365 / September 2017

1852, Partly prepaid lettersheet from "NEW YORK 26 MAR" with black "U.S.PKT." via British open mail to Mariestad; in London wrong "1/6" crossed over and letter sent in closed mail via Altona and Denmark (according to 1850 convention) with Helsingborg transit mark on front; the UK debited Sweden 6 d.+4 d. Danish transit = "10" d., finally charged "40" sk. bco. to the recipient

1852, Entire unpaid letter from San Francisco, dated April 11, privately carried to New York, here posted at June 8 and sent via Bremen closed mail, Hamburg and Denmark to Gothenburg, marked "NOT PAID" and "20" c. debit to Bremen, charged on arrival with "1 Rdr. 16 s.", some age stains

1852, Unpaid lettersheet from "NEW YORK JAN 9" via Bremen closed mail and Denmark to Stockholm, charged on arrival with 1 rdr. 16 sk.

1852, Entire letter endorsed "Woods Diggings Cal Feby 25/52" to Wennersborg, prepaid with 26 c. for transportation by American packet to the UK, transported via Panama and New York, where the letter was included in the 'Bremen Closed Mail' at 20 c. rate, although 26 c. had been paid. The letter arrived in Bremen on April 19 and was conveyed to Hamburg. Here the post office noted a debit of "7" sgr., the amount due for an unpaid letter from London, the error was realized and instead the postage from Bremen, "2" sgr. was converted to "3" shilling. The Swedish post converted the amount to 8 skilling and added 24 skilling postage to Sweden; the recipient was charged "Lösen 23 SBco" instead of correct Lösen 32 sk. bco. A very interesting and rare letter from a Swedish gold digger to Sweden

1853, Entire double rate letter from San Francisco to Stockholm, uncorrectly prepaid with "c74", transported via New York and open British mail (rate 52 c.), marked in England "U.S. PKT." to show that transit fees were only paid to the UK. Hamburg charged "14" sgr. to Sweden, converted to 42 skilling and 30 skilling postage for the distance Hamburg-Stockholm was added, so that a total of "1 Rdr. 24 sk." was charged to the recipient; an interesting letter

1853, Entire partly prepaid letter from "SAN FRANCISCO 16 MAR" via Panama and British open mail via Belgium and Hamburg to Stockholm, showing on front black scarce "PAID 26"; in Sweden the letter was charged "36" skilling bco. for the distance England-Sweden including 15 skilling transit from Hamburg

1853, Lettersheet from New York via France, Hamburg, Stralsund and Ystad to Stockholm, prepaid 20 c. to cover the American packet rate to France; in Hamburg taxed "18" shilling, converted to "13½" sgr. to which the Prussian share of 1¼ sgr. for the sea postage between Stralsund and Ystad was added, total "14 3/4". Since the recipient was a governmental body the postage due was included in the quarterly statement to the GPO. A very rare letter showing the Prussian share for sea postage between Stralsund and Ystad

1853, Entire letter from San Francisco to Stockholm, prepaid for British open mail with American packet (black handstamp "PAID 26") in New York the letter was not put on board the next Cunard steamer which was to depart on November 2nd, but was held for the next American steamer 'Herman', departing for Bremen on November 5, showing on front clear "N. YORK /1/U.S. PKT. / PAID". From Bremerhaven the letter was transferred to Hamburg, debited "2" sgr., in Stockholm converted to 6 sk. and 15 sk. added for the postage between Hamburg and Stockholm, so a total of "21" skilling bco. was charged to the recipient

1854, Prepaid entire letter from San Francisco to Stockholm, prepaid with "33" cents for a letter sent by 'Bremen Mail' showing on front clear red "N. YORK BREM. PK. PAID / OCT 3", transported by steamer "Germania" of the short lift Bremen steamship company, arriving Bremerhaven October 24; the letter was conveyed to Hamburg Stadtpostamt, where it was marked "5" (sgr.) for a letter to Sweden via Denmark; the cover was then turned over to the Prussian post office instead of the Swedish and sent via Stralsund and Ystad to Stockholm although this route required a payment of 7 sgr. the remaing 2 sgr. were never debited.

1854, Entire letter from San Francisco to Stockholm, prepaid with 26 c. for British open mail from New York, showing black "PAID 26" on front, red "NEW YORK AM. PACKET MAR 14" and Le Havre arrival mark of March 28, forwarded to Hamburg where it was marked "8" sgr. and handed over to the Swedish post which charged a total of "39" skilling from the addressee; a fine pre-convention entire

1854, Partly prepaid letter from San Francisco via Panama, New York and British open mail via Hamburg and Denmark to Stockholm, marked "PAID", "26" for the postage to the UK, charged in Sweden with "36" sk. bco. including 15 skilling for the distance Hamburg-Sweden

1855, Unpaid cover from Louisville via Prussian closed mail, Hamburg and Denmark to Christianstad, showing on front clear "23/N. YORK AM. PKT.", charged on arrival with "1 R. 6 sk"

1857, Double rate partly prepaid entire letter from "SAN FRANCISCO 26 APR" via New York, England, Prussia and Hamburg to Stockholm; in New York marked with red "38" (cents credit to UK); charged on arrival with "84" skilling bco.

1857, Entire double rate letter from "NEW ORLEANS APR 26" via Boston and London forwarding agent "HOARE BUXTON & Co. LONDON" and Hamburg to Gefle, prepaid to London with "48" cents; in London prepaid by the forwarder with "2/4" and endorsed "via Ostend + Lübeck" with several transit marks of Hamburg

1859, Partly prepaid envelope with unknown origina at the US coast, prepaid to England with "PANAMA / JU 8 1859 / TRANSIT" on front and transported via St. Thomas to England and further via Hamburg, Stralsund and Ystad to Linköping, charged on arrival with "Lösen 1 Rd 8 öre" including "7" sgr. postage from England to Stralsund; boxed "Aus Schweden" placed by mistake and crossed; a very scarce letter

1860, Unpaid lettersheet with clear "NEW YORK BR. PKT. 23 / MAY 29" via Prussian closed mail, Hamburg and Denmark to Gothenburg, charged on arrival with "162" öre

1860, Entire unpaid letter from "NEW ORLEANS MAY 27 1860" via New York and Prussian closed mail to Stockholm, charged on arrival with "162" öre

1860, Unpaid double rate envelope with black "N. YORK AM. PKT. 46 / AUG 25" via Prussian closed mail to Wenersborg, in Hamburg debited with "26" sgr. (= 234 öre) to which Swedish inland postage of 45 öre had to be added, but the Swedish post charged only "180 öre" to the recipient; the cover with small marginal faults

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)

"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

"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"

"45 öre", 2 strikes, one over "63 öre" applied by mistake, on entire letter from "HAMBURG K.S.P.A. (D.) 25/6 1861" to Stockholm