Mourning Covers and Stamps

Xavier, one of the many things that I like about you is that you do not "let the grass grow under your feet".  You are clearly a man of action.  Well, all right then.  One action, well and swiftly done, deserves another in turn.

So, here is the mourning cover which I recently acquired from the Aix market dealer.  Switzerland, Scott #83, 25-centime green, definitive stamp of Helvetia design with large numerals.  The cover is postmarked 18th August 1890.  The year is a little tough to read, but I have guessed 1890 as the stamp was issued in 1882.

The cover is not in great condition due to the manner in which it was apparently opened (finger versus letter opener).  Too bad as it would have been much nicer otherwise....

Xavier hrdoktorx
I must be very misinformed about "mourning" stuff. Could you explain (briefly) how one identifies such an envelope ?

René

The envelope will have most, if not all, of its sides, coloured in black, sometimes also the flap sides on the back.

Mourning covers....one of my favorite collecting areas!

Sadly, I was introduced to them at about age 16 when we received news of my favorite uncle passing away, in 1975.  I couldn't figure out how my mother knew, before even opening the letter, that "Onkel Ferdi" had died.......

This is what we received in the mail:
  


The tell-tale, almost-morbid black border on mourning covers intends to somehow prepare the recipient, ever so starkly, of the impending bad news contained within. My first instincts were to soak the stamps off and add them to my budding collection. I'm sure glad I didn't, as this was the first of many mourning covers I now have. For obvious reasons it's also the one closest to my heart!

In honor of the late Ferdinand Compart, the only uncle I had, who DIDN'T collect stamps!

Jim Wentzell
stampguyaps177-681

Nice cover, Jim!

I agree that the cursive writing can be a bit tough to decipher.  I am not seeing "Poste Restante" in the cursive anywhere, but there does seem to be a small red "PR" in a circle, and I wonder if that could be an indication of Poste Restante.  I have no experience in this area, so it is simply an observation and a wild guess.

Beyond that, I can make out a town name of "Courseulles-sur-Mer" and the name of "Calvados" in the cursive handwriting, the latter of which is the name of a "département" in the north of France.  I hope this may help a little.

Edit:  Thanks to Allan (tallanent) for his later post which explains that the small red hand-stamp is of British origin rather than French, and reads "PD" and not "PR" as I had speculated.  David (dgdecker) is right, if you participate in this Forum, you learn something new every day around here.  It's a great place to be.  Thanks again to you, Allan, for sharing your expertise with the rest of us!

This is a most interesting and informative thread,
i knew about mourning covers for ages but never paid much attention to them. I have seen a few popping up when looking around for stamps in my areas of interest.

as I have sent two cards of sympathy this week I wondered if it was custom to send condolences with a mourning cover.

i agree with those who find reading the cursive on covers. I am getting much better at it.  My other love next to stamps is genealogy. I have spent many long hours trying to decipher texts in English, French, and German. I have to limit my self to a few hours at a time where online at an archive or at home.

I am amazed at how members of the forum come forward and explained what they see on the cover.  I see marks  and scribbles that mean nothing to me.  I think I need to expand my knowledge just a bit.

I joined this forum because I was impressed at the knowledge contained in the posts. I decision I do not regret.

A big thanks to those who share knowledge that allows my eyes to open to see more that allows me to self educate.


David

Here's a 1913 German mourning cover, no longer in my collection.

A Mourning Cover from the Netherlands posted in 1914, to India.  This was redirected so many times, I'm surprised any postal official could decipher all the writing!  This item was bid on by me, but unfortunately the online auction selling price last month was $32.00, a little more than my snipe!  

Another Mourning Cover I bid on (and got away, as my snipe was obviously too low) is this QV-era cover from India sent to London.  I forgot to check the auction results but I am sure it was way more than the forty dollars I bid.   Oh well, someone else is very happy, I hope!

Mourning covers have popped up all over the forum in specific country threads, but this thread has been dormant for a while.

This turned up today, nice to have 2x halfpenny stamps rather than the more usual penny lilac


Posted in London at 2pm the backstamp shows it arrived in Bristol by 6.45 pm same afternoon .

I'd imagine the Queen Astrid issues are fairly common - when I have something that's usually a good indicator - here I'm missing both the 1 and 2 Fr. values. The 70 c. was issued separately for this mourning occasion - SG 713 - on 31.10.35, with the other seven issued a few weeks later 01.12.35 - SG 714 - 20 - the extras are the anti-tuberculosis fund, I think. The Greek stamp was issued originally - for George II - in 1937 - 38, as one of several values - this one is the 8 d. deep blue, and together with two others was re-issued in April 1947 on the King's death as SG 658. The overprinted surcharge of 600 on this value, could be an inflation related matter - really not sure. Must dig around and find some more of these things.