C4-6 Registered Cover & A Question

Posted this on another major Stamp Collecting forum but since I'm so enamored with this cover I thought I might share it here as well.



C4-6 on Registered Cover to Amsterdam from Portland Oregon franked on the back 1924. Did not travel by air as the first Trans-Atlantic Airmail Service was not established until 1929 if I recall correctly. Some toning and stains on the cover, some spotting on the stamps, but condition aside - I was drawn to the neat alignment of the stamps and the beautifully scripted address so a real "eye catcher" to me.

Now for my question: when I first purchased this cover I was somewhat skeptical about its authenticity (I'm not sure why, I think I'm just a natural skeptic) so I went online trying to research historical international letter rates. After some frustration and many search queries I was only able to come up with historical domestic letter rates. Although my skepticism has now subsided and I not longer think that the cover is a clever forgery (the nominal value should have been my first clue!) I'm still curious to find a table with such information. Basically: I'm interested in finding out out what the actual registered rate to Holland was at the time.

Thanks for looking!
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Thanks! I moved the photo to a different album and think this might have broken the link - hopefully it works now.

no photo

but welcome to the forum.

From a fan of classic airmails, living in Portland -- NICE COVER!!

I think the rate was 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for the second ounce for international surface mail. The international registration fee was 15 cents, starting in December, 1925. I don't know what it was prior to that.

A philatelic cover at worst,a real looker and still a beauty. Are there any backstamps?

If you really don't want it, you can send it to me.

Thanks all for the kind words. On the reverse there are two cancels which are both stamped twice. One with two concentric ovals with "NEW YORK, U.S.A FOREIGN" encircling the date "4 .15 1924" and the other which I cannot quite make out in purple ink - looks like "PORTLAND CENTRAL ??????????? - REGISTERED" encircling the date "APR 10 1924".

sounds about right for airmail back then.. 5 days to go from Portland to New york, then by air to Holland..

Well again I'm very doubtful that this cover ever traveled by air for several reasons. In the early years Airmail Service within the US was only available between very few cities and I believe SF was the only city on the West Coast where it was available. By the mid 20s Trans-Continental Airmail service took less than two days whereas rail service took four to five. The first Zeppelin airmail delivery was not until Oct 1924 and the first airplane flight across the Atlantic was not until 1927 (Spirit of St. Louis... which did not carry any mail). It certainly would have been nice if it flew but I guess that means just another item on the wish list :)

Really nice cover.
Thank you for sharing.

I agree Panda that it is highly unlikely that the letter was delivered by air over the Atlantic. More likely it was transported by ship.