New Zealand: Official Mail

Official mail from the New Zealand Post Office Headquarters, Wellington, on a NZ aerogramme form.

Postmarked at Wellington and handstamped "POST OFFICE HEADQUARTERS  WELLINGTON, N.Z. / POSTAGE PAID".

V-Mail: A Precursor of Aerogrammes

This is a "V-Mail" cover. V-Mail (Victory Mail) was also known as Airgraph service. Special airgraph forms were distributed to military staff during WWII. The forms were microfilmed to reduce weight and volume in airmail service. In the country of destination the microfilm was printed and posted in  the special cover shown above.

Airgraphs can be seen as a precursor of aerogrammes as they share the objective to provide "light weight" air mail services.

Below is the printout.

Congo: Taxed Aerogramme

This aerogramme (NGK #3X, vertical watermark lines), sent 2. 10. 64 to Perpinster, Belgium, was taxed for any reason in the country of origin ("T" handstamp on the left hand side of the front panel).

Upon arrival in Belgium, it was taxed "14 frs" in red crayon. A 2 F and two 6 F definitives were affixed to pay the postage due, each voided with a "T" handstamp.


Reference:
NKG, Aerogramme Afrika, 2012 

Australia: "Test Letter" Overprint

This is Australia Stein A-36, overprinted "TEST LETTER". "Test Letters" were used to test new franking machines.


Reference:
Stein, The Aerogrammes of Australia and Its Dependencies, 1944-1980

Nyasaland: O.H.M.S. Aerogramme Form

Aerogramme form with O.H.M.S. (On Her Majesty's Service) imprint, postmarked with red cds "ZOMBA OFFICIAL PAID NYASALAND 8 OC 55) and red single-line handstamp "ON POSTAL SERVICE" instructional marking to the US.

Uganda: Slogan Cancel Advertsing the Use of Aerogrammes

This is domestic letter of Uganda, franked with two 10 c stamps of the 1962 independence definitives.

The letter was postmarked with the machine slogan cancel "AEROGRAMMES / CHEAPEST for AIRMAIL".

 

Uganda issued its first aerogrammes only in 2000. Before, aerogramme forms were used.

New Catalogue: Privately Manufactured Aerogramme Forms of Australia

Neil W. Cornish: “THE PRIVATE ISSUES” - A Study into the Privately Issued Australian Airletters and Aerogramme Issues of 1946 to 1966”  
First edition, January 2014

Postal authorities usually are restrictive when it comes to privately manufactured stationery forms, which are offered in addition to (and competing with) the official postal stationeries. The forms have to go through a licensing process, which should guarantee that the forms meet postal regulations and requirements.

The privately manufactured aerogramme forms of Australia have the permit reference usually printed in the lower left corner of the front panel, e.g. “Approved by Postmaster-General for acceptance as aerogramme no. …”. 

The permit number refers to the manufacturer, not to the individual aerogramme form. Hence, a manufacturer’s aerogramme forms, which can be quite different in layout and printing, all have the same permit number.

Neil W. Cornish has now published the very first in-depth study of Australia’s pre-decimal privately manufactured aerogramme forms. Based on extensive research in the archives of Australia Post, the author gives details for permit numbers 1 to 61, including date of approval and major layout variants, for which images are provided.

This really is ground-breaking work, as stationery catalogues do not cover the privately manufactured aerogramme forms. Collectors were never sure, for example, if their collection is somewhat “complete”.

Neil W. Cornish has made a big hit with his approach to provide a collector-friendly, clearly laid out catalogue structure. The information provided in the appendix, e.g. examples of official communication pertaining to the approval process, is a very welcome add-on.

The study is obtainable from the author at AUD 33 (within Australia) and AUD 45 (overseas), respectively, including postage in each case.

If you are interested, please contact me via the email adress given at the top of this blog. I will provide the author's contact details, then.

USA: 10c "Missing Propeller" Variety

This is Wiegand #4 (three-line admonition on back panel).

Below is a close-up of the indicum clearly showing the missing propeller, which was listed in the old Kessler catalogues. However, it is not in the Wiegand catalogue.
 

For comparison, here is the normal indicium 

There are other differences as well. Steve Levine has published a good start for further investigations on his website.


Reference:
Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Canada, USA, UNO New York, 1994

Spain: Aerogramme with Special Postmark for UPU 75th Anniversary

This is Greiner #10c, the rare variant with overlay type B (light-grey, with wide sealing flap angle).

The aerogramme was cancelled with a special postmark commemorating the 75th anniversary of the UPU (Universal Postal Union) in 1949. Philatelic usage.

Reference:
Greiner/Greiner, Aerogramme von Europa, 3e, 1993

UK: "SPECIMEN" overprint

This is the 1965 Christmas commemorative aerogramme (Greiner #32). 

Three types of "SPECIMEN" exist: Handstamped, either 13 mm wide in black or 23 mm wide in purple, and printed, 13 mm wide in black.

This is the rare type, with "SPECIMEN" printed in black.

Reference:
Greiner/Greiner, Aerogramme von Europa, 3e, 1993