South West Africa: 1949 U.P.U. set in horizontal bilingual pairs with sans-serif small “SPECIMEN” rubber overprint from an unidentified receiving authority, centrally applied to each pair, fine with gum. (6) S.G. 138-40. Photo. (Image1)

South West Africa: An accumulation in a stockbook and on cards, K.G.V to early Q.E.II, incl. specimens, varieties, postage dues, large multiples, etc. (100s) (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Germany: 1938 (Sept. 8) unaddressed postcard whilst at Hamburg, also (Oct. 23) 5pf. Hindenburg stationery card, some creasing at top, whilst approaching Curaçao, and (May 11) plain card bearing Hindenburg 3pf. at the end of the final season, both to Mannheim, each showing Deutsche Schiffspost Eismeer c.d.s. cancellations of the “Südmeer”. “Südmeer” was the oldest and smallest factory ship in Antarctic waters in the 1930s with five catchers and a crew of 250. (3 items) (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Germany: 1938 (Nov. 11) 5pf. Hindenburg printed matter postal stationery card to Regensburg and large piece to Braunschweig bearing Air 5pf. cancelled by Deutsche Schiffspost Eismeer c.d.s. of the WMS “Wikinger”. “Wikinger” had one season in the Antarctic whaling grounds and one this date, the first of eleven known, was preparing for departure. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Germany: 1939 (Feb. 11) 6pf. Hindenburg unaddressed postal stationery card, (Mar. 18) strike on small piece, (May 11) card to Vienna with Hindenburg 3pf. showing Deutsche Schiffspost Eismeer c.d.s. cancellations of the WMS “Wikinger”. “Wikinger” had one season in the Antarctic whaling grounds ending on Mar. 7 1939. (3 items) Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Germany: 1939 (Feb. 11) piece from cover to Ratibor bearing Breslau Tournament 15pf. and (June 16) postcard to Carl Loewe in Flensburg franked Hindenburg 5pf. showing Deutsche Schiffspost Eismeer c.d.s. cancellations of the “Jan Wellem” from her third Antarctic season. “Jan Wellem” (formerly “Württemberg”) was purchased in 1936 and converted for use by the Erste Deutsche Walfang-Gesesllschaft as a whaling factory ship. (2 items) Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Germany: 1939 (Feb. 15) tying Hindenburg 1pf. to piece, (Feb. 19) postcard to Hamburg franked Hindenburg 3pf. and carried by tanker “Sveve”, (Apr. 3) postcard bearing Hindenburg 1pf. and 5pf., (and May 3) postcard to Carl Loewe in Flensburg franked Hindenburg 5pf., all showing Deutsche Schiffspost Eismeer c.d.s. cancellations of the “Unitas”. Purpose-built factory ship “Unitas” was the largest merchant ship afloat at the time and departed Hamburg for her second (and final) trip to Antarctica in Oct. 1938, returning in late Apr. 1939. (4 items) (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Great Britain: 1920 (Jan.) stampless envelope from Tristan da Cunha to Major G.M. Benny in Shropshire collected by Christian Salvesen transport vessel “Pentaur”, calling with supplies for the community, showing fine type II cachet in purple-black and South Georgia June 4 c.d.s., the cover carried onward to Montevideo by “Minerva” or “Bransfield” and with July 23 receiving note on reverse. With enclosed letter from Mrs Mary Green expressing hope of a vessel to take her letter soon. “Pentaur”, originally “Volumnia”, was sold to Scottish whaling company Christian Salvesen in 1915 and arrived at Leith Harbour on June 3. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Great Britain: 1920 (Oct.) stampless envelope from Tristan da Cunha to Douglas Gane in London collected by whale catcher “Southern Cross”, departing on Oct. 3 with fine type II cachet in purple-black and and arriving at Prince Olav Harbour on Nov. 13, later shipped south and backstamped South Georgia Nov. 26 before despatch to Montevideo on the “Overdale”, vertical filing fold, flap missing and repaired at top. London solicitor Douglas Montagu Gane had previously visited the island aboard the clipper “Ellora” and was the creator of the Tristan da Cunha Fund. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Great Britain: 1931 envelope from England addressed to Rev. Augustus George Partridge on Tristan da Cunha delivered by Christian Salvesen whaling transport ship “Seringa”, arriving Mar. 6 en route to South Georgia, franked 21/2d. tied by Southampton Jan. 26 machine cancellation with London next day transit on reverse and fine type V cachet struck on arrival. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Norway: 1923 (May) stampless envelope from Tristan da Cunha to Mrs Mary Jose, wife of Rev. Edward Salisbury Jose, in Kent, redirected to Buckinghamshire collected by whale catcher “Hercules” owned by A/S Ørnen en route from whaling grounds around South Shetlands and Graham Land via South Georgia, arriving on May 19 and continuing to Durban via Cape Town, with type III cachet, “11/2D/I.S./G.” due marking, G.B. 1/2d. and 1d. postage dues cancelled at Rochester June 19, some faults but with interesting enclosed three page letter from Mrs Martha Rogers giving thanks for her husband’s boots, delivered by HMS “Dublin”, and reporting on the family of Rev. & Mrs Rogers, “two very jollie people . . . like(d) by all on the island”, their donation of a cup of tea for all Christmas and the building of the new church house. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Norway: 1929 (Feb. 26) envelope to Valborg Olausen in Vestbanenene, Norway franked Falklands 21/2d. deep steel-blue tied by South Georgia SG1 c.d.s., folds, flap missing. B.P.A. certificate (1994) Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Norway: 1935 (Apr.) stampless envelope from Tristan da Cunha to Devon collected by Thorshammer expedition whale catchers, without customary type V cachet and showing on reverse improvised cachet “FROM/TRISTAN DA CUNHA/20 APR 1935” in violet, with framed “PAQUEBOT” (Hosking 1302, scarce on mail from Tristan), Durban May 2 transit c.d.s, “T/10c” in oval and “1D/TO PAY/723” due markings, G.B. 1d. postage due affixed and tied by Axminster May 28 c.d.s., the cover addressed to Mrs. Charles Henry Dent, a supporter of the islanders whom she aided by means of gift parcels and showing her note “Mrs Joe Glass/Shoes size 4”. The 1935 season had ended on Apr. 1 producing a record cachet for the expedition which called at the island en route north from the whaling grounds. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Norway: 1936 (Jan.) stampless envelope from Tristan da Cunha to Mrs. Joyce Cusworth in Yorkshire collected by whale catcher “Gribb” en route south to the whaling grounds, the mail likely thereafter likely passed to the tanker “Thorsheimer” returning to Europe with a cargo of whale oil, note on flap “received/Jan 28th/1936”, showing type V cachet in blue, “1D/TO PAY/723” due marking, G.B. 1/2d. and 1d. postage dues affixed and tied by Scarborough c.d.s.’s of this date, vertical filing fold. Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Norway: Small selection incl. 1941 censored airmail cover to Alf Fandnas at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church in New York from his wife in Sandefjord, “NORSK SKIPSPOST/HANDELSFLÅTEN” rectangular datestamp tying 1943-45 10ø., 15ø. and 20ø. and original set of six values to two plain covers, the latter dated 1943 (Mar. 4) for ship 90, seconded catcher “Kos V” with “DEN KONGELIGE NORSKE MARINE” and straight line “H. NOR. M.S. “RISØR” cachets, and also 1946 (Feb. 22) reuse of cachet 4 for “Sir James Clark Ross” tying 1945 Wergeland set to two covers to England, the ship returning to whaling after four years in support of the war effort. (6 items) Photo. (Image1)

Whaling Mail: Various: Selection incl. 1935 piece believed from “Thorshammer” visit bearing G.B. 1d. and 11/2d. with type V cachet overstruck by London Nov. 19 machine cancellation 1955 (Nov. 12) two ‘Evans’ covers from “Willem Barendsz” and f.d.c. from 1957 Charity set incl. the ship, 1971 Japanese cover with large “ANTARCTIC-WHALING/’71” cachet, 2003 “Jan Wellem” covers, etc. (11 items) (Image1)