This is the first time I'm posting a Dutch cover on this blog! It is a cover with a commemorative postmark of 's-Gravenhage (also known as Den Haag/The Hague) Postzegel Tentoonstelling (Stamp Exhibition) of Estland/Estonia Letland/Latvia and Litauen/Lithuania held in 1938. I can understand that people of Poland, Germany, Russia or Latvia showing interest in Lithuanian philately because these countries are closely associated with Lithuanian history but Netherlands does not have any direct connection nor significant immigration of Lithuanians like the US, Canada or Australia, and still managed to gather enough people interested in Baltic philately to held an exhibition during the prewar period. I must say I'm impressed by the Dutch people.
The author probably addressed the cover to himself but then changed his mind and wanted it immediately by rewriting the address to Tentoonstellingen (exhibition ground). According to Google Books, there is even a publication about this exhibit, titled: Tentoonstelling van postzegels van Estland, Letland en Litauen te 's-Gravenhage published in 1938, the author is credited to Jan Hendrik Peursem, Vereeninging Nederland-Balticum. The content has only 36 pages but I would definitely like to take a look if I would ever had a chance to do so one day.
The postmark was made by the Dutch PTT for the stamp exhibition Nederland Balticum 1938. This exhibition was organised by the Dutch stamp club Nederland-Balticum and on display were collections of postage stamps, postmarks, covers etc. from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Mr. Jan Hendrik Peursum wrote the official exhibition catalogue to which you refer.
ReplyDeleteThe postmark itself was used in the colour violet (as regulated by the Dutch PTT) and in use from Saturday 12 February 1938 up and till Monday 14 February 1938.
The local letter rate was 3 cent for letters up and till 20 gram from 1 September 1937 till 20 August 1940.
Thank you so much for detailed and useful info! I very much appreciate it!
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