Today in Postal History

Belgium to New Caledonia
February 3, 1938

This airmail cover was sent from Antwerp.
Its original destination was Sydney, Australia.
It was forwarded to Noumea, New Caledonia.
The cover was franked with stamps from the 1936 King Leopold III definitive series.
There is a 1.75Fr dull blue and a 5fr. dull green (Scott 295 and 301).

The stamps are tied by three strikes of the Antwerp CDS.
In addition there is a readable origination CDS in a clear area on the front.

The next stop was in Brussels where it received a backstamp on February 3.

The address in Sydney was in the suburb of Vaucluse.*
Vaucluse was serviced by the post office at Watson's Bay.
Watson's Bay is on South Head which is the peninsula
on the south side of Port Jackson on the north side of Sydney.
Vaucluse is just south of Watson's Bay.

There is was readdressed to Noumea and backstamped there on February 16.
The cover arrived in Noumea on February 25.

The cover has an interesting preprinted PAR AVION
etiquette in the form of an airplane's silhouette.

*Thanks to David Benson for deciphering Vaucluse for me.
Duh, my map had it right beside Watson's Bay and I couldn't see it!

Today in Postal History
January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Pastnotes Index - The First 300 and the Next 208
provides more tidbits about stamps and collectors.

Comments? Send me an e-mail
Please include a reference to this item.