Papua New Guinea: Stamp Depicting Aerogramme

The stamp in the upper left corner of the 1985 Papua New Guinea mini sheet "Centenary of the Papua New Guinea Post Office" shows an aerogramme (PNG #14, issued in 1983).

Tonga: Aerogramme Form Sent to New Zealand

Imperial Air Mail aerogramme, "Form approved by the Postmaster General, No. 71995/2E", sent from Nuku'alofa (8 JA 65) to New Zealand.

Two 3 s self-adhesive stamps paying the 6 s rate to New Zealand.

Australia: Bogus Postage Due Aerogramme

Postage due aerogrammes attract both aerogramme and postal history collectors and are worth a premium. Sometimes, forgers affix postage due stamps to pimp ordinary aerogrammes.

Sent from Melbourne (5 FEB 1957) to Tel-Aviv, Israel. Two red „T“ handstamps, but no other taxation marks. Two postage due stamps with a total value of 105 pruta.

The red „T“ handstamps appear to be rubber handstamps never used in Australia. The cancels do not tie the postage due stamps to the aerogramme and the cancels even do not align.

Also, the 105 pruta postage due does not make any sense. The only reason for a taxation in Australia could have been an enclosure. The aerogramme, then, should have been marked accordingly. With an enclosure, the aerogramme would have been subject to air mail letter rate.

The air mail letter rate to Israel was 2 s in 1957, which would have made the aerogramme 1 s 2 d short-paid. Double the deficieny 2 s 4 d, then, would have been postage due.

The surface mail letter rate (7 ½ d) equivalent was 20 UPU centimes. The postage due in UPU centimes would have been 74 ⅔. The international surface mail rate in Israel was 120 pruta, which means 1 UPU centimes = 6 pruta. The postage due, then, would have been 448 pruta.

New Zealand: 1950s Aerogramme Form

Two aerogramme forms of New Zealand printed by Tornado Printery, 304 Ferry Road, Christchurch and approved by Post Office Authority (3) P. & T. 1950.4. (1)

The design of the back panel is different.

Egypt: No Air Letter Service to Switzerland in March 1945

Egypt #1 sent from Alexandria (23 MA 45) to Geneva, Switzerland. 

The „Air Letter“ type designation and the „By Air Mail“ Routing instruction voided with pencil, indicating that air mail letter service between Egypt and Switzerland has not yet been established at that time.

New Zealand: Aerorammes Official Usage

Aerogramme form issued by the New Zealand Post Officewith printed letterhead of Post Office headquarters. Sent to the UK on June 11, 1970. „Postage Paid“ handstamp

Printed letterhead of The Treasury. Sent to Canada on February 13, 1973. Rectangular „Postage Paid The Treasury “ handstamp.

Gambia: Newly Discovered Provisional Issue

This is a newly discovered aerogramme of Gambia. In 2001, the postage rate for aerogrammes was increased from 1.50 D to 3.50 D. The regular aerogramme, NGK 20/II, in the top part of the picture, was used for a provisional issue (bottom part of the picture).

Interestingly, the paper of the provisional issue is quite different:

• paper is light greenish grey instead of light bluish grey
• watermark, see scan below. NGK 20/II is on unwatermarked paper.

Reference:
NGK Aerogramme von Afrika 2012

Australia: Christmas 1965 Aerogramme Variety

This is Australia A-24A Christmas 1965 aerogramme, the "N" instead of"M" in "Christmas" variety. 



Reference:
Stein, The aerogrammes of Australia and its dependencies 1944-1980

India: Air Letter with Enclosure Diverted to Surface Mail

Air letter India #AL3 sent from Benares ( 17 FEB 49) to Bethlehem, US. 

Interestingly, the four ½ AS stamps on the back panel that were required to pay the 8 AS air letter rate to the US in 1949 were cancelled with a taxation "T" handstamp. Probably, these were only detected, when the air letter was sorted out for taxation.

Later at Delhi, it was detected that the aerogramme contained an enclosure. The postal clerk then encircled the admonition on the front panel and diverted the air letter to surface mail. A boxed 3-line handstamp was applied "BY / SURFACE ROUTE / DELHI AIR".


Reference:
Lang/Saunders, A guide to the postal stationery of India., vol. 4: Aerogrammes & Inland Letter Cards, 1984

India: 1945 Christmas Greetings Air letter

This is the quite scarce air letter India AL2a, according to the Lang & Saunders catalogue, with a colorful imprint with Christmas greetings and wishes for a Victorious New Year 1946 on the writing panel.

Before the decisions of the 1952 Brussels UPU congress came into effect on July 1, 1953, air letters were accepted in international mail only if a bilateral agreement of the involved postal authorities with respect to air letters was in place.

This air letter was sent from ALLEPEY (16 DEC 45) to Silkborg, Denmark. As no bilateral agreement was in place at that time, the air letter got the 3-line handstamp " AIR MAIL LETTER CARD SERVICE / NOT AVAILABLE FORWARDED / BY SURFACE ROUTE" and was diverted to surface mail.

Air letter services between India and Denmark started on September 1, 1950.


Reference:
Lang, D. & Sauners, R. (1984), A guide to the postal stationery of India. Vol 4: Aerogrammes & Inland Letter Cards

Czechoslovakia: 1967 Aero Bratislava Aerogramm

This is Czechoslovakia #7b. The early aerogrammes of Czechoslovakia show some variants according to the width of the first line of the admonition "Vložite-li  do aerogramu ..." on the back panel.

This is type III with a width of 100.5 mm, with the "AERO_BRATISLAVA 67" imprint in brownish red.

Kenya Uganda Tanganyika: No Air Letter Service to Switzerland in 1946

Air letter form sent from KAMPALA (17 JAN 46) to Geneva, Switzerland (30. 1. 46).

The acceptance of air letters in international mail was subject to bilateral agreements between postal authorities, before aerogrammes were established as a standard UPU mail item category on July 1, 1953.

At the time of posting, air letter service between KUT and Switzerland was not yet established. „T“ handstamp applied in the country of origin. The air letter was treated as a short paid ordinary air mail letter, for which the applicable rate was 1 s 30 cent. Hence, the air letter was short paid 80 cent.

The Swiss postal authorities calculated the postage due as follows:

Swiss international letter rate / Foreign country international letter rate x deficiency x 2

The Swiss foreign letter rate was 30 Rappen, the KUT foreign letter rate was 30 cent, which gives a postage due of 160 Rappen. The payment of the postage due is documented by four postage due stamps with a total value of 160 Rappen.


Reference: Wilms (2004), Schweizer Nachporto ab 1910.

Burma: Short-paid Aerogramme

Burma #1 sent to New York, US, on 30 DEC 53. At the time of posting the aerogramme rate to the US was 12 AS, so the uprated aerogramme still was 2 AS short-paid. Taxed 16 UPU centimes in the circular "T" handstamp.

The standard rate fixed at the 1952 Brussels UPU congress was UPU letter rate = 20 UPU centimes, but the regulations allowed for deviations in a given range. The Indian postal authorities set the exchange rate to 1 AS = 4 UPU centimes (instead of 1 AS = 5 UPU centimes).

In the US the conversion rate was 3 UPU centimes = 1 cent, i.e. a postage due of 5 cent after rounding down, as is documented by the endorsement to the single line postage due handstamp. A 5 cent postage due stamp shows that the addressee has made the required payment.

Malaysia: Postage Due Aerogramme

Malaysian aerogramme (Wiegand #14, imprinted "Security Printers Malaysia" on bottom) sent from Sungai Petani (5 MEI 1982) to London, UK. At the time of posting, the aerogramme rate was 40 cent. Hence, the aerogramme was short paid by 10 cent.

The Malaysian postal clerk applied a triangular "T" handstamp and endorsed the tax fraction "20 / 40" in red. Double the deficiency in the numerator, however, was the rule of taxation established at the 1964 Vienna UPU congress, which had already been abolished by the decisions of the 1974 Lausanne UPU Congress. The new regulations, which came into effect on January 1, 1976, stipulated that single deficiency has to be noted as the tax fraction's numerator.

In the UK, a green boxed "To pay" handstamp was applied and a postage due of "29 p" was endorsed. The UPU letter rate of the UK was 19 ½ p. So, the postage due was 20 / 40 x 19 ½ p = 9.75 p, which was rounded down to 9 p, plus a fixed surcharging fee of 20 p for a total of 29 p.

The payment of this amount is documented by four postage due stamps with a total face value of 29 p.

Reference:
Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Asien, 2000.

 

Belgium: Announcement of 1958 Aerogramme Issue

Postcard of the Belgian postal services announcing a new aerogramme issue (November 7, 1958). The text also informs about aerogramme rates:

• 4 F aerogramme rate to Belgian Congo
• 5 F to European countries
• 6.50 F to any other country

Palestine: Start of Air Letter Service to the US on May 15, 1947

 

Before the decisions of the 1952 Brussels UPU congress came into effect on July 1, 1953, aerogrammes (or: air letters as they were named at that time) were no standard UPU postal items. Countries had to make bilateral agreements about accepting aerogrammes at, compared to ordinary air mail letters, reduced rates in incoming mail.

Here is a (private) cachet commemorating the start of air letter services between Palestine and the US on May 15, 1947.

There is a matching item from Australia elsewhere on this blog: http://aerogramme-airletters.blogspot.de/2015/03/australia-start-of-air-letter-service.html

Libya #2

This is Libya #2, uprated with a 15 Mills stamp, used in 1964 to the US. The aerogramme was issued in 1958.

Australia: Aerogramme Containing Enclosure

This aerogramme (Australia #81b, according to the Roggenkämper/Russ/Wiegand catalogue) contained an enclosure AND it was short-paid even as an aerogramme.

Handstamped with a boxed "Aerogram / Contains Enclosure" and a double-framed "Underpaid / Postage / Collected from Sender".

The aerogramme rate in June 1990, when this aerogramme was sent, was 60 cent. Containing an enclosure, the aerogramme was treated as a short paid air mail letter, for which the applicable rate was AUD 1.10, which gives a total postage due of 57 cent.


Reference
Roggenkämper/Russ/Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Australien und Ozeanien, 2003

South Africa: No Air Letter Service to the US in 1946

South Africa #2 (greyish buff paper) sent on 17 XII 46 to the US. Air letter service to the US was not yet available, so the air letter was treated as a short paid air mail letter (bilingual handstamp "Insufficiently prepaid for transmission / by Air Mail") and diverted to surface mail (instructional handstamp "Not in the Air Mails").

Egypt: No Air Letter Service to France in 1946

This is Egypt #1 used from CAIRO 13 OC 46 to Paris, France.

Before the 1952 Brussels UPU congress, at which aerogrammes were accepted as a standard UPU service (regulation came into effect on July 1, 1953), the acceptance of air letters at reduced rates in international mail depended on bilateral agreements between postal authorities.

Sears in his book "The Airmails of Egypt" (1990, p. 153), only writes: "Initially air letters could only be sent to those countries where the Airgraph service was used."

This air letter was uprated to a total postage of 52 Mills, which was the ordinary air mail letter rate to France in October 1946.

Australia; Aerogramme Form Crash Mail

This aerogramme form, Cornish #2.1 on grey paper with "Tullis Bond / Made in Great Britain" watermark and Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Limited printed letter head on writing panel, was transported on board the Lockheed L-749A Constellation, registration G-ALAM, which crashed on Singapore Kallang Airport on March 13, 1954.

A violet boxed handstamp "Salvaged Mail / Aircraft Crash / Singapore 13. 3.1954" was applied on the front panel of the aerogramme form, which was salvaged form the burning airplane.

New Zealand Aerogramme Form: Official Use

New Zealand aerogramme form official use by the General Post Office (printed letter head on writing panel) to the US. Franked at the 8 d rate with official stamps, it was sent from Wellington (26 JA 55).

Tomga: Aeorgramme Form with Enclosure sent as an Air Mail Letter

This Croxley aerogramme form was sent from Neiafu, Tonga (13 AU 83) to the US by a member of the US Peace Corps.

As it contained an enclosure it was franked at the 42 s air mauil letter rate.

Austria: Aerogramme Used as a Local Special Delivery Letter

Austria (Greiner #7b - greenish-gray overlay on light grey paper) used as a local special delivery letter within Vienna on April 10, 1958.

Aerogramme type designation crossed out and "Par Avion" routing instruction obliterated with special delivery label.


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

Australia: Uprated Aerogramme

This 1993 Australian aerogramme (Roggenkämper #111) was sent as an ordinary air mail letter. The franking equivalent of the "postage paid" aerogramme was 70 cent, the two additional stamps made up for the 1.20 AUD air mail letter rate to European destinations in 1996.


Reference
Roggenkämper/Russ/Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Australien und Ozeanien, 2003.

South Africa: 2011 Tortoise Shell Cosmetic Containers Aerogramme

It is sometimes hard to get recent aerogrammes commercially used. Thanks to Ronald who visited South Africa for his holidays I've got this nice 2011 aerogramme depicting art objects (tortoise shell cosmetic containers).

Marshall Islands: Stamp Booklet with Aerogramme Rate Stamps

Marshall Islands stamp booklet with 10 aerogramme rate stamps.

Turkey: Stamp Booklet Pane with Advertisement for Aerogrammes

This 1967 stamp booklet pane from Turkey has an advertisement for aerogrammes in the uper left corner. The advertisement translates into something like: "This is cheap for you. Use aerogrammes".

Papua New Guinea Aerogramme

This is the 35t "Lesser yellow-billed Kingfisher" aerogramme of Papua New Guinea (Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand #19), issued May 2, 1990. It was sent, with an enclosure, to the US on April 29, 1991. The enclosure was not detected.


Reference
Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Australien und Ozeanien, 2003

Papua New Guinea: Uprated Aerogramme

Papua New Guinea aerogramme (Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand #16) used to the US in 1989. The aerogramme had an enclosure, so the air mail letter rate applied. The air mail letter rate in 1989 was 70 t, so this aerogramme was either overpaid by 35 t or fell into the second weight step.


Reference
Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Australien und Ozeanien, 2003

Papua New Guinea: Uprated Aerogramme

This is the 30t "Wattled Ploughbill" aerogramme of Papua New Guinea (Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand #15), issued June 26, 1985. It was sent, with an enclosure, to the US on June 26, 1986. The additional franking was necessary to meet the 70t rate for ordinary air mail letters.


Reference
Roggenkaemper/Russ/Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Australien und Ozeanien, 2003

British Solomon Islands: Air Letter with High Franking

British Solomon Islands air letter form sent to England in early September 1951. 

The text on the writing panel does not reveal any reason for the high (2 /- ) franking. Although commercially used, this may point to a philatelic background: sending stamps.

India: Air Letter Treated a Short Paid Air Mail Letter

This air letter (India #3, on grey paper) caught my eye because of the high taxation. Air letter sent from AMBALA (26 JAN 50) to Birkach, Germany. Taxed 114 cents (UPU centimes).
 
Only from 1st September 1950, air letter service from India was extended to all countries where air mail facility was available at that time; vide Postal Notice No. 26 dated 24th July 1950

This air letter was treated as a short paid ordinary air mail letter, for which the applicable rate was 14 AS. Double deficiency, hence, was 16 AS, which were converted into UPU centimes at a rate of 1 AS = 7 ⅛ UPU ctms.

No apparent postage due handling in country of destination.

Turkey: Aerogramme Advertising Slogan Cancel

Turkish advertising slogan cancel for aerogrammes of 1979. Unfortunately, the bottom text line is not fully readable but I think it reads "Kullaniniz".  Then, the text means something like  "Use aerograms".

Australia: Service to Angola Suspended

Australia A-48 sent from SYDNEY (15 OCT 1979) to Luanda, Angola. The aerogramm went via South Africa, where the bilingual instructional handstamp " Service suspended / Diens gestaak" was applied. The aerogramme was returned to Australia (arrival cancel of GLEBE 8 JUL 1980, on reverse).

The service from South Africa to Angola was suspended because of the South African Border War (aka Angolan Bush War). In this war,  South Africa together with the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, UNITA) fought against the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), and their allies (mainly Cuba).

Costa Rica: New Aerogramme

Earlier in 2015, Costa Rica issued this aerogramme to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the La Sabana airport.

South Africa: Australian Airletter Franked with South Africa Stamp

Australia #2 used in South Africa in 1955. Franked at the 1 Shilling air mail letter rate to European destinations. Type designation "Airletter" crossed out to indicate posting as an ordinary air mail letter.

Sudan: Aerogramme #1 Uprated

Sudan NGK #1 uprated with four stamps sent from Port Sudan to the UK via Khartoum (26 MAR 1953), on reverse).

The 3½ Piastre aerogramme became available only in August 1954.


Reference
NGK, Aerogramme Afrika 2012

Ceylon: 50c Lioncel Issue

This is Wiegand #26, the 50c Lioncell issue of 1966, commercially used in 1969 to Pakistan. Only a small number of this aerogramme was printed. Much more were sold of the 1969 issue, which has the "Ceylon for Quality Teas" cachet in the lower left corner of the front panel.


Reference
Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Asien, 2000

India: Short Paid Aerogramme

This 6 AS aerogramme (Wiegand #5) was sent from Calcutta to Sweden on April 27, 1953. Endorsed "T" to indicate that the aerogramme was short paid.

Since March 24, 1953 the aerogramme rate to Zone III (Europe) countries was 10 AS. Hence, the aerogramme was short paid 4 AS.

As the Indian foreign letter rate was 4 AS 6 Pies at that time, double the deficiency (8 AS) was converted into 35.55 UPU centimes (at a rate of 4 AS 6 Pies = 20 UPU) ctms.

Sweden seems to have converted UPU ctms at par, yielding a postage due of 35 Öre which is endorsed on the "Lösen" postage due label.

Southern Rhodesia: Short-Paid Air Letter

Southern Rhodesia NGK# 3X/02 (vertical address lines on back, two sealing flaps, watermark "KENT VALE PARCHMENT "7") sent from Salisbury in May 1950 to Austria. Censored upon arrival and taxed with 6.75 Schilling postage due.

The aerogramme was handled as if the rate to Austria was 1 s, so the air letter was short paid 6 d. Double the deficiency (1 s) was converted into 80 UPU ctms at a rateof 3 d = 20 UPU ctms. In Austria, this amount was converted at a rate of 20 UPU ctms = 1.7 Schilling, so 80 UPU ctms = 6.8 Schilling.

India: "Air Mail Letter Card Service Not Available" to US

 

India #3 on grey paper sent from Bombay (12 FEB 47) to New York, US (arrival cancel March 24, 1947).

3-line handstamp "AIR MAIL LETTER CARD SERVICE / NOT AVAILABLE FORWARD / BY SURFACE ROUTE".

Air Letter Service was introduced to USA from 1st March 1947, vide DGPO Circular No. 78 dated 10th March 1947, at 8 Annas per air letter.