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Sweden: Covers: Military Covers - 1935 Saar Battalion  
All covers are available for approval viewing. The covers shown are just a very small sample of my stock. Please tell me more about your collecting interests and what types of covers you are seeking.
Following WWI, the highly industrialized Saar region, between Germany and France, was placed under the control of the League of Nations. [Wikipedia and other sources...] France wanted the economic and extensive mineral (coal and iron) resources as reparations. However, the population was mostly Germanic. Until a plebiscite referendum planned for early 1935, France received economic control, while the area was administered by the LoN. As the referendum approached, LoN peacekeeping forces from the UK, Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden, deployed in the Saar area to assist in controlling the situation. The Swedish force consisted of only 261 people, arriving 22 December 1934 and departing 18 February 1935. The vote was taken on 13 January, with 90.3% of the votes to remain with Germany. The Swedish forces operated their own military postal system, using Swedish stamps, and with a "SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" postmark, registered mail (and special Saar registry label), etc. With so few members and less than two months in the field, mail from the Swedish battalion is unusual, but not rare; most seen is philatelic mail from the soldiers, often with a variety of stamps -- private/commercial mail is very scarce.
Military Covers - 1935 Saar Battalion  Shopping Cart: Review or Check Out   Top 
Item #
Quality & Description
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US$
241820
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 5 January 1935 postmarks on Scott #119 Type I and 175 [1925 10 öre Lion violet coil; 1925 25 öre dark blue Gustaf V Left Profile] (F-VF) on REGISTERED COVER. COMMERCIAL USE from a battalion member to a branch of Sveriges Riksbank (Swedish Royal Bank) in Gävle, Sweden -- addressed simply to the bank, not to any person, thus extremely likely to be NON-philatelic use. The reverse bears wax seals with the senders monogram as would be the practice when registered mail contained currency, and in fact, under the registry label is a manuscript notation that the envelope contained 100 kr (the postal clerk would have normally actually counted the currency and recorded in the post office record how much was present). A very "ordinary" looking cover which is the beauty of a proper non-philatelic use! (The stamps were first issued in 1925 but were still in common use at this time.) The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual and non-philatelic uses are quite scarce. An outstanding example.
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241828
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 13 January 1935 postmark on Scott #239-247 COMPLETE SET [1935 Riksdagen (Parliament) 500th complete set] (Fine, F-VF, VF) on attractive cover. It should be noted that 13 January covers exist with a backdated cancellation, but those have a straight-top "3" of 13 in the day -- this has the correct rounded-top "3" of 13 in the day. While there is certainly no doubt that this is a philatelic use, it is possible that this is actually a first day use of this set of stamps in Saar -- it likely took that long for the stamps to reach these soldiers. These stamps were issued on 10 January in Sweden -- I have not recorded use of this stamp issue earlier than 13 January in Saar; please let me know if you are aware of any earlier uses. The fact that an entire set was used supports the idea that this may be a Saar-use FDC. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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110.00

241829
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 18 January 1935 postmark on an unusual combination of 12 stamps, from six different issues, on attractive cover. Either this was philatelic or the sender was just having fun. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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241833
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 18 January 1935 postmark on an unusual combination of 10 stamps including the watermarked Scott #212 with a SUPERBLY CENTERED CANCELLATION, from six different issues, on attractive cover. The watermark of the UPU Kongress 10 öre, Scott #212, can be seen by holding the cover up to a strong light while looking through from the inside to the front -- it is very clear. This watermarked stamp in this centering (with a normal cancel) would be about $50 off-cover, but with a Superb cancel about $100, and with a Superb SAAR cancellation, who knows what it could achieve! The price of this cover is essentially the price of this single, off-cover stamp with this cancellation. Either this was philatelic or the sender was just having fun. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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100.00

241822
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 1 February 1935 postmarks on Scott #239 4-block, 244 [1935 5 öre sheet/bklt stamp and 15 öre coil Riksdagen (Parliament) 500th] (F-VF) on REGISTERED COVER. CORRECT POSTAGE RATE (15 öre domestic letter to 20 grams plus 20 öre registry fee). With correct rate, stamps just issued 20 days before, etc., this looks like it could be non-philatelic use. A simple, clean, correct-looking cover. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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241826
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 2 February 1935 postmark on Scott #174 [1922 25 öre rose red Gustaf V Left Profile] (VF) on attractive cover. The 25 öre franking overpays the applicable domestic rate (15 öre domestic letter to 20 grams), but is the correct rate for a foreign letter to 20 grams, which the sender may have had in mind. This stamp is very scarce on cover; Facit 2020 value is SEK 450 for a ordinary cover use. A very simple and clean, ordinary looking cover that could certainly be non-philatelic use. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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95.00

240870
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 9 February 1935 postmarks on ten different early (1892-1934) Swedish stamps on registered cover, with matching special Saar Battalion registry label, sent to Sweden. Philatelically inspired, as are most of the Saar Battalion covers. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed, any examples are unusual. Very dramatic and interesting!
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241824
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 9 February 1935 postmark on Scott #241 [1935 15 öre sheet/bklt stamp Riksdagen (Parliament) 500th] (F-VF) on attractive cover with CORRECT POSTAGE RATE (15 öre domestic letter to 20 grams). Bears very clear violet, 2-line handstamp "Zur Erinnerung an Die Abftimmung / im Saargebiet am 13. Januar 1935" (A reminder of the vote in the Saar region on 13 January 1935). I have not previously seen an example of this handstamp and I am not sure why this handstamp would be on a February cover, but it does make it a very special cover. With correct rate, stamp just issued 30 days before, addressed to a woman, etc., this looks like it could be non-philatelic use. A simple, clean, correct-looking cover. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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110.00

241823
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 14 February 1935 postmarks on Scott #B32, B33, B36 [1928 5, 10, and 25 öre Gustaf V 70th Birthday / Cancer Semi-Postals] (VF) on REGISTERED COVER. Franked with 40 öre when only 35 was needed (15 öre domestic letter to 20 grams plus 20 öre registry fee), but that was not unusual with the Cancer semi-postals. Addressed to a Post Assistant in Malmö to a home address, but nobody was home when delivery was attempted, so the cover received a violet 2-line handstamp "Avhämtas å postkontoret..." stating that the letter could be collected at the Malmö 7 branch post office. It is "rare" for Saar covers to bear additional postal markings. The semi-postal issue is always unusual on any type of cover, especially on Saar covers. With the slight over-franking, there is no way we can know if this was philatelic use or if simply a non-philatelic letter to a friend. Mailed on the 14th, just 3 days before the last possible date of the 17th. A simple, clean, correct-looking cover, but with some nice interesting features. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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241564
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 15 February 1935 postmarks on the complete coil set of six different 500th Anniversary of Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen) stamps, Scott #242-7. Affixed to a piece of local stationery "Merzip-Saar" and neatly individually canceled with VF or better strikes. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. We know that there were at least a couple philatelists in the Swedish contingent; fortunately as they created some interesting items that would otherwise not exist. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed, any examples are unusual. Very dramatic and interesting! These cancellations would fetch $12-15 each if cut into six pieces.
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Reference
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Military Covers - 1935 Saar Battalion continued ...   Shopping Cart: Review or Check Out   Top 
Item #
Quality & Description
IMAGES: Hover mouse pointer over image to determine if ACTUAL image of item OR a REPRESENTATIVE sample image of item.
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US$
241825
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 16 February 1935 postmark on Scott #244 [1935 15 öre coil Riksdagen (Parliament) 500th] (F-VF) on attractive Saar picture post card ("Saarbrucken Winterbergdenkmal"). The 15 öre franking overpays the applicable domestic rate (10 öre domestic post card), but is the correct rate for a foreign post card, which the sender may have had in mind. The card has a simple one-word message (Greetings) and could certainly be non-philatelic use. Canceled on the penultimate day of this postal service. This is one of only two Saar Battalion post cards I can recall having in 46 years. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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241827
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 23 January 1935 postmark on Scott #240 [1935 10 öre sheet/booklet stamp Riksdagen (Parliament) 500th] (F-VF) on attractive Saar picture post card (a beautiful castle tower: "Mettlach (Saar). Alter Turm"). 10 öre is CORRECT FRANKING for the domestic post card rate. This stamp is somewhat scarce on cover or card. The card bears a message stating that the sender has sent 2 letters, 2 korsband (printed matter; likely newspapers), and 2 view cards. This is likely to be non-philatelic use; non-philatelic January uses are quite a bit scarcer. This is one of only two Saar Battalion post cards I can recall having in 46 years. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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241834
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"SVENSKA BATALJONEN / SAAR" 16 February 1935 postmark directly on the cover (not on any stamps), with 8 different 1927//1934 SAAR STAMPS in the range Scott #120//144. The Saar stamps are canceled two days later on 18 February at "MERZIG (SAAR)" with tourism-promotion cancellation pitching "Romantic Saar". I guess with the civil strife settled down a bit and the next war still a couple years away, it was time to go to a nice bed and breakfast place in Saarland. 17 February was the last day of the Swedish postal operations in Saar. I am not sure why this had the Swedish postal marking, but no Swedish stamps, and then two days later received the Saar postal markings on Saar stamps. This is the only example I can recall seeing in 46 years of a Swedish Saar Battalion postal marking on a cover that was actually apparently carried out via the Saar postal service instead of the Swedish military postal service. The cover is a bit wrinkled if you look closely, as if somebody was carrying it in their rucksack. I cannot prove anything, but my sense of it is that this is a genuine non-philatelic use -- however I could be very wrong. The Swedish Saar Battalion was part of an international peacekeeping force during the Saar Plebiscite, deciding if the Saar area would become part of France or Germany. With only 261 battalion members and less than two months deployed (23 December 1934 through 17 February 1935), any examples are unusual. Very attractive!
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Reference
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