Rare Suriname FDC

This is an interesting and extremely rare registered Suriname postal stationery envelope (Geuzendam G18) with 15 cent franking and an additional Mercuriuskop, Dutch-Indian print, airmail 19 stamp. The item was postmarked in Paramaribo on September 25^th, 1941, coinciding the first day of issue for the Mercuriuskop airmail 19 stamp of 10 Gld. Its intended destination was Curaçao.

The standard mail rate to Curaçao for items up to 20 grams was 7½ cent. Additionally, there was an extra 10-cent charge for airmail services and a 10-cent fee for registration. Notably, the postal stationary has been affixed with a 10.15 Gld franking and shows the Mercuriuskop airmail 19 stamp, along with 15-cent on the stationary. Interestingly, there is an over-franking of 9.875 Gld.

The postal stationery underwent censorship procedures, marked by a rectangular censor postmark without date, and a separate date postmark of type 1A, marked “290941,”. Additionally, a circular postmark marked with the number 15, signified the mark of the censor.

Upon its arrival in Curaçao on September 29^th, 1941, the postal stationery was further postmarked with an arrival mark and the red censor imprint H2, ‘Gezien Censuur Curacao’.

Returned

On October 3^rd, 1941, the postal stationary was returned via regular postal services to its origin in Paramaribo via registered mail, ultimately arriving on October 14^th, 1941. Upon its return, it was subjected to another round of censorship, marked by the type 1A censor mark dated ‘141041’ and the circular mark bearing the number ’15’.

The sender of the postal stationery was Julius A. Nahar, a highly respected philatelist in Suriname. He is known for sending many of the earlier Suriname first day covers, contributing significantly to the philatelic history of the region.

In the NVPH speciality catalogue 2014 the first day of issues is stated as September 19^th 1941, but this is incorrect. In ‘Posthistorie van het rijksdeel Suriname 1650-1975, deel 2′ the correct date is stated: September 25^th, 1941.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Herjan van den Hengel