Lot #: 144314

Asking Price: $199.00


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Description

1959 Egyptian seizures of Israel-bound mail in transit: 5 Dec 1959 postmarked surface mail cover (likely printed matter) sent from STOCKHOLM Sweden to TEL AVIV, franked 15 Ore using a machine-vended coil stamp & tied by local machine cancel. In this period, although a starting date is unknown, Egypt resumed its practice from 1948 of seizing mail addressed to Israel from mail bags transiting Egypt by air or surface transport - censoring and returning those letters back to their senders; as a systematic policy this is documented in the press archives but not in Daryl Kibble's book. Here this cover was impounded by the Egyptians while the transporting ship was transiting the Suez canal: the cover, unlike in 1948, as a regular letter (not registered) was now not opened and resealed by the Egyptian censor but marked by its circular handstamp (Kibble Type-7, numbered "75") + the boxed French-language no-service marking then in use, Kibble Type-II in violet "PAS DE SERVICE" of which about 75 pieces are mail are documented by him so stamped.

The cover was returned to sender as per the red arrow marks on the front - but unlike much mail of this type, not subsequently resent; unsealed per printed matter regulations.