Inverted Center of SS. ScandinavianThe Block of 6 as Largest Recorded Unit When the Thames-Hamburg packet contract expired on 30 November 1853 and was not renewed, the direct sea route from British east coast ports was re-established and the overland route through Belgium and Hamburg revived to become the normal route. In 1850 the paddle steamer Courier began to carry mail between Hull and Gothenburg as did the British steamer SS. Scandinavian in 1852.SS. Scandinavian was a beautiful ship and so chosen as key illustration to illustrate the 150th Anniversary Birthday Party celebrating The Royal Philatelic Society London is on its way to take place in Stockholm, Sweden.The illustration of SS.Scandinavian is designed by Martin Mörck of Sweden, who took inspiration from two sources: 1) an oil-painting of Scandinavian which is in the possession of the Naval Museum in Trondheim, Norway; 2) the engraving from 1922 by Turner for Jamaica and printed by De La Rue in two operations (black and blue) by recess printing. SS. Scandinavian as the key illustration for STOCKHOLMIA 2019, was first presented in late July last year. Soon after its first launch, it was printed in an edition of 5,000 sheets as a Cinderella label and sold for the benefit of STOCKHOLMIA 2019 and Tomorrow's Royal. Each sheet contains 4x 5 = 20 labels.On 17 March this year, a fantastic find was published, as one sheet printed with inverted center had been found. The inverted center means that the ship in black in the middle, surrounded by the blue frame, is inverted.Following the find and consultation of expert stakeholders of The Royal Philatelic Society, an agreement was made that the inverted sheet of 20 will be split to units.Block of 6 as the largest unitBlock of 4 as the second largest unitHorisontal strip of 3Vertical PairHorisontal PairThree singlesThe block of 6, as the largest unit, is herewith offered for the benefit of Tomorrow's Royal.  Choice Illustration:Letter from Great Britain with Scandinavian to Gothenburg, endorsed Per Scandinavian from Hull, with HULL SHIPLETTER OCT 28 1852 on reverse. 3x 2d. paying the sea postage rate of 6d., where the addressee had to pay 15 skilling banco as postage due (endorsed 15s). Courtesy by Göran Heijtz, Sweden. (Image)

1871, "Auf militairischen Befehl geoeffnet", small blue double-lined censor mark, both types, one on reverse of small envelope from Chambery (DEC 29, 1870) to Straßburg, the other one on reverse of folded letter from Olten, Switzerland (JAN 20, 1871) to Mulhouse. Both entires unfranked and charged with "30" resp. "50" centimes. A rare pair. (Image)

1862, Liberty 1 peso rose, a fine used example with large even margins all round, tied to 1863 cover to France by oval lozenge of dots in black with circular ‘Buenos Aires / Correos' (Feb 27) in black above. Carried on RMSP ‘Mersey' to Rio de Janeiro, where trans-shipped to the RMSP ‘Parana' to Southampton. Struck in London with ‘GB / 1F 60c.' Anglo-French accountancy marking in black with London transit (April 6) and arrivals on reverse, where charged ‘8' dêcimes due. A scarce and most attractive overseas usage of the issue. Signed Cividini. Certificate E. Diena (1987).  (Image)

1858, Barquitos 3 pesos green, wonderful fresh colour and large margins with full framelines on all sides and parts of 2 neighbouring stamps, tied by crisp 'ponchito' cancel to lettersheet with adjacent  "CORREOS DE BUENOS AIRES 3 AGO 58" to Tucuman. A beautiful and fresh entire with one of the best cut examples of this rare stamp, for which a small removed stain at lower right is of absolutely minor importance. Signed van Dieten and Calves, certificate Philatelic Foundation (2019) (Scott 3) Provenance: Alfred Caspary (1958) (Image)

1864, entire folded registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt addressed to Eversbach, franked on front with single stamps Coat of arms 10 soldi blue and 15 soldi brown and on reverse with vertical pair 5 soldi rose, all tied by superb strikes of cds. "FOKSCHAN 4 11" in blue with blue straigtline "RECOM..." alongside. The vertical pair with crease, some minor staining, otherwise a very attractive entire. Letters from Fokshan are extremely rare, according to Prof. Ferchenbauer just 2 further covers with stamps are recorded. This letter with a three-colour franking and  unique usage as registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt represents one of the great rarities of the Austrian Levant as well as of Romania.Certificate Prof. Ferchenbauer VÖB (2019) (Image)

1872, Cover from Stege to Rio de Janeiro endorsed ‘via England' at lower left, franked by bicoloured 3 sk. lilac & grey and 4 sk. red & grey both perf. 14 x 13½, with scarce 48 sk. lilac & brown, perf. 12½, tied by circular ‘68' target handstamps in black and by ‘London / Paid' transit cds (Dec 17). Manuscript red crayon ‘1sh.' British credit on front with ‘240' (reis) due on arrival in blue crayon. Reverse with Rio de Janeiro arrival cds (Jan 26, 1873) in black. The 48 sk. with slight corner bend but a very rare cover to a most unusual destination. Certificate Lasse Nielsen (1998). (Afa as per certificate)Provenance: Collection R. Koester (RL, Zurich, 26 June 1985), Collection Dr. Gene Scott (Postiljonen, Malmo, 24 March 2000, lot 533) (Image)

1852, Thiele printing 2 skilling blue, a large margined example, tied by clear numeral "1" to locally addressed lettersheet with clear adjacent bluish green oval foot post marking of December 8, 1852. A very fine and attractive entire. Certificates BPA (1968) and C.A. Møller AIEP (2018) (Image)

1855, Lettersheet with decorative engraving, cut out of a letter head of the famous Eau de Cologne factory of Johann Maria Farina, tied by Copenhagen 'Compass' postmark and transit mark "Aus Dänemark", adressed to the same mentioned company in Cologne, charged on arrival with "5" silbergroschen. Some very slight toning, otherwise fine and highly unusual. (Image)

1854/57, Dotted spandrels 2 skilling blue and 2 copies 16 skilling grey-violet with 1858, wavy-lined spandrels 4 skilling brown, all copies in fresh colour and with good to large margins, tied by 3 strikes of numeral "181" and further strike of duplex "182 / SJAELL. JB. POSTSPED. BUR. T2 18 1" of the Zealand railway, to small mourning cover to Paris. A rare colour franking in very fine condition with 4 flawless stamps. Certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2018) (Image)

1855, dotted spandrels 2 skilling blue with 1858, wavy-lined spandrels 8 skilling green, each in horizontal strip of 3 with good to very large margins, used with numeral "51" on lettersheet with adjacent blue Odense cds. (August 15, 1865) to London with arrival mark on front (August 18). A horizontal cover fold not affecting the stamps was pressed and cleaned. A very fine and attractive franking from a wellknown correspondance. Signed Kurt Mayer, Berlin and Hunziker with certificate (1973), certificate C.A. Møller AIEP (2018) (Image)

1864/70, Large oval type perf. 13:12½, 2 skilling blue, 3 skilling dull violet and 16 skillling grey-olive used on orange coloured envelope from Copenhagen (Nov. 19) to Millerton, California, endorsed "Pr. Hamburg or Bremen steamer", showing 2 different franco marks at lower left, red New York arrival mark tying the franking. 2 skilling with some short perfs at top, otherwise very fine and fresh. A nice 3 colour franking to quite unusual destination. Certificate C.A. Møller (1987) (Image)

1851 (MAY 1), Entire unpaid letter from Bandoeng to Copenhagen carried via Singapore, Aden and Suez, here charged with "2/-", further via Marseille and Hamburg where it was charged with "41" schilling Hamburg currency (equal to131 Danish skilling). The letter was transferred to the Danish PO at Hamburg, which applied blue boxed "Aus dem Post-Verein" on front. In Copenhagen a total of 157 skilling were charged to the recipient. An interesting letter and the only recorded with the rare boxed "Aus dem Post-Verein" from the Dutch East Indies. Certificate Van der Linden BPP (1999) (Image)

1689, A strictly confidential letter with full almost complete contents, closed with strings (mostly removed by opening) and 2 wax seals, written by a regional customs officer June 28, 1689 to the provincial officer in Tavastehus, docketed 10.7.1689. A very fine and rare letter. Certificate Heikki Pahlman (2003) Provenance: 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003) (Image)

1856, Small pearls 5 kopeks dark blue with nice margins on all sides, tied by rare boxed "WILLMANSTRAND 25 OCT 1856" to entire letter to Wiborg. An attractive and rare letter with a beautiful stamp with sole postmark cancellation. 3 signatures in pencil including Alberto Diena and certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) Provenance: Agaton Fabergê (HR Harmer, 1940) (Image)

1856, Small pearls 5 kopeks dark blue in fresh deep shade and with full to very large margins, tied by boxed "LOVISA 20 JUL 1856" to entire letter to BorgÃ¥. The stamp with small gum stain in the right margin and the entire slightly unfresh on front. A very attractive and rare letter with sole postmark cancellation. Signed Friedl in pencil, certificates Gummesson (1977 and 1997), Tuori (2003) and Schwenson BPP (2018) Provenance: A. Fabergê (1940), Kirchner (Corinphila 1978), 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003) (Image)

1856, Small pearls, 5 kopeks blue, a large margined horizontal pair, each stamp with central pen cross and tied by clear "HELSINGFORS 28/7 1858" to lettersheet to Abo. The left stamp shows faint trace of file fold, otherwise extremely fine and fresh. A most attractive and rare letter. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) (Image)

1856, 10 kopeks carmine-red on wove paper, 2 large margined copies in nice deep shade, cancelled by concentric pen crosses and tied by superb "HELSINGFORS 10 6 1858" to lettersheet via Prussia and France to Cadiz, Spain with frontside red boxed "Prusse" and on reverse arrival mark of June 24. The postage paid the distance to the Spanish border, here an additional "8 Rs." (reales) were charged to the recipient. A filing crease in the lower part of the entire, well off the franking has been cleaned and ironed (mentioned for accuracy only). A most attractive and extremely rare letter to abroad. Opinion Gummesson (1989) and certifcate Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 2e) (Image)

1856, 10 kopeks light to lilac-carmine, a beautiful fresh and large margined copy with index number "12" at upper right and neatly cancelled by central boxed "WIBORG 2 11 1856", repeated at left, on entire letter to Helsingfors. A very fine and attractive letter with the earliest recorded date of the high boxed Wiborg cancellation. Signed Calves, 2 certificated Gummesson (1980 and 1997), certificate Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 2d) Provenance: A. Fabergê (1940), 'Sibelius' (Corinphila 2003) (Image)

1856, 10 kopeks dark carmine on wove paper, a large margined example with central boxed "ABO 7/6 1856" and tied by small index number "3" at upper right, used on entire letter to Lovisa. A small ink erosion does not detract from the overall very fine condition. A very fine item. Certificate Schwenson (2003) (Facit 2c) (Image)

1856, 10 kopeks carmine on wide laid paper, a large margined example with central pen cross and tied by clear boxed "KARIS 17 OCT. 1859" to lettersheet to Reval with frontside arrival mark (Oct 11 according to Julian calendar). A faint horizontal filing crease affecting the stamp at top. Still a fine and rare franking. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) (Facit 2v3) (Image)

1860, 10 kopeks rose, roulette A, horizontal strip of 3 in brilliant shade, each value cancelled by pen cross on envelope with departure cds. "WIBORG 8/6 1863" via Stockholm (June 12) to Christiania, Norway with clear red arrival mark on front. A very fine and rare cover, signed Ossa in pencil, certificate Tuori (2003) and Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 4C1Kb) (Image)

1866/74, 8 penni black on green, roulette C, slightly separated vertical pair and 2 single stamps with 40 penni rose, roulette C, all in nice fresh colour, used on small envelope with small cds. "HELSINGFORS 8 8 1870" to Lausanne in Switzerland, travelled via St. Petersburg and Prussia with frontside red "AUS RUSSLAND über BUR. XI EDK. BRG. / FRANCO 11 8 70". The 8 penni stamps at top with some short perfs, otherwise fine and fresh. An attractive cover with rare 72 penni rate. Signed Ossa in pencil, certificates Gummesson (1978) and Schwenson BPP (2018) (Facit 6v1C3, 9v1C3) (Image)

1866, 8 penni black on green, 2 horizontal pairs with 2 copies 40 penni rose on bluish paper, used with small "FREDERIKSHAMN 19 1 1875" on double rate envelope to Lichtensteig near St. Gallen in Switzerland with arrival mark on reverse (January 23). Very fresh and fine, the 40 penni stamps and one 8 penni with few short/pulled perfs. A scarce combination from a wellknown correspondance. Certificate Schwenson BPP (2003) (Facit 6v4C2, 9v3C2) (Image)

'Ringtype 1891 postal stationeries', the Kari Rahiala 8 frame international exhibition collection awarded gold at 'PHILA NIPPON 2011' and large gold at 'NORDIA 2016' comprising a large range of interesting material: several cards and letters used in Russia, including a registered letter from St. Petersburg to Chicago with additional Russian stamp, several insured covers, registered printed matters, registered postcards to abroad, 4 kopeks postcard used on the first day of issue and many interesting and rare destinations including South Africa, St. Vincent, Mauritius, Chile (registered cover with US transit label and Chilean register label), Sumatra, Hawaii and Cuba. A very interesting and impressive object of this area. (Image)

1882/98, 3 aurar brownish orange, 4th printing 1891, perf. 14:13½, used on postal stationery card 8 aurar violet, tied by cds. "AKUREYRI 5/6" (1892) and adressed to Shanghai, China, with Hongkong arrival mark (September 20, 1892) and short greetings text. A very fine and rare card to abroad with most unusual destination. According to certificate of C.A. Møller BPP (2018) just one further card to China has been recorded (from the same correspondance). (Image)