Donnerstag, 20. März 2014

Australia: Aerogramme Uprated with "Paid" Meter Mark


Stein A-25, uprated with a red "Paid" meter mark G.P.O. Adelaide 6 OCT 1967 to meet the 10 c aerogramme rate, which was in place since October 1, 1967.

This is an advertising aerogramme of Pacific Flights, a philatelic company.




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

Montag, 17. März 2014

"Islamic Republic of Iran" Handstamps on Aerogramme Form


This aerogramme form was sent registered from Teheran (machine cancel 6. 10. 80) to Dacca, Bangladesh. The sender was the Bank Melli Iran, Iran's National Bank. The postage rate was 15 R paid by meter mark.


The aerogramme form is a remainder from the Shah's reign. Imprints on the back panel pointing to that time were obliterated with "Islamic Republic of Iran" handstamps.

Freitag, 14. März 2014

Austria: Late Usage of 2.80 S Aerogramme to European Destinations


This aerogramme was sent from VILLACH (cds 3. 9. 65) to Munich, Germany. It was uprated with a 0.60 S stamp to meet the 3.40 S aerogramme rate to European destinations valid from Feb 1, 1960 to Dec 31, 1966.

The aerogramme is Greiner #6a (overlay type III / vertical rhombi in border design are 9 mm wide), which was issued first in 1954. Interesting late usage as a 3.40 S aerogramme was already available since 1959.


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

Dienstag, 11. März 2014

UK: Decimalization - Stamps not Valid



This UK 9 d aerogramme was uprated with a 1 p stamp and sent from PRES… in June 1972 to Penang, Malaysia.

Pre-decimal stamps were, with few exceptions, demonetized February 29, 1972. Hence, the 9 d  aerogramme was regarded invalid.


The aerogramme rate in 1972 was 5 p, so the aerogramme was short paid 4 p. The tax fraction endorsement “4 / 5” is not correct, as it should have shown double the deficiency in the numerator. The single deficiency rule only started with the 1974 Lausanne UPU congress regulation that came into effect January 1, 1976. The denominator correctly shows the first weight step international surface letter rate of the UK at the time of posting (5 p).


As less than half of the required postage for air mail transmission was prepaid, the aerogramme was diverted to surface mail as is indicated by the two-line handstamp “Insufficiently Prepaid / For Transmission by Air” and the the parallel bars crossing out the “By Air Mail”  routing instruction.


Upon arrival in Malaysia, the (incorrect) tax fraction “4 / 5” had to be multiplied with Malaysia’s first weight step international surface mail letter rate (30 c). The result, therefore, should have been 24 c. However, only a 10 c postage due stamp was affixed.

Samstag, 8. März 2014

UK: "Broken D" Variety of 1973 Christmas Aerogramme


UK 1973 Christmas aerogramme with the "Broken D" in "Designed by ..." variety (Greiner #59b) on the back panel.



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

Mittwoch, 5. März 2014

Canada: Presentation Card for Aerogramme


This is a presentation card for the December 27, 1991 "Hang Glider" (Wiegand #97) aerogramme issue of Canada.


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

Sonntag, 2. März 2014

India to France 1948: Air Letter Service not Available


This airletter (Lang/Saunders AL3) was sent from SHOLAPUR (cds 17 DEC 48) to Paris, France via Bombay (transit cds 18 DEC 48).

Instructional marking "Air Letter Service not / Available Forwarded / by Surface Mail" to indicate that at the time of posting no bilateral agreement was in place between India and France covering the use of airletters. Airletters (or aerogrammes as they were named then) were a standard service between UPU countries only from the 1952 Brussels UPU congress on.

A very similar airletter can be found here.


Reference:
Lang/Saunders, A Guide to the Postal Staionery of India, Vol 4: Aerogrammes & Inland Letter Cards, 1984