Lot 363
1855, Coat of Arms 4 skilling blue, horizontal strip of 4 and horizontal pair (pos. C31-34 and C11-12) used with clear grid cancels on envelope with adjacent blue cds. "BERGEN 7/9 1855" to Leipzig in Saxony, showing on front boxed "Aus Dänemark", on reverse Hamburg transit marks of 12.9. and Leipzig arrival mark; the cover was transported with the steamship "Norge" from Bergen bound for Hamburg; in the area of Kristiansand the "Norge" collided with her fleet mate "Bergen" and sunk with the loss of 40 lives. According to the local newspaper 'Kristianssands Steftsavis' of the following day, the mail bag for Hamburg was salvaged near Oxö and was carried by SS 'Sankt Olaf" further to Hamburg. The cover shows some minor water staining, as to be expected, front and back of the cover are separated, the lower right corner and somewhat strengthened; the franking in fine condition. A most attractive and rare franking of Norway no. 1 and an amazing piece of Norwegian postal history being the only recorded letter from the SS Norge disaster. Certificate Enger BPP Provenance: Robson Lowe (Basel 1970)
