Auction 309-320 - Europe & Overseas - Day 6

1871 (1. Oct): 2c. brown and 1c. violet-blue as insufficient franking for a letter via BOSTON and HAMBURG to FINERÖDJA SWEDEN. The letter bears transit marks BOSTON, Hanburg (16. Oct) and PKKXP No 2 (17.Oct). Upon arrival the letter was taxed 61 ö. The postage due was then accounted for in postage stamps 30 ö brown, 12 ö blue, vertical pair, 5 ö yellow green and 3 ö brown, adding up to 62 ö possibly due to the fact that other values to make the correct charge were unavailable or would not fit on the small envelope. They were then cancelled with five strikes FINERÖDJA (22. Oct.). The exceptional letter shows traces of mild ageing. Nonetheless an outstanding item of Swedish philately. Certificate Obermüller-Wilen (2011).rnRemark: This is the only Transatlantic Mail cover to Sweden which has a combination of postal adhesives from both countries, prior to the issue of postage dues stamps. Its rarity is enhanced because the other seven covers recorded, which have the underpayment 'charge' applied by the use of Swedish postage stamps, all orginate from Europe (x6 Germany and x1 Denmark). Therefore, this is probably 'the' most important UPU Transatlantic Mail cover from the USA to Scandinavia.