364 / März 2017

1882, Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter sent October 10th from Chicago (USA) to Norrköping. 5 cents postage with missing postage equivalent to 25 centimes, this not marked in New York but instead they struck a "T" to indicate double rate letter. Postage due calculated according to old GPU rates = 36 öre as franked on reverse side. 2x 3 öre + 30 öre adhesives cancelled "NORRKÖPING 27.10.1882". Attractive item.

1883, Unpaid letter sent Poste Restante to Heidelberg (Germany) where the addressee did not receive it, it was returned to the sender in Stockholm, who in turn refused to pay the due 2x 20 öre (both stamps with faults). The letter was forwarded to the dead letter office and cancelled "K. GENERALPOSTSTYR. REKLAM-KONT. STOCKHOLM 20 OCT 83". Certificate HOW (2008). Unusual usage with dead letter cancel.

1885, Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter sent September 30th from Pueblo (USA) to Åmot. Postage due was double the missing postage = 25 centimes as stamped on the letter. Instead of the actual UPU conversion rate the exchange post office used the old GPU conversion tables based on the commercial rate 1 centimes = 0,72 öre and the postage due became 50 x 0,72 = 36 öre. Thus franked on reverse, 1 + 3 + 12 + 20 öre adhesives cancelled "ÅMOT 22.10.1885". Slightly soiled letter opened up for display.

1885, Unpaid double rate letter woth contents dated Leopoldville December 27th, postmarked Vivi January 21st 1886, sent to Karlstad (arrival cancel 22/3), readdressed to Stockholm arriving the next day. Transit Liverpool british packet march 14th and PKXP No 2 C.UTR.U. Congo became a member of UPU on January 1 st 1886. The single rate from Sweden was 40 öre and the unpaid rate was 60 öre. The postage due in Stockholm was 2x 60 öre=120 öre franked with 1 krona + 20 öre Postage due on reverse. The 1 kr stamps is missing the lower left corner perforation. This letter is the only known letter from Congo with postage due stamps.

1887, Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter dated Saint Louis (USA) September 10th and sent to Rödeby. Prepaid with 3x 2 cents = 6 cents. The single UPU rate was 5 cents, double 10 cents, thus the missing postage was 4 cents=20 centimes as cancelled on letter. The postage due was 40 centimes. Instead of using the actual UPU rate (1 centime=0,8 öre) the Swedish exchange post offices continued to use the old GPU conversion tables (1 centime=0,72 öre) and the postage due became 29 öre as marked with blue crayon.2x 1 öre, 2x 3 öre, 3x 5 öre and 6 öre adhesives on reverse, all cancelled Rödeby 4.10.1887. Attractive advertising cover opened up for display.

1889, Partly prepaid double rate letter sent March 18th from Lynn (USA) via Boston to Stockholm. The letter is prepaid 5 cents, the double UPU rate was 10 cents, the postage due was double the missing postage 2x 25 = 50 centimes. As the exchange offices now used the more current monetary equivalent 1 centime = 0,8 öre, when converting centimes to öre, the postage due became 50 x 0,8 = 40 öre. Postage due adhesives 1 + 3 + 12 + 24 öre on reverse cancelled "STOCKHOLM ANK. A. CK 1.4.1889". The letter is opened up for display.

1889, Partly prepaid lettercard postmarked Paso de Carmen and Buenos Aires (Argentina) December 30th and sent to Lund. The lettercard is prepaid 6 centavos corresponding to 15 centimes, as marked on left side of the stamps. The postage due was double the missing postage = 30 centimes. The monetary equivalent was 1 ctm = 0,8 öre and the postage due became 30 x 0,8 = 24 öre. On reverse side is a vertical pair 2x 12 öre cancelled Lund 5.2.1890.

1889, Insufficiently prepaid mourning letter sent June 25th from Melbourne (Victoria) to Söderköping. Victoria was not yet a member of the UPU when this letter was sent but joined on October 1st 1891. From January 1st 1887 the prepaid, single rate from Sweden to non-member countries was 60 öre and the unpaid rate was 80 öre. For partly prepaid letters the postage due was to be calculated as twice the missing postage. This letter was not marked with the missing postage in centimes, It was therefore charged 80 öre as being an unpaid single letter. With 30 + 50 öre adhesives on reverse neatly cancelled Söderköping 8.8.1889. The backflap has two large tears but are still complete. The only known letter from Victoria with postage due stamps.

1890, Insufficiently prepaid postcard sent October 1st from Hannover (Germany) to Gothenburg. Prepaid only with 5 Pfennig corresponding to 6 1/4 centimes which was incorrectly charged (double the missing postage 2x 6 1/4 = 13 centimes). The Postmaster in Gothenburg corrected the mistake and charged the correct due of 10 öre with a vertical pair 2x 5 öre adhesives.

1890, prepaid postcard sent june 10th from Heligoland (Great Britain) via Hamburg to Carlskrona. Although belonging to Great Britain, Heligoland had joined the NGC already in 1866 and was included in the GPU treaty of 1874. Heligoland became German territory on july 1st, only a few days later than the date of the postcard. As the postcard was posted in Hamburg and not in Heligoland the prepayment (10 Pfennig) was not accepted. Instead the postcard was regarded as an unpaid letter with double the missing postage, 2x 20 öre, to be paid on arrival and cancelled 12.6.1890. Also transit PKXP No 2B INR U. 11.6.1890. Fold in upper left corner of card.

1891, partly prepaid double rate postal stationery postmarked Cleveland, Ohio July 3rd and initially sent to unknown address (possibly in Austria) then forwarded to Trondhjem (Norway), then remailed to Stockholm and from there to St. Petersburg (Russia). Prepaid 2 cent and as the US single rate was 5 cent it means that the double rate, 10-2=8 cents =40 centimes was missing. The postage due was double the missing postage = 80 centimes. In Norway as well as in Sweden the equivalent was 1 centimes = 0,8 öre, the missing postage was 32 öre and the postage due in Norway became 64 ore as shown by adhesives on reverse: 1 ore strip of 4 + 10 + 50 ore also Swedish equivalent of 64 öre (this time for missing postage for forwarded mail from Norway) 1 + 3 + 3x 20 öre, also postage due notations from Russia. Certificate HOW (Swedish stamps only) 3 öre with short corner perforation. Very unusual item with postage due notations from three different countries.

1891, Insufficiently prepaid letter sent from Birmingham (Great Britain) May 22nd to Stockholm. Postal stationery wrapper (intended for printed matter) franked with 1 1/2 d = 15 centimes, but in the U.K. it has been treated as a single rate letter with the UPU rate 25 centimes. It is marked with the missing postage 10 centimes, double the missing postage then became 16 öre, thus franked with adhesives on reverse side 2x 5 öre + 6 öre, cancelled STOCKHOLM 1.6.1891. Attractive item.

1891, Insufficiently prepaid letter sent September 15th from the Falkland Islands to Stockholm. The Falkland Islands became a member of the UPU on January 1st 1879. The paid rate was 4 d on the islands and as the letter was franked with 2 1/2d, the missing postage was 1 1/2 d which corresponded to 15 centimes and should have been marked as "15" to the left of the stamp according to UPU rules. However as the postmaster missed to do this, the postmaster in Stockholm regarded the letter as originating from Great Britain and debited the addressee 40 öre (2x 20 öre postage due stamped pair on reverse on envelope cancelled Stockholm KK 20.10.1891) which was the UPU rate from Great Britain. This letter is the only one known from the Falkland Islands with postage due stamps. Certificate HOW (2009) The left stamp is repaired on the left side.

Unpaid letter dated Halmstad June 19th 1838 and sent to Falkenberg with postage due notation "Lösen 3 S.Bco" and rare notation "Obetalt från Halmstad" unpaid from Halmstad. Postmarked at arrival with "FALKENBERG 20.6.1838" Arc cancellation type 2.

Unpaid letterfront from Norrköping probably November 17th 1854 and sent to Stockholm. Prepaid the single rate would have been 5 skilling banco. On arrival the shipletter was marked with blue cursiv straight line cancel "Norrkpg" (Postal 15.000 SEK) to show the place of origin and to indicate that it was subject to postage due. the letter is also stamped on arrival with blue square-cancel "STOCKHOLM 18 NOV 54". Most unusual "Norrkpg" cancel of which very few are known. Please note this is a cover front only.

Unpaid letter dated Kjälfer (not a post office) September 7th 1847 and sent to Stockholm. Single rate 4 Skilling banco (manuscript notation in upper left corner) when charged to the addressee. Manuscript notation "Betalas vid ankomsten" means "to be paid on arrival". On arrival the letter was stamped with RED rectangular arrival postmark "STOCKHOLM 8 SEP 47".

Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter sent February 22nd 1858 from Västerås to Stockholm. The figure "2" in manuscript indicates double rate but was paid only 4 skilling banco for single rate. The double rate was 8 skilling banco. Thus the postage due became 4 skilling banco as manuscript notation at top "felande porto 4 SBco".

Uddevalla Postage due marking type 1 on unpaid double rate ship letter (conveyed with ship Thorild as per manuscript notation) dated Gothenburg September 14th 1850 and sent to Uddevalla. The figure "2" in manuscript indicates double rate = 2x 4 skilling banco and therefore the figure "4" in this charge mark was changed to "8" in manuscript. Three or four letters, all dated between July 14th-September 14th 1850, are known to exist with the charge mark type 1, and the above is the only one where 4 has been changed into 8.

Uddevalla postage due marking type 2 on unpaid ship letter (conveyed with ship "Thorild" as per manuscript notation) dated Gothenburg May 31st 1851 and sent to Uddevalla. The recorded markings of type 2 have been struck between May 29th-November 13th 1851. Only three or four letters are known with this charge mark.

Uddevalla postage due marking type 3 1A on unpaid ship letter (with manuscript notation on top "Pr Thorild fr Marstrand") dated Marstrand June 10th 1852 and sent to Uddevalla. All recorded markings of type 3 were struck between June 10th 1852 and November 19th 1860. This is the earliest letter known with this postage due mark.

Uddevalla postage due marking type 3 1B on unpaid ship letter (with manuscript notation on top "Pr Knape fr Marstrand") dated Marstrand October 5th 1852 and sent to Uddevalla. Normally, at least once during the sailing season, the date figures in the handstamp became so worn that they had to be repaired. The first year, 1852, this was the case in October, at the end of the sailing season. 

Uddevalla postage due marking type 3 1A on unpaid double rate ship letter dated Marstrand May 31st 1856 and sent to Uddevalla. The figure "2" in manuscript indicates double rate and therefore "4" in the marking was changed to "8". Unusual item.

Uddevalla postage due marking type 3, here used for cancelling adhesive stamps on three different letters: type 3 III on letter with single rate 4 skilling banco and letter front with partly prepaid postage 5 öre Coat-of-arms (without postage due notation), also letter with type IV marking on 12 öre Coat-of-arms. Interesting lot.

Stockholm postage due marking type 1 black "STCKHLM 4 SK, 4.8.1855" on unpaid letter with contents dated Köping August 4th 1855 and sent to Stockholm. The single rate, now uniform, was 4 Skilling banco.

Stockholm postage due marking type 2 "4 sk STOCKHOLM 28.11.1856" on unpaid letter dated Stockholm November 25th 1856 and sent to Norrköping. This letter is probably the only known with this postage due marking sent FROM and not to Stockholm.

2x Stockholm postage due marking type 3 "12 öre 26.5.1859 STOCKHOLM" on unpaid double rate letter (Front only) sent to Stockholm. This is the only known letter where this postage due marking has been applied twice to indicate double postage due.

2x Västerås postage due marking type 1 on unpaid and undated shipletter sent from Stockholm to Västerås. The letter was posted in letter-boxes on board steamships in traffic between the two towns. This is the only known letter where this charge marking is struck twice.

Västerås postage due marking type 2 on unpaid ship letter dated Stockholm July 1st 1858 sent to Västerås. Strictly this letter should have been charge marked "12 öre" not "4 sk" as the monetary system was changed from skilling to öre on the exact day this letter was written.

Norrköping postage due marking "12 öre" on unpaid ship letter sent November 14th from unknown year and most likely from Stockholm to Norrköping. Four letters are known with this charge marking.

Unpaid ship letter dated Lübeck December 30th 1870 and sent to Norrköping where the addressee paid the postage due (manuscript notation "27 öre" in blue crayon) by affixing normal stamps: 24 öre Coat-of-arms and 3 öre Lying lion type 2, both cancelled "NORRKÖPING 31.1.1871". Certificate HOW (1990) Letters with postage due paid by affixing normal adhesives are rare.

Insufficiently prepaid sixfold rate local letterfront only, sent August 24th 1860 within Westerås. The manuscript "6 lod" on the bottom left-hand side of the envelope indicates sixfold rate (6x 12 öre=72 öre), the sender had prepaid 2x 12 öre. Thus the addressee had to pay the difference, 48 öre, which was accounted for by the two 24 öre stamps at bottom and marked with manuscript notation "Lösen 48 öre" on front. Certificate HOW (1990). Letters with postage due paid with normal stamps are very rare.

Insufficiently prepaid letter posted November 28th 1872 in a letter box, initially postmarked "W.A.J. 28.11.1872" (Wexiö-Alfvesta railroad), sent to WIMMERBY 30.11.1872". Prepaid, the single rate was 12 öre but only 3 öre, the local letter rate, was paid. The addressee had to pay the missing 9 öre plus the notification fee, 6 öre (in force since July 1871), and the total postage due became 15 öre, as quoted with manuscript notation "Lösen 15 öre" on front. Certificate HOW (1991). Attractive item.

Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter postmarked STJERNHOF 8.12.1873" and sent to Arboga. From Arboga the letter was delivered to the addressee in Koberg, who had a delivery agreement with the post office in Arboga that their letters could be carried in an open mail bag (lösväska) without any notification fees being paid (normally 6 öre) so only 12 öre postage due was charged and cancelled "ARBOGA 9.12.1873". Letters with postage due paid with normal stamps, are very rare.

Official letter dated Likenäs July 23rd 1880 and sent to Stöllet. Without an official postage stamp of 12 öre, the letter was not accepted as an official letter. According to a GPO decree of December 7th 1877, Parish constables (=Fjerdingsmän) were allowed to send unfranked letters to, among others, county sheriffs (=Länsmen). Upon receipt, these had to pay the normal postage but no notification fee. The letter is franked with a 12 öre postage due stamp cancelled "STÖLLET 24.7.1880". Postage due stamps on official letters are rare.

1860 (ca.), Essay of proposed postage control stamp for unpaid letters from mail-boxes, inscribed "Porto Kontroll Stämpel för obetaldte Låd-Bref.", printed on gummed paper, very fine and fresh; This specimen is  the only recorded in private hands; 2 copies are in the possession of the postal museum. Certificate HOW (1987).

Unpaid address letter for a parcel weighing 13 skålpund 20 ort, cancelled and sent from "NORRKÖPING 15.2.1874" to Öregrund with notation "Härmed ett paket". Postage due collected on arrival with 13 stamps of 6 different values amounting to postage due of 252 öre, all stamps of the very first shade cancelled "ÖREGRUND 19.2.1874". Certificate HOW (1990). Beautiful and very attractive item.