Beiträge von robfaux

    nordlicht,


    Ah. So, the rate I should look at is the rate of unpaid mail from Denmark to France NOT the rate from Thurn & Taxis to France.


    Denmark to France was 11 decimes. Th&Taxis to France was 6 decimes per 7.5 grams.


    Thank you.

    Rob

    Hello collector friends,


    After seeing the letter above with the "6" decimes due in France, I thought I should ask about this 1852 letter from Christiania to Bordeaux, but it is "11" decimes due - and I am not sure how to explain it.


    The markings read:

    Christiania July 15, 1852

    Danemark

    KDOPA Hamburg July 20 (Danish office)

    Hamburg Th & T July 20 (Thurn & Taxis office)

    Tour-T Valenciennes July 22 (French exchange at Valenciennes)

    Paris July 23

    Bordeaux July 24


    The route is fairly clear, but I do not know where it entered landed with the Danish post - Helsingor? Kiel? Hamburg?


    The rate marking, however confuses me. I would expect a multiple of 6 as a due amount. Yet we have "11" decimes due.

    The rate I think we must use is collect postage from Hamburg to France via Thurn & Taxis at 6 decimes per 7.5 grams. Effective Aug 1, 1849 until March 31, 1862.


    Also note on the back, it looks like a faint 2 1/2 in red.


    Can someone help me figure the rest of this out?

    Thank you!

    Rob

    Hello collector friends!


    Below is an item that I would like to be sure I am understanding correctly.


    I think this is a "declared value item" - Valeur Déclarée


    As such, the postage was determined as:

    20 centime flat fee + a variable fee based on the weight of the letter.


    The weight of this letter is found in the Charge’ box on the back - 10.2 grams. So, this letter was at the 2nd rate level or 40 centimes.


    Total postage = 60 centimes.


    The insurance amount was paid in cash. It was determined at a rate of 10 centimes for every 100 francs of declared value.

    I am not certain, but the third image shows where the postal clerk wrote this amount. I THINK it says 40 centimes paid, which would cover 400 francs of declared value.


    However, I have three questions:

    1. Does this say 40 centimes... or 4 centimes. It looks more like quattre to me than quarante. But, quattre makes no sense since amounts were in 10 centime increments.

    2. What information is held in the Charge’ box? I see the post office number at the left. The next two columns are the weight, I presume. But, what follows?

    3. Is it possible this is a valeurs cotée (quoted value by the postmaster)? If that is the case, it would be 1% of the quoted value for insurance, which could possibly be 4 centimes, I suppose?


    Thank you for your help!

    Rob

    Hello collector friends,


    Thank you for all of the information found in the prior posts! There was enough there for me to get a start figuring out a couple of items that are newer to my collection.


    Here is an 1866 folded letter from Geneve to Rome sent via Marseille.

    The postage rate was 70 centimes per 7.5 grams and this rate was effective from Oct 1, 1865 until Dec 31, 1870.

    There is a Aug 18 postmark on both the front and the back. A Suisse Amb Marseille marking for Aug 18 on the front and a Marseille marking for August 20 on the back.

    The last marking on the back is probably Roma Aug 23.

    It is my understanding that this should have taken a coastal steamer from Marseille to Civitavecchia. However, I do not find a matching sailing in the Salles book vol II. The closest sailing I find is on page 216 of that book. The Pausilippe left Marseille on Aug 16. Or the Quirinal left on Aug 23.


    Of course, other shipping routes might have stopped and dropped off the letter, but I am not finding dates that work for that either.

    For example, the Peluse left Marseille for Alexandria on Aug 19. Too early for this letter and likely only stopped in Messina, not Civitavecchia.


    Were there British ships running between Marseille and Civitavecchia at this time?

    Perhaps someone who knows a bit more can help me with this?


    Best,

    Rob

    Ralph & Dieter,


    I am pleased that you both think the article is good. It is because of the kind people here and the resources on DASV site that I have learned enough to write about it.


    Have a good day everyone.

    Rob

    Hello collector friends,


    This week on my postal history blog, I featured the mail from Switzerland to DOPV. It is at this location if you would like to read it.


    Of course, if you find I have made a mistake, please feel free to correct me and I will make the appropriate changes.


    Have a good week everyone!


    Rob

    Hello collector friends,


    Here is a visual of what I think I understand regarding the routes I have been discussing above. The map is an 1861 German rail map.


    A person could mail a letter to Wurttemberg at the Baden railway station in Basel and it would be taken by the Baden railway (shown in green) for a while before it would re-enter Switzerland. A later line would go to Schaffhausen for re-entry to Switzerland. When this happened Baden would open the mailbag and receive the 6 kreuzer credit.


    The more recent item I posted took the route highlighted in red, staying on Swiss railways and not entering German territory until it crossed at Lake Costanze. So, Wurttemberg would get the 6 kreuzer weiterfranco.


    Ralph, if you see something incorrect here, let me know. Thank you for your help.

    Rob

    I was also able to find this simple letter rate example with Strubel issue stamps. It's not as nice as the double weight letter for condition and eye appeal. But, the price was low and I had not found the double weight letter yet. So, I thought it would be nice to show the Swiss to France rate of the time with some Strubel examples.


    I think they will make a good looking display page. :)


    Rob

    Philaworld,


    The item you show in post #8 is fantastic! I am not surprised that there are very few examples of that rate and route available for collectors.


    Everyone,


    The 6d rate per 1/4 oz between the UK and Switzerland is listed as being effective in the UK from Jan 1, 1857 to Nov 12, 1865. Is the time period for the 60rp / 7.5 oz rate period from Switzerland to the UK the same?


    Also, did the Swiss apply different rates for different rayons on their outgoing letters to the UK at any point during this rate period?


    Thank you in advance!


    Rob

    Hello collector friends,


    Here is an 1861 letter from Basel to Wurttemberg. Two 15 rappen Strubels pay the 30 rp rate. One rayon in Switzerland and two rayons in DOPV.


    Would it be correct to say, based on the markings shown here, that this must have gone via internal Swiss rail to Constanz and entered Wurttemberg after crossing the lake to Friedrichschafen?


    In post #160, I showed an item that went via the Baden railway just north of the Swiss border from Basel, so a Baden marking indicating the 6 kreuzer was passed to Baden. The only additional markings on this one is a Wurttemberg Bahnpost marking and the receiver at Cannstatt. That is why I think Wurttemberg gets the 6 kreuzer.


    Is my logic correct here?


    Also, it looks to me like this was sent to a smaller town near Cannstatt (Kannstadt). Can someone help me figure out where? Or am I incorrect?


    Best,

    Rob