I should love to know what the extra 10d was for? Can anyone help?

Hello petrod,

Your cover must be paying the 5th weight foreign rate (2 1/2 d x 5).

Regards,
Alexios

I'd agree with Alexios -- the rate was 2½d per half-ounce.

Actually, the trick with interpreting rates is not to get hung up on X being "the" rate to Y destination, when it's really only the basic rate for the first weight step. While that rate would cover the majority of items, lots of mail went at higher rates, and so the first step in interpreting the rate on a non-basic-rate cover should always be to check if it makes sense as the rate for a higher weight (here the fifth step between 2oz and 2½oz, so not that heavy really). If it doesn't, then rates for late fees etc can be considered.

Nice cover, though -- fifth weight step isn't common (especially "plain", i.e not on a heavier registered item), and of course a 10d on cover is most unusual.

Thank you both for your input. Yes, I did know that the basic rate was 2 1/2d per half ounce, but since the envelope is so thin and shows no sign of having contained a bulky item, I wondered if the extra 10d was for something like late fees. (I notice that the item was posted at 9.30 pm - does anyone have any more info about late fees?) I realise that 2-2 1/2 oz doesn't sound much, but in the context of an envelope of this comparatively small size, it would have to have been full to bursting, I fancy.

just read the article about the discussion board in the newsletter and thought I would share this item with you I picked up yesterday at IBRA.
3/- being 2/11d for the 14th weight step so 7 ounces plus late fee.
Quite unusual not being registered and not sent as commercial pot / sample etc.
I presume as it was sent from the London office of Wm. Schroder to the head office in Germany that this silk spinning dynasty was forwarding heavier silk samples urgently but which were not really valuable!
Tried to send as a 300 dpi scan but that did not go through the system, hope this lower resolution will work.

Unusual indeed: an elusive franking + late fee!
I think the enclosure was not samples, otherwise it would have paid the much cheaper "Sample of no value" rate.

Alexios : Thanks your response that was my first thought too but the "sample" rate would have probably taken too long. Could have been heavy papers of course too.

I really can´t figure out this rate- ok, it has got a late fee, but I hope I will get answers!

Thank you for your help!

I believe the L1 postmarks were used to indicate the late fee period in which the letter was processed, not necessarily that a late fee had in fact been paid. With this cover the "Too Late" mark suggests that the sender paid it at quadruple rate, but didn't manage to get it posted before the cutoff time when a 1d late fee became necessary. Presumably as it did not have an extra 1d it was then held back until the next despatch.

Mozzerb got it right!

I think I finally solved the mystery. I researched the company to which the envelope was addressed (they are still in existence under another name). I think the envelope probably contained a metal label of some sort which would easily have brought the weight up to 5th. step.

petrod, Well done and thanks for updating us - research can take a long time - in this case it looks like 11 years!

Winston,

Unfortunately, over the last 11 years, I have had things other than philately on my mind!