1950-1959 Overseas Mail Rates, Routes & Postal Handling

Israeli postmarks cancelling LEBANESE franks: Jan. 1950 era pre-franked envelope from a member of the United Nations mission to Lebanon in BEIRUT, addressed to a company in BEIRUT - couriered by the sender (possibly on leave) and posted from Israel, with whom Lebanon had no relations. Very strangely the post office in JERUSALEM accepted the letter and postmarked the cover on 12 Jan 1950, cancellin...

CHILE - scarce postage rate on taxed FDC cover: 26 March 1950 postmarked illustrated Universal Postal Union 1st Day Cover pre-franked 120 Prutot using 40pr & 80pr stamps of the 1950 UPU issue on their first day of issue (Ba #27/28) and tied by 1st day HAIFA cancellation; left unused by owner & prepared for mailing a month later, franked 140pr on back & postmarked 26 Apr 1950 at HAIFA (return addre...

1950 UPU / rates & routes: 11 APR 1950 postmarked registered airmail cover on imprinted business postal stationary, sent from JERUSALEM to PRAGUE & franked 105pr at the FA-2a period rate (40pr letter to Europe + 25pr registration + 40pr R-letter additional weight) using mix of 2x 40pr stamp (Ba #27) + 10pr & 15pr 1949 2nd Coinage (Ba #23/24) & tied by single strike of JERUSALEM-12 (Machane Yehuda ...

Unusually handled mail: 23 April 1950 postmarked Independence Day First Day Cover on official illustrated postal stationary, sent from TEL AVIV to LONDON & franked 40 Pruta - either for the period airmail postage rate to Europe or for the period 30pr surface mail postage rate - using a 1950 Independence Day stamp on its first day of use, tied by a strike of the TEL AVIV-19 postmark; front-stamped ...

1950 Independence / rates & routes: 24(?)-4-1950(?) airmail picture postcard by Palphot of Jerusalem ex JERUSALEM to CHICAGO franked 40pr at the FA-2a period postcard rate to US, using 2nd day Ba #30 tied by local postmark; amusing message....

1950 Independence / rates & routes: 27 APR 1950 registered surface mailed personal stationary cover from HAIFA to NEW YORK, franked 60pr at the SU-2 postage period rate (30pr letter + 25pr registration, with 5pr convenience overcharge) using short-tabbed 20pr and 40pr (Ba #29/30) on their 3rd day of use, tied by 2 strikes of local postmark on front + 2 on back, with Mandate registry-label (Sacher ...

1950 airmail to the US with extra postage for reforwarding: 4 May 1950 postmarked air mail cover sent from TEL AVIV to TOWSON (Maryland, USA) & franked 80 pruta per FA-2a postage period rate + tied by single strike of local postmark (unusually with offset imprint of local machine cancel dated 3 May, across the backflap); the cover arrived around 12 May whereupon the receiver updated the address to...

1950 Independence / rates & routes: 5 MAY 1950 postmarked printed matter airmail cover from official State Philatelic Services in TEL AVIV to ATLANTIC CITY USA & franked 60pr for the 65pr FA-2a period rate to US using 20pr and 40pr singles (Ba #29/30) & tied by full strike of the head post office postmark (error - the Hebrew date is "18" and not "5" or "15"); unsealed per printed matter regulation...

1950 Independence / POs, rates & routes: 7-5-1950 "Lacol" austerity period stationary airmail cover from KIRYAT MOTZKIN (return addressed Kfar Bialik) to NEW YORK, franked 80pr at the FA-2a postage period rate using 2x 40pr (Ba30) franks tied by local postmark; roughly opened at back but complete. Scarce multiple franking. Estimated value $185+...

1950 Independence / POs, rates & routes: 10 May 1950 postmarked airmail cover on the official Independence Day stamp commemorative cover from TIRAT ZVI to SAN FRANCISCO, franked 80pr at the FA-2a postage period rate to US, using 2x pairs (vertical & horizontal) of 40pr stamps (Ba #29) tied by 2 strikes of the local postmark (the dateline is unclear but established as 10 May under close examination...

1950 Independence / PO's, rates & routes: 15-5-1950 airmail cover from KEFAR SHEMARYAHU to NEW YORK, franked 80pr at FA-2a period airmail rate to US using 2x half-tabbed 20pr & 2x 20pr singles tied by 4 full strikes of local postmark; back-flap missing, originally sealed with tabs of 1949 Petach Tikva stamps (Ba17), but does not detract from attractive 4x multiple franked cover; estimated value $3...

RARE - 1950 mail to Israel via Arab country: 17 May 1950 postmarked air mail cover on imprinted business postal stationary, sent from SHEFFIELD Britain to TEL AVIV & franked 6 pence, tied by local machine cancel; the cover was misrouted and subsequently machine backstamped 20 May 1950 BEIRUT transit. At this time until the present day there are no diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Israel, a...

Early Israeli telegram received from PARIS by the civilian postal service, tied by 1 June 1950 dated TEL AVIV-26 postmark; tied by large military censor mark of Tav 32 & initialled teleprinted date next day at bottom. This appears to postdate the era of the "Radio Telegraph Israel" handstamped telegrams....

Misdirected returned Jordanian mail to Israel - not refused service: 11 June 1950 postmarked surface mail cover from Jordanian annexed HEBRON (return addressed "Palestine") to LAS PALMAS (Canary Islands) Spain, franked 30 mils using "Palestine" overprinted stamps & tied by single strike of the local postmark; backstamped early August 1950 (single digit arrival date) arrival, but as per an 8 Aug. m...

1950 Independence / rates & routes: 16 JUNE 1950 registered surface mailed OHMS Registered Envelope (No.172) from TEL AVIV (philatelic service) to NEW YORK, franked 100pr at the SU-2 postage period rate for quadruple 10g weight (30pr letter + 25pr registration + 3x 15pr additional 10g weight), using mix of 40pr (Ba30) + 4 color 10pr tabbed, 5pr, 15pr & 30pr 1949 2nd Coinage (Ba22-25) tied by full ...

Unusual 1950 1st Airmail stamps Late Fee cover: 26 June 1950 postmarked Turkish airmail postal stationary cover, sent from HAIFA to HOUSTON & return addressed to sender at hotel in TRIPOLI Libya (at this time Israel had postal relations with Tripolitania); franked 85pr at the Fa-2a postage period rate for 80pr letter to the US + 5pr regular letter late fee, using 5pr, 30pr & 50pr stamps of the 1st...

Air mail to British Sector of Berlin: 27 June 1950 postmarked airmail cover sent from TEL AVIV to West BERLIN ("British Sector") & franked 40pr at the FA-2a postage period rate to Europe using 2x 5pr & 30pr 1st Airmails stamps (Ba #32/33) on their 3rd day of use, tied by 2x strikes of TEL AVIV-41 postmark; backstamped 1 July arrival; slit open at top. Scarce postal link....

1950 UPU stamp issue rates & routes: double rate 5 JULY 1950 postmarked registered air mail cover sent from HAIFA to PRAGUE & franked 105pr at the FA-2a period rate (40pr letter to Europe + 25pr registration + 40pr additional weight) using mix of full tabbed 40pr stamp (Ba #27) + 50pr 1950 1st airmail (Ba #35) + tabbed 15pr 2nd Coinage (Ba #24) & tied by 2x full strikes of Haifa-2 postmark on fron...

Mandate era dateless triangular HAIFA bulk printed matter postmark with letters "HA" in use as a censor mark tying 24 July 1950 postmarked registered airmail cover sent from SAFED (return addressed TEL AVIV) to SAO PAULO Brazil, franked 135 Pruta for the period postage rate (110 air mail to Brazil + 25pr registry fee) & tied by 2x strikes of the local postmark on front + 2x on back. Opened at top....

1950 1st airmail / PO's, rates & routes: 1 Aug 1950 postmarked commercial air mail cover sent from TEL AVIV to SOUTH BEND USA & franked 80pr at the FA-2a period letter rate using 30pr & 50pr stamps (Ba #33/35) tied by a single full strike of the TEL AVIV-41 (head post office) postmark; slit open at top....

Printed matter air mail: 6 Aug 1950 postmarked airmail cover on government postal stationary, sent from the Philatelic Service in TEL AVIV to ATLANTIC CITY & franked 60pr at the FA-2a postage period rate using pair of 30pr 1st Airmail stamps (Ba #33), tied by a single strike of head post office postmark; unsealed per printed matter regulations. Of note, the postage rate was actually 65pr but most ...

1950 1st Airmails 100pr as double rate air mail: 7 Aug 1950 postmarked airmail commercial cover sent from TEL AVIV to KENILWORTH USA & franked 160pr at the FA-2a portage period double letter rate of 80pr, using 50pr & 100pr 1st Airmails (Ba #35/36) + 10pr 1949 2nd Coinage (Ba #23) stamps, tied by 2x strikes of local postmark; slit open at top....

Air mail to Yugoslavia: 15 Aug 1950 postmarked airmail commercial cover sent from paint business in HAIFA to SUBOTICA & franked 40pr at the FA-2a period rate to Europe using single 40pr 1st Airmail stamp (Ba #34) with block number on top margin, tied by single strike of Haifa head post office postmark; backstamped 23 Aug arrival; slit open at top, piece missing from upper right back corner. Rare p...

1950 1st airmail / PO's, rates & routes: 16-8-50 surface mailed picture postcard (Palphot/Haifa bay) from HAIFA to NEW YORK CITY franked 15pr at the SU-2 period pc rate using mix of 5pr (Ba32) + 10pr 1949 2nd Coinage (Ba23) tied by single strike of Haifa postmark....