Today in Postal History


 
Norway Polar Sea
September 3, 1918

This interesting picture postcard reflects the continuing interest in polar exploration and visits.
The card explains its use:

     This card will be carried by the ,,Fram" across the Polar Sea and afterwards conveyed by post to the addressee.

A thoughtful "Auntie" in Christiana prepared a souvenir for Berit.
The note was dated July 5.
The card then was carried with the Fram on an arctic voyage.
The Fram had a history of polar exploration beginning when it was built in 1892.
However, at the time of this voyage the vessel seems
to have been employed in occasional excursions.*

At a point in the voyage, the card was cancelled with
special Polhavet (Polar Sea) cancels dated September 3.

The cover was franked with a 1910 10 o. carmine rose posthorn (Scott 80).

There is no indication of where the cover was returned to the regular mails.

The destination was Christiania where the cover had started.
From 1624 to 1925 Oslo was known as Christiania.

The illustration shows a walrus amid the polar ice with a ship in the distance.

Such an interesting souvenir for a youngster to receive!
Clearly this was an item which was saved and treasured.

*Someone (I believe it was Bjorn Munch - sorry I've lost my notes) pointed
out that from 1918-1925 the Fram was laid up with no funds.
That raises the question of whether the ship
actually sailed this excursion or just appeared to.

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