Newly acquired items worthy of your attention. These may or may not be described with quite as much detail as usual, however, as always, your satisfaction is guaranteed. All are available for approval viewing. Scott numbers have been used unless otherwise mentioned.
1 October 1882 stampless unpaid cover from HEGRE (NK rarity "e" in the period) to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota) and with BUREAU DE MER / DE NORVEGE ship transit postmark. Norwegian "T" and New York duplex postage due markings. Penciled math calculations on reverse. Nice quality for such unpaid mail to emigrants. Such letters were often sent unpaid (and without return address) with the assumption that the "rich" American relatives could better afford to pay the postage.
75.00
222841
24b [NK 24IIIb; 1879 5 øre Bright Blue, not re-engraved] and #27 [NK 27; 1876 20 øre Orange Brown Shaded Posthorn] on 2 May 1882 25 øre cover front only, from HEGRE (NK rarity "e" in the period) to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota). As of 2003, only 13 examples of this generic (5+20) franking combination had been recorded, however, the information does not indicate which 5 øre stamps have been recorded as part of the combination. Despite being only a front, this is a scarce and attractive item.
125.00
222844
40 21 mm Frame PAIR [NK 37II, Facit 39b: 12 February 1882 10 øre Reengraved Posthorn] (F-VF+) on 27 April 1882 cover from DRAMMEN with bridge-type postmark, to Jmmenstadt, AUSTRIA, with receiving postmark. Cover somewhat aged stained, but overall appearance is quite nice. Remarkably unusual destination in the 1880s. NK 2003 does not record ANY covers to Austria bearing this stamp and only record five 20 øre covers (total of all franking combinations) in the 1879-1883 period. While the cover, at first, looks unremarkable, it is quite scarce.
275.00
222842
28 [1877 25 øre Shaded Posthorn] (Average) on 14 January 1883 cover from HEGRE (NK rarity "e" in the period) to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota). Cover heavily worn and part of back flap missing. Certainly one of the key stamp issues of the era! Stamp with nice color.
65.00
222846
45 21 mm Frame [1884 25 øre 21 mm Frame Posthorn] (F-VF) on 3 November 1884 cover from HEGRE (NK rarity "e" in the period) to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota and then forwarded to Roscoe Centre). Typical wear and aging for an emigrant cover. Scarce stamp on cover; Facit 2006 value for the most common possibility and usage on envelope, (not just to U.S.) is SEK 5000 = US$700!
325.00
222845
44 21 mm Frame [NK 40IIb, Facit 44Bb; 1883 20 øre Posthorn, Electrotype new plate, Prussian Blue] (Fine) solo usage on 20 October 1885 cover from BERGEN to France. NK 2003 only records nine covers to France bearing solo usage of any of the various printings of NK #40. This is assumed to be the least costly printing of #40IIb. Attractive; usages to France in this period are uncommon. Facit 2006 value for the most common possibility and usage (to any location, not to France) is SEK 2500 = US$350!
195.00
222843
39 21 mm Frame TWO PAIRS (VF) [1883 5 øre Blue Green, 21 mm Frame] on 5 August 1886 cover from GJØVIG with 2-ring postmark, to the U.S. With "MISSENT" marking applied at Richland Center, Wisconsin, before reaching Wiota, Wisconsin, to which it was addressed -- both with dated postmarks. A handsome cover in very much better quality than usually seen for emigrant mail. As of 2003, only THREE covers bearing four examples of this stamp (specific color or printing were no identified nor were singles vs pairs, etc.) were recorded to the U.S. Those examples are from 1887-89, making this cover the earliest such usage. (The rate to the U.S. was reduced from 25 to 20 øre on 1 April 1886.) Furthermore, a very interesting and seldom seen postal history item.
575.00
223828
40 20 mm [NK 53 IId, Type 3b; no dot after FRIM, rounded upper corners] on 3 November 1886 cover with VANG single-ring cancellation.
25.00
223829
39 20 mm Gray Green [NK 52I, Type 2] (VF) on 14 September 1887 5 øre postal card (brownish paper) from CHRISTIANIA to Germany.
40 20 mm Frame [1887-89 10 øre 20 mm Aniline Red Posthorn: NK and Facit 53III] (F-VF) on neat 7 June 1889 cover from STAVANGER (with 2-ring bridge cancel) to Tvedestrand.
18.00
222849
44 20 mm Frame [1892 20 øre 20 mm Blue: NK/Facit 54IV] (VF) on 13 May 1893 cover, with contents, from GUDAA with BLUE 2-ring postmark, to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota). Usual wear and aging of emigrant mail. Any type of Norwegian cover with a colored postmark is very unusual.
70.00
222850
44 20 mm Frame [1892 20 øre 20 mm Blue: NK/Facit 54V] (F-VF) on 26 July 1893 cover, from HEGRE with 2-ring postmark, to the U.S. (Appleton, Minnesota). Much better quality than usual for emigrant mail.
40.00
200898
50 pair (Ave, one damaged) on 23 June 1906 picture post card (Geiranger Seven Sisters waterfalls) with "BERGEN-TRONDHEIM B" ship cancellation (Danielsen #2).
12.00
222901
Spitzbergen Local Post 2005 #E7, Pihl #E8 [1906 5 øre Hunter and Polar Bear, second design] (VF) on July 1908 picture post card (artist-signed "H.B. Wieland" Spitzbergen scene) with blue "ADVENT BAY / SPITZBERGEN" cancellation. The cancel is listed in the 2005 catalog only in violet and used in 1913; this nice example significantly expands that listing. Franked with Norway Scott #51 canceled TROMSØ 13 July 1908, where it entered the postal system. Vertical crease in card away from the stamps, but not obvious. To Germany and there forwarded.
160.00
222902
51 [1899 10 øre Posthorn, Plate II] (VF+) on beautiful 3 August 1908 real photo picture post card with "SOGNS POSTEKSP. / B" ship cancellation, to Germany. The card pictures and there is a red hotel "postmark" of the Hotel Balestrand at Balholm, Sogn. Wonderful quality in every respect.
84 (Fine) on 1927 (?) picture post card (real photo of Tromsø hospital, showing coastline) with "NORDLANDS POSTEXP. U" ship cancellation (Danielsen #29a).
15.00
223831
146 [1929 15 øre Niels Henrik Abel] (F-VF) on neat underpaid 1930 real-photo picture post card to the U.S., canceled at HAUGASTØL. Norwegian black "T" postage due handstamp and violet "10 cts." (gold centimes) circle postage due handstamp. Also with an American 2 cents postage due marking. The text of the card is interesting and relates to the picture of Krekjahytta and the desolate area surrounding.
26.00
222904
C1 [1934 45 øre Airmail] (VF) on nice 14 January 1935 airmail cover from OSLO to England.
22.00
224682
183 or 186 [1938/39 30 øre Tourism (Jølster in Sunnfjord)] (VF) on 23 October 1940 large window envelope (probably financial or legal correspondence regarding patents) to the U.S. with Nazi German censor tape and handstamp on reverse. With SHIP postmark: "BUREAU AMB. OSLO-ED [Edinburgh] IV". Upon arrival in the U.S. handstamped with 3-line magenta "SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN MATTER / SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF / EXECUTIVE ORDER 8389 AS AMENDED". I cannot recall previously seeing this marking on incoming Scandinavian mail from this period. Order 8389 regulated foreign financial exchange "Protecting Funds of Victims of Aggression". Very interesting both as postal history and wartime / social history.
173 (VF) [35 watermarked Lion] on 28 March 1941 airmail cover to Sweden. German censorship in Oslo with tape and handstamp. Nice advertising cover and an airmail usage not often offered.
35.00
218486
181-3 OR 184-6 [1938/39 Tourism Issue; cannot determine watermark] (VF) Complete set on 3 January 1941 registered cover from FLEKKEFJORD to the U.S., with very unusual Nazi German red "Ab" in-circle censorship handstamp applied at Berlin. This censor marking usually indicates that the particular item was not actually censored and is most commonly used on printed matter. Furthermore, mail from Norway to the U.S. was not normally censored at Berlin. This cover bears no sign of having been opened. Why this cover received this treatment is a mystery; perhaps one or the other of the correspondents were known to the Germans?
50.00
215052
242 x3 (VF) on 2 December 1942 expres cover to Sweden, from Oslo, and with unusual Oslo censor tape and handstamp -- the handstamp appears very sharp and perhaps brand new. The use of the war-time commemorative stamps often indicates pro-Nazi attitudes, or at least an attempt to appear to be complying. Scarce usage, scarce franking.
50.00
215053
251 x3, 190 x3 (VF) on 24 January 1943 express cover to Sweden, from Oslo with "black market" text machine cancellation, and with small violet Ao censor mark. The use of the war-time commemorative stamps often indicates pro-Nazi attitudes, or at least an attempt to appear to be complying. Scarce usage, scarce franking.
45.00
218473
German Feldpost 955/1 registered 20 March 1943 cover from Army Coastal Battery 582, 270th Infantry Division, in the Tromsø area. With violet Breifstempel Feldpostnummer 02753 handstamps on front and back. 210 x 150 mm envelope to Kustrin, Germany, with usual wear. It is unusual to find an envelope of this size; few seem to have survived. Scarce Nazi occupation of Norway postal history from well above the Arctic Circle.
125.00
224714
261-66 [1943 "London" Issue Government in Exile; complete original set of 6 values] (VF) on usual philatelic cover with small-size, black "NORWEGIAN ARMY / FIELD POST OFFICE" 17 May 1943 cancellations, British censorship. The date is also the first day of the rare "London Overprints" set of stamps. These stamps were valid for postage from Norwegian military and exile government senders, including Norwegian naval and merchant marine ships worldwide. It was finally released in Norway on 22 June 1945. A very interesting set which was important in helping to raise funds to support the exiled government and to promote worldwide support for the Norwegian cause.
263 (VF) [20 øre London Issue] on 26 September 1945 cover, to Sweden. Bears Swedish "currency control" censorship tape -- an unusual type of which I have only seen a couple. A bit roughly opened, but an unusual usage.
28.00
224451
202, 203 [1941 60 øre Lion; 1940 1 Krone Lion] on 25 June 1945 airmail cover to New York City, with 160 øre franking and a violet open-circle believed to be a postal rate verification marking. From 1931 and ending 14 June 1946, New York was an airmail "special charge zone" with its own postal rate. Sometimes this rate was the same as the normal U.S. rate, but apparently the destination triggered a rate verification examination. The surface rate was 30 øre per 10 grams. Starting 16 May 1945 both the U.S. and New York air surcharges were 65 øre per 5 grams, however, the U.S. rate changed to 75 on 30 August 1945 while no similar change has been documented for the New York rate. NK 2007 has some slightly different dates and info that does not track the same, but the bottom line is the same -- this is a very short period for this rate.
17.00
222857
Red Cross 1946 seal [Red Cross hospital in Finnmark (Northern Norway)] tied by cancel with solo airmail usage of #275 (VF) on 3 December 1946 picture post card from SANDNESSJØEN to the U.S. Usages leaving the country are unusual. Nice Northern/Polar seal theme.
16.00
222905
C3 [1941 45 øre Airmail, without watermark] (VF) on 14 March 1946 airmail advertising cover from BERGEN to Belgium. Back flap damaged, but outstanding appearance from front.
201, 201A x2 (VF) on 1947 airmail cover to the U.S. with SANDVIKA machine cancellation.
6.00
217204
202A (VF) solo usage on 1947 airmail cover to the U.S. with SANDVIKA hand cancellation.
12.00
217206
284 (VF) on 8 May 1947 airmail cover to the U.S. with TRONDHEIM single-slogan 300th Postal Office Anniversary machine cancellation (matches the stamp issue).
10.00
217205
202 pair (VF) on 1948 airmail cover to the U.S. with TRONDHEIM repeating machine cancellation.
8.00
217207
289 pair (VF) on 1948 13 gram airmail cover to the U.S. with "TRONDHEIM ILA" hand cancellation. This stamp is very scarce on cover.
30.00
224452
284, 289 [1947 40 and 80 øre 300th Anniversary of Norwegian Post] on 16 January 1948 airmail cover to the U.S. from a military officer with the U.S. Naval Attache at the American Embassy in Oslo. 120 øre franking with 40 and 80 values of the 1647-1947 Post Office set (which in itself makes a very interesting collection with its wide range of denominations). Surface rate 40 per 20 grams; air surcharge 40 øre per 5 grams. The air surcharge was increased on 15 November 1949, thus these stamps issued 15 April 1947 could only be used for this rate for less than 2.5 years. Nice U.S. Military/Embassy usage.
16.00
215051
278 x5, 276 x2, 323 (VF, some faults) on ca.1950 airmail SAMPLES parcel label "Samples of no commercial value" franked with 28.90 kr postage, all Haakon, including 5x 5kr stamps, TO AUSTRALIA. An extremely rare usage and postal rate, and a scarce destination country. The "samples" rate is rarely seen in postal history because it was so difficult to preserve the (usually oversized and terribly beat up) "cover". Despite the rough appearance of this item, this is a rare usage! Certainly the nicest high-value Haakon item I have ever had.
278, 320 x5 (VF, a couple minor faults) on 27 November 1951 totally complete parcel tag to the U.S., from KIRKENES in the polar region (a little more sought after). This tag was NOT one of those specifically intended for U.S. traffic (scarce thus). Franked with 5kr Haakon (scarce) and 5x 80 øre Garborg (very unusual).
40.00
230850
ANTARCTIC: Dronning Maud Land 10 February 1951 registered Norsk-Britisk-Svensk expedition cover to Bergen, with OSLO and BERGEN backstamps. Postmark pictures penguin. Cachet includes whales.
26.00
222859
Red Cross 1952 seal [Prince (now King) Harald (adjusting ski boots?)] tied by SKIEN machine-slogan Christmas cancel with solo usage of #308 (VF) on 21 December 1952 picture post card to Denmark. Usages leaving the country are unusual.
12.00
215050
277 x2, 325 x2 (VF, a couple minor faults) on 27 August 1956 partial parcel tag to the U.S., from KONGSBERG. This tag was NOT one of those specifically intended for U.S. traffic (scarce thus). Franked with 2x 2kr Haakon and 2x 15 øre.
8.00
222858
Red Cross 1956 seal [bird eating berries] tied by cancel with solo usage of #345 (VF) on 14 December 1956 commercial advertising (elk and hands) post card from OSLO to Bergen. Commercial usages are unusual.
10.00
224453
277, 325 [1946 2 kr Haakon; 1952 15 øre Brown Posthorn] on 24 December 1957 Christmas Eve Norwegian FILM INDUSTRY airmail cover to the U.S. The surface rate was 65 øre per 20 grams; 35 øre air surcharge per 5 grams. I cannot get the rate to work out to 215 øre; however, covers with the 2kr are quite scarce.
10.00
222900
Interesting lot of about 70 large pieces of 1958-1962 envelope fronts bearing a wide variety of definitive stamp issues, mostly from covers to the U.S. Were apparently collected for the postmarks; considerable variety (but some duplicates) of machine and hand postmarks. Includes at least one each of tied Christmas seals, railway cancel, official stamp, 2 kroner high value stamp; and a number with airmail rate-check number handstamps (just recently cataloged in the 2006 philatelic year book [available from me]). As full covers these would be worth over $300.
277 x2, 278, 360 x2, 374 x4 (VF, a few minor faults) on 31 August 1959 totally complete parcel tag to the U.S. The tag was specifically for parcels to the U.S. Rare mixed Haakon/Olav high value franking including 5kr and 2x 2kr Haakon and 4x 10kr Olav. This is the highest value tag franking that I can recall ever having and one of only a few with mixed issues.
80.00
215045
365 (VF) [55 øre Olav] 21 July 1960 solo usage on TINY post card to the U.S. from FORNEBU. I would have thought that this card is smaller than regulations require for international mail. Scarce stamp as a solo usage and a scarce type of post card usage.
20.00
215046
363 (VF) [45 øre Olav] 14 May 1962 solo usage on airmail post card from FORNEBU to U.S., but insufficiently franked. With Norwegian blue "T 45 Cts." in circle postage due handstamp.
15.00
222906
Lottery Stamp A on 18 June 1964 cover, genuine usage (contest entry) addressed to the refugee organization. The used stamp alone sells for $90. Small-size, non-philatelic covers such as this are very scarce; the A stamp is scarcer than the B stamp on cover.
225.00
222907
Lottery Stamp A on 10 August 1964 LAST DAY philatelic cover to Denmark (even though this stamp was only valid for domestic postage). The used stamp alone sells for $90. Small-size covers such are hard to find; the A stamp is scarcer than the B stamp on cover.
110.00
222908
Lottery Stamp B on 28 July 1964 philatelic cover to the issuing organization. The used stamp alone sells for $90.
95.00
222909
Lottery Stamp B on 10 August 1964 LAST DAY philatelic cover to Denmark (even though this stamp was only valid for domestic postage). The used stamp alone sells for $90. Small-size covers such are hard to find.
110.00
222137
1965 September 12 SANDEFJORD "HUS OG HJEM" (House and Home) commemorative cancellation picturing a large whale and posthorns. This is a scarce cancellation, much in demand from Whaling thematic collectors but virtually impossible to obtain when you try to find an example. Philatelic cover (as always), neat and attractive, with one stamp (varies) and two strikes of the cancel, one of which is not on the stamp (for clarity).
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