365 / September 2017

1869, Unpaid envelope from "SAN FRANCISCO JUL 15" with frontside transit mark "NEW YORK DIRECT" via Hamburg to Gotland, charged on arrival with 144 öre

"24 Sk." on entire printed official letter with papal seal, posted at "MARSEILLE 18 FEVR. 57" via Belgium, Prussia and Hamburg to Stockholm with additional manuscript "25 Skilling Banko" (including postman's fee)

"24 Sk." and "72 öre" on partly prepaid letter sent September 29th 1858 from Valencia (Spain) via Perpignan, Marseille, Paris and Hamburg to Stockholm. The letter was prepaid to the Spanish/French border, from there the single rate was 72 öre. The monetary change from Skilling to öre was introduced 1.7.1858, due to new handstamps not being delivered yet the postmaster used an older stamp "24 Sk.", upon arrival in Stockholm it was converted to 72 öre and so stamped on the envelope. 

"24 Sk." Lot with three different letters from France: 1855 from Honfleur via Ystad to Uddevalla, 1858 via Paris and Hamburg to Gothenburg, 1856 partly prepaid 20 centimes with red boxed "Affranchissment Insuffisant". All three with "24 Sk." postage due charge marks.

"29 Sk" postage due charge mark on unpaid letter sent August 23rd 1855 from Genova (Sardinian Kingdom) to Stockholm. The delivery fee 1 Sk was added and summed up in the manuscript notation "30 Skil Bco" on front. This lot of three letters also included two fresh covers each with a "15 Sk" and "24 Sk" charge marks, both sent to Stockholm.

"34 Sk." Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter dated Napels (The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) June 22nd 1857, sent via Marseilles, Lyon and Paris to Stockholm.

"36 S Bco" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter sent March 23rd 1858 from Calcutta (India) via Marseille, Paris, Hamburg and Ystad to Carlskrona. The letter is opened up for display. Only three letters are known with this Postage due charge mark.

"1 Rdr. 20 Sk." Postage due charge mark on partly prepaid double rate letter sent from Cocanada (India) January 3rd 1855 via Madras, Paris, Hamburg to Uddevalla. The letter was once prepaid to Alexandria by a now disappeared postage stamp in the upper right corner. The letter is opened up for display.

"2 Rdr. 6 Sk." Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter sent December 17th 1856 from Malta via Marseille, Paris, Hamburg and Helsingborg to Carlskrona. The normal double rate was 1 Rdr 20 Sk, by mistake the postmaster charged the triple rate, stamped 2 Rdr. 6 Sk., and the addressee overpaid 34 Skilling banco. This is the only known letter with this charge mark.

"56" postage due handstamp and the unusual handstamp "Fr.p.s." (France per sack) on unpaid letter Postmarked Dunkerque October 2nd 1868 and sent to Gefle, Sweden; the "Fr.p.s." was used only for a fortnight per year between 1868-1874 in several cities to mark letters from France for statistical reasons.

"72" postage due charge mark on entire letter from "PARIS 19 AVRIL 60" via Hamburg and Helsingborg to Uddenvalla, by mistake first struck with Norwegian tax mark "96", then crossed out

"72" postage due charge mark on entire letter 1863 to Carlskrona, franked with 1862, 25 r. rose, paying the postage to the Spanish/French border, transported via France and Hamburg

"72", lot with 8 different letters from France 1859-1874 mostly to Stockholm, but also to Norrköping and Göteborg. All with "72" charge marks.

"102" Postage due charge mark on partly prepaid single rate letter sent March 1st 1862 from Rome, the Patrimony of St.Peter (Rome) via Paris and Hamburg to Stockholm. The prepaid rate was 87 öre from Italy but 102 öre for letters originating from the Patrimony.

"108" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter dated Passaroang (Netherlands Indies) January 6th 1861 and sent via Suez, Paris and Hamburg to Örebro. The letter was forwarded by the ship Batavia Jan.17 to Singapore, by ship Emeu Jan.23 to Galles, by ship Simla arriving Suez feb.14, overland to Alexandria and from there by the ship Vectis Feb.19 to Marseille. The rate was 80 ctms, after deduction of 30 ctms (unpaid French domestic rate) the French/Swedish rate was added: 100 ctms = 150 ctms corresponding to 108 öre.

"108" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter sent March 31st 1863 by a Swedish soldier in the French army from the "Camp in front of Puebla" (Mexico) to Stockholm. From Vera Cruz this letter was conveyed by the ship Louisiane and arrived in Saint-Nazaire on May 5th 1863. The marking "30" was the postage due for a soldiers letter to an addressee in France, but did not affect the postage to a Swedish addressee which was 108 öre. Two letters are known from Mexico to Sweden. This is the only one sent from a soldier.

"108" Postage due charge mark on an unpaid letter dated Constantinopel (Turkish Ottoman Empire) January 13th 1859 and sent via Berlin and Hamburg to Stockholm. Arriving unpaid letters had to be charged the amount marked on the letter. In this case the Prussian post office in Hamburg had marked the letter "7" (Sgr) in blue, this was converted to 63 öre and 45 öre was added for the postage from Hamburg to Sweden. The total postage due became 108 öre, which was 3 öre lower than the paid rate from Sweden to Constantinopel, which happens very rarely.

"108" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter postmarked London October 20th 1860 and sent via Ostend and Stettin to Stockholm.

"108" Postage due charge mark on unpaid single rate letter sent from London April 7th 1859 via Ostend and Hamburg to Stockholm. The Swedish post office in Hamburg was charged 7 Sgr (See accountancy mark "7" noted on cover). In Sweden the 7 Sgr was converted to 63 öre, which together with 45 öre for the conveyance from Hamburg make 108 öre.

"108" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter postmarked Calcutta (India) August 9th 1859 and sent via Suez, Marseille, Paris and Hamburg to Carlskrona. The sender of this letter was a swedish seaman (Gustaf Carlström) in the Indian navy and his commanding officer has signed the envelope. This procedure was used by non-commissioned officers, seamen and soldiers in India to get lower postage for private letters, but this has not affected the postage for this letter. The rate to France was 80 ctms, 30 ctms unpaid, French-swedish rate was 100 ctms = 150 ctms, in turn translated to 108 öre.

"116" Postage due charge mark on unpaid letter dated Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) March 24th 1865 and sent via Bordeaux and Paris to Stockholm. Conveyed by French Packet "Navarre" according to notation on front.

"144" Postage due charge mark on partly prepaid double rate letter postmarked Barcelona (Spain) October 29th 1860 and sent to Stockholm. A new French-Spanish convention made it possible to prepay the international rate between France and Spain to destination, this was refused by Spain for letters in transit to France. For this reason this letter was prepaid to Spanish/French border (12 quartos) and was then sent unpaid to Sweden.

"144" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter postmarked Bordeaux (France) April 19th 1865 and sent via Paris to Stockholm. By mistake the postmaster first struck "72" (Corresponding to single rate) cancelled it by striking  "144" on top and struck it a second time for clarification.

"144" postage due charge mark (Paris type) on entire unpaid double rate letter from "ALGER BAT A VAP / 11 FEVR. 67" to Stockholm with adjacent "OBETALDT"

"144" Postage due charge mark on partly prepaid double rate letter dated Gibraltar November 16th 1863 and sent via Spain, Paris, Hamburg and Malmö to Carlskrona. Letters from Gibraltar had to be prepaid to the Spanish/French border. The postage due mark was struck in the TPO.

"144" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter dated Rome (Papal States) April 19th 1860 and sent to Stockholm. Privately conveyed to Marseille.

"174" Postage due charge mark on insufficiently prepaid double rate letter (Front only and two stamps damaged) postmarked Cagliari (Italy, earlier the Sardinian Kingdom) March 13th 1862 to Stockholm. Part payment was not accepted and the full 174 öre was charged as due.

"204" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter sent May 10th 1860 from Palermo (Kingdom of the two Sicilies), via Marseille to Stockholm.

"204" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter sent from Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) March 25th 1861 to Gothenburg. Conveyed via ship "Navarre" (manuscript notation on front) which left Rio on 25/3 and arrived at Bordeaux 19/4.

"216" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter dated Hong Kong October 13th 1859 and sent via Suez and Paris to Stockholm. Conveyed from Hong Kong to Marseille by P & O Steamers. The Kalabar left Hong Kong October 13th and arrived in Suez November 15th, further overland to Alexandria and from there on November 19th by the Vectis arriving Marseille November 25th 1859. The double rate was 300 ctms = 216 öre.

"216" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter postmarked Singapore January 6th 1860 and sent via France to Kungsbacka. Conveyed by ship Pekin which left Singapore January 6-7th and arrived in Galle 15/1, then by the Betink leaving 19/1 and arriving Suez 5/2. Overland to Alexandria and from there by the Valetta arriving Malta 12/2 and the further by the Alhambra arriving Marseille 17/2 1860. The double rate was 300 ctms = 216 öre.

"216" Postage due charge mark on partly prepaid triple rate letter sent from Barcelona (Spain) November 23rd 1862 via Junquera, Paris and Hamburg to Stockholm. 

"216" Postage due charge mark on insufficiently prepaid double rate letter dated Colombo (Ceylon) June 26th 1860 and sent via Suez and Paris to Gothenburg. The French single rate to the Far East destinations was 80 ctms - 30 ctms for the French domestic unpaid rate, the rest was added to the French/Swedish rate of 100 ctms and became 150 ctms. The double rate was 300 ctms = 216 öre. The letter is opened up for display and has a damaged backflap. By mistake the postmaster first struck "108" (single rate) cancelled it and struck the correct "216".

"232" Postage due charge mark on unpaid double rate letter dated Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) April 25th 1863 and sent via Paris and Hamburg to Stockholm. Conveyed by ship "Estramadure" (as per notation on front) which left Rio 25/4 and arrived in Bordeaux 21/5. 

"25" Postage due charge mark on unpaid transit letter sent from Helsingör January 21st 1866 via Helsingborg and Stockholm to Jacobstad (Finland). According to the Danish/swedish convention of 1865 the prepaid rate in Sweden was 17 öre but it was 25 öre when charged to the addressee. In total three letters are known to exist with this charge mark.

"34" Postage due charge mark on unpaid ship letter dated Lübeck July 26th 1866 and sent to Stockholm. The Danish/Swedish convention of 1865 stated that the single rate in Sweden was 25 öre, but 34 öre when charged to the addressee. Sweden applied the same rate for letters posted on board ships, as for this cover.