International Postal Rates: US To France

I have found information online about the progression of US domestic postal rates through history, but no luck with international rates. Anyone know of a free resources out there?

Specifically, I'm considering an unusual cover from US to France in 1917 that has 20c stamp value on it, and I want to confirm that is correct (I.e. not doctored) payment rate before buying. It is a letter. I don't know what the original ounce weight was.

Thanks!

Luke

I found some regular covers that only have 5 cents on them New York to France in 1917, it could have been that high if you wanted something special.

Luke, that information is somewhat complicated as there was no one international rate for US mail. In 1922--the bulletin I found most quickly--the rate from the US to France was 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce or part thereof. Registering a letter cost an additional 10 cents. I'll see what I can find for 1917 in the morning.

According to U.S. International Postal Rates, 1872-1996 (Wawrukiewics & Beecher, Portland, OR, 1996), the Universal Postal Union Surface Letter rates from October 1, 1908 through November 1, 1953 was 5¢ for the first ounce or 20 grams, 3¢ for each additional unit of weight (page 4).

Registry from April 1, 1879 to December 1, 1925 was 10¢. KGB says that the information about international rates was complicated, but it really was not after 1875 for countries that were members of the UPU, which was most countries.

Glenn, letters to Canada, Mexico, Panama, Cuba, the postal station in Shanghai, and a naval hospital in Japan were charged at the domestic rate in 1922. For the postal station in Shanghai, if the mail was to be delivered through Europe, the UPU rate did apply. The charge for articles going to Spain and a number of Central and South American nations was just two cents an ounce or part thereof. There were other discounts available, as well, including mail sent to Great Britain. The post card rate varied, also, from the UPU rate for certain nations. Surprisingly, the table of discounts is quite extensive.

Thanks for the info, everyone.