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Post by thegubman on Jan 15, 2022 21:22:24 GMT
Over the next few weeks I will post some scans of part of my Norway Oscar issues from the middle 1800's and first printed in 1856-7. These are my favourites and are fascinating with an iconic look, with a nice range of varieties, postmarks etc offering the collector great choice to specialise in. There are four of these skilling Oscar stamps, the 2sk orange (1,000,000), the 3sk lilac grey (1,050, 000), the 4sk blue (10,070,000) and the 8sk red (2,225,000). The numbers in brackets are the totals printed for each value. The first picture shows the mint stamps, the 8sk Oscar is a rare stamp in mint condition and hard to find.  The second picture shows the Nyman colour proofs for the 3sk issue which was printed in 1857. Note the colours, approximately 55 copies in yellow, 100 in blue and 60 in lilac grey exist.
Please feel free to post your Skilling Oscar issues in this thread it would be great to see what is out there. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 16, 2022 17:27:38 GMT
Part two. The 2sk Oscars are observed from yellow orange to deep orange. The 3sk issues are seen from light grey to deep lilac grey, the darker shades being more sought after. Likewise the 8sk stamps are available from pale brownish carmine to deep brownish carmine, there are some which are referred to as wine red and these are more collectable. The 4sk Oscars had two separate print runs. The first in 1856 have a colour range from light blue to dark blue. The second printing 1860 are typically pale greenish blue to a deep greenish blue. The pale greenish blue are often referred to as milk blue and these are more desirable. The scan shows the colour range for the 4sk stamps.
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Post by biglavalamp on Jan 16, 2022 20:10:12 GMT
Looking forward to seeing more of your posts thegubman on this subject ...an area which I am keen learn know more about.
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Post by thegubman on Jan 17, 2022 18:16:16 GMT
Part 3. The scan below shows some of the varieties found on the 4sk issues. The stamps were printed in sheets of one hundred and the plate positions will be put up in the following days. Hopefully you will be able to enlarge the scan so as to see the distinctive variations, if not then I will do individual scans. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 18, 2022 15:19:42 GMT
Part 4. The stamps were printed in sheets of 100. The printing plates are still intact and located in the Postal Museum in Oslo. These are physically made up of four quarter plates and marked as A, B, C and D. Hence the positions A1 to A25 and likewise for B, C and D. All of the skilling Oscars have been plated. I only have the 4sk issues and will put these up over the next few days. The best guide to plating the skilling Oscars is Tore Gjelsvik book (Norway the Skilling Oscar Stamps), printed in 2002, I can thoroughly recommend this book. It is essential reading for this subject. The first scan is a plating aid, highlighting the flaws for positions A1 to A5. The second scan shows the plated 4sk Oscars for positions A1 to A25. Graham
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Post by thegubman on Jan 19, 2022 13:48:56 GMT
Part 5. The first scan shows the characteristic flaws for position B7 for the 4sk Oscar stamp, followed by the second scan showing the positions B1 to B25. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 20, 2022 14:17:09 GMT
Part 6. Todays offerings are the plates C1-C25 and D1-D25. Coming up will be more details about the types of postmarks found on the Skilling Oscar stamps. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 21, 2022 13:44:20 GMT
Part 7. Postmarks; the scan below shows various grid cancellations on the skilling Oscars. These are not commonly found but are also not rare. The grid handstamps which were used on the Norway number ones were supposed to have been withdrawn from circulation in late January 1856. Obviously some were not withdrawn. The grid cancellations can be found in 10, 11 and 12 bar in black. It is thought these were employed on the government steamers operating out of Christiania. Graham |
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vikingeck
Member 
Posts: 3,261
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Jan 21, 2022 22:06:42 GMT
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Post by thegubman on Jan 22, 2022 16:22:05 GMT
Part 8. There are four main types of postmarks, the grid (shown above), manuscript (cross, town, numeral), circular date stamp and numeral. The scan below shows a number of manuscript (pen cancelled) crosses and a couple examples a bit fancier. The smaller post offices did not have the numeral handstamps, so used the manuscript cross with pen and ink. The town and numeral pen and ink cancellations are perhaps the most sought after for these issues and can command serious money. Some examples will be shown later on. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 23, 2022 14:05:30 GMT
Part 9. The Norgeskatalogen rates all of the circular date town postmarks along with the Numeral ones from a (being the most common) to f, followed by R (rare) to 5R and ultimately RR. So the Norwegian towns from Aa rated 2R to Oxna and Numeral from 1 (Aa) rated 5R to 383 (Nitedal) not rated for the Oscars but RR for Norway number 1. Some of the more common notable postmarks are Bergen (25) rated a; Christiania (now known as Oslo the capital) (42) rated a; Hammerfest (100) rated c, Laurvig (172) rated a and Porsgrund (233) rated b. Sometimes the town and numeral ratings for the same location are different. I will try and give examples of the CDS town and Numeral postmarks rated a to f and R to 5R (sadly I do not have any RR's). The first scan shows stamps postmarked Aalesund (2), here the town postmark is rated d, whereas the numeral 2 is rated a. The second scan shows stamps postmarked from Arendal (14) and the ratings shown by the stamps. I have tried, for the more common postmarks to collect sets from 2sk to 8sk with both the town and numerals. For the rarer ones, this is clearly extremely difficult. Graham   |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 24, 2022 14:58:49 GMT
Part 10. Two more lots of the more common postmarks. The first from Laurvig (172) and the second from Porsgrund (233). Graham |
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Post by dgdecker on Jan 24, 2022 15:39:48 GMT
What an amazing collection. How many hours and years spent assembling all this? The things we collectors will do one the collecting”bug” has struck. Thanks for sharing and educating me.
David
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Post by thegubman on Jan 25, 2022 11:43:17 GMT
Part 11. Examples of postmarks a to e and R to 5R for the town and numerals. Sadly I have none of the RR ones. That's on my wish list! Graham |
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JeffS
Member
Posts: 2,600
What I collect: Oranges Philately, US Slogan Cancels, Cape of Good Hope Triangulars, and Texas poster stamps and cinderellas
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Post by JeffS on Jan 26, 2022 0:06:04 GMT
@ thegubman - just wanted to say that I really admire your Norway collection. |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 26, 2022 14:06:14 GMT
Part 12. Todays offerings are some more town postmarks. Scan 1 shows those from Tjomo, these are often nicely marked, Hammerfest (100), note the middle postmark printed in blue and next a nice pair from Moland. Scan 2 shows two stamps doubly cancelled, which is unusual. It looks like the postmaster had two goes on the Kolvereid 1859 cancellation. The Kvikne/164 stamp is special to me as this was purchased from money donated to me from a good friend who sadly passed away sometime ago. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 27, 2022 14:59:14 GMT
Part 13. Today we have a couple of manuscript numeral postmarks. The first number 242 from Ringsager and the second from 79 Frogner. Next up will be some steam ship postmarks which are another keenly collected area. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 28, 2022 17:06:32 GMT
Part 14. Here are some steam ship postmarks from the steamer Dampskibet Bergen. They are roughly equivalent in rarity to 3R town or numeral cancellations. Here we have the full set 2sk to 8sk all with part postmarks. The 4sk in the middle has the date written in ink, which is nicer. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 29, 2022 13:21:28 GMT
Part 15. A couple more steam ship cancellations. The first Dampskibet Fjalir in rectangular box and typically quite light. The second Dampskibet Nordcap found in octagonal box. Both are rare and difficult to obtain. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 30, 2022 13:29:52 GMT
Part 16. The last of the steamship postmarks. A nice lot from the steamer Jupiter. Again these are not common. The steamship cancellations are highly sort after especially from the rarer ships, coupled with the history of the steamers, making these copies highly desirable. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Jan 31, 2022 16:09:52 GMT
Part 17. Here are the 2sk to 8sk Oscars all with Hull (383) postmarks. Hull located in the north east of England was (and still is) a major port and had strong ties with Norway. Again this is a not rare cancellation and not common. The Hull Ship letter cancellation is often seen on GB covers to Norway around this period. Next up some nice Oscar covers. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Feb 3, 2022 12:37:09 GMT
Part 18. Domestic usage internally within Norway, first example is a single weight cover with 4sk Oscar with numeral 14 postmark and blue Arendal datestamp. These domestic 4sk covers are by no means rare and relatively easy to find. They become more interesting when annotated with the smaller towns or as in the second and third scans via steamship (Dampskibet) sent from Bergen to Aalesund. The single weight 4sk charge was for domestic letters up to 1 Lod (15.63g), double rate of 8sk for 1 Lod to 2 Lod and higher rates for heavier items. The lower rate covers are not especially rare, but those with higher rates, 20sk (5 fivefold rate) to 24sk (6 sixfold rate) are not at all common and difficult to find. I will post a few more domestic covers and then go onto foreign destinations later. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Feb 4, 2022 18:36:10 GMT
Part 19. First up a nice 8sk (2 x 4) Oscar cover sent registered (recommandes) from Tonsberg to Laurvig. This can only be seen when it is written on the cover, as the rate could be used for other destinations etc. The second cover, also with 2 x 4sk Oscars may or may not have been sent domestically. The handwriting is difficult for me to decipher so that I cannot make out the town. It is probably a Swedish destination as the 8sk rate could be used to send mail to Sweden. Anyone any thoughts on the town? Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Feb 5, 2022 16:20:56 GMT
Part 20. Two more domestically sent covers, both from Ringsager sent to Sondfjord. The first cover has a nice manuscript 242 numeral postmark, with blue Bergen 28.9.1858 date stamp on the front and Christiania 28.9.1858 back stamp also in blue. The cover was sent from Ringsager via Bergen (Dampskibet Bergen) and Christiania as shown by the postmarks and handwritten notation. The second cover sent to the same address has a nice Ringsager date stamp in black 31.1.1860, again sent via Christiania as indicated by the handwriting and blue Christiania back stamp 6.2.1860. Covers can give so much information! Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Feb 6, 2022 9:41:12 GMT
Part 21. Here are three examples of the single weight domestic covers with two 2sk Oscars. The first with Christiania 20.10. 1859 postmark in black sent to Arendal; the second with 253 numeral of Sandefjord with date stamp 19.11.1862 and lastly, lovely cover with superb Vardo 8.5.1859 postmarks sent to Vadso. These covers have no back stamps on the reverse. To follow some covers sent locally with By Post cancellations. Graham |
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Post by thegubman on Feb 7, 2022 10:18:24 GMT
Part 22. Skilling Oscar local covers (Bypost). The first cover is a 2sk single weight Christiania local letter, with 364 numeral cancellation on the stamp and nice Christiania Bypost date stamp in red (which is typical for the Bypost) dated 19.10.1859. Secondly is a 4sk double weight local cover, with numeral 42, and Christiania date stamps in blue and red (Bypost) dated 18.7.1857 sent to Arendal. Again these covers are not rare or common. Next up covers sent to foreign destinations. Graham |
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JeffS
Member
Posts: 2,600
What I collect: Oranges Philately, US Slogan Cancels, Cape of Good Hope Triangulars, and Texas poster stamps and cinderellas
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Post by JeffS on Feb 7, 2022 15:18:13 GMT
thegubman I just want to comment that I am really enjoying the stamps and covers, especially the combination of quality and scarcity.
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Post by thegubman on Feb 8, 2022 11:31:04 GMT
Part 23. Foreign destinations, Oscar skilling covers sent to Denmark. The initial postage rate to Denmark was 15sk single weight letters sent in the summer by sea and 17sk when sent by land in winter. The cover shown below is for the rate of 17sk, made up of 3 x 3sk and 1 x 8sk Oscar stamps, so for winter rate. There are various postmarks, the stamps cancelled with numeral 42 (Christiania) and date stamps Christiania 15.3.1858, Svinesund 17.3.1858 and Helsingor 20.3.1858. On the reverse there are a couple of indistinct numeral Danish cancellations. This is one of eleven covers recorded for the 17sk winter rate with this denomination of stamps. There are numerous other combinations found on covers sent to Denmark, the most attractive being those with a full set of the Oscars of which seven are known. Graham |
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JeffS
Member
Posts: 2,600
What I collect: Oranges Philately, US Slogan Cancels, Cape of Good Hope Triangulars, and Texas poster stamps and cinderellas
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Post by JeffS on Feb 8, 2022 14:50:59 GMT
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Post by thegubman on Feb 9, 2022 12:11:09 GMT
Part 24. In 1860 the basic rates were reduced to 12sk for summer postage and 15sk for winter posting. The cover below, was posted from Christiania to Copenhagen in 1863. The date stamps on the front are a little burred on the stamps, but a clearer Christiania 16.6.1863 in black CDS. On the reverse nice Danish postmarks dated 18.6.1863. For this rate (12sk) and combination of stamps (4sk + 8sk) there are 36 recorded covers. Graham |
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