarce entire

1850, Lettersheet backstamped "GIBRALTAR AP 17 1850" and endorsed "pr. Indus via England" to Stockholm with transitmarks of London, Stralsund and Ystad and on reverse red boxed "AMERICA per ENGLAND" (opening tear through this marking); very unusual

1810, Entire partly prepaid letter from "BRIDLINGTON 243" to Stockholm, back stamped "FOREIGN OFFICE 1810" (small type), prepaid with "2/4", transported by British packet via Gothenburg, charged on arrival with 16 skilling (not noted)

1826, Partly prepaid lettersheet with red oval "PAID AT LIVERPOOL" via "GÖTHEBORG" to Stockholm, prepaid with "2/5", in Sweden 32 skilling bco. were due

1826, Partly prepaid entire double rate letter from Liverpool to Christianstad, showing on front red oval "PAID AT LIVERPOOL" and transit mark "GOTHEBORG"; prepaid with "4/10" and charged on arrival "double Lösen 35 sk 4 rst. Bco och 33 kop"

1826, Folded letter from Liverpool to Stockholm, endorsed "Via Holland", showing on reverse "Engeland Over Brielle" and straight line "NA POSTTYD", also boxed "K.S. & N.P.C. HAMBURG 3. OCT. 26" and "K.S.N.P.C.i. Stralsund d. 5. OCT.", prepaid with "1/8" and charged on arrival with "43" skilling bco.

1832, Partly prepaid entire letter from "SUNDERLAND MA 6 1832" to Carlskrona, sent from London by ship with oval "POST PAID SHIP LE. LONDON 8 MR 1832"; prepaid "1/3" to Hamburg, here debited "6" Hamburg schilling and in Sweden charged with a total of 1 rdr. 12 sk.

1838, Lettersheet from Athens via Triest to Stockholm with adjacent oval marking "PAID", endorsed "Paquebot de Lloyd" and boxed "GREECE" applied at Triest, several taxes, on reverse transit marks of Berlin and Hamburg