365 / September 2017

Prepaid ship letter dated September 28th 1867 and sent to Stockholm and postmarked 29.9.1867. The letter was delivered by a postman to the addressee who had to pay a delivery fee of 3 öre for this service. Manuscript notation on front "Löst med 3 öre".

Unpaid letter sent February 1st 1872 from Örnsköldsvik to Arboga. The right to send unpaid letters ceased April 19th 1860. However from May 25th 1871 unpaid letter were dispached if it was impossible to return them to sender, the receiver was notified that he had a letter to pick up at the post office at a notification fee of 6 öre + the missing postage. The single rate, 12 öre, + the notification fee, 6 öre, added up to 18 öre which had to be paid by the addressee.

Prepaid letter sent August 24th 1874 from Fellingsbro to Gothenburg. The letter was distributed to Stenungsund at a distribution fee of 3 öre as per notation on front "lösen 3 öre". The distribution fee was changed from 1 Skilling Banco to 3 öre from July 1st 1858.

Unpaid ship letter dated Marstrand May 28th 1851 and sent to Uddevalla. Marks of type 2, was struck between 29/5 and 13/11 1851. Thus, this marking belongs to the very first ones struck, and is probably the oldest still in existence. Three or four letters are known with this charge mark.

Unpaid ship letter dated Gothenburg August 26th 1854 and sent to Uddevalla. A charge mark with flawless date figures at the end of August, 1854.

Unpaid ship letter dated Marstrand June 14th 1853 and sent to Uddevalla. Type 3 1B with a very fresh imprint of the charge mark where the date figures have been taken out for repair and the date 14/6 is written in manuscript.

Uddevalla charge mark type 3 on addressletter sent from Gothenburg October 16th 1858 with notation "Här jämte 1 Packet..." (Enclosed 1 parcel...). Most unusual item.

Lot with two letters of Uddevalla Charge mark type 3. One letter sent from Kongelf 1857 and one from Gothenburg 1858, that shows how the deterioration of the charge mark continued after all repairs ceased in 1856. In one case the postmaster has filled in "Debitt" to make it clear it was to be paid on arrival. The Kongelf letter is one of only two known letters sent from another place than Gothenburg or Marstrand.

Unpaid ship letter dated Svinesund October 18th 1860 and sent to Uddevalla. A very late usage and a deteriorated charge mark without "4 Sk Bco". This is one of only two known letters sent from another place than Gothenburg or Marstrand.

Lot with three letters of Uddevalla charge mark type 3 in different stages of deterioration 1855 almost readable, 1856 without dates and 1859 completely without dates and without 4 Sk Bco.

Västerås postage due marking type 1 on unpaid ship letter dated Stockholm September 17th 1856 and sent to Westerås. This letter is probably the earliest one still in existance with this postage due mark. Very fresh imprint.

Västerås postage due marking type 1 on unpaid ship letter dated May 26th 1857 and sent to Vesterås with manuscript notation "Per ångf. Vesterås".

Unpaid ship letter "Pr. Volontaire" dated Lübeck August 6th 1861 and sent to Haparanda. Prepaid, as well as unpaid, the single rate was 45 öre, as noted on front. Sweden applied the same rate when a letter was posted in a letter-box on board a ship in Lübeck destined for Sweden. Attractive 3-colour Coat-of-Arms postage due franking with 12+24+9 öre with fresh cancel Haparanda 18.8.1861, struck on arrival. Certificate HOW (1991). Letters with postage due paid with normal stamps are very rare.

Insufficiently prepaid letter dated Smedjebacken October 11th 1873 and sent to Stockholm. Prepaid with 3 öre Lying Lion, the underpayment was observed and K:K: (Kontroll Kontoret) in Stockholm cancelled the stamp and wrote "15" in blue crayon. This represented the missing postage, 9 öre + a notification fee of 6 öre. The postage due was paid with normal stamps 3+12 öre Circle type perf. 14 and cancelled Stockholm Ank. A, 13.10.1873 when the addressee picked up the letter. 

Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter sent from Stockholm October 15th to Ystad. Prepaid the double rate was 24 öre but the sender had only paid 12 öre. Therefore the addressee had to pay the missing 12 öre + the notification fee of 6 öre, then in force. The total was accounted for by the 6 and 12 öre adhesives cancelled in Ystad 16.10.1873. Letters with postage due paid with normal stamps are very rare.

Address letter for an unpaid packet sent February 14th 1877 from Stockholm to Strömstad. From January 1 st 1877 there was a new rate table for parcels with fewer zones than before. The postage for this parcel, weighing 7 skålpund and sent over 3 new zones, was 2 kr and 10 öre and was paid by the addressee on reverse with 2, 3, 6 öre and 2x 1 kr.

Prepaid single rate local letter sent October 5th 1877 within Upsala but readdressed to Westerås. Local postage was 3 öre but when readdressed it became a normal domestic letter requiring 12 öre postage. As the prepayment was 3 öre, the rest was 9 öre. Together with the notification fee, 6 öre, the total postage due became 9+6=15 öre. Franked on reverse with 3+12 öre, cancelled Westerås 8.10.1877. Readdressed letters with postage due are very rare.

Lot with two prepaid single rate letters both with postage due stamps used instead of normal postage. The first postmarked January 7th 1874 at the travelling post office U.W.H.J the first week after the postage due stamps came into use. The second, postmarked Westervik November 1st 1874 and sent to Upsala. Unusual letters both franked with 12 öre Postage due used as a normal stamp.

Notification form used for domestic letters which were charged with a notification fee of 6 öre. In this case the Postmaster affixed postage due stamps 1 + 3x 5 öre on the form instead of on the letter, this was against the regulations. Forms with affixed stamps are very rare.

Insufficiently prepaid double rate letter sent in December 1880 from Helsingborg to Wollsjö. The sender put this letter into a letter box, (manuscript notation on front "Lådbref Lösen 18 öre") the post office found that it was a double rate letter. Prepaid, the double rate applicable was 2x 12 öre=24 öre. As the sender had paid 12 öre. the postage due, including the notification fee of 6 öre, became 18 öre. This was paid by affixing stamps, 1,5 och 12 öre on reverse. The letter is opened up for display and are missing part of the backflap. 

Local letter sent April 10th 1889 within Stockholm franked with 4 öre Stockholm's City Post's postage stamp. By mistake, the sender put the letter in the ordinary letter-box instead of in the special one for the private Stockholm City Post. The letter was handed over to the City Post which was charged 5 öre. The City Post stamped "Lösen 5 öre" with RED straight line cancel, and that amount was later to be paid by the addresse on reverse, franked with 5 öre Stockholm 10.4.1889. Most unusual item.

Unpaid single rate letter sent December 21st 1886 from Rådmansö to Stockholm. Containing a report on birds sent to The Royal Academy of Science. Postage due paid with 2x 5 öre vertical pair.

Two different items with 11 öre Postage due with a combination of 5 öre missing postage + 6 öre notification fee. The first is a Local letter sent November 18th 1887 within Stockholm franked with 5+6 öre. The second is an insufficiently prepaid lettercard sent September 7th 1890 from Stockholm to Jäder franked with 2x 5 öre vertical pair + 1 öre.

Notification form postmarked Garpenberg October 7th 1884 and sent to the addressee informing that an insufficiently prepaid domestic letter had arrived and was to be picked up at the post office. This together with the proper, double rate letter. The postage due was 18 öre and was affixed to the back of the letter according to the rules. Some discolouration on the form. A very rare combination, possibly unique.

Official letter sent in February 1879 to Årröd. Without an official stamp the letter was not accepted as an official letter. However parish constables (=fjerdingsmen) were allowed to send unfranked letters to, among others, county sheriffs (=länsmen). Upon receipt these had to pay the normal postage but did not have to pay the notification fee. Postage due stamps on official letters are rare.