Paper thickness gauge

In some cases, a type of paper is very important. Stamp No. 9 (50/7 kn Slavonija) from the 1945 DFJ Mostar issue is a good example. This stamp exists on intaglio paper and has a price of a few tens of euros. However, there are also 50 pieces on offset paper valued at 700 euros or even more. Therefore, it is very important that we know how to determine the type of the paper. One of the methods is paper thickness measurement.

I got a new, super-accurate paper thickness gauge a few days ago. Its accuracy is one-thousandth of a millimetre.

My new paper thickness gauge.

I checked some of my old measurements and here are the results for the Croatian Landscapes issue:

• Offset paper: 0.085 - 0.095 mm
• Intaglio paper: 0.071 - 0.080 mm
• Porous paper: 0.078 - 0.091 mm
• Pelure paper: 0.050 - 0.057 mm

Celje, cancellers used in 1945

After the liberation and until the beginning of 1946, different adapted and new postal cancellers were used in Celje. So far, I have found three of them...

Letter sent from Celje (4.IX.45) to Sisak. Canceled with "CELJE C / 1" adapted canceller. 

"CELJE C / 1" adapted canceller.
(click on the image for a larger view)

Registered letter sent from Celje (12.X.45) to Sisak. Canceled with "CELJE a" adapted canceller.

"CELJE a" adapted canceller.

(click on the image for a larger view)

Letter sent from Celje (1.XII.45) to Sisak. Canceled with new "CELJE 4" canceller.

New "CELJE 4" canceller.

(click on the image for a larger view)

1943 Letter from/to the concentration camp

Despite the fact that I do not collect concentration camps (yet?), I was attracted by a very interesting letter sent from the concentration camp Arbe to the concentration camp Asolo. I do not know whether this is rare or not, but I have not seen anything like this until now...

 

1943 WWII Civilian internees, letter sent from the concentration camp Arbe, Fiume (21.9.43) to the concentration camp Asolo, Treviso (29.9.43), censored by Italian and German censors. 

This is a very interesting letter also from the perspective of the period since it was sent after the capitulation of Italy. Concentration camp Arbe was disbanded on 11.9.1943, but it is known that all internees were not freed at that time. In particular, the Jews who were later deported by German forces to the Auschwitz. In addition, I do not know if the date "21 SET 1943" was stamped when the letter was sent or when it was somewhere in the transit. I have to check this...

1943/44 ŠIBENIK, An extraordinary letter

Collectors of the first and second Šibenik issue highly appreciate Novak's correspondence. These are purely non philatelic items of which the vast majority are stationery. Letters are very rare, so you can imagine how happy I was when I found this great Novak's letter...

 

1943/44 Šibenik local provisional issue, second weight registered letter, franked with 17,5 kn (0,50 kn underfranked as the tariff was: 7 kn for the second weight letter, 9 kn for registration and 2 kn for war tax), sent from Šibenik (11.IV.44) to Slavonska Požega (9.V.44), via Drniš (17.IV.44). From the Novak's correspondence.

1941 MEĐIMURJE, Dr. Wolf's letter

It is always nice to find another rare item...

1941 Međimurje, unofficial local provisional issue, Dr. Wolf 's letter, sent from Varaždin (15.IV.41) to Zagreb. 0,50 din stamp with a large vertical shift of the overprint. Only a few of these letters were preserved.

1941 MEĐIMURJE, Rotated overprint

Rotated overprints with angles of 30 degrees or more are very rare...

1941 Međimurje, unofficial local provisional issue, 0.25 din se-tenant pair with both types of coat-of-arms, positions 1 and 2 from the second printing. Strongly rotated overprint. Certificate Zrinjšćak.

100th anniversary

Today is the 100th anniversary of the issue of the first Slovenian stamp...

The chain breaker, issued on January 3, 1919.

1943 IMOTSKI, Unique letter for abroad

In February 1943, the Partisans occupied the town of Imotski. After their withdrawal, the post office remained without a canceller, so it was forced to use a temporary provisional rubber postmark "POŠTA —IMOTSKI" for a couple of months.

 

1943 Imotski, registered letter sent from Imotski (handwritten 31.3.43) to Roma (13.4.43), correctly franked with 13kn (4kn for mail to Italy and 9kn for the registration), porto used as franko, cancelled with a temporary provisional rubber postmark "POŠTA - IMOTSKI". This is the earliest known date and one of two known letters sent abroad.