Inverted Center of SS. Scandinavian
The Block of 6 as Largest Recorded Unit
When the Thames-Hamburg packet contract expired on 30 November 1853 and was not renewed, the direct sea route from British east coast ports was re-established and the overland route through Belgium and Hamburg revived to become the normal route. In 1850 the paddle steamer Courier began to carry mail between Hull and Gothenburg as did the British steamer SS. Scandinavian in 1852.
SS. Scandinavian was a beautiful ship and so chosen as key illustration to illustrate the 150th Anniversary Birthday Party celebrating The Royal Philatelic Society London is on its way to take place in Stockholm, Sweden.
The illustration of SS.Scandinavian is designed by Martin Mörck of Sweden, who took inspiration from two sources: 1) an oil-painting of Scandinavian which is in the possession of the Naval Museum in Trondheim, Norway; 2) the engraving from 1922 by Turner for Jamaica and printed by De La Rue in two operations (black and blue) by recess printing.
SS. Scandinavian as the key illustration for STOCKHOLMIA 2019, was first presented in late July last year. Soon after its first launch, it was printed in an edition of 5,000 sheets as a Cinderella label and sold for the benefit of STOCKHOLMIA 2019 and Tomorrow’s Royal. Each sheet contains 4x 5 = 20 labels.
On 17 March this year, a fantastic find was published, as one sheet printed with inverted center had been found. The inverted center means that the ship in black in the middle, surrounded by the blue frame, is inverted.
Following the find and consultation of expert stakeholders of The Royal Philatelic Society, an agreement was made that the inverted sheet of 20 will be split to units.
Block of 6 as the largest unit
Block of 4 as the second largest unit
Horisontal strip of 3
Vertical Pair
Horisontal Pair
Three singles
The block of 6, as the largest unit, is herewith offered for the benefit of Tomorrow’s Royal.
Choice Illustration:
Letter from Great Britain with Scandinavian to Gothenburg, endorsed Per Scandinavian from Hull, with HULL SHIPLETTER OCT 28 1852 on reverse. 3x 2d. paying the sea postage rate of 6d., where the addressee had to pay 15 skilling banco as postage due (endorsed 15s). Courtesy by Göran Heijtz, Sweden.
